Scouting, Volume 9, Number 12, December 1921 Page: 1
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SCOUTING
DECEMBER, 1921
Copyright, 1921, by Boy Scouts of America
VOL. IX. NO. 12
S
OME peoples sew up their chil-
dren in winter clothing at the
approach of the dragon, Cold
Weather, and forget the
matter until Spring. It's a question
if that is worse than a custom
that still lingers of nailing up our houses,
particularly bedroom windows, at the ap-
proach of the same dragon. The first dra-
gon killef found his prey in a foul swamp,
the dragon of 111 Health. There's an-
other dragon living on frozen swamps,
the dragon of Fear-of-the-Cold. Let's get
him!
Scout's Show the Way
A high percentage of the growing cus-
tom of camping in Summer, is attributed
to the influence of Scouting. The old
custom of lying in hammocks under some
farmer's waving elm for two Weeks or a
month each Summer has given way like
a rotten wooden bridge to the impact of
a spring freshet. Camping in Summer
has become " the thing."
And now let's make it the thing in
Winter. The scouts of every community
can lead the way. Let's have a healthy
nation. Let's open our windows in Win-
ter and let the night air in, and open our
doors and let our=elves out.
Between now and the next spring
freshet there will be at least sixteen Fri-
day nights, Saturdays and Sundays, and
four holidays, a total of thirty opportuni-
ties for outdoor activities—counting every
thing from two days and a night (as a
unit) to seven or eight full days as the
Christmas and Easter holidays.
The strongest cement for holding the
troop together is composed of knowledge
of scoutcraft, and definite and continuous
activities. Failure to keep the boys in-
creasing in their knowledge of scoutcraft,
and failure to provide definite, frequent
troop activities, explain why some troops
fail. One reason why it is important that
there should be no let-up in the outdoor
program during cold weather. Scouting
from the start has been an all-year pro-
gram.
Easy as Sliding Down Hill
The simplest form of winter hike is
there and back in an
afternoon. Possible to
every troop. Possible
in practically every
kind of Winter
weather.
The same general
principles apply, of
course, as in Summer.
The scoutmaster or
an assistant scout-
master should always
be the leader. Goal
should be within
range of time and
strength. Group
should start exactly
on the hour set, and
time should have been
allowed for inspec-
tion of each boy to
make sure he is prop-
erly equipped for a
Winter hike, includ-
iragon-iKtlHtu}
ing materials for eats. The character of
the hike, that is, the nature of the obser-
vations along the way, should have been
decided well in advance, not left for de-
cision at or after the start. Keep to the
program. Time your progress so as to
make sure of reaching your goal and get-
ting back within the agreed period.
November SCOUTING—Supply Department
Catalog Number—delayed in mailing, should
reach you soon after this Number.
Old Friends in New Clothes
There are many angles of observation
for the Winter hike. Mysteries of snow
and how it acts under different condi-
tions of wind and temperature and land
and water formation,, and on bush and
tree will occupy more than one hike.
Habits and appearance of the trees in
your locality in Winter, will reward close
study. Taking notes in such cases is of
course essential. Applying the tenth test
for first-class scout to the trees and plants
in the Winter, is stimulating, though not
the required test.
Don't Gloom
You want fun on your Winter hikes;
at the same time get in a reasonable
amount of scoutcraft work every time.
The combination of treasure hunt and
stalking or path-finding will provide a
lively combination. The hiders of the
treasure make misleading tracks that the
searchers must discern or lose time in the
hunt. The treasure is a cache of chest-
nuts or potatoes ready for roasting, or
anything of that sort. A hollow tree, an
overhanging rock, a snow or sand pile,
for hiding places. By adapting the hints
in the chapter on the treasure hunt in the
Handbook for Scouts, to Winter con-
ditions, a mighty interesting treasure
1
In the canyons of Utah, a popular hike with Salt Lake City Scouts; 200, and leaders this time on
hunt hike can be carried through.
Similarly, a study of the chap-
ter on games in the Handbook for
Scoutmasters as well as the
Scouts' Handbook suggest a num-
ber of ways to keep the interest
in the winter hike steadily mounting as
the weeks come and go. A hike of alter-
nate stretches devoted to observation,
and halts devoted to games, will make
any afternoon disappear in a jiffy,
and leave your troop keen for the next
chance.
Make It Practical
Merit badge work provides a number
of suggestions for the winter hike. Photo-
graphy is perhaps the foremost. Good
winter pictures are hard to make, there-
fore scarce. Pictures of scout activities
in Winter are—well, where are they? You
want them for your troop meeting rooms
and albums and your scout homes; while
you are making them, make extra prints
of the best and send them into e Na-
tion Council Headquarters! Such pic-
tures are greatly needed; desired in gen-
eral publicity work, and for use in Scout-
ing and Boys' Life and other literature,
and for display at National Headquarters.
One hike in the middle of Winter when
the snow is everywhere and every stream
is frozen, devoted to photography, will be
more than worthwhile. Making a fire in
the snow, cooking the hike lunch, making
camp for the night, the camp-fire and
council ring, rendering first aid, signaling
—the whole round of activities furnish
subj ects.
There is only one Winter to a year.
The wise scoutmaster will find out what
is going on of particular interest within
hiking distance of troop headquarters, and
will arrange for educational hikes. Scouts
should see things at first* hand, such as
logging, and maple-sugaring, ice harvest-
ing and the farmers' Winter work, Winter
sports and similar outdoor Winter occu-
pations.
Consult These Experts
The Saturday afternoon hike can be
expanded to an overnight hike, and
that into a week-long hike or ex-
ploring trip, as conditions make possible.
Means only an ex-
pansion of supplies
and of the program to
be carried through on
the hike. In complet-
ing their merit badge
test in camping, which
requires 50 nights un-
der canvas, they may
well take along their
shelter tents or larger
tents in which fire
may be safely built in
severe weather. The
Merit Badge pamph-
let on camping, Car-
penter's "Winter
C a m p in g, '' Dan
Beard's new book on
camping, and Dillon
Wallace's "Troop No.
1 of the Labrador,"
all give definite leads
this subject.
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Boy Scouts of America. Scouting, Volume 9, Number 12, December 1921, periodical, December 1921; New York, New York. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth310749/m1/1/: accessed April 26, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Boy Scouts of America National Scouting Museum.