The Woodcraft Girls in the City Part 3

"Aren't they quite good enough as they are?" said Eleanor Wilbur, pushing at one of the logs with a slender foot.

"I thought they were fine when we barked them but now that we are at home and a better idea has been given us I approve of following Miss Miller's suggestion," replied Jane.

"Dad brought home some more of those short fire-place logs when he came back from the farm yesterday. He says we may want these thin logs for some other purpose; and besides, since enrolling our new members we haven't enough of these present logs for all to use. They ought to be uniform so _I_ say we use the mats until we have the thick logs ready to present the Lodge," explained Zan.

"Girls-I have an idea!" cried Elena, the artistic.

"Hold fast to it or it'll get away from you," taunted Hilda, jokingly.

"S-sh!" said Zan. "Let her go, Lena."

"About those thin logs we have on hand: Let's build an imitation fire-place for our Council Ring to make it look as much as possible like one in a woodland camp!"

"Couldn't we place our dish of smoking tinder inside it and make the artifice still better?" asked Jane.

"Oh I say!" shouted Zan with such emphasis that everyone jumped, and the speaker laughed.

"Where's that red tissue paper we had for Decoration Day tr.i.m.m.i.n.g of the school auditorium?" asked Zan.

"You'll find it in the property-room with the other stuff," replied Elena, who had charge of decorations at school.

"We'll line the inside of the logs and when the fire shines through, make it look like a big blaze, eh?" asked Jane.

"No such thing!" said Zan. "We'll get the janitor to change that electric bulb from the chandelier and drop it, by wire, down to our fire. Then it will shine as long as we need it."

"I'll run and see if the janitor is around. Will he do it, do you think, Miss Miller?" came from Hilda.

"I think so, he is very obliging, you know," replied the Guide.

"And I'll get the paper," remarked Elena.

"You won't need to do that, Lena, because I have orange crepe paper in the closet that I bought when I got the mats. I had much the same idea in mind for those logs," said Miss Miller, going to the closet while one of the girls ran for the janitor.

The care-taker of the building not only changed the bulb in a short time but a.s.sisted Miss Miller in rolling the logs from the closet to the place where the Council Ring could be arranged. The girls built up a square fire-place with a hollow opening in the middle where the electric bulb soon depended. The paper was fitted inside the square and when the electric current was turned on it looked like a glowing fire.

This done, four candles were placed at the fire-one at each corner of the square to denote the four corners of the earth.

"I purchased extra long candles so they would burn two hours, at least.

Now that we have the electric bulb we need not waste the extra candles for fire-light but save them for some other occasion," remarked Miss Miller.

"Everything ready now for Council?" asked Zan, looking around at the members.

"Everything we can think of," responded Jane.

"Before we open the Council meeting in the usual manner I would like our Chief to read from the Woodcraft Manual for Girls on page 10, where it speaks of initiations and new members," requested Miss Miller, handing the book to Zan.

"'When brought into some new group such as the school or club, one is naturally anxious to begin by making a good impression on the others, by showing what one can do, proving what one is made of, and by making clear one's seriousness in asking to be enrolled. So also those who form the group: they wish to know whether the new-comer is made of good stuff, and is likely to be a valuable addition to their number. The result is what we call initiation trials, the testing of a new-comer.

"'The desire to initiate and be initiated is a very ancient deep-laid impulse. Handled judiciously and under the direction of a competent adult guide, it becomes a powerful force for character building, for inculcating self-control.

"'In Woodcraft we carefully select for these try-outs such tests as demonstrate the character and ability of the new-comer, and the initiation becomes a real proof of fort.i.tude, so that the new girl is as keen to face the trial, as the Tribe she would enter is to give it.'"

Zan finished reading and looked up to ask: "Is that all you want me to read, Miss Miller?"

"Just a moment, Zan. I now wish to speak a word to the new members about what is expected of them. We will leave the paragraph about the initiation trials for the last, then the girls will not forget what they are to do. Read now the paragraph that mentions the new work for members."

