Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, Lone Scouts, and Youthscouts

[Kudu 186]

Here is the Youthscouts' version of the history of the Scouting Congressional Charters. They appear to use the term "Girl Scouts of America" rather than "Girl Scouts of the USA," but are the rest of the details reasonably accurate?

 

"32. On information and belief, William D. Boyce, a Chicago publisher, incorporated the Boy Scouts of America in 1910 after a meeting with Baden-Powell. Boyce was inspired to meet with Baden-Powell by an unknown scout who led Boyce through a dense London fog the previous year and refused to take a tip for doing a 'good turn.'

 

"33. On information and belief, in or about 1915, Boyce, while still affiliated with Opposer [the BSA], created an independent scouting organization, the Lone Scouts of America, intended to serve boys on farms or in the country who were not reached by the programs of Opposer at the time.

 

"34. On information and belief, the Lone Scouts of America program was and remained independent until it merged with Opposer in or about 1924.

 

"35. In 1916, Opposer was reincorporated under a federal charter by Act of Congress (since revised and codified at 36 U.S.C 30901 et seq., Pub. L. 105-225, Aug. 12, 1998, 112 Stat. 1326) in which certain rights were granted to Opposer with respect to "words and phrases" it used in relation to its program as of the effective date of the Act. in 1916.

 

"36. On information and belief the Girl Scouts of America was founded by Juliette Gordon Low, who organized the first Girl Scout troop on or about March 12, 1912, in Savannah, Georgia.

 

"37. On information and belief, scattered Girl Scout troops coalesced into a national organization and incorporated on or about 1915 and began holding annual conventions.

 

"38 On information and belief, the Girl Scouts of America is and has been since its founding a scouting organization independent of and not controlled by Opposer.

 

"39. In 1950, the Girl Scouts of America was reincorporated under a federal charter by Act of Congress (since revised and codified at 36 U.S.C. 80301 et seq., Pub. L. 105-225, Aug. 12, 1998, 112 Stat. 1326) and was also granted certain rights to 'words and phrases' used in relation to its program, using language substantially similar to the rights granted to Opposer in 1916.

 

"40. In 1998, Congress revised (without intending any substantive change in law) the separate statutes previously enacted with respect to Opposer and to the Girl Scouts of America, and codified them under Title 36, United States Code at Sections 30901 et seq. ('Boy Scouts of America') and Sections 80301 et seq. ('Girl Scouts of America').

 

"41. Neither Opposer nor the Girl Scouts of America were granted an exclusive right to use the term 'SCOUTS' or 'SCOUTING' by Congress, and no permissible reading of these Acts of Congress could reasonably be construed to vest either party with exclusive rights to use such terms for scouting programs, since that would make the provisions of law inconsistent and in conflict.

 

"42. All state and federal statutes applicable in this action should be construed so as not to unconstitutionally interfere with the public's right to free expression and to peaceably assemble. Removal of the terms 'SCOUT' and 'SCOUTING' from the public domain's use in relation to naming and promoting scouting organizations would unconstitutionally interfere with the rights of Plaintiff and others under the First and Fourteenth Amendments of the United States Constitution."

 

http://youthscouts.org/BSAvWrennTTABAnswerCounterclaims.pdf

 

http://youthscouts.org/news.html

 

Kudu