Cooperation With National Movements

The By-Laws of the Boy Scouts of America state:

Article XVI, Section 2, Clause 2-Arrangements may be made by the ranking local authorities for Scouts to cooperate with well established non-partisan and non-sectarian national movements for the relief of humanity, in undertakings which they may promote to raise money, by giving personal service, provided, however, that this shall not involve the use of the Boy Scouts as solicitors of money.

Such participation is exemplified in the use of the Boy Scouts of America, in connection with the five Liberty Loan sales, the War Savings Stamps campaign, raising War gardens, and encouraging others to do the same, conducting a census for Black Walnut timber for government use, collection of fruit pits and nuts, cooperation with the Food and Fuel Administrations, the Committee on Public Information, and the Red Cross.

A Bank President buying $1,000,000 worth of Liberty Bonds, sold by St. Paul Scouts. Below: Sea Scouts aiding flood victims to safety.

In connection with the last named service the attitude of the National Office toward the actual receiving of money by Boy Scouts is clearly denned in a telegram from the Chief Scout Executive to a Scoutmaster, the text of which follows: "Uniformed Boy Scouts may properly cooperate with efforts to raise funds for the Red Cross when such funds are not personally handled by Scouts."

Finances

The Constitution of the Boy Scouts of America states:

Article XV, Section 1-The necessary expenses of the Boy Scouts of America shall be met from the receipts from annual registration fees, membership dues and contributions; and the proceeds from sales of publications and supplies and from such other sources as may be determined by the National Council.

Section 2-Contributions shall be solicited in the name of the Boy Scouts of America only through or by the authority of the National Council, or by chartered Local Councils or Troops under an arrangement agreed upon by the National Council. Boys shall not be permitted to serve as solicitors of money to pay any expenses incidental to Scouting.

Section 3-Each chartered Council shall render annually to the community in which it is located a duly audited statement of all funds collected and expended in carrying out the Scout Program, and shall furnish a copy thereof to the National Council for statistical purposes.

Section 4-The funds of the Boy Scouts of America shall be disbursed only upon the authorization of the Executive Board in the manner set forth in the By-Laws.

Girl Scouts: Relationship of Boy Scouts to

In SCOUTING magazine for June 1, 1918, appeared the following statement by the Executive Board of the Boy Scouts of America, distinctly differentiating the Girl Scouts from the Boy Scouts of America:

"There is no connection between the Girl Scouts of America and the Boy Scouts of America, nor is it thought wise or in the interests of either that the same or joint leadership be extended to both, as programs for boys and girls must naturally proceed along different lines.

"The Boy Scouts of America are friendly disposed towards this as well as other agencies engaged in character building and citizenship training for the growing youth of this country, whether girls or boys.

"The women constituting the Executive Board of the Girl Scouts are of the highest character and are guided by the desire to do real constructive work among girls. It is, of course, understood that the work and program of the Girl Scouts is conducted entirely independent of the Boy Scouts of America.

"We believe that it would have been better for both organizations and would have avoided unnecessary misunderstanding if the Girl Scouts had chosen a different name for their organization and one not so similar to ours; that it would be highly desirable if all work to accomplish the same objectives with girls as Scouting does with boys, namely, character development and citizenship training, could be carried on under one name and one management, so different and distinctive as to reduce to a minimum opportunity for confusion and misunderstanding as to the relationship of the two organizations, further, that the methods and program of girls work should be based primarily upon the fundamental needs of girls and not follow so closely the program for boys.

"We have discussed the matter of name at some length with the representatives of the Girl Scouts of America in an effort to have them meet our point of view, but they are convinced that their organization to be really effective should be called 'Girl Scouts' so as to secure the benefit for girls of what 'scouting' has become so universally understood to mean, through the effect of the program of the Boy Scouts now so many years in use.

"In view of these facts, and because of the similarity of names, it should be clearly understood, and when the circumstances warrant, it should be definitely emphasized, that the Boy Scouts of America deals only with boys-that it has nothing whatever to do with the management, direction or program of the Girl Scouts of America. In our opinion it is undesirable and will lead to complication for the work of the two organizations to be combined in any way, and the National Council of the Boy Scouts of America would not approve of any attempt being made to do the work of the two organizations in the same office or under the same Executive or leadership, as it is believed this would be of no particular benefit to the work of the Girl Scouts and distinctly a detriment to the development of the best interests and work of the Boy Scouts of America."

Joint Hikes Of Girls And Boys

Joint hikes of boys and girls are strongly disapproved because of inherent difficulties of leadership.