Scouting, Volume 2, Number 13, November 1, 1914 Page: 1
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Published semi-monthly by National Headquarters, Boy Scouts of America
For Scout Officials and Others Interested In Work for Boys
Vol. II.
NEW YORK, N. Y„ NOVEMBER i, 1914.
No. 13.
A STATEMENT OF POLICY
ABOUT MERIT BADGES.
Chief Scout Executive Outlines Princi=
pies Governing Court of Honor
Examinations.
THE large number of questions which
have been received recently at Na-
tional Headquarters concerning the
awarding of Merit Badges indicate a grow-
ing interest in this important phase of the
Scout work. In view of this increasing in-
terest the Scout field will appreciate a state-
ment of the policy of the Boy Scouts of
America in regard to the examinations for
Merit Badges.
Such a statement of policy was made re-
cently by the Chief Scout Executive, Mr.
James E. West, in response to a request
from Scout Commissioner Willis B. Hol-
combe, of Brooklyn. Mr. West wrote to
Mr. Holcombe as follows:
" At the February, 1913, annual meeting
the question of the policy in awarding
Merit Badges was quite carefully discussed
and a resolution was passed urging that
special care be taken in awarding Merit
Badges to guard against a mere technical
compliance with the tests as set forth in
the Handbook. In every way within our
power we have been urging upon Scout-
masters and local councils the importance
of this matter.
Thoroughness Important.
" In some cases we have had reason to
believe that the pride in passing a number
of tests has outweighed the importance of
more than a mere technical compliance
with the tests as set forth in the Handbook,
and that Scout officials have unwillingly en-
couraged boys in passing a number of
badges at the expense of the thoroughness
in examinations.
" I most strongly urge upon you that you
bring to the attention of the members of
your Court of _ Honor the importance of
carefully checking every candidate for a
Merit Badge in connection with their ap-
peals before the Court of Honor."
Mr. West then refers to the new blanks
for applications for Merit Badges and calls
attention to the fact that the application to
the National Court of Honor must contain
not only the certificate of the expert who
conducts the examinations, but the recom-
mendation of the Local Court of Honor as
well.
" It is not contemplated by our rules for
awarding Merit Badges," says Mr. West,
" that the mere certificate of a single expert
will be accepted as final. A certificate is
accepted from the Court of Honor showing
that the candidate personally appeared be-
fore the members of the Court of Honor
with at least three members present, and
after giving due consideration to the cer-
(Concluded on page 8, column 1.)
President Livingstone's Statement
About the u War " Number
of " Boys' Life."
To all Scout Officials:
I should like to call the special attention
of Scout officials to the "War" number of
Boys' Life, which has just been mailed.
All of you know of the many accusations
of militarism which have been made against
the Boy Scout Movement, and most of you
know something of the injury to the cause
which has resulted.
This "War" number was not prepared
for the purpose of forming a defense
against such criticisms; the main reason
was to answer the demand of the boys for
" something about the war." In answering
this demand Boys' Life has given boys
" hot stuff" about the war, but has given
it to them in such a way that the horror
of it all is brought home to each lad who
reads. It is another illustration of the Boy
Scout plan of teaching a lesson without
putting a label on it which will scare the
boy away.
And so, while it was not primarily in-
tended to be such, the "War" number of
Boys' Life is as strong an answer to the
charge of militarism in the policy of the
Boy Scouts of America as could be pre-
sented.
The number contains a statement about
war by Andrew Carnegie which is ad-
dressed to the youth of America. Dr.
David Starr Jordan, Vice-President of our
National Council, adds his gripping appeal,
while Cyrus Townsend Brady gives a
realistic picture in his article called " What
War Is—Just One Battle." There is
a poem entitled " When Some Fellow's
Daddy Kills Some Fellow's Dad" that will
make boys think, and one of the strongest
fiction stories Boys' Life has ever printed
is called " In the Line of Fire." No boy
who reads this story is likely to forget it—
or to forget what war meant to one boy
who was caught within the range of the
guns at Liege.
In order that this unusually strong ma-
terial may reach as many readers as possi-
ble, I would request that each Scout official
make it his duty to see to it personally that
his copy of the magazine is read by at
least five boys, and that their parents also
see it and thereby learn just what the Boy
Scout organization is trying to teach its
bovs on the subject of war. If opportunity
offers, teachers should be urged to read at
least Mr. Carnegie's and Dr. Jordan's state-
ments to their classes.
President Boy Scouts of America.
HOW WORCESTER RAISED
$6,000 FOR LOCAL SCOUT WORK.
How the Three Days' Campaign Was
Arranged and How It Was
Conducted.
BEGINNING after luncheon on Mon-
day, October 19, and closing Wednes-
day noon, the local Council of Wor-
cester conducted a financial campaign which
netted nearly $6,000—nearly $1,000 more
than the amount called for by the annual
budget. This campaign sets a new record
for local Boy Scout financial campaigns. It
is one of the most significant tributes paid
to the worth of the Boy Scout Movement.
It speaks eloquently for the enthusiasm and
cooperation shown by the workers in the
campaign, and the outcome is all ihe more
commendable in view of the fact that the
business and industrial conditions of Wor-
cester have suffered in the general business
depression caused by the war.
A brief history of this campaign will be
of more than usual interest.
About two months ago Arthur R. For-
bush, who has been Scout Executive at
Worcester since January, came to National
Headquarters, where he had a conference
with Mr. West, Mr. Moffat and Mr. Dale
in regard to the campaign. The plan as
followed was settled at this conference,
and Mr. Forbush returned to Worcester to
carry it into effect.
The Plan and How It Worked.
On Tuesday evening, October 13, a num-
ber of men and women who had agreed to
serve as leaders of the patrols which were
to work in the campaign met to talk over
the details of organization. This meeting
was addressed by Mr. Dale, of the Field
Department, who briefly called attention to
the opportunity now presented to place
Scounting on a permanent basis in Worces-
ter. Other speakers were George F. Booth,
editor and publisher of the Worcester
Gazette; Attorney Earle Brown and Mr.
Forbush.
The next day these patrol leaders all
started out to solicit men and women work-
ers to join them. In all, fifteen patrols were
organized, each with a membership of from
six to ten. On Monday noon, October 19,
all of the workers met at luncheon at the
Bancroft Hotel, where the details of the
plan were outlined, after which the work
of soliciting funds was started in earnest.
The " Flying Squadron," composed of
George F. Booth; George M. Wright,
Mayor of Worcester; Harry D. Stoddard,
Rev. Dr. H. Stiles Bradley, Jerome George
and Earle Brown, announced that $750 had
already been pledged by prominent men
upon whom they had called for support.
The luncheon was addressed by Mr. Dale,
who cited a number of unusual instances of
service on the part of Boy Scouts in other
cities, and called attention to the splendid
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Boy Scouts of America. Scouting, Volume 2, Number 13, November 1, 1914, periodical, November 1, 1914; New York, New York. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth282702/m1/1/: accessed April 25, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Boy Scouts of America National Scouting Museum.