THE SCOUT LAW
A Scout is TRUSTWORTHY.
A Scout tells the truth. He keeps his promises. Honesty is a part of his code of conduct. People can always depend on him.
Your parents, teachers, and friends know that as a Scout you tell the truth and keep your promises. When your parents or guardian ask you to do something, they know you will do it. When your troop has a meeting, your leaders know you will be there. When you have said that you are going on a patrol campout, the other Scouts know you will be on time. people candepend upon you to do your best in every situation.
There will be times when your judgment fails and you make mistakes. Everyone does. Your Baseball may smash a windows. You may misread your map and come home late from a hike. If you quickly admit what you have done and make good on any damage, other will soon forget the incident. By learning from those mistakes, you can do better in the future.
A reputation for being trustworthy is important to you now and in years to come. It can help you get and keep jobs. Others will depend on your word. You prove you can be responsible with money. Trustworthiness will help you make and maintain good friendships.
You must also have trust in yourself. You are you own best judge. You know when you have done right and wrong. Live in such a way that you respect yourself, and others will respect you, too.
A Scout is LOYAL.
A Scout is true to his family, friends, Scout leaders, school, nation, and world community.
Loyalty starts at home. you show your loyalty by being the kind of person your family can trust and respect. Let them know through you actions that you appreciate what they do for you.
A chain is only as strong as its weakest link. The success of your patrol and your troop depends on the loyalty of each Scout in it - in the way you support your leaders and pitch in with the team, and in the way you act as a Scout.
Express your loyalty to the United States by respecting our flag and our government, and by participating in the democratic process. Another part of loyalty is seeing where things can be made better and then working toward that ideal. Our form of government allows each of us to voice our concerns and work within the system to make changes. Gice real meaning to your loyalty by helping make our communities, states, and nation a reflection of the best America can be.
A Scout is HELPFUL.
A Scout is concerned about other people. He willingly volunteers to help others without expecting payment or reward.
In pledging yourself to the Scout Oath, you promised "to help other people at all times." The Scout motto asks you to Be Prepared. the Scout slogan reminds you to Do a Good Turn Daily. These three ideals work together: you promise to help, you can help because you have learned how, and you do help because you care about all people.
As a Scout, prepare yourself to be helpful, then look for ways to help. Learn first aid, and you are ready to assist someone who is hurt. know about your town, and you can help a stranger find the way.
A Scout's willingness to help is evidence of his attitude towards life. He wants the best for everyone, and acts to make that happen. A Scout may work for pay, but he does not expect to receive money for being helpful. A Good Turn done in the hope of getting a tip is not a Good Turn at all.
A Scout is FRIENDLY.
A Scout is a friend to all. He is a brother to other Scouts. He seeks to understand others. He respects those with ideas and customs that are different from his own.
Friendship is like a mirror. When you have a smile on your face as you greet someone, you are more likely to receive a smile in return. If you are willing to be a good friend, you will find that others enjoy being with you.
The moment you become a Scout, you join a brotherhood of friends that circles the world. Those in it are of different countries and colors and creeds, but they are all brother Scouts. They live up to Scout Oaths and Laws just as you do.
Making a friend is fairly easy if you are friendly yourself. Keeping a friend is more difficult. Every person is an individual with his or her own ideas and ways of doing things. To be a real friend you must accept other people as they are, show interest in them, and respect their differences.
Accept who you are, too. You don't have to be just like everyone else. Real friends will respect the beliefs, interests, and skills that make you unique.
A Scout is COURTEOUS.
A Scout is polite to everyone regardless of age or position. He knows that good manners make it easier for people to get along together.
This is another way of saying, "A Scout is a gentleman." Good manners show that you respect the feelings and needs of others. Open a door for someon. Offer your seat on a bus to an elderly person, a pregnant woman, or someone carrying a baby. Rise from you chair when a guest enters the room. Help your parents be seated at the family table. Greet other with firm, sincere handshake. Say "please" and "thank-you" or "pardon me" and "sorry" whenever they are needed. Do your share of family chores in a pleasant way. The courtesy you practice as a Scout will stay with you throughout your life.
A Scout is KIND.
A Scout understands there is strength in being gentle. He treats others as he wants to be treated. He does not harm or kill anything without reason.
There is nothing weak about being kind. In fact, kindness is a sign of true strength. To be knid you must look beyond yourself to the needs of others. Take time to listen to the thoughts of other people. Imagine what it would be like if you were in someone else's place.
It is not difficult to be kind to those in need and those who cannot defend themselves. What may be harder is being kind to people you don't know or don't understand, and to people with who,e you disagree. We live in a world that has more than it sshare of anger, fear, and war. Extending kindness to those around you and having compassion for all people is a good antidote to the poisons of hatred and violence.
Kindness is not limited to the wats we feel about people. Be kind to pets and wildlife. develop a positive land ethic that repects the earth. Help protect our natural resources by practicing no-trace methods of hiking and camping.
