The Old Scoutmasters Poems - Looking for advice

[Knight]

I'd like some advice on what to do with an old item I received.

 

My father, God rest his soul, passed a few years ago. My mother sent me a small book she found. It was printed in 1937 and is entitled "The Old Scoutmaster's Poems" by Edward G. Matlack, one of the very earliest recipients of the Silver Beaver award. The book belonged to my Dad when he was a Boy Scout and was apparently given to him by Mr. Matlack.

 

It has some poems and stories that are very good even to today.

 

But...

 

It also has several poems that, 70 something years later, are clearly offensive, including use of the "n word" and other similar terms.

 

What do I do with this book? It clearly has some historical value. Some of the poems and stories are wonderful and would even be very entertaining and useful. But, I hardly want my sons, or other Scouts to read through the book without first seriously considering and understanding the context of when and where it arose.

 

I also think my Dad must have had a similar quandry what to do because I knew of or had everything else of Dad's few existing Scouting items.

 

I'd appreciate any comments.

 

[Eamonn]

Having not read the book and not knowing anything about it!

It's hard to come up with a real informed opinion.

 

Thinking out loud! (Kinda)

What are your plans for the book?

How do you intend to use it?

You can copy the good parts and use them.

You might see it as a historical book and want to donate it to a place where it will be seen as just that?

 

Maybe not in a Troop setting, but maybe for a Venturing Unit it might be used as something that could open a very interesting discussion about censorship?

Ask: What is censorship? Have you experienced censorship? What types of works are typically censored? Tell the Crew that schools sometimes censor books because of their content, and ask them for their reactions.

In another thread that is now running there is some lively talk about video games.

What games should and shouldn't be allowed at Scouting events.

Is this a type of censorship?

How do the Crew members feel about it?

 

I think at the end of the day, I'd want to keep it with the other stuff that was left by my father maybe as a friendly reminder of how things have changed.

Eamonn.