Looking for Old MB Requirements

[captainron14]

I am looking for the requirements for the old "Pathfinding" MB.

Any help out there?

Thank you.

[from11to46]

From the reprint of the 1911 manual:

 

To obtain a merit badge for Pathfinding a scout must

1. Know every lane, by-path, and short cut for a distance of at

least two miles in every direction around the local scout's headquarters

in the country.

2. Have a general knowledge of the district within a five-mile radius

of his local headquarters, so as to be able to guide people at any

time, by day or night.

3. Know the general direction and population of the five principal

neighboring towns and be able to give strangers correct directions how

to reach them.

4. Know in the country in the two-mile radius, approximately, the

number of horses, cattle, sheep, and pigs owned on the five

neighboring farms: or in a town must know in a half-mile radius

what livery stables, garages and blacksmiths there are.

5. Know the location of the nearest meat markets, bakeries,

groceries, and drug stores.

6. Know where the nearest police station, hospital, doctor,

fire alarm, fire hydrant, telegraph and telephone offices, and

railroad stations are.

7. Know something of the history of the place, its principal

public buildings, such as the town or city hall, post office,

schools, and churches.

8. As much as possible of the above information should be entered

on a large scale map.

 

Wow!

 

Of course, Archery from this era starts with "Make a bow and arrow...."

and ends with "shoot so far and fast as to have six arrows in the

air at once."

 

Well, at least we know that the program has NOT been simplified...

 

[Oak Tree]

By 1949 the requirements looked like this:

 

1. Demonstrate a general knowledge of the district within a three-mile radius of the local Scout headquarters, or his house so as to be able to guide people at any time day or night to points within this area.

2. Know the population of the five principal neighboring towns and cities as selected by his Guide or Counselor. Demonstrate direction for reaching them from Scout Headquarters or his house.

3. If in the country, know the breeds of horses, cattle, sheep, and hogs owned on the five neighboring farms; if in the city, demonstrate directions to tourist camp and to five places for purchasing food supplies.

4. Demonstrate how to direct tourists from his home to gas, oil, tire and general auto repair service.

5. Give telephone number, if any, and directions for reaching the nearest police station, fire-fighting apparatus, Court House or Municipal Building, the nearest County Farm Agent's office, doctor, veterinarian and hospital.

6. Know something of the history of his community and the location of its principal places of interest and public buildings.

7. Submit a scale map, not necessarily drawn by himself, upon which he has personally indicated as much as possible of the above-required information.

 

We can see the easing of requirements had already begun. You only needed to know a three mile radius :-) The camping merit badge at this time still required 50 nights of camping, so it was just the early edge of the slippery slope. But in general, while the wording was updated, there was little significant change between 1911 and 1949.

 

By 1952 the badge disappeared. Orienteering appeared in 1973.