Scouting For Girls, Official Handbook of the Girl Scouts Part 70

Sound travels at the rate of 365 yards every second, as many yards as there are days in the year. By counting the seconds between seeing the flash from a gun, or the steam puff from a locomotive and hearing the sound of the explosion or whistle it is possible to figure the length of the distance between yourself and the gun or locomotive.

It is said that the number of seconds between a flash of lightning and the thunder will give the distance between you and the place where the lightning struck.

We use weighing machines or scales in buying food, so that we may compare the actual amount of food we buy with a standard weight, otherwise there would be much confusion and business could not be carried on between peoples. For this reason we use pint, quart, peck and bushel measures, all of which are regulated by law as to the amount they hold.

There are some people who have a true feeling or sense for weight and can tell almost to an ounce the weight of a parcel by lifting it. Others have a good memory and can tell the weight of a quant.i.ty by looking at it. Others know distance and can estimate it correctly without use of rule or measure, and likewise judge numbers.

Very few people have this ability naturally, but many have acquired it by practice and patience and a Scout can do so: she will find many times that this particular form of knowledge whether in or out of doors is of benefit.

How often a housekeeper wishes she could tell about how much material to buy for this or that purpose without getting the yard stick and measuring. The seamstress and dressmaker must judge length and width and even height, and the cook constantly has need of a sense of quant.i.ty and size. The photographer, the pioneer, the camper, all must know measurements. This matter of judging is something we are called upon to do much more than we have realized. The point is how can we learn the trick? We should start with something we know and compare to it something whose size we do not know. This is where knowing your personal measurement will be of value. Always prove when practicing your idea, otherwise you will not improve your ability. That is, make your estimate, then see how near right it is by measuring. Learn to know how an inch, a foot, a yard look. Then work with longer lengths out of doors with several feet, and several yards. Fences, roads, streets, dooryards, houses, all can be judged as to length.

Height is less easy to estimate for we are not so accustomed to looking up and down as we are to looking forward or back and forth, but the same rules hold good. Learn to know the height of a chair seat, a table, your own height, a room, a house, trees: by measuring and looking, and looking and measuring, you will accomplish much.

To learn to judge weight begin by holding in your hand something that weighs a pound; after holding it a few moments put it down and then take it up again always trying to sense the weight. Do not use your eyes, only your hand. Try a two pound weight and so on. Then take up something else the weight of which you do not know and see if you can tell its weight. Practice, patience and memory are necessary in this work.

There is another way of judging weight, one in which our eyes help us.

Knowing how a pound of b.u.t.ter looks as to size we can judge the weight of a ma.s.s of b.u.t.ter by looking at it and comparing it mentally with what we know. We can follow this method in judging the weight of different goods, but as each kind when put in pound quant.i.ties looks more or less different from every other kind, experience and knowledge of the character of the goods is necessary. A pound of b.u.t.ter and a pound of feathers do not make the same size bundle so the weight of each could not be judged by the same eye standard.

By practice a Girl Scout should be able to do the following things in the way of judging height, weight and distance:

(1) Be able to judge within 25 per cent the following: Height of a tree, house, pole, etc., not exceeding 50 feet. Material, 1, 3, 15, 18, 27, 30, 36, 42 and 56 inches. Diameter of the trunk of a tree, a pole, water pipe or similar object.

Distance of 6, 10, 15, 25 and 100 feet. (This is useful in camera work.)

(2) Pick out from a miscellaneous a.s.sortment bottles of 2, 4, 6 and 8 ounces. Bottles of 1 pint, 1 quart, 1 gallon. Pails, 1 pint, 1 quart, 2 quarts, 1 gallon.

(3) Be able without scales to weigh out specified amounts of sugar, flour or other household materials, for example, 1, 5 or 10 pounds.

(4) Be able to pick out from an a.s.sortment, packages of rice, tea, cornmeal, etc., weighing 1/2, 1, 2, 5 and 10 pounds.

(5) Be able to give in the usual measures, either avoirdupois or metric, capacity of the standard teaspoon, tablespoon, teacup.

(6) Be able to tell when you have walked a mile in open country. This may be done by using Scout's Pace for 12 minutes, on a fifty walk, fifty run rhythm, or by knowing one's own walking step length.

(7) Be able to judge of s.p.a.ces between distant objects such as the distance between two trees, the width of a road, or a brook, by the triangulation method.

USEFUL PERSONAL MEASURES

It is sometimes a great convenience to measure a length of ribbon, lace or other goods without the use of a rule or tape measure; but what shall we use in their place? Look at your thumb--how long is it from the end to the first joint? And the middle finger, from the end to the knuckle on the back of the hand? Isn't it nearly four and one-half inches or one-eighth of a yard? That is what the average grown person's finger measures. To get the correct length of your finger, hold the end of a tape line to the end of the finger with the thumb of the same hand, draw the tape measure tight over the bent finger to the knuckle. This is a very useful measure for short lengths.

Another measure for longer lengths is the distance from the end of your nose, when your head is turned sharply to one side, to the end of your thumb when your arm is stretched straight out from the shoulder in the opposite direction. Measure and find out this distance for yourself by holding the very end of a ribbon, tape or rope with the left hand to the end of the nose, head turned to the left, and with the right hand run the fingers along the edge of the ribbon until it is stretched to arm's length. Marking the ribbon with a pin where the right thumb and forefinger have held it, measure the distance with a yard measure or rule from the end of the ribbon to the pin. This length will be about the same as the standard unit of length used in this country. When measuring a long length of goods, use the point held by the right hand as the starting point to be held by left hand.

