BOY SCOUTS.

Hokitika Guardian, 7 August 1924, Page 1

BOY SCOUTS.

(Contributed.) Hall. -I. Hawkins. H. Wetlicy. l’an v and K. Newman have till recently been enrolled a.s Tetidetpads in the Ist, Pack and L. Parsons in the 2nd. Pack. Jack Freitas litis heen enrolled last week as a Tenderfoot in the 2nd. Troop. The 2nd. Hokitika Troop Committee meet next Tuesday (12th. ilist). at 8.1. [,.m. The apetuia includes arraupemenus for the Troop Birthday in September, a short camp at Lake Kanieri in the school holidays, plans for ii Christmas Ctiinp. and a emtsiderahhamount of other important business, i that a full attendance is specially asked for. When it is considered that lie.* aim of Scouti.-tp is trainittp in citizenship, am! that scout meetings are by no means desijin-ed fer mere ainu-ement, it is no small thinp that so many keys throuphout the Empire anil the World should consider it worth while to devote time and enerpy to lepulav iitten-ti-m to their si out work. It is rptito true that, projierlv run. scoutin*» is a paine. hut it is. in i ontrast to other juvenile panics, a panic with an object. Probably few would deny that football, for example, should help to promote the physical, and to some extent, tlie litoral health i f those who devote themselves to it, hut how many hoys, one would a-k. play football ‘‘lvy their doctors’ orders" I- 1 In scoutinp. however, no buy can attain oven moderate success without enusidcriup and neknmvloilpinp his ulterior aims. This beinp pr,'inteil. it is satisfactory that with home lessons, tin* attractions of the cinema, and till other calls upon the tittle of the youth of to-day, scoutinp is able comfortably to held its own. on a purely voluntary basis, with olilipatioiis of boyhood like school and cadet iraininp. Unfortunaotly. however, there is one obstacle to ho overcome which is often the most ditlieuli just because it is so unexpected, 'lilts is the attitude oi parents toward- their sons’ scoutinp. Here and there one finds fathers and mothers who, realisinp the enormous advatilape it is to have their hoy set out to train liim-ell to fill his proper place in t.lio world, cannot do too much to help and enenurapr him. Such, however, are rare exceptions. The an rape attitude is piioil nntured tolerance to the hoy’s latest “lad” with openly expressed opinions that it (i.e. his enthusiasm) “won’t last limp." and considerable prumhlinp with his scout en-japements show' sjeus <>| elashiup with their own plans. Beyond these conies still a third class, who. liaviup piven their written consent to enrolment. yet spare no pains io disoourape fit Ili II tlicii t of ohlipati-ins. Me hoar ol the mother who keens her son from sc nit meetiups “as it is the only punishment he cares about.” and in many oases ridicules that weapon which outs so deeply with the yoiliip. is used tttispiiriiiply tu datiip and discournpi* an unscttlinp and unoomfortale jimhition to “do soinetliinp worth while.”

The exlpanatioi), of course, is that father and mother have not the faintest conception of what scoutinp moans for their Jack or Harry. .Nor. probably. have they ever stopped to consider how the absence of one or two from a scout moetiup may upset plans, I hrinp to iiiinplil schemes which have oust si out master and hoys weeks and months of work and thoupht. In wliat is still, to some extent, a pioneer e.immunity, the home duties of nut it v hnvs are hound to lit- heavy and one can only an cpl that as a tael to lie faced. I’-tlt one would certainly like to sec til,li'e evidence that 7.11-•-!>.!> p.m. at a seoiil ineetinp could he fitted ill witli the workiup of the home as easilv and with as much p< nil-will as a iiiucli latter eveninp at the picture hall. Parents are invited eoiistantly to pet into touch with th" t room- of scout . and it will mean a hip .-tiq- towards siieee‘s "lien tliis imitation i> taken up as il deserves.