Visual Education (Jan 1923-Dec 1924)

20 Visual Education "The Call 9 9 The story of a Boy Scout in the making, as told by the Boy Scouts' own film THIS is Jerry's story, so really he ought to tell it himself. But he is so very, very busy these days doing things he never had a chance to do before and trying to help other fellows hear "The Call," that he said to me, "You tell 'em — that is, if you think it's really good enough to tell." And off he ran, with Rags bounding along beside him. Rags, you must know, is Jerry's family; at least, until very recently he was all the family Jerry had. You see, Jerry was left an orphan when he was only six years old. He had no mother, father, aunt, uncle or cousins to love him — only Rags, the puppy. Having no one to help him and no home to go to, he simply had to help himself. He did it by selling papers from early morning until late at night. It was Rags who found a home for them both. One day, while Jerry was selling papers to buy something to eat, Rags got so cold lying around waiting that he hunted for a shelter and finally located a big box under the cellar stairs in a dark area-way. Very cheerless and rather dirty was this retreat, even after Jerry fixed it up, yet it meant "home" to boy and dog. Rags was always there waiting for the bone Jerry never failed to bring, and as he gnawed away he would keep a watchful eye on his master while Jerry read his one and only book. Now, this book of Jerry's had belonged to his pretty mother and in it he kept her picture. Every night he read in it, often looking at the sweet face of his mother as he turned the pages. Then Rags and he would curl up and go to sleep together, and dream of all the nice places they were going to see some day when Jerry had made enough money. Jerry Find* a Scout Book One spring day, when Jerry and Rags were taking a walk along the pretty lit tle river in City Park, Jerry found a book. And because he loved his mother's book so much, he was delighted to find another one. Whistling to Rags, who was sniffing along a rabbit trail, Jerry began to read. "Gee! What kind of a book is this, anyhow?" said Jerry to himself. It was full of pictures of boys in khaki uniform, drilling, signaling, making fire by rubbing sticks together, and all sorts of other things that boys like to do. Of course, we know that it was a Boy Scout Manual he had found — but Jerry didn't know. He had never heard of such things as were told about in this book. But he began to practice what he read there and was delighted to find that he could do them. Every night he learned something new, IRREPRESSIBLE BOYHOOD Even the (act that his meals had to be snatched between morning, afternoon and evening editions, and that his shelter from cold and rain was only an empty barrel, could not keep Jerry from looking on the sunny side of life. and the more he read the harder he wanted to be a Scout. But he didn't know how to go about it; he had never seen or known one. Finally, however, he decided to play being a Scout all by himself. That meant he had to be polite, honest, helpful, and a lot of other things. Living up to these rules made such a difference in Jerry's actions that the gang he had been playing with began to call him "Sissy." But he didn't mind that. He knew he wasn't — and, besides, he was enjoying his new game too much to care what the gang said or thought. Jerry Joins the Troop Then suddenly something happened which changed everything in Jerry's life. There was a big Fourth of July parade which the boy walked a long way to see, and right at the head of the parade marched a troop of Boy Scouts ! Jerry recognized them right away, for they looked just like the pictures in his Scout Manual. As they came alongside, carrying "Old Glory," he drew himself up and saluted the wonderful flag of America. Something ached in his throat as the troop marched by, and the ache became so bad that he sort of stumbled off the sidewalk. And what do you suppose? Before he knew it he was marching right along with the troop — keeping step, too, just as if he had been trained to do so ! He marched with them all the way back to their barracks. Then the Scoutmaster, greatly interested in this eager little recruit, began to question him. Who was he? Where did he live? and so on. Jerry was a little frightened, but he answered manfully and told how he had come to learn the principles of Scouting and how much he longed to join a troop. In about five minutes they had put him through the drill, and he did so well