Jasper County Democrat, Volume 22, Number 97, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 3 March 1920 — BOY SCOUTS IN YOUNG ARMENIA [ARTICLE]

BOY SCOUTS IN YOUNG ARMENIA

Strangest Troop of All In Constantinople Being Made Into Good Citizens. American Boy Scout training Is aid Ing prominently in the rehabilltatior of hundreds of tittle Armenian boj refugees from the Turkish massacres who have been organized into a scout troop in Constantinople as the solution of one of the most troublesome prob lems that confronted the Near East Re lief workers In that city. Hounded and driven for four years having seen their parents and relatives slaughtered or worse by Turks anr Kurtis and themselves forced to beg steal or do almost anything to eke out the barest existence, these boys liar completely lost their moral sense wher they finally found refuge In the Neai East Relief orphanges. The boys had been clad In rags foi so long that they had forgotten how tc take care of clothes. This was a traged? when tiie Near East Relief had need of every pair of shoes and of every suit of clothes for new boys constantly com ing In. Then the boys were organized ai Boy Scouts and given their uniforms They began to be careful of theii school clothes as well as of their uni forms. They had been so often hungry they had come to steal without compunction. When they first entered the or phanages they continued to steal. Ont boy stole a purse from his American teacher. For two or three weeks aftei he became a Boy Scout he was obvious ly uneasy. One day he came to hei with the purse in his hand. “I don't want to give it back,” ht said reluctantly. “But I have to. I'n a Boy Scout now.” To form more scout troops to trans form these little Unfortunates lnt< good citizens, is one of the reasons why the Near East Relief, 1 Madisor avenue, New York city, is making its appeal for funds.