“Ahundred years from now it will not matter what my bank account was, the sort of house I lived in, or the kind of car I drove. But the world may be different, because I was important in the life of a boy.”
What you probably didn’t realize is that thequote first appeared in the pages ofScouting magazine as part of alonger, even more powerful piece.
Andyou probably didn’t know that its author, Forest Witcraft, was hardly Anonymous. He was a professional Scouter and onetime managing editor ofScouting magazine.
The quote in context
First,take a second to read Forest Witcraft’s entire essay, called “Within My Power.” I’ve included it below.
Inthe essay, Witcraft shows that even someone who is “not very important” and a “humble citizen” — words he uses to describe himself — can have tremendous impact on the life of a boy.
“If I can have some part in guidingthem up the trail of Scouting, on to the high road of noble character and constructive citizenship, I may prove to be the most important man in their lives, the most important man in my community.”
That famous Forest Witcraft quote first appeared in Scouting magazine. “A hundred years from now it will not matter what my bank account was, the sort of house I lived in, or the kind of car I drove. But the world may be different, because I was important in the life of a boy.”
“In Scouting, a boy is encouraged to educate himself instead of being instructed.” “If you make listening and observation your occupation you will gain much more than you can by talk.” “A boy is not a sitting-down animal.” “A Scout smiles and whistles under all circ*mstances.”
The Scout, a weekly magazine for boys, was first published by Cyril Arthur Pearson on 14 April 1908, only weeks after Scouting for Boys, the book which Robert Baden-Powell and Pearson had used to promote the Scout Movement.
Life lessons learned in Scouting will help boys make good decisions throughout life. The Scout slogan is Do a Good Turn Daily. That means doing something to help others each day without expecting anything in return. It means that Scouts do their part to care for the community and the environment.
“The sport in Scouting is to find the good in every boy and develop it.” “Success in training the boy depends largely on the Scoutmaster's own personal example.” “Correcting bad habits cannot be done by forbidding or punishment.”
The Scout Motto of the Scout movement is, in English, "Be Prepared", with most international branches of the group using a close translation of that phrase. These mottoes have been used by millions of Scouts around the world since 1907.
The Scout Mindset: Why Some People See Things Clearly and... Discovering you were wrong is an update, not a failure, and your worldview is a living document meant to be revised. The more labels you have for yourself, the dumber they make you. Just as there are fashions in clothing, so, too, are there fashions in ideas.
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Introduction: My name is Rob Wisoky, I am a smiling, helpful, encouraging, zealous, energetic, faithful, fantastic person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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“Ahundred years from now it will not matter what my bank account was, the sort of house I lived in, or the kind of car I drove. But the world may be different, because I was important in the life of a boy.”
