What's the opposite of devilish behaviour? Why, being a Boy Scout, of course.

This extract is from the 1911 Boy Scout Handbook, available to us courtesy of Project Gutenberg.

Editor's Note: Banana peels were a recent urban hazard, due to globalisation, politics, and the nefarious activities of Sam the Banana Man Zemurray, the government-toppling entrepreneur who also gave us the term 'banana republic'.

Chivalry

Then too, a good scout must be chivalrous. That is, he should be as manly as the knights or pioneers of old. He should be unselfish. He should show courage. He must do his duty. He should show benevolence and thrift. He should be loyal to his country. He should be obedient to his parents, and show respect to those who are his superiors. He should be very courteous to women. One of his obligations is to do a good turn every day to some one. He should be cheerful and seek self-improvement, and should make a career for himself.

All these things were characteristics of the old-time American scouts and of the King Arthur knights¹. Their honor was sacred. They were courteous and polite to women and children, especially to the aged, protected the weak, and helped others to live better. They taught themselves to be strong, so as to be able to protect their country against enemies.² They kept themselves strong and healthy, so that they might be prepared to do all of these things at a moment's notice, and do them well.

So the boy scout of to-day must be chivalrous, manly, and gentlemanly.

When he gets up in the morning he may tie a knot in his necktie, and leave the necktie outside his vest until he has done a good turn. Another way to remind himself is to wear his scout badge reversed until he has done his good turn. The good turn may not be a very big thing – help an old lady across the street³; remove a banana skin from the pavement so that people may not fall; remove from streets or roads broken glass, dangerous to automobile or bicycle tires; give water to a thirsty horse⁴; or deeds similar to these.

The scout also ought to know how to save life. He ought to be able to make a stretcher; to throw a rope to a drowning person; to drag an unconscious person from a burning building, and to resuscitate a person overcome by gas fumes⁵. He ought also to know the method of stopping runaway horses⁶, and he should have the presence of mind and the skill to calm a panic⁷ and deal with street and other accidents.

Editor's Note: We're impressed. Boy Scouts in 1911 must have been amazingly talented.

Dmitri Gheorgheni

10.04.17 Front Page

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