Page:What to do for Uncle Sam; a first book of citizenship (IA whattodoforuncle00bail).pdf/190

186 and be of the greatest value in every community is this:

"Do one good turn every day."

These Boy Scout good turns make our cities better cities than they would be without them. Boy Scouts are planting trees and protecting parks. They are killing caterpillars that would destroy shrubs, cleaning up unsightly alleys, watching for fires, and distributing pamphlets about preventing fires. They act as ushers at outdoor meetings and at motion picture entertainments for children. They look out for the blind, the old, and younger children. Sometimes they paint the fire hydrants in a town, and help to build better roads in the country. They gather old clothes and food for the poor, sell Red Cross seals, and sing around the outdoor Christmas tree. There really isn’t anything manly, and helpful, and kind that doesn’t come under the head of a Boy Scout good turn for his neighborhood, and when you wear the Scout’s khaki and work along-side of him you will be almost a soldier for Uncle Sam.

When a boy is twelve years old he can apply to the Scout Master of his town’s Boy Scout troop for membership. The Scout Master will tell him the first things to be learned, the Scout law, salute, sign, oath, motto, and the meaning of the Scout badge. Before even applying for membership, though, a