Scouting Heritage
Merit Badge
Requirement 1
• Discuss with your counselor the life and times
of Lord Baden-Powell of Gilwell. Explain why
he felt a program like Scouting would be good
for the young men of his day. Include in your
discussion how Scouting was introduced in the
United States, and the origins of Boy Scouting
and Cub Scouting under Baden-Powell.
Requirement 2A
Give a short biographical sketch of any TWO of the
following, and tell of their role in how Scouting
developed and grew in the United States prior to
1940.
1.Daniel Carter Beard
2.William D. Boyce
3.Waite Phillips
4.Ernest Thompson Seton
5.James E. West
Daniel Carter Beard
• Woodsman, illustrator, and naturalist, Daniel Carter
Beard was a pioneering spirit of the Boy Scouts of
America. Already 60 years old when the Boy Scouts of
America was formed, he became a founder and
merged it with his own boys' organization, the Sons of
Daniel Boone. As the first national Scout commissioner,
Beard helped design the original Scout uniform and
introduced the elements of the First Class Scout badge.
"Uncle Dan," as he was known to boys and leaders, will
be remembered as a colorful figure dressed in buckskin
who helped form Scouting in the United States.
William D. Boyce
• In 1909, Chicago publisher William D. Boyce lost
his way in a dense London fog. A boy came to his
aid and, after guiding the man, refused a tip,
explaining that as a Scout he would not take a tip
for doing a Good Turn. This gesture by an
unknown Scout inspired a meeting with Robert
Baden-Powell, the British founder of the Boy
Scouts. As a result, William Boyce incorporated
the Boy Scouts of America on February, 8, 1910.
He also created the Lone Scouts, which merged
with the Boy Scouts of America in 1924.
Waite Phillips
• He was an American oil pioneer, banker, and
rancher who also developed office complexes.
Phillips gave his 72-room mansion to the city
of Tulsa, OK and 127,000 acres of his Philmont
ranch in New Mexico to the Boy Scouts of
America, together with his 23-story Philtower
Building in Tulsa, Oklahoma
Ernest Thompson Seton
• Born in Scotland, Ernest Thompson Seton immigrated
to America as a youth in the 1880s. His fascination with
the wilderness led him to become a naturalist, an
artist, and an author, and through his works he
influenced both youth and adults. Seton established a
youth organization called the Woodcraft Indians, and
his background of outdoor skills and interest in youth
made him a logical choice for the position of first Chief
Scout of the BSA in 1910. His many volumes of
Scoutcraft became an integral part of Scouting, and his
intelligence and enthusiasm helped turn an idea into
reality.
James E. West
• James E. West was appointed the first Chief Scout
Executive of the Boy Scouts of America in 1911.
Although orphaned and physically handicapped,
he had the perseverance to graduate from law
school and become a successful attorney. This
same determination provided the impetus to
help build Scouting into the largest and most
effective youth organization in the world. When
he retired in 1943, Dr. West was recognized
throughout the country as the true architect of
the Boy Scouts of America.
Requirement 2B
Discuss the significance to Scouting of any TWO
of the following:
1.Brownsea Island
2.The First World Jamboree
3.Boy Scout Handbook
4.Boys’ Life magazine
Brownsea Island
• After returning as a military hero from service in Africa, Robert BadenPowell discovered that English boys were reading the manual on stalking
and survival in the wilderness he had written for British soldiers. He
rewrote the manual as a nonmilitary nature skill book and called it
Scouting for Boys. To test his ideas, Baden-Powell brought together 22
boys to camp at Brownsea Island, off the coast of England. This historic
campout was a success and resulted in the advent of Scouting.
• The Brownsea Island Scout camp was a boys camping event on Brownsea
Island in Poole Harbour, southern England, organized by LieutenantGeneral Baden-Powell to test his ideas for the book Scouting for Boys.
