THE BOY SCOUT MOVEMENT.

The CRIMSON is printing this morning a comprehensive account of the organization and the educational value of the Boy Scout Movement written by a Harvard alumnus. The purpose of the movement, which was started by Lieutenant-general Sir Robert Baden-powell in England so short a time ago as 1908, is, ultimately, to promote the interest of the rising generation in good citizenship, but as Mr. Holmes points out many subsidiary aims are accomplished. the method is one which must appeal to every sensible person in an age when life in the open air, and the ability to put hand and head to a practical use is so much appreciated. The glory of the Boy Scout plan is that it promotes a device for usefulness in boys, by urging a further participation in those interests which are most natural to them.

The immense growth of the movement in the last three years, both in England--where the emphasis is largely military--and in America-where more attention is paid to craftsmanship--shows the need for some organizing element in the life of the boy. It is gratifying to know that so many Harvard men are giving their support to a work which has such great possibilities.

Last year there were twenty-five undergraduates who took part in the work as Scout-masters, and who trained troops of boys in the arts of tracking, craftsmanship, signalling, and first aid. This dose not count a number of men who were active in the summer. so far, during this year, about the same number of men have troops. while we believe that the number would be larger if more men were intimately acquainted with the nature of the work, we realize that a Scout Mastership is a position which requires an accurate knowledge of details which a boy is a more likely to be acquainted with than a' college man; and we know that the work takes more time than most of the social servants in college give to their classes. But just in proportion as the work is difficult, it is remunerative. All Harvard men may not be able to take part in it; but an interest and understanding now may open in the future a way to a practical and interesting service.