Butler High School - Magnet Yearbook (Butler, PA)

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20 THE SENIOR MAGNET he Cast Council William C. Graham (Poem, courtesy of Boy Scouts of America) The last rays of the August sun are streaming across the sylvan horizon; the stars are beginning to shine overhead. Suddenly, assembly is sounded by the bugler and all scouts come to attention in front of their huts. The entire camp forms a long line and advances up the winding, wooded path to the Council ring. As soon as the circular clearing is reached, each scout becomes silent and goes to his respective place. One of the older leaders makes invocation for the fire: On the slopes of Old Pikes’ Peak, By the shining heaven lake waters, Stands the camp of the warriors. Dark behind it stands the forest, Stands the aspen, spruce, and pine. Stands the fir, with cones upon them. Bright below it runs the water, Runs the clear and shining water. Many things they learn and do there; How the Great Spirit up above Cares for all his faithful children, Cares for everything he fashions. Learn they of the stars in heaven, Of the birds that fly and nest there. Learn their names and all their secrets; How they build their nests in summer; Where they hide themselves in winter. Of all the beasts they learn their language Call them friends whene’er they meet them. How the moths and other insects Change their forms and learn to fly; How the flowers and trees and bushes Get their names and all their odors; All of this and more is taught them. Oh, Great Spirit, then from heaven Send us light and heat and warmth. Give us courage, strength, and daring; Give us wisdom, manhood, patience, That from all Thy nature’s secrets, We may learn their every lesson. Learn to love, protect, and cherish Everything Thy hand hath fashioned. Oh, Great Spirit, as a token

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 Oo«»rny S • r • we

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CLASS OF JANUARY, 1952 21 Send us aught, this night we pray thee. May we know that Thou art with us; That Thy warriors true we may be. Send us light to light our campfire, That we may for this be thankful. Oh, Great Spirit, this we ask Thee; Send us light and we shall praise Thee.” A great ball of flame falls from above and ignites the altar of wood in the center of the ring. The older scout continues: Look ! Oh warriors, braves, and squaw-men, See the light as light of morning Which descends from heaven above us. From our Father, the great loving spirit, From our Father, who good will give us, If we only wait and seek it.” The scouts repeat the oath and take their seats in the circle. After stunts and songs by the members of each hut, the camp director rises to tell the story of the evening; tonight, however, is the last council fire of the season, an event which is always sad and yet beautiful to the veteran camper. Tonight, even the director is more stately than usual, and he glances around the circle, carefully scrutinizing the faces of his boys. Then he begins his story: Many years ago, in a land far across the sea, there lived a boy who seemed much like any other boy of that time. He grew and played among the other boys of the village. As was the custom in those days, the youth shared quite a few of the home duties and helped his father in many ways. During his leisure hours, he played with the other boys or listened to his father and the older men of the village talking over events of the day. He often went swimming and in every way seemed a typical boy, enjoying all the sports of the time. The lad’s spiritual training was not neglected. His parents took him to religious services on Sunday. The young man was very observant of human occupations and human nature. He was the leader among his chums. He spent much time with his companions preparing and planning for his future work. He had seen where many men erred, and he longed to remedy these errors. To accomplish the work successfully, the group of reformers would have to be organized. Each member of the group was anxious to have his part in the boy’s plan. One day, he called his companions together and explained his system of organization to them.” At this point, the camp director pauses. He glances around at the faces of his followers. All of the boys are silent; some are gazing into the fire; others are looking up at the stars in the blue dome above the ash trees. The director smiles as if he is satisfied, and then he resumes his story. The boy said that the success of his plan depended on his companions’ cooperation with him, just as the charioteer’s success depended upon the re-