MANY Troops have organized an Alumni or Old Scouts Association to help keep track of former members. This association need not meet often nor carry on any great responsibilities—but the members should be kept in touch with the Troop.

Often they come together at an annual dinner where they discuss old times and hear about the progress the Troop is making. At another time Old-timers are invited to visit the Troop meeting or a special reunion hike may be arranged for them (see Hiking Chat). If the Troop publishes a paper, it is well to have the former members on the mailing list.

Scouts who have grown up with the Troop should be given some kind of graduating ceremony when they leave (see Chat: His Attendance and Tenure).

If the Troop has its own meeting place it might be a good plan to have the pictures of former Scouts arranged on the wall. One Troop that has been in operation for many years has two pictures of each former Scout—one when he was a member of the Troop and one as a full-grown man of affairs in the community.

Alumni Service

These former Scouts can often be of service to the Troop as special instructors and occasional speakers. When the Troop needs funds they can help. The Troop Committee will find the former Scouts helpful when they are looking for transportation to some special event.

Alumni Organization

The Old-timers should be organized in such a way that the time of the Scoutmaster is not taken to keep their organization alive. Three officers, elected at one of the annual dinners, are sufficient to carry on the activities of the group—president, vice-president and secretary-treasurer.

Rover Scouting

Rover Scouting is devised for young men who wish to continue actively in Scouting beyond the age of eighteen in companionship with others of their own age.

Rovers are organized into Crews. A Crew has a Crew Committee (consisting of at least three citizens of the United States) and a Rover Leader (25 years of age or older). The Crew in turn may be made up of several Patrols. The Patrol should be small and organized according to interest groups if possible. Rovers are responsible for their own program, the Rover Leader acting largely as a counselor. The Rovers themselves must approve whoever is appointed Rover Leader and they select one of their own number as Rover Mate.

A Rover personally designs his camp equipment. Tried and tested in storm and sun the year 'round.

Admission As A Rover

An applicant may become a "Squire" or "Apprentice" Rover at 17. During the time that a candidate is Squire he is going through a period of probation.

When the Squire is eighteen years of age, he may be admitted to the Crew as a Rover.

What Rovers Do

Camping trips, alone or with other Rovers, occasional meetings with members of the Crew, social activities, pursuance of hobbies and service to Scouting or some other movement constitute the Rover Scout Program.

Details of the Rover Program and organization are given in the Guide Book of Senior Scouting.

Other Senior Scouting Activities

All of the Senior Scouting activities described above have been centered in the Troop or the institution. There are in some Local Councils other special Senior Scout activities organized on a Council basis but requiring the Scout to be registered with a Troop, Tribe, Ship or Neighborhood Patrol.

Briefly these special activities for older Scouts are as follows:

Boy Scout Press Clubs

Recognizing the possibilities of journalism for young men in the pursuit of either avocation or vocation, as well as the publicity values to Scouting, Local Council Press Clubs have been organized. These Clubs afford opportunities for Scouts who are interested in journalism to gain an understanding of it through association and fellowship, and through contacts with experienced journalists.

Press Clubs are usually organized on a Council or District basis under the general supervision of the

One of the most important activities of older Scouts — the Press Club. Many Councils leave management of publications to these young men.

Scout Executive and volunteer advisors. Scoutmasters who may be interested in Press Club work or Troop Papers, should get in touch with tneir Scout Executive, and discuss its possibilities with him before taking any definite steps.

Representatives from each Troop compose the membership of the Press Club, which is organized through the association of Scouts who either already have or are particularly interested in securing a Merit Badge in Journalism.

Honor And Service Societies

Order of the Arrow—This organization is an honorary camp society. The Troops in the Council elect their outstanding campers to membership in this group. The meetings of this organization are not frequent and are usually of a social nature. Active members of the Order of the Arrow must be registered Scouts.

Knights of Dunamis.—This honorary organization for Eagle Scouts had its beginning in California but has now spread throughout the country. Eagle Scouts are eligible to join and active members are required to be registered Scouts. The organization is devoted to service and friendship. The meetings are infrequent and may consist of initiations or be social in nature.

Senior Degree Honor Society.—A service organization to develop leadership among older Scouts. This society is formed either on a District or Council-wide basis. Active members are required to be registered Scouts. Members assist in conducting local activities and in leadership of younger Scouts. Meetings of the group are infrequent, they may consist of initiation ceremonies or be of a social nature.

There are other Senior Scout activities sponsored by Local Councils and depending upon the locality and membership of the Troop. Space will not permit a treatment of these activities. For further information see your Local Council,