The Rotary Balita no. 758 (November 18, 1954).

ROTARY WAS FOUNDER OF SCOUT ORGANIZATION The 1954 Boy Scouts Week celebrated on October 31 thru November 7 marked the 31st anniversary of the foundation of scouting in the Philippines. Scanty records left after the last war disclosed that scouting was introduced in the Philippines in 1910 simultaneously with the organization of the Boy Scouts of America in the United States. Nevertheless formal organization of the movement was also recorded in 1923 when the then young Rotary Club of Manila was mainly responsible for coordinating all the efforts towards the scouting movement and was instrumental in forming the Manila (P.I.) council of the Boy Scouts of America. In commemorating the Foundation Day of the 1954 Boy Scouts Week, hundreds of boy scouts and scouters flocked to Malacañang in the evening of Sunday, October 31st, and rededicated themselves to the Scout Oath and Law. Vice President Carlos P. Garcia, honorary vice president of the Boy Scouts of the Philippines, struck the theme of the week-long nation-wide celebrations with his address. Theme of the week was "Patriotism through Scouting Other days of the week were celebrated. November 1st: Community Service Day - B Scouts all over the nation conducted pilgrimage and floral offerings at monuments and graves national and local heroes, remembered with prayers and flowers their departed fellow scouts scouters, identified local historical spots with appropriate markers, set up and manned first at stations and lost and found centers in cemeteries and helped in the control of traffic on the roads and streets to the cemeteries. November 2nd: Production Day - President Ramon Magsaysay launched the National Food Production Campaign of the Boy Scouts of the Philippines, a feature of Production Day, when he presented Manila scouters a valuable Trophy from the local boy scout council winning the highest points in food production projects. Demetrio S. Santos, Production Day chairman, accompanied by Manuel Nolasco, Manila Boy Scouts Week chairman, and other committee members received the President Magsaysay Trophy from the Chief Executive himself at the Malacañang Council of Stateroom. The BSP Food Production Campaign, to be conducted on a year-round basis, will close the following Boy Scouts Week. November 3rd: Conservation and Thrift Day - Boy scouts commemorated this day by launching annual unit conservation projects, intensifying unit thrift projects in accordance with the National Thrift Year program, assisting in local or national drives for the relief of human suffering, demonstrating economical uses of supplies and commodities, and visiting local conservation projects. November 4th: Physical Fitness Day - This day saw boy scouts across the nation undergoing physical examination, conducting health contests, listening to lectures and demonstrations on health and physical culture and visiting health centers. November 5th: Emergency Service Day - A demonstration of preparedness for service to God, country and fellowmen marked this day throughout the nation. In Manila, the demonstration was staged at the Sunken Gardens where willing groups. families were evacuated, accommodated, quartered and fed by Manila boy scouts in the face of a "make-believe" emergency. November 6th: World Brotherhood Day - Special features of this day was the laying of the cornerstone of the BSP national headquarters to be constructed at 181 Concepcion, Ermita, Manila. The Most Rev. Vicente P. Reyes, Manila auxiliary bishop, gave the blessings at the ceremony. Education Sec. Gregorio Hernandez Jr. dedicated the building, while Jorge B. Vargas, BSP president, delivered the closing address. Other features of the day were the world brotherhood day rally, the international acquaintance party and the international dance festival held at the BSP headquarters. Travel bureaus and consular offices were also visited by boy scouts in honor of the day. November 7th: Church Day - Churches throughout the nation opened their doors for boy scouts. and gave special masses in honor of boy scout Church Day. Almost all churches in Manila, Catholic and Protestants, had special masses for boy scouts. Sermons were also delivered during the day on the Boy Scouts Week theme "Patriotism through Scouting."