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Why
Covered Bridge?
In
1804, when Timothy Palmer was finishing construction on his
Permanent Bridge over the Schuylkill River, a Philadelphia
jurist named Richard Peters suggested that the bridge would last a
good deal longer if its principal parts were covered to prevent
rot. This suggestion was followed, and the Permanent
Bridge became the first covered bridge in America.
An
uncovered wooden bridge has a life expectancy of 10 to 15 years;
an uncovered wooden bridge treated with a chemical preservative
has a somewhat longer life. But a properly roofed bridge
should last almost indefinitely. One would like to think
of our District in the same way when it comes to scouting.
When a boy enters scouting, he finds leaders who will protect
him and who instill in him the scouting principles. In our
society our boys are exposed to many things that will harm
them.
The
scouting program is like a covered bridge. To
"prevent rot" the scouting principles gives a boy
oaths and laws he can live by. The covered bridge protects
the structural beauty of a bridge. Scouting enforces the
structure given to a boy by his parents and his church and helps
prevent the moral deterioration of our society. These boys
will be the future leaders of tomorrow. The world will be
a better place if we can help them understand how important the
Scout Oath and Law are and help each one become like a covered
bridge that lasts almost indefinitely.
Please click the picture above
to enter.
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