"You certainly can," answered Boyce. He told the boy that he wanted to find a certain business office in the center of the city. "I'll take you there," the boy said.
When they got to the destination, Mr. Boyce reached into his pocket for a tip, but the boy stopped him.
"No thank you, sir. I am a Scout. I will not take anything for helping."
"A Scout," Boyce asked "And what might that be?"
They boy told Boyce about himself and his brother scouts. Boyce became very interested. After he finished his errand he had the boy take him to the British Scouting office.
At the office Boyce me Lord Rober Baden-Powell, the famous British general who founded the Scouting movement in Great Britain. Boyce was so impressed with what he learned that he decided to bring Scouting home with him to America.
On February 8, 1910, Boyce and a group of outstanding leaders founded the Boy Scouts of America. From that day forth all Scouts in the United States have celebrated February 8th as the birthday of the B.S.A.
What happended to the boy who helped Mr. Boyce find his way in the dense fog that day? No one knows. He had neither asked for money nor given his name, but he will never be forgotten. His Good Turn helped bring the scouting movement to the United States.
At the British Scout Training Center at Gilwell Park, England, Scouts from the United states erected a statue of an American Buffalo in honor of the unknown scout. One Good Turn to one man became a Good Turn to millions of American Boys and those people in which they have helped. Such is the power of a Good Turn.
The left handshake comes to us from the Ashanti warrior whom Lord Baden-Powell, founder of scouting, knew almost 100 years ago in Africa. He saluted them with his right hand, but the chiefs of the Ashanti offered their left hands saying, "In our land only the bravest of the brave shake hands with the left hand, because to do so we must drop our shields and our protection."
The Ashantis knew of Lord Baden Powell's bravery because in a past time they had fought with and against him, and were proud to offer their left hand of respect.
Of the one hundred, only rarely will one ever appear before a juvenile court. Twelve of the hundred will be from families that belong to no church. Through Scouting, these twelve and many families will be brought into contact with a church and will continue to be active all of their lives. Six of the hundred will become pastors.
Each of the one hundred will learn something from Scouting. Almost all will develop hobbies that will add interest throughout the rest of their lives. Approximately one-half will serve in the military, and in varying degrees, profit from their Scout training. At least one will use it to save another person's life and many will credit it with saving their own.
Four of the one hundred will reach Eagle rank, and at least one will later say that he valued his Eagle above his college degree. Many will find their future vocation through merit badge work and Scouting contacts. Seventeen of the one hundred boys will later become Scout leaders and will give leadership to thousands of additional boys.
Only one in four boys in America will become a Scout, but it is interesting to know that of the leaders in this nation in business, religion and politics, three out of four were Scouts.
The story will never end. Like the "Golden Pebble" of service dropped into the human sea it will continue to radiate in ever-widening circles, influencing the characters of men down through unending time.
85% of student council presidents were Scouts
89% of senior class presidents were Scouts
80% of junior class presidents were Scouts
75% of school publication editors were Scouts
71% of football captains were Scouts
82% of class Valivictorians were Scouts
75% of class Selectorian were Scouts
69% of National Honor Society members were Scouts
68% of West Point graduates
70% of Annapolis graduates
72% of Rhodes Scholars
85% of FBI agents
26 of the first 29 astronauts