A Scout is OBEDIENT.
A Scout follows the rules of his family, school, and troop. He obeys the laws of his community and country. If he thinks these rules and laws are unfair, he tries to have them changed in an orderly manner rather than disobey them.
Obedience begins in your home. Your family cares for you and wants you to be safe. Cheerfully follow any rules your family has set for you.
There are others besides family members to whom you owe obedience. When teachers give you homework, it is usually because the assignments will help you learn. When an employer gives you an order, it is usually for the good of the business. And whenyour Scout leader asks you to do a job, it is because your efforts will help your patrol and troop. Being obedient also means following city, state, and national laws.
However, obeying must be guided by judgment. If someone orders you to cheat, steal, or do something else that you know is wrong, you have to say no. Obedience is based on trust. Those who give you orders trust that you will do what they ask. But you must also trust you own beliefs and obey your conscience when you know you are right.
A Scout is CHEERFUL.
A Scout looks for the bright side of life. He cheerfully does tasks that come his way. He tries to make others happy.
Some people grumble when they are losing a game. On a campout, they become angry if the weather turns bad or the trail is long and dusty. Others are always cheerful. With a sense of joy and adventure, they jump at every opportunity life presents. Their good spirits make everything easier for them, their friends, and their families.
Adversity is a tremendous teacher. Even though it may test the limits of your cheerfulness, the way to become a top-notch camper is to get outdoors, rain or shine, do your best every time, and be willing to learn from your mistakes.
The same is true off the trail. You can become a good athlete by playing against those who are better. You will become a better student be realizing your studies are a chance for discovery. And you will become a finer person if you approach all you do with energy and good cheer.
A Scout is THRIFTY.
A Scout works to pay his way and to help others. He saves for the future. He protects and conserves natural resources. He carefully uses time and property.
Paying your way with money you have earned gives you independence and pride. When you dig into your own pockets to buy clothing, you Scout uniform, or your camp equipment, you learn the real value of those items. You will be sure to take good care of them.
Save some of your earnings in a bank account. Even if you have only a dollar or two to put aside each month, the habit of saving regularly is very important. Share with others, too. Volunteering your time and energy is just as valuable as giving money.
As a camper and backpacker, you will learn that you can live very well with no more possessions than the clothes you are wearing and the gear in your pack. As a Scout, you will also see that practicing conservation is a sign of thrift. Protect and conserve the earth's natural resources - its soil, water, forests, wilderness areas, and wildlife. Recycle papers, glass, and metal used in your home and community. Waste is an enemy of thrift. When you act to stop it, you are doing your part to keep the earth beautiful.
A Scout is BRAVE.
A Scout can fave danger even if he is afraid. He has the courage to stand for what he thinks is right even if others laugh at him or threaten him.
Since 1910 when Scouting came to America, thousand of Honor Medals have been awarded to Scouts who saved lives at the risk of their own. They proved themselves ready when emergencies arose. They may have been afraid, but they each went to the aid of someon in serious trouble. Once they reached the victims, they had the skills to make successful rescues.
Lifesaving is not the only test of bravery. You are brave every time you do what is right in spite of what others might say. You are brave when you speak what is right in spite of what others might say. You are brave when you speak the truth and when you admit a mistake and apologize for it. You are brave when you refuse to let alcohol, tobaccos, or drugs become a part of your life. And you show true courage when you defend the rights of others.
A Scout is CLEAN.
A Scout keeps his body and mind fit and clean. He goes around with those who believe in living by these same ideals. he helps keep his home and community clean.
You never need to be ashamed of dirt that will wsh off. If you play hard and work hard you can't help getting dirty. But when the game is over or the work is done, that kind of dirst disappears with soap and water.
There's another kind of dirst that won't come off by washing. It is the kind that shows up in foul language and harmful thoughts.
Swear words, profanity, and dirty stories are weapons that ridicule other people and hurt their feelings. The same is true of racial slurs and joke making fun of ethnic groups or people with physical or mental limitations. A Scout knows there is no kindness or honor in such mean-spirited behavior. he avoids it in his own words and deeds. He defends those who are targets of insults.
A Scout is REVERENT.
A Scout is reverent roward God. He is faithful in his religious duties. He repects the beliefs of others.
The word reverencerefers to a profound respect for God. The wonders of the world remind us of our God's creative power. We find it in the tiny lines of a leaf and the great mysteries of the universe. It exists in the kindness of people and in the tachings of our families and religious leaders.
We show our reverence by living our lives according to the ideals of our beliefs. The Scout benediciton is "May the Great Master of all Scouts be with us until we meet again."
The United States Counstitution gives each of us complete freedom to believe and worship as we wish without fear of punishment. All your life, you will encounter people who hold different religious beliefs or even none at all. It is your duty to respect and defend the rights of others whose beliefs may differ from yours.