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Show Boy Scouts' Extensive Emergency Program To mark its thirty-first birthday, Boy Scout Week, Feb. 7-13, the Boy Scouts of America is continuing an active program to prepare the youth of this country to take its place in dealing with world conditions. Scouting officials have drawn up an extensive emergency em-ergency service program designed to make the boys of the United' States of more value in times of crisis. Dr. James E. West, Chief Scout Executive, : in announcing the plan said: "It is the responsibility of everyone identified with Scouting in normal times, and certainly in a period of national emergency, to be alert and vigilant to meet every opportunity for service, not only because of the obligation obliga-tion but because of the special training which the program pro-gram of Scouting gives to boys in Patrols and Troops and through the development of qualities of leadership on the part of the older boys and Scouters." Giving new significance to the Boy Scout Motto: "Be "Prepared!" the Scout movement has begun intensive training train-ing for the boys in its membership in all things which will make them more reliant and capable in emergency situations. Scouts are being trained in observation, inderi-tification inderi-tification and memory through a thorough knowledge of their home communities. The boys are being trained in swimming, horsemanship, horseman-ship, boating, proper methods of running messages, as well as how to travel under adverse conditions. Stressing the necessity of clean living, the program emphasizes outdoor life, giving the Scouts training in camping with and without with-out shelter, the preparation of food, and knowledge of woodcraft lore. Calling to mind the long list of Scout heroes who have received medals for saving life, local Scoutmasters are teaching their boys safety methods for dealing with firearms, cutting tools, and fire, as well as instruction in methods of water rescues and first aid for the seriously seri-ously injured. Rural Scouts are playing an important part in this emergency service program through raising garden truck for food, studying the importance of food and its conservation, conserva-tion, raising birds and animals for food, as well as fish hatching. Although in no way advocating military training for the forty-seven thousand Scout units throughout the country, the Scout Movement has recognized the necessity of preparing the youth of the United States for efficient and valuable service to the country in time of emergency. Scout service in times of recent crisis, such as the hurricane hurri-cane disasters of New England and Florida, has shown the value of the Boy Scout training in first aid, signaling, pa thfinding, 'safety and use of knife and ax. The Boy Scouts of America in organizing this service program has joined with 16 other organizations of . the Citizenship Educational Service in issuing this statement: "While recognizing the urgent necessity for military preparedness, pre-paredness, we are deeply convinced that the paramount need in national defense is the strengthening and invigor-ation invigor-ation of Democracy in the United States. This we propose pro-pose to do through our respective programs of activity and education." A ! |
