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What Is A Boy Scout?
SCOUT! What fun he finds in hiking into the woods! He tells North from South by the moss on the trees, or East from West by the shadows. He can talk to a brother Scout across a river by signaling. He knows the principle trees and birds and animals that he meets, he knows which are poisonous weeds or reptiles, he can find his way by the stars as did the Indians and pioneers before him.
If matches are forgotten, he laughs and proceeds to kindle fire by rubbing sticks together or by striking steel on flint. The fire once started, what good things he can cook out there in the open! He keeps himself physically fit, he avoids poisons of alcohol or tobacco; he guards his tongue from loose speech or boasting or sacrilege. When he speaks of anyone, he tries to speak well of him.
His Scout "Good Turns" to someone each day make him many friends--for the way to have friends is to first BE one. His motto is "Be Prepared" and he thinks through in advance what he would do in fire or storm. When someone is injured he is "ready" to help him with his First Aid knowledge.
He always tries to be a useful citizen. He helps his community.
Another big thing a Scout enjoys is camping--there he finds fun in game or swim--finds new friends in woods and other fellows--and there among the trees, or under God's silent stars, or by the campfire's ruddy embers, he dreams out his great TOMORROW.
From the Revised Handbook for Boys, First Edition. Copyright, 1927, Boy Scouts of America.
This is the edited version of the longer, more poetic original.
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