Scouting History for 100th Anniversary

[SunnyD 11]

As we go through the 100th anniversary year, I'm considering trying to do brief capsules of some kind on the history of Scouting, covering a decade in each monthly meeting. In other words, the first month something on the foundation and on Scouting in the 1910's in the context of WWI; the next month the 20's, and so on. By the end of the school year we would be to modern times and at graduation I could put the focus on the future. Or if every decade is too granular perhaps I could cut it down to half a dozen spread over time.

 

This might be pictures, skits, stories, etc. to illustrate what society was like and how Scouting evolved through the years in a way that they would find fun and interesting but yet that I might sneak in some education without them noticing. Perhaps I could also work in a mention of changes in merit badges (I'm sure they would find some of the old ones amusing) and the program in general. I wish I had access to historical uniforms but will need to settle for picures for most, I would expect. I have a reprint of an old manual with scoutcraft how-tos of yesteryear (not an official handbook) so I could throw in some of those activities at campouts or other outings as appropriate. I don't have it with me at the moment to be able to cite the title.

 

Anyone have any good ideas or resources for such an effort?

 

By the way, I'm a Cubmaster, so I have tighter attention-span constraints than I might with older boys. I'm still mulling this over and the idea is not yet fully-formed but I would envision this as a Cubmaster's minute (or three) at pack meetings or by the fire at campouts; a portrait the boys would find interesting and not a lecture.

[Hal_Crawford 15]

Sounds like a great idea. Two resources that you can pick up at your friendly scout store or from scoutstuff.org. The new Scout Handbook comes with a timeline of scouting that has lots of tidbits. As someone has posted there are a lot of minor mistakes but I doubt that these mar your presentation.

 

The other is also the Scout Handbook or rather the reprint of the 1911 edition of Scouting for Boys. This includes all the requirements for rank, things like how to stop a team of runaway horses or what to do when faced with a rabid dog (kill it). There are also requirements for all the merit badges including Inventing... only two requirements, the first of which was to invent something and secure a patent for it, the second was to make a drawing or model of your invention. That MB did not last long.

 

There is also an admonition to take adults along when you go camping. I read that and thought if you didn't take the adults who would drive. Duh! They didn't drive to the woods, they hiked!

 

Are you affiliated with a scout troop? If they have been around a while they may have old Handbooks, Field Books or merit badge books. Ask if you can rummage through their library. Our scout troop was founded in the 40's and there are some really interesting merit badge books and other odd pamphlets including one on being prepared for a nuclear attack (not a BSA publication).

 

Hal