If you know the distance between the end of your little finger and the end of your thumb when they are stretched apart, the palm of the hand being flat, you can measure a distance such as the length of a table, shelf, pole, etc. When judging the height of a person, remember that the distance from the top of the head to the chin is about one-ninth of the height of the body. The distance between the middle fingers when the arms are stretched straight out from the shoulders is about equal to the height of the body.

Another personal measure that is of value is the length of one's average pace or stride; that is, the distance from the toe of one boot to the toe of the other when walking a natural gait. It is also useful to know the average number of paces taken in walking a given distance, such as a mile, and the time required to make them. All of this information can be obtained in a very simple way. Measure off as accurately as possible 220 yards, which is one-eighth of a mile, or take a known distance, and pace it back and forth at least eight times, but not all in one day.

Each time keep a record of the number of paces taken and the time required to pace the distance. Divide the sum of the paces by the number of times paced and the result will be the average number of paces for the distance. Then divide the whole distance by the average number of paces and get the average length of your pace. Divide the sum of the minutes spent in pacing the distance by the number of times paced, and get the average length of time required to walk the distance. When the average length of pace is known, the distance between two points can be quite accurately estimated by pacing, if the ground is open, level and solid. If up or down grade, if the ground is muddy or heavy, or there are other causes which r.e.t.a.r.d the gait, a reduction must be made.

None of the above methods for measuring are scientific, therefore are not accurate, but they are useful ways of measuring _approximately_ lengths and distances by means of a guide always at hand.

2. MAP MAKING FOR GIRL SCOUTS

The word map calls to our mind a picture of lines, angles, dots and circles which tell us something about a position of the surface of the earth. It gives us an idea of distance and direction, indicates heights and sometimes tells of interesting land conditions. What we see are but symbols representing a more or less true picture. This method of telling a story is very old; as long ago as 1370 B. C. it was used to show the location of the then famous Nubian Gold Mines. This ancient map is now preserved in the Museum of Turin.

Later, in 611 B. C. the first map of the world was made--the world as men knew it then. They thought it was like a hollow cylinder and surrounded by a river. By 276 B. C. maps were used and understood quite generally.

They were named originally after the material upon which they were painted or drawn. Map from Mappa, meaning cloth, and chart from charta, meaning parchment. Even today maps are made on cloth when for use in the open by cyclists, military men, and so forth, and charts are those maps filling the needs of seamen. Savage tribes used maps made of horn, bone and wood.

In the 15th century the first printed maps were made and now many processes are used in reproducing these valuable and necessary graphic pictures, every line and dot of which have been made out of someone's experience. The explorer, the pioneer, the navigator, all contributing to the store of knowledge of the earth's surface, and many times having thrilling adventures, surviving terrible conditions that the earth may be known as it really appears.

Although maps are made to scale and every distance computed most accurately by the use of very fine instruments, Scouts can accomplish the real purpose of maps in a small and simple way, for they are after all, but guides to those who follow.

Knowing a delightful road or trail, one can by a map guide others to it, or by making a map of a city, or country district helps a stranger to find his way about. Our maps must contain as the all important features: Direction, Distance, Points of Identification, and the explanation on the margin of the map of all symbols or conventional signs used. For hiking purposes a starting-point and a goal are necessary, all cross-roads must be indicated--streams, bridges, trails, springs, points of interest, vantage points for extended views, and so forth.

A city map should note beside streets, the car lines or bus lines, public buildings, library, churches, hotels, stores, police station, public telephone booths, a doctor's office, fire alarm box and post box.

A village map should show in addition the way to the nearest large town or city, give the railroad station, and so forth.

Direction is shown by symbol, an arrow or a line with an N pointing to the North, which should be at the top of the map, and all lines and signs should be made in relation to it.

Distance is shown by what is known as scale. It would be impossible and unnecessary in making a map to use the exact measurements of distances existing in any given portion of the country, but we can indicate those distances by drawing our map even though very small so that lines, angles, circles and dots will bear the same relation to each other as the points they represent bear to each other. This is done by using a small measure to represent a large measure. If 1 inch was used to represent a mile, a map showing 80 square miles of ground, measuring 810 miles could be drawn on a comparatively small piece of paper.

Whatever scale is used must be noted on the map, however.

The true distances are found by pacing or by triangulation. The interesting, helpful and necessary points are learned by observation.

These are the real guides when using a map and these should be placed most correctly. Some of the symbols most generally used in map making are shown in the accompanying cut.

To be able to read a map is quite as important as making one. Signs must be understood, distances read, and directions known. It will help in ascertaining the latter point to hold the map so its position will be true to the points of the compa.s.s--the East to the East. This is called orienting a map.

[Ill.u.s.tration: CONVENTIONAL SIGNS OF MAP MAKING

Camp Post office Telegraph office

City, Town or Buildings Church village

School W. W. Hos.

Water works Hospital

Windmill cem. Ruins Cemetery

Fence Barbed smooth Stone (any or board) Wire Fence Fence

Wagon Footpath or Wagon Road Road Trail (unfenced)

Railroad Double Track Trolley Station R. R. Line]