July 2007 - Volume 68, Issue 7
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Boy Scouts of America
Scouts have been doing “Good Turns” for conservation for nearly a century.
As the story goes, Chicago publisher William D. Boyce was lost in a dense London fog when a young boy offered to help him find his way. After reaching his destination, Boyce offered the boy a tip, but the boy refused the money, saying that he was just doing a “Good Turn” as a Scout.
Impressed by the boy and his fine manners, Boyce sought a meeting with the British founder of the Boy Scouts, Robert Baden-Powell. The next year (1910), Boyce incorporated the Boy Scouts of America. Nearly 100 years later, the organization now has nearly 3 million youth members in its Cub Scouting, Boy Scouting and Venturing programs.
Conservation has always been a foundation of the Boy Scouting program. In addition to their wellknown motto of “Be Prepared,” Boy Scouts have an outdoor code that says, “As an American, I will do my best to be clean in my outdoor manners, be careful with fire, be considerate in the outdoors, and be conservation minded.”
About This Article
Author
HAROLD KERNS is an Eagle Scout (1971) and a
fisheries regional supervisor in Northwest Missouri.
He has worked for the Department for
more than 25 years. He is an assistant Scoutmaster
with troop 60 in Savannah, where he
resides with his wife, Laura, and two sons,
Zach and Austin. Zach earned the eagle Scout
rank in 2006, and Austin is nearing completion.
