Boy Scouts Handbook Part 69

Horse and Rider Tourney

In playing this game it is necessary to have a soft, velvety piece of gra.s.s, or if in doors, in the gymnasium, cover the floor with regular gymnasium mats. It requires four boys to play the game, two being horses and the other two riders. The riders mount their horses and dash at each other with great caution, striving to get a good hold of each other in such a way as to compel the opponent to dismount. This can be done either by dragging him from his mount or by making the horse and rider lose their balance so as to throw them off their feet.

A great deal of sport can be gotten out of this game, and boys become very skilful after a little practice.

Mumbly Peg (From Daniel Carter Beard, National Scout Commissioner)

First: Hold the right fist with the back to the ground and with the jack-knife, with blade pointing to the right, resting {319} on top of the closed fingers. The hand is swung to the right, up and over, describing a semicircle, so that the knife falls point downward and sticks, or should stick, upright in the ground. If there is room to slip two fingers, one above the other, beneath the handle of the knife, and if the point of the knife is hidden in the ground, it counts as a fair stick or throw.

Second: The next motion is the same as the one just described, but is performed with the left.

Third: Take the point of the blade between the first and second fingers of the right hand, and fillip it with a jerk so that the knife turns once around in the air and strikes the point into the ground.

Fourth: Do the same with the left hand.

Fifth: Hold the knife as in the third and fourth positions, and bring the arm across the chest so that the knife handle touches the left ear. Take hold of the right ear with the left hand and fillip the knife so that it turns once or twice in the air and strikes on its point in the earth.

Sixth: Do the same with the left hand.

Seventh: Still holding the knife in the same manner, bring the handle up to the nose and fillip it over through the air, so that it will stick in the ground.

Eighth: Do the same with the handle at the right eye.

Ninth: Repeat with the handle at the left eye.

Tenth: Place the point of the blade on the top of the head. Hold it in place with the forefinger, and with a downward push send it whirling down to earth, where it must stick with the point of blade in the earth.

Eleventh to Fifteenth: Hold the left hand with the fingers pointing upward and, beginning with the thumb, place the point of the knife on each finger as described above, and the forefinger of the right hand on the end of the knife handle. By a downward motion, throw the knife revolving through the air, so that it will alight with the point of the blade in the sod.

Sixteenth to Twentieth: Repeat, with the right hand up and the forefinger of the left hand on the knife handle.

Twenty-first, twenty-second: Do the same from each knee.

Twenty-third: Hold the point of the blade between the first and second fingers, and, placing the hand on the forehead, fillip the knife back over the head, so that it will stick in the ground behind the person ready for the next motion.

Twenty-fourth: After twenty-three the knife is left in the ground.

Then with the palm of the hand strike the knife handle a smart blow that will send it revolving over the ground {320} for a yard, more or less, and cause it to stick in the ground where it stops. This is called "ploughing the field."

When a miss is made the next player takes his turn, and when the first player's turn comes again he must try the feat over that he failed to perform last. A good player will sometimes go through almost all the twenty-four motions without failing to make a "two finger," that is, a fair stick, each time; but it is very unusual for anyone to run the game out in one inning. This is the game in twenty-four motions; many boys play it double that number.

Outdoor Athletic Standards

The athletic standards given below are those which most boys ought to be able to attain. They are the result of the experience of several physical directors who have made a special study of athletics and physical work among boys.

The rules governing the events are found in the official handbook of the Athletic League of North America. These rules must be strictly adhered to.

EVENTS UNDER UNDER UNDER UNDER OVER 90 LBS. 110 LBS. 125 LBS. 140 LBS. 140 LBS.

(1) Running Broad Jump 12' 13' 14' 15' 16'

(2) Running High Jump 3' 11" 4' 1" 4' 4" 4' 7" 4' 10"

(3) Standing Broad Jump 6' 6" 7' 7' 6" 8' 8' 6"

(4) Standing High Jump 3' 2" 3' 4" 3' 6" 3' 8" 3' 10"

(5) Pull-Up (times) 5 7 9 11 13 (6) 20-Yard Swim 20 sec. 18 sec. 16 sec. 14 sec. 12 sec.

(7) 40-Yard Swim 40 sec. 39 sec. 38 sec. 37 sec. 36 sec.

(8) 50-Yard Dash 7.8 sec. 7.4 sec. 7 sec. 6.6 sec. 6.2 sec.

(9) Eight-Potato Race 45 sec. 43 sec. 41 sec. 39 sec. 37 sec.

(10) 8 lb.-Shot Put * 25' 30' 35' 40'

(11) Push-Up from Floor * 11 13 15 17 (12) Rope Climb * 14 sec. 12 sec. 10 sec. 8 sec.

(13) 100-Yard Dash * * 13 sec. 12.6 sec. 12.2 sec.

* Should not attempt this event

For merit badge a boy under ninety pounds must qualify in seven of the first nine events; a boy under one hundred and ten pounds must qualify in ten of the first twelve events; all others must qualify in their proper cla.s.s in eleven of the thirteen events.

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Notes

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Notes

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CHAPTER IX

PATRIOTISM AND CITIZENSHIP

_By Waldo H. Sherman, Author of "Civics--Studies in American Citizenship"_

OUR COUNTRY

America is the home of social, religious, and political liberty--"the land of the free and the home of the brave."

As a nation, we have always been rich in land, and for this reason millions of people have sought our sh.o.r.es. We have come into possession of our territory through treaty, purchase, and annexation.

In speaking of our territorial area we usually speak of the "original territory" and "additions" to same. When we speak of "original territory" we mean that part of the United States which was ceded to us by Great Britain in the peace treaty of 1783, at the close of the War of the Revolution. This territory, in brief, is described as follows: East to the Atlantic Ocean, west to the Mississippi River, north to the Great Lakes and Canada, and as far south as the northern line of Florida. We sometimes hear it spoken of as the territory of the "Thirteen Original States," meaning the states that formed the Government of the Const.i.tution in 1789. However if we look at the map we shall see that the original territory includes not only the territory of the thirteen original states, but comprises also land out of which twelve other states have been formed. Looking at this area to-day, however, it seems a small part of our country compared with our present limits.

Additions

_Louisiana Purchase_: What is known as the Louisiana Purchase we bought from France in 1803. It consisted of 875,025 square miles, for which we paid $15,000,000. It is described as follows: west of the Mississippi River to the Rocky Mountains, north to Canada, and south to the Gulf of Mexico, exclusive of Texas. This is a territory greater than the present combined areas of Spain, Portugal, Italy, Hungary, and the Balkan states.