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WINNETKA TALK August 11, 1928 "Do a Goad Turn Daily" BOY SCOUT NEWS of the North Shore Troops "Be Prepared" Scout Executive Explains Aims of Scouting Activity (Excerpts from a talk by Scout Ex- ecutive, Walter McPeek, recently de- livered before a meeting of parents.) The Scout program, available for the use of local institutions under the lead- ership of their own men and their own boys, grew out of a boy's dream of romance and yearning for adventure. Sir Robert Baden Powell, as a boy, must have yearned for the companion- ship of men in making possible some of the dreams of his boy world. He probably longed for a better chance to learn of the lore of the woods. He probably often wished for the chance fo cook his own dinner over a wood re. When he became a man, Sir Rqgb- ert found it possible to give to other boys what he had longed for. And the program of Scouting came into being. A Stranger in London All day long London had been in the grip of a dense, heavy fog. Traf- fic crept cautiously and slowly. Street lights had been ordered on by the police before noon, and now night was coming on. Danger lurked on every hand, because "going" was difficult even for the native. William D. Boyce, Chicago publisher and traveler, was seeking a difficult address in old London. A boy ap- proached him and asked, "May I be of service to you?" Mr. Boyce told him where he wanted to go and the boy saluted and said, "Come with me, sir," and forthwith led him to the desired spot. Like the typical Amer- ican tourist, Mr. Boyce reached in his pocket and offered the boy a shilling. The boy promptly replied, "No, sir, I am a Scout. Scouts do not accept tips for courtesies." The man in sur- prise murmured, "What do you say?" The Scout repeated and then added, "Don't you know about the Scouts?" Mr. Boyce said, "Tell me about them." The boy did and added, "their office is very near, sir; I'll be glad to show you the way." Mr. Boyce had to complete his er- rand first. The lad waited, however, and then led him to the office of Sir Robert Baden-Powell, founder of the British Boy Scout association, where information about the Scout movement was gladly given. Mr. Boyce was tre- mendously impressed and, gathering all available information, brought it back to the United States. On February 8 of the next year, Mr. Boyce and others interested in boys and citizenship, formally incorporated The Boy Scouts of America. This day is observed each year as the birth- day of Scouting in the United States. This "Good Turn" to a stranger brought Scouting to the United States (1909), and to millions of American boys. Job of Team Work This "Good Turn" is in no way un- like millions of "Good Turns" done daily by the Boy Scouts of the United States and the world. Scouting is a program--not an in- stitution in a community. It is a pro- gram to be used by the churches and schools, civic groups and service clubs under the leadership of their own men in the unfolding of the personality of their own boys. Scouting is a job of team work-- Canoeing at Camp Checaugau Two north shore Scouts in canoe at Camp Checaugau. say, "We're going to be canoeing down the Wolf river at our own northern Wisconsin camp." "Next year" they Many Scouts and Leaders Plan Trip to Camp Site Many Scoutmasters, committeemen, Scouts and their friends plan to take Labor Day trips to inspect the site of the newly secured camp site in north- ern Wisconsin. It is a nine or ten hour trip, and many plan to leave on Saturday to stay at the Muskie Inn in Elcho and to return on Monday. This will give them a chance to see a good deal of Spring Lake and the sur- rounding country. not a one-man task. There must be a Scoutmaster, with Assistant Scout- masters and a Troop Committee of five men who are not figureheads but active helpers in the development of the troop effectiveness. We are trying to secure in each troop the same sort of brains, con- secration and devotion as we have in church and school and in the business world. Scouting is a program--rightly used that actually touches a boy's soul. It is not merely a hobby, or a play- thing for tag-end interests but a task worthy of the best efforts of our big- gest men. If you fathers and mothers know what grade your boy is in at school, you should also know what rank he has attained in Scouting. The habits he is demonstrating today are liable to be his controlling attitudes of twen- ty years from now. A Tree a Week by Merit B. Scout Note: Each week he will describe a different tree growing in this locality. The Shag-Bark-Hickory. All of us who have ever been in the Forest Pre- serve or in other wooded sections around the north shore, have seen the Shag-bark-hickory, averaging 60 to 100 feet high, and one or two feet in diameter. The bark is rough and separates into thick plates which loosen themselves from the tree and curl on the ends. The wood is hard and very strong. It is used largely in the manufacture of tools and in building wagons. It also makes very satisfactory fuel, burning. for a long while. Executive McPeek Goes to National Conference Soon Walter McPeek, Scout Executive of the North Shore Area council, will leave September 3 for a ten day con- ference at Cornell university, Ithaca, N. Y. This conference of Scout exe- cutives all over the United States is held every two years and is attended hy professional leaders throughout the country. It is expected that approx- imately 950 men will attend. This in- cludes the entire professional leader- ship of the United States. How Jimmie Knew He Was Destined to Be a Big Man Preacher (George W. Anderson) tells of his experience with little "Jimmie" in the settlement adjacent to his church in a large city. Jimmie was the lad who knew everybody. On Anpderson's visits of mercy, Jimmie led the way. Upon arriving at their des- tination, Jimmie would threw the door open with the exclamation, "Thar they be." Occasionally Jimmie went home with the preacher to the big house. These visits were rare treats to the soul-starved urchin. One day as this strange pair sat in the pastor's study, a table between the two, Jimmie made the startling an- nouncement, "Mr. Anderson, I'm go- ing to be a great man some day." And Mr. Anderson, not much im- pressed, said, "Yes, Jimmie, you'll be a great man some day." Jimmie was not deceived, "But Mr. Anderson," said he, "I'm going to be a great man some day, 'cause it's easy." Mr. Anderson could not deceive the boy longer. "Yes, Sonny, but how do you know you are going to be a great man some day?" And then the boy replied, "You see, Mr. Anderson, it's like this--I jest set here and look at you a settin' in thet big chair with all the books and pic- tures around you--and I shet my eyes and set real still. Pretty soon I see a kind of a -picture--'tain't very plain at first, but if I set long enough and look far enough, I can see it right plain. It's me growed up a settin' in a chair like you--only I'm bigger"n you. And if I keep on a lookin' at that picture all the time, and try to look like it all the time I'm growin' up-- well, when I get big like you are, I'll just be like the picture--that's all You see, Mr. Anderson, 'tain't hard, 'cause you always got the picture." "Yes, Jimmie, you will be a great man some day and it won't be hard," said Anderson, because you have your picture.--H. Zion in "Scout-O- Grams." Junior Leaders Arrange a Get-Together Session The Junior leaders of the twelve Scout troops of Wilmette and Kenil- worth will hold their first get-together on Friday afternoon, September 21, at 4 P. M. at St. Augustine's Club House. The Scoutmasters will be the guests of the boys at a 6:30 o'clock dinner. The program will close at 8 P. M. You're Invited to Find a Name for the New Camp Now that a camp of our own is as- sured it is up to every Scout to put on his thinking cap to suggest a name for the camp which will ppen next sum- mer. Inasmuch as it is near the bor- der of the Menomine Indian Reserva- tion, an Indian name would be most suitable. NEW SCOUTMASTER Members of Troop 2 of the Wil- mette Congregational church are look- ing forward to the kick-off meeting of their troop to be held the second week in September. A new Scout.master will be in charge of the troop.