MEN WHO MAKE A DIFFERENCE

[Music] across this great nation of ours there are some very important people people all of us rubbed shoulders with regardless of where we live people who are doing a big job an important job we have all heard of these people yet few of us realize the significance of the job they are doing this is probably understandable for the greatest impact of their work won't be felt in our lives today but in the lives of a generation to come let's meet some of these people I joined the Boy Scout movement back in 1912 that's almost 50 years ago since that time I have continued my association with the movement the capacity of a leader I've done this because I feel it is a primary movement in America for the betterment of our American youth well living on a ranch or out of doors is one of the greatest ways to live and we feel that in Scouting giving boys this type of experience the ability to take care of themselves under different conditions than they would ordinarily find in the city or in the home having these boys really find out what living outdoors is like and how to take care of themselves this is a real source of satisfaction knowing the family having served in quite a number of positions in Scouting I feel that the greatest satisfaction was my years or the Scoutmaster where I had the opportunity to work very closely with many boys it may sound corny but this working with boys to become better citizens is a reason I stay in sky well I get a lot of satisfaction out of seeing these boys grow into manhood and I know that I get a great deal more out of scouting then I could possibly put into it well I remember the pastor coming around and asking me to become the Scoutmaster at our church and I said well Reverend I'm pretty busy and I wouldn't have much time for that and he looked at me and said John what are you doing that's so important you can't take a little time to help a boy oh sure they said I was out of my head for taking the boy that he'd stolen a car that he'd spent time in a home but I took him anyway frankly I have my fingers crossed but so far he's worked out he's really worked out mr. Mack did you inspect our campsite sure excuse me this man and the others you have just seen are Scout masters men who lead troops of boy scouts they represent the thousands of Scout masters and Cub masters and advisors of Explorer groups who work with millions of boys in all 50 states these men are volunteers every week they move into meeting rooms and camps to tackle jobs that take time thought effort training patience and pay no salary whatsoever and who are the boys they help they are boys of every height and weight and lung power every age and creed and color and from every county in the USA they share only a driving zest for fun and an active quest for challenge in their great adventure of growing why do so many busy man take so much time to work with boys [Music] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Music] [Applause] this is John McIntyre in a few moments he will conduct his 83rd meeting as the leader of a troop of Boy Scouts Hi Larry he shot my first aid any victims yet no not yet hi mr. Mack hi boys Master Mac but that's it I can't go on a hike next week oh yeah but I'm going anyway I thought your dad said you can thank you but my brother said I can I wrecked your Mac all right hurry Kip won't be coming so shall I take the Flies sure where's good I thought you knew mr. Mac kept quit you see you say Kip quit that's right mr. Mac he said he wasn't coming back [Music] there is no pain for judge McIntyre the hours aren't so good and sometimes in spite of his best efforts the results are discouraging [Music] this is Joe Burke mr. Mack he thinks he might join the troop hi Joe hi so you want to be a scout huh I guess so why what why do you want to be a scout oh I like hiking and camping and stuff ever done much camping no ever been on a hike anywhere uh I guess not well your dad ever take you fishing I just live with my mother I see well Joe we'd we'd be glad to have you why don't you go along with Perry there and we'll we'll have a talk later on huh come on yeah [Music] I remember before I got into scouting I used to worry a lot no little problems just the big ones war famine disease the farm problem the younger generation and one of the first things I had to learn when I took this job was that I wasn't about to solve all these problems and save the world maybe not even my own neighborhood but after I was in a while I found out every now and then with a little luck I could really reach a boy get under his skin maybe make a difference in some way I figured I'd settle for that to keep myself physically strong mentally awake and morally straight [Music] [Applause] one of the biggest kicks I've had a Scoutmaster isn't trying to steer boys into situations where they learn to get along with each other and how to get things done without climbing all over the other guy all right now look mr. Mack says we've earned enough money you gonna send the child to camp for a week or two charter a bus and visit Washington I'll patrol to decide which one we want to do let's do both there isn't enough money to do both it's one or the other well I say Washington the cannolis garter can what do you mean always go to camp you're only a scout two or three years and that's all we have to go