First Class Requirement No. 10

Judge distance, size, number, height and weight within twenty-five percent.

Object

To teach the boy accuracy and the value of trained judgment as compared to wild guessing.

Interpretation

"To judge" means "to estimate without apparatus." Distances, sizes, numbers, heights must be judged by the eyes alone, weight by the eyes or by the feel. No extra help may be used.

Distances—From a step to "from here to that distant church spire."

Size (width, length, thickness)—From the length of a match to the size of a meeting room. Number—From three to a crowd. Height—From a doorsill to a tower. Weight—From a letter to a person.

After judging, the boy should know how to measure with simple means to ascertain that his judging was within the twenty-five percent allowed.

Preparation

Get the boys interested in the subject first by showing them the values of judging: To the photographer for getting his camera correctly focused; to the swimmer for estimating the width of a lake he intends to swim; to the map-maker, the engineer, the automobile driver and many others.

Then present them with numerous opportunities for practice. Try a Judging Hike, where the Patrols are to judge distances and heights as requested by the hike leader, the winners to be publicly announced. Use "Kim's Game" for judging of numbers, map-making where distances are judged instead of paced, and Collecting Hike, where each Patrol is to look for a three-pound rock, an eight-foot stick, a log five inches thick, a handful of pebbles ("How many?"), etc. At a Troop meeting estimate height, width, length of room and weight of each boy.

Bring up judging time and time again as opportunity presents itself. Make it exciting—and useful. Demonstrate methods of measuring height and distances as described in the Handbook for Boys.

Examination

Have the Scout judge three items in each category, such as for:

Scouts learn how to judge accurately. All through life we have to decide, to judge, to compare the known with the unknown.

Distance—Between two telegraph poles, to nearby tree, across a river.

Size—Thickness of book, length of table, width of meeting room.

Number—Handful of matches, number of windows on the front of a building, number of cars parked in a parking space.

Weight—Letter ("Can it be mailed for three cents, or is it too heavy?"), brick, person.

After each judging, Scout should measure short distances, size and small heights with a tape measure, longer distances and greater heights with measuring methods as indicated in the Handbook for Boys, and weights with scales. All judging must be within twenty-five percent of the measurements.

Review

"What did you do to meet this requirement? How nearly correct were your estimates? What everyday uses can you make of your judging ability?" Etc.

First Class Requirement No. 11

Describe fully from observation: ten species of trees or plants, including poison ivy, by their bark, leaves, flowers, fruit or scent; or six species of wild birds, by their plumage, notes, tracks, and habits; or six species of native wild animals, by their form, color, call, tracks,, and habits. Find the North Star, and name and describe at least three constellations of stars.

Object

To encourage observation and to acquaint a Scout with the life of the out-of-doors and the beauty of God's handiwork.

Interpretation

The Scout must have observed the wild nature specimens in the field so carefully that he is able to give a thorough description of them. He must point out the North Star and three constellations, and describe them so well that another person could locate them in the sky.

Preparation

On every hike and in every camp your Scouts should learn something new about the nature that surrounds them. Generally, they are apt to be curious about what they see. They will have numerous questions to ask, and will expect the answers. You will not have to know all of them. It is far more important that you be able to refer the boys to sources where they may get their curiosity satisfied ("Let's look it up!"), than it is for you to give the information immediately. Of course, a general knowledge of nature is of help to any leader.

Knowing the harmful plants, as well as the useful ones, is helpful in the outdoor life. Nature Study is worth while.

In the beginning, nature observation should form a part of every hike. Later, definite Nature Hikes may be undertaken for the purpose of studying trees, or finding flowers; early morning Bird Hikes may be run from camp; Star Hikes may be planned after a camp-fire.

As the boys become more proficient, Collecting Hikes may be tried, or Starvation Hikes where the .

menu consists of edible wild plants. Nature handicraft, such as leaf printing, preparing of wood specimens, may be used for Patrol contests (see Service Library Pamphlet: Nature Collections).

In all events, don't force nature study on anyone— by the way, better refer to it as "nature craft"—and don't run any of your expeditions as lecture tours.

Examination

Have the Scout describe the ten species of trees or plants, or the six species of birds or animals. Then take him on a plant or a bird hike and have him identify the species described. The description suffices for animals, but have the boy explain under what conditions he observed them, what they were doing, and so on. The Scout should actually point out the North Star and should identify the constellations described.

Review

"What did you choose to study for this requirement: trees, plants, birds or animals? Why? How did you meet the requirement? What constellations do you know?" Etc.

First Class Requirement No. 12

Furnish satisfactory evidence that he has put into practice in his daily life the principles of the Scout Oath and Law.

Object, Interpretation, Preparation Examination and Review

See Second Class Requirement No. 12.

First Class Requirement No. 13

Enlist and train a boy as a Tenderfoot for his own or any other Troop, Tribe, or Neighborhood Patrol, or as a Lone Scout; or enlist and train a boy as a Bobcat in a Cub Pack or as a Lone Cub; OR, if such enlistment is impossible because of local conditions, train another Scout in at least three Second Class Requirements involving Scout skills.

Object

To encourage each Scout to give to another boy the fun and values he himself has had in Scouting, and to make it possible for him to help our Movement grow.

Interpretation

The Scout should bring in a boy himself and train him to the point where the boy is ready to be registered as a member of the Boy Scouts of America. A boy between nine and eleven years of age would obviously have to be trained as a Cub, or a boy twelve or over as a Scout.

Where no boys are available for enlistment, the training should be given to a Tenderfoot Scout in at least three of the following Second Class Requirements: Nos. 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 10 and 11. Preparation

To enlist a boy himself, the Scout should be on the lookout for an eligible youngster not yet a member of the Boy Scouts of America. He should then try to instill in him the desire to become a member through his own enthusiasm for our Movement and his experiences in it.

To do a proper job of training, the Scout must review and thoroughly familiarize himself anew with the Requirements so that he can teach them with confidence.

Examination

The examination becomes not one of the Scout, but of the boy he has trained—in case of a new Tenderfoot by the Scoutmaster along the lines suggested in Chat 15, pages 238 to 243: in the case of a Bobcat by the Cubmaster, who, in turn, will certify to the Scoutmaster that the Cub was properly trained; and in the case of the Second Class Scout, by the Troop Leader in charge of advancement. Review

"Which of the alternatives for this Requirement did you meet?" Did you bring in the boy yourself? How did you persuade him to become a member? How long did it take you to train him?" Etc.