Twenty boys from different social backgrounds participated from August 1
to August 8, 1907 in activities around camping, observation, woodcraft,
chivalry, lifesaving and patriotism. Recognized as the world's first Scout
camp, the event is regarded as the real origin of the worldwide Scout
movement.
• Today, Scouts still enjoy Brownsea Island. The 1973 and 2007 World
Jamborees were held on Brownsea Island.
First World Jamboree
• Summer of 1920
• 8000 Scouts from 21 Countries
• Scouts declared Baden-Powell “Chief Scout of
the World”
• Serves to foster understanding between
people from different countries
• 100th Anniversary Jamboree 38,074 Scouts
from 158 Countries
Boy Scout Handbook
• The Boy Scout Handbook #33105 is the official handbook of the
Boy Scouts of America. It is a descendant of Robert Baden-Powell's
original handbook, Scouting for Boys, which has been the basis for
Scout handbooks in many countries.
• The Boy Scout Handbook is available at your local council service
center or wherever Scouting merchandise is sold and online at
www.scoutstuff.org. Click here for a list of Scouting retailers near
you.
• The new edition of the Boy Scout Handbook is not just a guide to
the outdoors - but a guide for life that addresses issues such as
alcohol and drug abuse, respecting others, and using the Internet
appropriately.
• The Boy Scout Handbook contains the requirements and great
resources for each rank from a new Scout earning Tenderfoot
through Eagle.
Boys’ Life Magazine
• George S. Barton founded, edited and
published the first edition of Boys’ Life.
• Goal to provide Scouts a publication they can
call their own.
• Goal to place a magazine in the hands of all
boys a magazine “which they will not be afraid
to have their parents see them reading.
• These are reflected in Boys’ Life today
Requirement 3
• Discuss with your counselor how Scouting’s
programs have developed over time and been
adapted to fit different age groups and
interests (Cub Scouting, Boy Scouting,
Exploring, Venturing)
Requirement 4A
• Attend either a BSA national jamboree, OR
world Scout jamboree, OR a national BSA
high-adventure base. While there, keep a
journal documenting your day-to-day
experiences. Upon your return, report to your
counselor what you did, saw, and learned. You
may include photos, brochures, and other
documents in your report.
• Do this or do 4B
Requirement 4B
• Write or visit the National Scouting Museum in
Irving, Texas.* Obtain information about this
facility. Give a short report on what you think the
role of this museum is in the Scouting
program.*If you visit the BSA’s national traveling
tour, Adventure Base 100, in 2010, you may use
this experience to fulfill requirement 4b. Visit
www.adventurebase100.org (with your parent’s
permission) for the schedule and for more
information.
• Do this or do 4A
BSA Museum Address
National Scouting Museum
1329 West Walnut Hill Lane
Irving, TX 75038
Requirement 5
• Learn about the history of your unit or Scouting in your
area. Interview at least two people (one from the past
and one from the present) associated with your troop.
These individuals could be adult unit leaders, Scouts,
troop committee members, or representatives of your
troop’s chartered organization. Find out when your unit
was originally chartered. Create a report of your
findings on the history of your troop, and present it to
your patrol or troop or at a court of honor, and then
add it to the troop’s library. This presentation could be
in the form of an oral/written report, an exhibit, a
scrapbook, or a computer presentation such as a slide
show.
History of Troop 226
• First Chartered - November 10, 1953
• First Charter Organization –
Walnut Creek Presbyterian Church
• First Scoutmaster – Ralph Peters
• Walnut Creek Presbyterian Church sponsored
two troops 220 and 226
• Moved in 1999 to Buena Vista Elementary
School
History of 226 (continued)
• Charter Organization at Buena Vista
Elementary – Troop Committee
• Moved to St. Lukes Lutheran Church 2002
• Charter Organization – St. Lukes Lutheran
Church
• Troop has reputation as a canoeing troop!
• Nickname – Walnut Creek River Rats
Requirement 6
• Make a collection of some of your personal
patches and other Scouting memorabilia. With
their permission, you may include items
borrowed from family members or friends who
have been in Scouting in the past, or you may
include photographs of these items. Show this
collection to your counselor, and share what you
have learned about items in the collection. (There
is no requirement regarding how large or small
this collection must be.)