to camp we can go to Washington later I don't want to go later I want to go now just think the Capitol the White House the Washington Monument I don't know you can swim at camp but you can't swim at the Washington Monument uh who wants to swim at the Washington Monument well that's the point even if you wanted to you couldn't my dad says Washington's a seat about democracy speaking of democracy are you guys ready to vote I wish I had a dollar for every man who cast his first vote in a Boy Scout patrol meeting a thing like that can be habit for me scout is trustworthy loyal helpful boys don't join the scallops to get their character improved so the trick is to open their eyes little by little brave clean and reverent good Osito Gomi what does what does the trustworthy be trustworthy trustworthy it means like you're honest are you honest sure all right let's see how about how about brave what's brave me brave means you don't chicken out no matter what oh I see well suppose some boys you knew asked you to help them do something that you thought was dishonest would you do it no well supposing they said that that you were chickening out on them wouldn't that mean you weren't brave well you'd have to be pretty brave to tell them know wouldn't you you sure would tell me oh who do you think is braver the guy who goes along with the gang and does something dishonest or the guy who chickens out and tells the gang no the guy that tells the gang know is a pretty brave boy mr. Mac well it's gonna be great to have you in the troop with a cell we have a pretty good time I think you'll like it our troop operates through a little group called a Patrol Leaders Council they're the officers who lead the rest of the boys I sit in and lend a hand but the boys really run the show all right then we're going to camp but not to Washington that the committee were playing all the details there any other business mr. Mack well just one more thing we've been having a discipline problem lately with some of the boys and it's beginning to hurt some of our meetings I think it's about time that we started to crack down on some of these guys so that we won't have any more trouble than we already have okay you guys you heard mr. Mack and does anybody have any suggestions it's simple mr. Mack if some kid lashes up our meetings kick him out why did me nobody left in the troop hi you guys George we're supposed to straighten these guys out not kick them out okay why don't we do like they do in school the kid goofs they put him on prohibition that's probation Fritz oh yeah well you wait I think it's a good idea say how about giving them what we get at home that's good whack him in the head no no no I mean tickle assumes their privileges like don't let him go on the next hike or something like that you know that might just work you got any ideas Joe well how about fining them like they do in courts say the first time they goof it's a dime the next time fifteen cents and so on think that'd stop me well my dad got fined two dollars for double parking last year and he hasn't double part since hey you guys take a look at this if the Scoutmaster can resist giving them his pet solution to their problem they'll often come up with something it really works my boys love summer camp about as much as anything but sometimes even annan camp a boy may need a little help in getting over a bump hi Baba what's on your mind I want to go home mr. Mack oh we only been here two days I know they don't want to go home what seems to be the trouble I don't feel so good Oh sick huh let's go see the doc I don't want to see any doctor I just want to go home tell me Bob would what did you like best in camp so far swimming I guess well you're pretty good huh I'm okay that's too bad what's too bad I hear you're gonna miss the big swim meet on Monday lots of big prizes - I understand oh sure and there's a all night hike - Wildcat mountain on Tuesday watermelon seed Wednesday treasure hunt on Thursday rifle match on Friday too bad you're gonna miss all that well I guess I'll go call your parents tell them you're coming home sick you know I'm feeling a little better now mr. Mac I think I'll stay good come on let's go back and join the other guys huh sure penicillin can't cure homesickness but sometimes with a little luck a Scoutmaster can [Applause] [Music] well there it's the summer camp or just a Saturday hike it's important to get the troop outdoors out here you not only stretch your legs you you stretch your mind you somehow it's always easier to get closer to a boy when when a boy is close to the outdoors [Music] in Scouting there are many fine services like this reflecting the faith of a boy I'll always enjoy recalling stirring moments like this long after I've laid down my responsibilities as a Scoutmaster yes most Scalf masters like judge McIntyre aren't scold masters all their lives what happens when they leave who takes their place we had to find a new Scoutmaster for our troop recently and in our haste to get someone we settled for a man who didn't work out we finally caught on we weren't picking a chaperone or a game teacher we were picking a man who could lead boys and I don't mean child care I mean lead we needed a first-class man would have the right influence on impressionable young minds it took time and effort but I happen to believe boys are worth