Scouting with Kit Carson
Page 31
NATIONAL HEADQUARTERS
BOY SCOUTS OF AMERICA
THE FIFTH AVENUE BUILDING, 200 FIFTH AVENUE
TELEPHONE GRAMERCY 545
NEW YORK CITY
OFFICERS OF THE NATIONAL COUNCIL
Honorary President, THE HON. WOODROW WILSONHonorary Vice-President, HON. WILLIAM H. TAFTHonorary Vice-President, COLONEL THEODORE ROOSEVELTPresident, COLIN H. LIVINGSTONE, Washington, D. C.Vice-President, B. L. DULANEY, Bristol, Tenn.Vice-President, MILTON A. McRAE, Detroit, Mich.Vice-President, DAVID STARR JORDAN, Stanford University, Cal.Vice-President, F. L. SEELY, Asheville, N. C.Vice-President, A. STAMFORD WHITE, Chicago, Ill.Chief Scout, ERNEST THOMPSON SETON, Greenwich, ConnecticutNational Scout Commissioner, DANIEL CARTER BEARD, Flushing, N. Y.
FINANCE COMMITTEE
John Sherman Hoyt, ChairmanAugust BelmontGeorge D. PrattMortimer L. SchiffH. Rogers Winthrop
GEORGE D. PRATT, Treasurer
JAMES E. WEST, Chief Scout Executive
ADDITIONAL MEMBERS OF THE EXECUTIVE BOARD
Ernest P. BicknellRobert GarrettLee F. HanmerJohn Sherman HoytCharles C. JacksonProf. Jeremiah W. JenkeWilliam D. MurrayDr. Charles P. NeillGeorge D. PorterFrank PresbreyEdgar M. RobinsonMortimer L. SchiffLorillard SpencerSeth Sprague Terry
July 31st, 1913.
TO THE PUBLIC:--
In the execution of its purpose to give educational value and moralworth to the recreational activities of the boyhood of America, theleaders of the Boy Scout Movement quickly learned that to effectivelycarry out its program, the boy must be influenced not only in hisout-of-door life but also in the diversions of his other leisuremoments. It is at such times that the boy is captured by the tales ofdaring enterprises and adventurous good times. What now is needful isnot that his taste should be thwarted but trained. There shouldconstantly be presented to him the books the boy likes best, yet alwaysthe books that will be best for the boy. As a matter of fact, however,the boy's taste is being constantly vitiated and exploited by the greatmass of cheap Juvenile literature.
To help anxiously concerned parents and educators to meet this graveperil, the Library Commission of the Boy Scouts of America has beenorganized. EVERY BOY'S LIBRARY is the result of their labors. All thebooks chosen have been approved by them. The Commission is composed ofthe following members: George F. Bowerman, Librarian, Public Library ofthe District of Columbia, Washington, D. C.; Harrison T. Graver,Librarian, Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh, Pa.; Claude G. Leland,Superintendent, Bureau of Libraries, Board of Education, New York City;Edward P. Stevens, Librarian, Pratt Institute Free Library, Brooklyn,New York; together with the Editorial Board of our Movement, William D.Murray, George D. Pratt and Frank Presbrey, with Franklin K. Mathiews,Chief Scout Librarian, as Secretary.
In selecting the books, the Commission has chosen only such as are ofinterest to boys, the first twenty-five being either works of fictionor stirring stories of adventurous experiences. In later lists, booksof a more serious sort will be included. It is hoped that as many astwenty-five may be added to the Library each year.
Thanks are due the several publishers who have helped to inauguratethis new department of our work. Without their co-operation in makingavailable for popular priced editions some of the best books everpublished for boys, the promotion of EVERY BOY'S LIBRARY would havebeen impossible.
We wish, too, to express our heartiest gratitude to the LibraryCommission, who, without compensation, have placed their vastexperience and immense resources at the service of our Movement.
The Commission invites suggestions as to future books to be included inthe Library. Librarians, teachers, parents, and all others interestedin welfare work for boys, can render a unique service by forwarding toNational Headquarters lists of such books as in their judgment would besuitable for EVERY BOY'S LIBRARY.
Signed James E. West Chief Scout Executive.
"DO A GOOD TURN DAILY."