ASM915 Posted November 14, 2007 Share Posted November 14, 2007 The knots contest was fun. How about all the merit badges that have vanished or been merged with other badges? How many can we come up with? You old timers should have fun with this one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
local1400 Posted November 14, 2007 Share Posted November 14, 2007 How about Beekeeping, Bookbinding, Consumer Buying, Farm and Ranch Management, Food System, General Science, Masonry, Rabbit Raising, and Signaling. All replaced within the last 20 years. Also Firemanship changed to Fire Safety. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
epalmer84 Posted November 14, 2007 Share Posted November 14, 2007 There are 114 merit badges that have been discontinued, replaced or renamed. One more will be renamed next year. Ed Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scoutldr Posted November 14, 2007 Share Posted November 14, 2007 My all-time favorite...Nut Culture. MB are usually "retired" due to lack of interest. I predict that "Composite Materials" will not be around long. It only exists because a trade association volunteered to donate the resources and expertise to get it going. I don't think there were a lot of 12 year olds sitting around the campfire saying "gee, I sure wish there was a merit badge for Composite Materials". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trevorum Posted November 14, 2007 Share Posted November 14, 2007 Several years ago I was putting in limestone rock wall in our garden. Halfway into the job, as I was showing my son about footers, line levels, mortar mix and the like, I thought, "I'll bet there is a merit badge for this stuff!" There was - Masonry - but, alas, it had been dropped just a few years earlier. We finished up the wall and he learned about masonry skills, but no merit badge. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ASM162 Posted November 14, 2007 Share Posted November 14, 2007 How about Pidgeon Raising MB? I earned this as a youth, about 1976-77 time frame. My grandfather raised and bred pidgeons for many years. He tried to pass the tradition on to his grandsons, and while we helped him out with the day-to-day chores, the spark never really caught on. Trev-- I believe that masonry is now a part of Home Repair(?) MB. You may want to investigate that further Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scottteng Posted November 14, 2007 Share Posted November 14, 2007 I disagree on Composite materials how cool is making your own skate board, surf board, skim board, kayak, canoe, fishing rod, or any of the other projects with real world uses as well there are more and more people who work with these materials for a living. The products made of composites increase every year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
epalmer84 Posted November 15, 2007 Share Posted November 15, 2007 Two good references: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Discontinued_merit_badges_%28Boy_Scouts_of_America%29 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_merit_badges_%28Boy_Scouts_of_America%29 Ed Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SSScout Posted November 20, 2007 Share Posted November 20, 2007 I don't think there's any truth to the rumor that the Pet Care and Cooking MBs are being combined. But my Dinosaur Husbandry MB has always been a source of pride to me. Just ask my son. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
emb021 Posted December 12, 2007 Share Posted December 12, 2007 This is a great resource on Merit Badges: http://www.scouters.us/mb.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skeptic Posted December 12, 2007 Share Posted December 12, 2007 Not sure if it is true, but Nut Culture will soon be revitalized with new requirements related to investigation of certain current cultural activities. Lots of opportunity in this area, I would think. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
emb021 Posted December 12, 2007 Share Posted December 12, 2007 What is interesting is that at times the BSA has increased the number of merit badges in certain fields at certain times, then merged them all together. From 1942-52, the BSA took the Aviation Merit Badge and split it out into 4: Aerodynamics, Aeronautics, Airplane Design, Airplane Structure. This were all important to the Air Scout program at the time. Changes in the program caused the BSA to merge them back into one. In the late 20s/early 30s, to encourage Scouting amoung farming youth, the BSA rolled out a large number of farm based merit badges that most were wiped out in 1975. Agriculture 1911-75 became Food Systems Animal Industry 1928-75 became Animal Science Bee Keeping 1911-95 Beef Production 1928-75 Citrus Fruit Culture 1931-52 became Fruit & Nut Growing Corn Farming 1928-75 Cotton Farming 1931-75 Dairying 1911-75 Farm & Ranch Management 1980-87 became Agribusiness Farm Arrangement 1960-73 became Farm Arrangements Farm Arrangements 1974-79 most likely merged into Farm & Ranche Management Farm Home & Its Planning 1928-59 became Farm Arrangement Farm Layout & Building Arrangements 1928-59 became Farm Arrangement Farm Records & Bookkeeping 1928-58 became Farm Records Farm Records 1959-80 became Farm & Range Management Food Systems 1978-87 became Agribusiness Forage Crops 1959-75 Fruit & Nut Growing 1953-75 Fruit Culture 1928-54 became Fruit & Nut Growing Grasses, Legumes, & Forage Crops 1938-58 became Forage Crops Hog & Pork Production 1928-58 Hog Production until 1975 Nut Culture 1928-54 became Fruit & Nut Growing Poultry Farming/Keeping 1911-75 Rabbit Raising 1943-93 Sheep Farming 1928-75 Small Grains & Cereal Foods 1943-1958 became Small Grains Small Grains 1959-75 Soil Management 1928-52 The last of these is: Agribusiness 1987-95 Still around: Animal Science 1975-present Farm Mechanics 1928-present Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ASM915 Posted December 13, 2007 Author Share Posted December 13, 2007 emb, Animal Science merged: BEEF PRODUCTION DAIRY FARMING HOG & PIG PRODUCTION POULTRY FARMING SHEEP FARMING and tossed in HORSE OPTION, guess we could also consider them a food option. ASM 162, no more squab for dinner, eh? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ASM162 Posted December 13, 2007 Share Posted December 13, 2007 ASM915 Marinated Squab was a delicacy in our humble household. With 10 people under one roof, (and only one bathroom ), it helped the family budget to have the squab for meals on occasion. My grandfather was an excellent cook, and I learned alot from him that pertained to scouting, and outdoor cooking. Amazing how one merit badge opens the door to learn, and become familiar with other scouting /life skills. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ASM915 Posted December 13, 2007 Author Share Posted December 13, 2007 162, Were they Homing pigeons? Talk about flying home for dinner!! 915 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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