AOL Historical Question

[pshute 10]

My son earned his AOL last year and is now in a Scout Troop. I tried to think back (early 60's) to my Webelos time and do not remember

even hearing about the Arrow of Light. What is the history and how long has it been a rank in Cub Scouting?

[Eagle92 110]

Prior to being called the AOL, it was called the WeBeLos badge. That was when the Lion Rank was still around.

[shortridge 184]

The AOL was launched in 1972:

 

http://www.sageventure.com/history/cub/

[AlFansome 10]

I've got a Lion-Webelos Cub Scout Book (1954 edition) and 3rd year Cub Scouts worked on their Lion badges and then their Webelos rank. Webelos rank requirements were similar to today's AOL requirements...basically getting ready for Boy Scouting.

 

The Webelos rank patch/pin looks the same as today's AOL.

 

Eventually, the Lion rank went away to be replaced by the Webelos badge and activity pins, while the old Webelos rank became AOL.

 

The interesting thing was back then, if you joined Cub Scouting late, you could go back and earn Wolf and Bear and Lion one after the other to catch up.

 

[eghiglie 10]

My parents threw out my patches but saved my cards, I always thought it was cool that we went up the food chain. Bobcat, Wolf, Bear then Lion.

 

A friend of mine in a Council out west told me that they have a Lion program for kids in K, not sure if its nationwide.

[ntrog8r 19]

From the National website:

 

1978 Five ranks established in Cub Scouting: Bobcat, Wolf, Bear, Webelos, Arrow of Light Award.

 

The link for this is: http://www.scouting.org/sitecore/content/Home/CubScouts/AboutCubScouts/history.aspx

and includes a full timeline for Cub Scouting and its origins.

[Basementdweller 608]

Not disputing the national website..

 

I earned my bobcat in 73, wolf 74, bear 75 and aol in 76 with eagle in 81.

[Hal_Crawford 15]

Maybe this is a hallucination from the 60's but I could swear that I earned AOL or a patch just like it in 1964 and that it was the only patch (then as it is now) from the Cub Scout uniform that could be worn on the Boy Scout uniform. I don't think that Arrow of Light was as much a rank as it was an acknowledgment that a scout had passed from Webelos to Boy Scouts.

 

An old uniform guide or Handbook could clear this up.

 

Hal

[Hal_Crawford 15]

Glad to know that I am not crazy. Arrow of Light patch was the Webelos Award from 1941-1967. Those who earned the Webelos Award (as I did) are entitled to wear the AOL knot.

 

Hal