Requirement 7
• Reproduce the equipment for an old-time
Scouting game such as those played at
Brownsea Island. You may find one on your
own (with your counselor’s approval), or pick
one from the Scouting Heritage merit badge
pamphlet. Teach and play the game with other
Scouts.
Kim’s Game
• The Scout should collect on a tray a number of
articles - knives, spoons, pencil, pen, stones,
book and so on - not more than about fifteen
for the first few games, and cover the whole
over with a cloth. He then makes the others
sit round, where they can see the tray, and
uncovers it for one minute. Then each of them
must make a list on a piece of paper of all the
articles he can remember… The one who
remembers most wins the game.
Old Spotty Face
• Prepare squares of cardboard divided into about a dozen small
squares. Each Scout should take one, and should have a pencil and
go off a few hundred yards, or, if indoors, as far as space will
allow. The umpire then takes a large sheet of cardboard, with
twelve squares ruled on it of about three inch sides if in the open,
or one and a half to two inches if indoors.
• The umpire has a number of black paper discs, half an inch in
diameter, and pins ready, and sticks about half a dozen on to his
card, dotted about where he sees. He holds up his card so that it
can be seen by the Scouts. They then gradually approach, and as
they get within sight they mark their cards with the same pattern of
spots. The one who does so at the farthest distance from the
umpire wins.
• Give five points for every spot correctly shown, deduct one point
for every two inches nearer than the furthest man. This teaches
long sight.
Fugitives
•
•
•
•
•
•
Each Scout in the patrol has a round disc of white cardboard, with a number
printed plainly upon it, pinned on to the back of his shirt or sweater. One member
of the patrol is then chosen as the " fugitive," while the rest act as hunters.
The " fugitive," who wears tracking-irons, or leaves some kind of trail behind him,
is given, say, 'ten minutes' start. The rest of the patrol then start out and endeavor
to track him down.
As soon as a " hunter " can get near enough to the fugitive," without being seen,
to take down his number, the latter is caught. But if the " fugitive " can, by any
means, turn the tables and get any of his pursuers' numbers, the latter are out of
action.
As soon as a number is taken down, the Scout who takes It must call it out, to let
his captive know he is out of action.
This game necessitates some careful stalking, and there is no "horse-play" in the
shape of ankle-tapping.
A sharp Scout in the patrol should be chosen for the "fugitive," as he has not only
to elude perhaps six or seven pursuers, but he must also endeavor to "capture
them," unless he wishes to get killed himself.
Compass Points
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
This game will be found excellent practice in learning the points of the compass.
Eight staves are arranged in star fashion on the ground all radiating from the
center. One staff should point due North.
One Scout now takes up his position at the outer end of each staff, and represents
one of the eight principal points of the compass.
The Scoutmaster now calls out any two points, such as S.E. and N., and the two
Scouts concerned must immediately change places. Any one moving out of place
without his point being named, or moving to a wrong place or even hesitating,
should lose a mark.
When changing places, Scouts must not cross the staves, but must go outside the
circle of players.
When three marks have been lost the Scout should fall out.
As the game goes on blank spaces will occur. These will make it slightly more
difficult for the remaining boys.
To make the game more difficult sixteen points may be used instead of eight.
When played indoors the lines of the compass may be drawn in chalk on the floor.
Requirement 8
• Interview at least three people (different from
those you interviewed for requirement 5) over
the age of 50 who were Scouts. Find out about
their Scouting experiences. Ask about the
impact that Scouting has had on their lives.
Share what you learned with your counselor.
Sources for Information
•
•
•
•
http://www.inquiry.net/ Source for games
http://www.bsamuseum.org/
http://www.troop226wc.org/
http://www.usscouts.org/
• Merit badge help and worksheets use
http://www.meritbadge.org/