AMERICAN FORESTRY GUIDES DEPARTMENT 



SOLAN L. PARKES, EDITOR 



THIS DEPARTMENT IS CONDUCTED ESPECIALLY TO INSTRUCT THE YOUTH OF AMERICA TO AID IN 

 CONSERVING AND PRESERVING THE FORESTS, TREE, PLANT, BIRD AND HARMLESS ANIMAL LIFE. 



THE American Forestry Guides is now an organization 

 all ready, to organize councils and posts as well as 

 to enroll individual members. This organization was 

 created at the request of the many readers of the Forestry 

 Guide department in the American Forestry Magazine. 

 Great pains have been taken in the preparation of a pro- 

 gram that would be attractive, instructive and helpful 

 to lovers of the outdoor life. Immediately after the For- 

 estry Guides department was established in the American 

 Forestry Magazine it became 

 evident from letters received 

 from all parts of the country 

 from the friends of forestry 

 that an organization should 

 be formed with its purposes 

 based on the declaration of 

 principles, as appears else- 

 where in this department. 

 Prominent educators, laymen, 

 boys, girls, young men and 

 young women in many parts 

 of the United States were 

 communicated with and re- 

 sponding, urged that an or- 

 ganization be created. Guid- 

 ing ourselves by the sugges- 

 tions offered, a group has for 

 months been working in the 

 preparation of a program that 

 will promote health and pro- 

 gress and create sentiment for 

 the conservation and preser- 

 vation of our forests, and the 

 life therein as well as the life 



in field and stream. It will also encourage clean sport, hik- 

 ing and camping, will teach to do by doing, have as its 

 motto "Service to God, to Country, to Fellowman." 



As stated, we are ready and will now say, quoting 

 Postmaster General Hays in his recent message, "Let's 



go." 



Let's go and organize Councils to supervise the Posts 

 in specified territory; organize Posts where no councils 

 exist; enroll individual members where no Posts exist. 



All pull together and "Let's 

 go" save the forests of the 

 Nation as well as our tree, 

 plant, bird and harmless wild 

 life, with the realization that 

 our youth and posterity will 

 enjoy and be benefited. 



Council organizations are 

 composed of fifty or more per- 

 sons who organize themselves 

 into a body to have jurisdic- 

 tion over the Posts in a fixed 

 territory i. e. city or county 

 boundary line, to be determin- 

 ed, and to provide executive 

 leadership. 



Posts consist of groups 

 numbering from ten to forty- 

 eight members under an adult 

 leader with an assistant of not 

 less than 17 years of age for 

 every sixteen members in the 

 post. A full post will have 

 one adult and three assistants. 



Charles A. Snyder, President American Forestry Guides 



GREETING FROM CHARLES A. SNYDER 



In assuming the position as president of the American Forestry Guides, I wish, first of all, to send greetings to the 

 numerous Guides and those under whose directions they have been carrying on their work with such notable success. The 

 service you are performing is one of true patriotism, and it will be a cause for self-gratification, if I shall be able to assist 

 in advancing the worthy purpose of the organization. 



At the same time, I invite the co-operation of each and every fellow-citizen who realizes the importance of reforesting 

 the waste areas of our country and of conserving the few existing forests. President Harding's showing, in his recent proc- 

 lamation, of the devastation caused by forest fires, should set people to thinking who perhaps never before paid any attention 

 to this matter. And by encouraging and supporting the Forestry Guides, they can be made an efficient national agency for 

 just that purpose. 



The movement looking towards enlarging this organization is a constructive, patriotic movement from both an economic 

 and a social point of view. As our population increases, the cities and towns will increase in size and in numbers. If these 

 are surrounded by arid areas, there is little hope for a wholesome national life. I believe in the idea of giving people a sense 

 of the l>eauty of this world and then making them fit to live in it. This two-fold project will be constantly fostered by the 

 teaching and practice of our Forestry Guides in preserving the Forests of our country and the wild life and flora therein. I 

 know the founders of the organization had a somewhat similar idea in mind when they designed it "to conserve and preserve 

 the forest and the life therein, with the youth of the country, and the youth with the forest." 



On behalf of the organization of American Forestry Guides, I invite examination and co-operation by the people of the 

 United States. Its work can be developed along with the public school education, and will give an impetus to that education. 

 Give the youth of the land an interest and part in conserving the forests, that the two may be said to grow up together, and 

 when the youth become the citizens they will appreciate the forests and know how to care for them. I feel proud in having 

 been chosen as your leader. Let us make our country the best country, our people the best people. Let us learn to do by 

 doing and ever remember that we owe service to God, to country, to fellowman. CHARLES A. SNYDER. 



