--- title: Improvement Era description: Monthly periodical of the Mormon church, 1897 onward. This library holds the issues of November 1897 to December 1930. authors: - Fisher, George J. collections: - periodicals tags: - magazine - improvement-era periodical: Improvement Era volume: 27 number: 5 published: 1924-03 publisher: Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Associations publisher_place: Salt Lake City language: en type: magazine reference: "George J. Fisher, “Scouting in Utah,” *Improvement Era 27, no. 5 (March 1924)*: 471–472." source: url: https://archive.org/details/improvementera2705unse transcription: Transcribed from the Internet Archive scan of each issue (the item for each issue is named in the issue's own source); unnumbered advertising leaves are omitted, printed page numbers are kept as page markers. identifier: improvementera2705unse start_page: 471 end_page: 472 rights: status: public-domain basis: US publication 1930 or earlier (published 1924-03) source: https://archive.org/details/improvementera2705unse publication_year: 1924 note: The Internet Archive item metadata carries a blanket "© Copyright by Intellectual Reserve, Inc." notice. The library owner judged it inapplicable because this issue was published in 1924, before 1931; a scan-level notice does not restore copyright. --- # Scouting in Utah SCOUTING IN UTAH By George J. Fisher, M. D., New York City, Deputy Chief Scout Executive, and Director of Field Work. of the Boy Scouts of America [Oscar A. Kirkham, Executive Director of the Y. M. M. I. A., and Scout Executive of the Salt Lake Council, received the following communi- cation, under date of February 2, complimentary to the scout movement in Utah. The author says the letter is "developed out of a warm heart," and we think it is well deserved, and are sure will be heartily appreciated by the people of Utah, and the scouts and their leaders, coming as it does from a man who is continually in the field throughout the United States, and who is, therefore, most competent to judge the situation. He attended the (annual session of the Twelfth Regional Executive Committee in Salt Lake City, noticed elsewhere in this issue of the Era. — Editors.] It was my pleasure recently to meet the representatives of the Boy Scout movement in Utah and to observe Scouting in action. I was deeply impressed not only with the extent to which the boys of Utah had been reached, but with the quality of the program of Scouting which was being conducted. Utah excels in Scouting. In Salt Lake City and in Logan the headquarters of two Councils of the State, I witnessed actual demonstrations by the boys themselves. I was profoundly moved and greatly inspired by what I saw. Utah excels in the number of boys reached in proportion to the population. In many communities practically all of the boys avail- able are scouts. There are more boys of advanced rank and a greater percentage of Eagle scouts than in any other section of America. Scouting reaches the boys not only in the. large centers of the state, but in the remotest villages. So well is scouting administered that the boys themselves manage much of their activities under wise adult guidance. I saw a great rally directed entirely by scouts in Salt Lake City. The dispatch, precision, efficiency and spirit with which they con- ducted the affair was worthy of high praise. I have never seen it excelled. Scouting is raising up a fine breed of boys in Utah. It is giving them splendid executive training that will fit them for ef- fective leadership in the affairs of state in the years immediately ahead. Scouting is a course in the practice of patriotism. It is develop- ing patriots in Utah, yes, boys who will be felt in the public and private life of the nation. That state is a great state which gives to its youth its first attention. Utah excels in that regard. The secret of it all is that splendid, high motived men are giving 472 IMPROVEMENT ERA themselves unselfishly to the boys of the state. This is the way to success and real achievement. These men are taking serious training for their tasks. I as- sociated for part of two days with almost a hundred of them in train- ing at the State Agricultural College at Logan. They came from the remotest parts of the state and of nearby states. It was an in- spiration. These men will determine the standards of boy life in the state. It is a noble enterprise, a worthy and commendable service. All praise to them. These scouts in the state are catching and demonstrating the spirit of Scouting. It is a great spiritual crusade. They are living the Scout Oath and Laws. They are practicing the "daily good turn." Scouting is reaching all boys; poor boys as well as those who are more favored. Utah is setting standards for the whole country. Utah is repeating history. Just as she developed the early scouts, the great heroes of pioneer days, so now she is raising up boy scouts, caught by the same spirit of enterprise, by the same spirit of adventure. It is the pioneer spirit, the holy crusade of olden days applied in practical, yet romantic fashion to the youth of this later age. The "Mormon" Church is the largest factor in this splendid achievement. She it is that is furnishing men and vision and ideals to the young men throughout the state and they as scoutmasters in the great majority are inspiring the youth of the state to become good scouts. Splendid co-operation is given other religious agencies in this work. And for this good service we are deeply grateful. Scouting is marching on in Utah, an excellent example to all the nation. Salt Lake Council Boy Scouts The report of Wesley E. King, president of the Salt Lake Council, Boy Scouts of America, for the year, 1923, shows ah expenditure of $8,049.60 of council funds for which public subscriptions have been taken. The expenditures were for national, regional and Salt Lake Council ex- penses only. All scout troops provide their own funds for their activities as troops, including their camping trips, etc. The budget for 1924 covers practically the same items as in the accounts for 1923 with an item of $700 added for upkeep and care of the "Tracy Wigwam" in Mill Creek Canyon, and for educational program, and $500 for National Headquarters, making a total for the 1924 budget of $10,000, or $4 per capita for the 2500 boy scouts under the jurisdiction of the council. In some councils a published record shows an expenditure of as high as $5 6 per capita. For the year 1924, cash on hand and unpaid subscriptions total $10,324.23 which reflects a very healthy condition and gives the Salt Lake Council sufficient funds to carry it during 1924.