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Young man's help makes long-lasting impression
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share thisThe Boy Scout movement was founded in England by British Lord Robert Baden-Powell, who wrote and illustrated the scout's first manual in 1908. During a visit to London in 1909, milliionaire Chicago publisher William Dickson Boyce became lost and was approached by a 12-year-old boy carrying a lantern who offered to guide him to the address he was seeking. When Boyce produced a shilling, the boy replied, "No, sir, I am a Scout. Scouts do not accept tips for good turns."
After finishing his errands, Boyce and the unknown Scout went to British Scout headquarters where they met Lord Robert Baden-Powell.
From that moment forward, Boyce's interest in scouting grew, and Boyce came home determined to start a Boy Scout organization in America. He apparently knew nothing of the troops already operating, or of the YMCA's promotion of scouting.
On Feb. 8, 1910, Boyce and a group of outstanding leaders filed incorporation papers for the Boy Scouts of America in the District of Columbia. The purpose, he said, "Shall be to promote, through organization, and cooperation with other agencies, the ability of boys to do things for themselves and others, to train them in Scoutcraft, and to teach them patriotism, courage, self-reliance and kindred virtues, using the methods which are in common use by Boy Scouts."
Today, scouting has served millions of young men from age six to 18 in a variety of programs including Cub Scouts, Boy Scouts, and Venturing. Earning scouting's highest award - the Eagle Scout award - is only achieved by four percent of boys registered. Famous Eagle Scouts include Willie Banks, J. Willard Marriot, Gerald Ford, Bill Bradley, James Lovell, Ross Perot, Richard Lugar and Donald Rumsfield.
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