HEAD OF THE BOY SCOUTS.

Northern Advocate, 11 April 1911, Page 6

HEAD OF THE BOY SCOUTS.

TO VISIT NEW ZEALAND.

Among the cable items appearing in the "Advocate" a few days ago was an announcement that General Sir R. Baden-Powell would visit Australia and New Zealand early next year on a short lecturing tour in connection with the Boy Scout movement.

Robert Stephenson Smyth BadenPowell was born 54 years ago in London. He was one of a large family, every member of which has made some mark in the world. His father was a clergyman. His mother was the daughter of Admiral Smyth. Robert Stephenson, the great engineer, was his godfather, and the baby was named after him. A writer in the London "Morning Post" in February remarked that important as was the military service of General Baden-Powell, he has been overshadowed by the service he has done to the nation and the Empire in founding the Boy Scouts. "It would seem," continued the writer, "that there must be some wonderful secret in a movement which could spread thus, and enrol 300,000 lads in three years. But the explanation is simple. The Boy Scout because it makes to a direct appeal to the movement has flourished thus remarkably instincts and impulse which dominate sll that is best in boy life all the world over. "This is a wide statement, but one that happens to be as safe as it is strong. The future of a nation depends greatly upon the training of its boys, especially upon the intermediate life between first childhood and young manhood of the lads who will be the workers of to-morrow. Almost every common influence of modern life combines to lead them wrong. At school they get all the rudiments of book education, and that, as far as it goes, is excellent. But little is there systematically done to'implant a sense of national discipline and of definite public duty. Out of school hour's there is no fine and inspiring principle of association to bind them to each and to their country, and lift their aspirations to a higher level. General Baden-Pow-ell appeared upon the drab and aimless scene of ordinary boy-life in our cities, and, with the simplicity of method which somebody ought to have thought of years and decades before he j _et himself to Work the moral revolu- j

tion. How to put the average lad in a better way? How to bring all healthy boyish instincts and aptitudes to a focus? These were his problems. He hit upon a perfect solution."