The Moving Spirit*1 There must be one or more citizens of vision to start the community to think about and do for its boys. Indeed one such citizen of vision can almost single-handed bring a community to a consciousness of boy need and to a readiness to meet such need. The Parent Institution A church, a school, a club-some relatively permanent form of community life is the real starting point. This group must guarantee the meeting place, leadership and general local oversight for a period of at least one year. In a church for example, the real starting point is the pastor, priest, or rabbi and his Board of Trustees or Vestry, if such there be. When this group is convinced that they would like to make their church a focal point in the life of a group of boys-then it is sound policy to take time for this official group to enlist the sympathy and support of the congregation. The "troops" will then be the congregation's own and will be viewed and judged accordingly. *The first impulse may come from a group of boys. * Sometimes an independent group of citizens is sponsor for a troop. TROOP COMMITTEE This "Institution" appoints a Troop Committee, or Boys' Work Committee, composed of not less than three adult male citizens, 21 years of age or over. "The Troop Committee shall be responsible for: "1. The selection of a scoutmaster and one or more assistant scoutmasters. "2. Providing proper facilities for meetings. “3. Advising with the scoutmaster from time to time on questions of policy affecting the proper interpretation of scouting and the requirements of the institution with which the troop is connected. "4. The observance of the rules and regulations of the National Council of the Boy Scouts of America. "5. Encouraging the scoutmaster and his assistants and the members of the troop in carrying out the Boy Scout Program. "6. The operation of the troop in such a way as to insure its permanency. "7. The finances, including the securing of adequate support and the proper disbursements of funds. "8. The troop property. "9. Securing suitable opportunity for the members of the troop to spend one or more weeks in camp, with adequate facilities and supervision. "10. Assuming active direction of the troop in case of the inability of the scoutmaster to serve, until his successor has been appointed and commissioned." By-Laws, Art. XI, Sec. 1, Clause 5. The Troop Committee is the vital spot in organizing scout work in a community-indeed the committee marks the end of the Executive troubles and which end is determined by whether the committee functions or not. A paper committee means potential danger to serving those boys-an active, hence interested committee means that the program is being used as intended by the community group and is therefore working from within, operating on the only sound basis for such social service-getting people to do for themselves. The significance of the above relationship for churches is obvious as it enables them to organize a homogeneous church group to maintain its program of distinctively religious education. Testimony on this point recently published by the Federal Council of Churches of Christ in America* indicates clearly that the Churches value the opportunity scouting thus affords. The Scoutmasters The scoutmasters are the keystones in the arch of scouting service to boyhood. They and the Assistant Scoutmasters give their time and their companionship as volunteers. This is, in fact, a guaranty that the vital contacts with the boy shall not be a matter of salaried routine but shall be done by men who continue to serve because they see the need, because they love boys, because of the usually overlooked reflex benefits in their own lives, because of their patriotic motives. These scoutmasters and assistants are as busy as any of the community's citizens but they elect to find part of their recreation in giving needed companionship to the boyhood of the community. Too large a measure of appreciation can not be given to them for their work. The National By Laws of the Boy Scouts of America says: Article XII. Section 2. By Laws. Scoutmasters. The success of the boy scout program is dependent upon the scoutmaster. His conception of the rules, spirit and purpose of scouting and the quality of his leadership control the possibilities for practical results in the work of the boys. For this reason, the greatest care should be exercised by all concerned in recommending men for such commissions. A scoutmaster shall be at least twenty-one years of age and shall be chosen because of good moral character and his interest in work for boys. He need not be an expert in all *NOTE-See Pamphlet "The Scoutmaster Speaks." of the scout activities but should be able to com- Section 3.-Assistant Scoutmasters. Each troop should have one or more assistant scoutmasters. Assistant scoutmasters shall be at least eighteen years of age and may be selected and promoted because of their experience as members in a troop and efficiency in Scouting. An assistant scoutmaster performs such duties as may be assigned by the scoutmaster. All recommendations for commissions as assistant scoutmasters originate with the troop committee and require the approval of the local council if there be such, having jurisdiction of the troop for which the scoutmaster is commissioned. As the vehicle through which he may influence the scouts, as the point of his efforts toward improvement in methods, as a volunteer group which must somehow be found, interested, trained, supervised and helped, in the best democratic sense of those words and kept interested, active, growing in the workthey constitute the outstanding problem for the Scout Executive's leadership. His task is quite clearly outlined. Scoutmasters must first be men of sterling character. Such men must be found and interested and selected, must be trained, must be supervised and sustained and helped, must be kept. Scoutmasters can only be kept as they are helped to meet their troop and boy problems as these arise in the one or two weekly meetings. The Executive will have most of his contacts with the boys through the scoutmaster whose lofty privilege it is to directly raise the level of boy life. The Scouts The Boy Scouts whose lives are to be enriched through Scouting are local boys who have filed or registered formal evidence at the National Council office, that they have met the following conditions fixed by the National Council By Laws under Federal Charter: ARTICLE II-PURPOSE The purpose of this corporation is as set forth in the original certificate of incorporation under the laws of the District of Columbia, dated February 8, 1910, and restated in Section 3 of the Charter granted by Congress June 15, 1916, as follows-"That the purpose of this corporation shall be to promote, through organization, and cooperation with other agencies, the ability of boys to do things for themselves and others, to train them in scoutcraft, and to teach them patriotism, courage, self-reliance, and kindred virtues, using the methods which are now in common use by boy scouts," by placing emphasis upon the Scout Oath and Law for character development, citizenship training and physical fit ness. ARTICLE VI-PROGRAM Section 1-The program of the Boy Scouts of America shall be carried out through the organization of boys into groups consisting of at least one and not more than four patrols of eight boys each, under the leadership of a man, of clean, virile, and high moral character, to be known as the scoutmaster. Only boys who have passed their twelfth birthday shall be eligible to membership. Authority for enrolling more than thirtytwo boys in a troop may be secured from the chartered local council having jurisdiction, or in case the troop is not under the supervision of a council from the National Council. Section 2-All scouts must know and subscribe to the Scout Oath and Law as follows: |