So Zan continued. "'After the new member has learned the Laws and taken the initiation tests, the first thing to claim her attention is that of qualifying for the rank of Pathfinder and later of Winyan, then the Achievements, each with its appropriate badge, which are described on page 327 of the Manual. In time she will have a Woodcraft suit, but this may come later."

"Now Zan," interrupted the Guide, "turn over to page 18 and read (the new members) what we expect a Wayseeker to do and be. A Wayseeker is the first order of a Big Lodge Girl's membership."

"'To qualify for a Big Lodge-that is, to enter as a Wayseeker-one must:

"'Be over twelve years of age.

"'Know the twelve Laws and state the advantages of them.

"'Take one of the initiations.

"'Be voted in unanimously by other members of the group.

"'Having pa.s.sed this, the candidate becomes a Wayseeker and receives the Big Lodge Badge of the lowest rank, that is with two ta.s.sels on it.

"'The next higher rank is that of Pathfinder,'" read Zan.

"So you see, girls, you six will be Wayseekers if you pa.s.s the trials and fulfil the requirements just read to you," said the Guide. "Now Zan, will you please read from page 24-the meaning of a Council Ring? Better begin at the bottom of the page where I have marked the sentence for you."

Zan turned over the pages till she found the place indicated and read: "'Why do we sit in a circle around a fire? That is an old story and a new one.

"'Then, too, a circle is the best way of seating a group. Each has her place and is so seated as to see everything and be seen by everybody. As a result each feels a very real part in the proceedings as they could not feel if there were corners in which one could hide. The circle is dignified and it is democratic. It was with this idea that King Arthur abolished the old-fashioned long table with two levels, one above the salt for the n.o.ble folk and one below for the common herd, and founded the Round Table. At his table all who were worthy to come were on the same level, were brothers, equal in dignity and responsibility, and each in honour bound to do his share. The result was a kindlier spirit, a sense of mutual dependence.

"'These are the thoughts of our Council Ring. These are among the reasons why our Council is always in a circle and if possible around the fire. The memory of those long-gone days is brought back again with their simple reverent spirit, their sense of brotherhood, when we sit as our people used to sit about the fire and smell the wood-smoke of Council.'"

As Zan concluded, the experienced Woodcrafters cried: "How! How!"

"I suppose the new members know why we called our Band Wickeecheokee Band of Wako Tribe of Woodcrafters?" asked Miss Miller, with a slight nod in the direction of the six girls.

The new members looked at each other for the answer and the Guide continued to explain:

"Wickeecheokee is an old Indian name discovered on the ancient records of the County Seat in New Jersey where the farm owned by Dr. Baker is located. The English interpretation of the name means, 'Crystal Waters.'

Dr. Baker's farm where we camped last Summer has this lovely mountain stream falling down the steep side to the Bluff which is a rocky ledge over-hanging a pool of about a hundred yards wide, thence it rushes on to the Big Bridge near the turnpike road. That is why the doctor named his farm after the stream-'Wickeecheokee.'"

"I wish to goodness we girls could have been there with you," sighed Anne Mason.

"'According to the Const.i.tution of Woodcraft, our purpose is to learn the out-door life for its worth in the building up of our bodies and the helping and strengthening of our souls; that we may go forth with the seeing eye, and the "thinking hand" to learn the pleasant ways of the woods and of life, that we may be made in all wise masters of ourselves; facing life without flinching, ready to take our part among our fellows in all the problems which arise, rejoicing when some trial comes, that the Great Spirit finds us the rulers of strong souls in their worthy tabernacles.'

"Each one of you girls is past twelve years of age, so that point is covered. Now we will ascertain who of the new members know the law, who are acceptable to this Band, and who can prove worthy according to the initiation tests. You will all begin at the lowest rank if accepted in the Band-that of Wayseeker. Now Zan, read aloud the initiation test from page 11 of our Manual."

The Chief turned back to the page mentioned and read: "'The trial should be approved by the Council and be given to the candidate when her name is proposed for membership-that is, posted on the Totem Pole where it remains for seven suns. In camp a shorter time may be allowed at the discretion of the leaders.