it I remember when our Scoutmaster left some of us were pessimistic about getting a new one but one man said Oh cheer up we'll find some sucker to take his place well it just hit me wrong so I said look at your own boys in this troop if that's the kind of leader you'll settle for you must not think much of your boy well he got pretty sore and he said he thought as much of his boys I did of mine if not more okay I said then help us find a good Scoutmaster he did too all right John would sell it tomorrow so long our alliance club sponsors a scout troop and recently the Scoutmaster moved to another city so how we're looking for a new man I don't know who held it yet but I'll tell you this I'm going to insist that we take as much care in picking our next Scoutmaster as we do in picking our own Club officers this man is important this is a scout masters training course typical of hundreds held each year and communities in every part of the country if leading boys requires good men it also requires well-informed men men who have learned how to use the Scout program at its effective best are you men know that the scout master is the key man the truth and you also know he has a big job to do if you don't know that you'll find out soon enough matter of fact the job is too big for one man so we give him some help an assistant or two and several men to make up what we call the troop committee a kind of board of directors who can help the Scoutmaster in lots of ways then there's the institutional representative he's the man who represents the organization that sponsors the truth and of course the sponsor itself usually a church pta service club or another group in the community and finally the local council who backs up all its troops with camps and programs and training courses like this one now all these people are there to help you Scout masters do a better job with your boys so cheer up men they're not alone the training of leaders is important and it can also be fun especially for men who can shed the suffocating dignities of adulthood and recapture even briefly the adventure of being a boy ah does that answer your question yes Ted you had a question about electing a patrol leader you won you said a while ago that the boys in a patrol elect their own patrol leader and that this is good training in democracy okay but suppose they elect the wrong boy he turns out to be no good what kind of training and democracy is this well I think it's the very best kind it teaches them what they're going to have to live with us a dolt builders if they don't vote wisely they're not to get poor leadership what's going to happen to the patrol under a poor leader well the same thing that happens to a state under a poor governor the people find out they've made a mistake and next time maybe they'll know better questions thoughtful probing questions thoughtful answers as an instructor and this man probed together the fresh youthful and exciting world of a boy sure I like my Scoutmaster he's a real nice guy he takes his swimming and camping and usually he doesn't lose his temper when we goof off he even kids and jokes with us a lot he sure likes to joke did he give you the job you're doing now yes but he wasn't joking then more potatoes one morning we had a big hike but it was raining my mother said well now they're gonna have to cancel the hike and I said I didn't think our Scoutmaster we canceled the hike cuz of a little rain my mom said oh yes he will and I said no we won't so she called him up and he said the hike was on rain of shine so I left later in the morning the Sun did come out that's the kind of scout master driver guy my Scout masters my dad but he's such a good Scoutmaster I can like him even if he was somebody else he told me that unless I got down to business and made a first-class scout he'd take drastic action whatever that is I think it has something to do with my allowance oh gotta go to class now What did he say he said his Scoutmaster is a nice fellow they put Tommy at Psalm at the Pope another element goes up he likes his Scoutmaster because he doesn't let the older boys get by with anything be a comet employee see ya you Scout masters a policeman is my book he taught off there he's pretty tough yoky look at me come at no single handle Oh muchacho my daughter's in Morocco he said he hopes the Scoutmaster will keep on not letting the older boys get by with anything boys who admire a leader can be influenced by that leader they can be helped they can be guided they can be inspired congratulations worry on my honor I will do my best to do my duty to God my country and to obey the Scout law to help other people at all times to keep myself physically strong mentally awake and morally straight [Music] Oh Thank You Johnny not missing that to Saturday mr. Mac good night boys [Applause] mr. Mac yes Johnny Gibbs outside Kim but I was told tonight that that Kip wasn't coming back well he's outside Thank You June [Music] the world of a Scoutmaster is a world of small and quiet triumphs and sometimes a world of challenge and doubt it is in short a world much like the one we all live in but it has this difference it is a younger world and therefore a world of greater Hope and larger promise well the idea is that grow here and the men that are formed here will have their influence one day on all the rest [Music]