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Show CLIFF MEMMOTT, Editor HAPPY BIRTHDAY, BOY SCOUTS "ONWARD FOR GOD AND MY COUNTRY". . . The Boy Scouts of America observes its 46th birthday during Boy Scout Week, February 6 to 12, with its membership at an all-time high of 4,100,000 boys and adult leaders. Since 1910 more than 24y2 million Americans have shared in its' leisure-time program. There is scarcely an American family that does not know of Scouting first hand. To mark this birthday the organisation launches a Four-Year Four-Year Program with the theme' "Onward for God and My Country'." Boy Scouts of America seeks "through organized and trained man power to give' an increasingly better program to an increasing number of the nation's youth," says Dr. Arthur A. Schuck, Chief Scout Executive, and to "help today's youth to 'Be Prepared' as citizens of character, to be prepared in body, skill, spirit, will and as a member of a team." The Chief Scout Executive feels that this program is launched at a time when it is evident that increased emphasis on our free way of life is important. For the' safety and welfare wel-fare of the United States, he holds, a patriotism of the highest type is essential, a patriotism built on a firm spiritual foundation. foun-dation. "As Scouting now influences the lives of three million boys," he says, "we must help them to the realization and acceptance of God as the guiding power of the universe.. We' must interpret and find additional methods to help a Scout in his own religious life to fulfill his obligation to God as stated' in the Scout Oath and Law." The "Onward for God and My Country" program also seeks to give youth opportunities to develop physical fitness, self-reliance, self-reliance, a sense of personal responsibility, a spirit of helping people, a willingness to share, and an understanding of government's govern-ment's democratic processes. It is a program worthy of the support of all Americans interested in youth. vEv SCOUTING PROGRESS IN ROOSEVELT DISTRICT DURING PAST YEAR . . . By James E. Bacon I feel that a brief report of the' achievements and standing of the district should be made to the parents and backers' of the Scout program in the Roosevelt District, that you may know what the committees have received for the cash and service ser-vice you have put into it. You have a district committee of a chairman, two vice-chairmen, vice-chairmen, six operating committee chairmen with 9 men asj sisting them, a district commissioner, and 6 neighborhood commissioners com-missioners working with them all trained and registered. One hundred Scout leaders of the Roosevelt Scout District were' trained in their Scouting assignments during 1955'. We are thrilled that our boys in Roosevelt District camped out over 1001 boy nights during 1955. With the 1001 boy nights of camping goes an additional 1272 boy days of Scout camping. Other highlights of the Roosevelt District during 1955 were: , the1 jump from 17 tp 48 in the number of boys who are First Class Scouts and over; the increasing of the district's' total units from 24 to 26, and the jump in boy registration from 341 to 381. We don't claim all of our registered Scouts in "the Roosevelt District to be outstanding youth, living as they should, nor do we claim that the boy merely becoming a Scout will solve all of his developmental problems;, but we do say that thanks to the volunteer leadership in the units and the increasing interest of parents, Scouting in Roosevelt District is making a definite, worthwhile contribution to the development of your boys to keep clean, reverent and patriotic. As Roosevelt District, we are only entitled to one-fourth of the Field Executive's time, who serves four districts and 80 units in the Basin. Effective work, therefore, can only be done through the district committee and Round Table meetings. Therefore, unit Scouters must attend these' meetings to effectively effective-ly learn how to make Scouting work in their institutions. 30 |