The Councils are of three different kinds:
High Council, which is the business Council of the leaders.
Common Council, in which all the camp takes part.
Grand Council, open to the public – a full-dress occasion with program chiefly of entertainment.
The special place is consecrated as the Council-ring, and invested with the power and charms of association and accessory.
It also stands for:
A full or ceremonial dress, with robes, etc., for public and gala occasions.
Also a cheap knock-about uniform, buff preferred.
It accepts the Redman as the great prophet of outdoor life and woodcraft (in this country), and uses his methods whenever they are helpful.
It stands for dancing – that is, ceremonial and folk dances, especially those that are native. They are at least as promising as the foreign material. The young especially should be taught to rejoice in song and dance.
Camp-fire drama.
Initiation tests of fortitude (properly selected and safeguarded).
Use of the bow in preference to the gun.
Primitive games for the beginners.
Totems or simple natural forms as the emblem of persons and groups.
Totem-pole, which is a permanent standard for displaying the emblem of the camp, etc., and for posting notices. If on the pole it is published.
Sweat Lodge, or Turkish bath, in camp.
The minimum of clothing. We are undoubtedly overclad. The clothing that was added to make men modest and virtuous has only made them more vicious and diseased.
