Boy Scout Historical Merit Badge Program
In 2010, the Boy Scouts of America celebrates a century of influencing the lives of America’s youth. Since its beginning, the BSA has used advancement as a method to achieve the aims of Scouting—character building, citizenship training, and physical and mental fitness. Each aim is emphasized in the four phases of the Scouting program: Cub Scouting, Boy Scouting, Varsity Scouting, and Venturing.
One aspect of Boy Scout advancement—the merit badge program—has always been an important element of Scouting. Through completion of merit badge requirements, generations of Scouts have learned lifetime citizenship lessons, personal fitness habits, and life skills. Countless careers and lifelong hobbies have been launched as a result of the merit badge program.
It is hard to believe that just one hundred years ago, when a Scout earned the Signaling merit badge, that Scout most likely lived in a home with no telephone and probably no electricity. It was a time when there were no power tools, no Home Depots to shop, no TV, no radio, and no cell phones. Scouts of that period were very likely taught to be self-sufficient and were able to build their own furniture, which was actually used. Their neighborhoods were different, too. Everyone knew one another. There were few gas stations, and instead of mega grocery stores, there were only locally run grocery stores, pharmacies, and general stores.
One hundred years later, our world is quite different. Our council offers four vintage merit badges to help a Scout understand how these two worlds are different but, in many ways, the same. The 2010 Historical Merit Badge program offers Signaling (introduced in 1910), Carpentry (introduced in 1911), Pathfinding (introduced in 1911), and Tracking (Stalking; introduced in 1911). Scouts of 2010 may earn these badges during 2010 using the same requirements as in 1910 and 1911. Original merit badge pamphlets may be found here
, along with interesting narratives about each historical merit badge and that explain the language used in 1910 and how it can be translated into today’s terms.
These Merit Badges were all released between 1910 and 1911. In addition to completing the same requirements as Scouts did a century ago, today’s Scouts will learn what that their counterpart in 1910 might have experienced. They will learn why Morse code might have been important during a period when most homes had no TV, radio, computer, telephone, or electricity. However, the value of the program for young people is to understand the changes in 100 years of Scouting.
Badges may be earned by individual Scouts, but districts and councils are encouraged to offer opportunities for Scouts to complete requirements for at least some of these merit badges at Boy Scout resident camps, local merit badge workshops, or special 100 Anniversary Celebrations.
The Lake Huron Area Counil will give Scouts an opportunity to begin working on these awards at Camp Rotary this summer at Boy Scout Summer Resident Camp.
Information about the 2010 Historical Merit Badge program, including requirements, may be downloaded from here.