Through the years
1910
The Boy Scouts of America was incorporated on
February 8 under the laws of the District of Columbia by W. D. Boyce. On June
21, a group of 34 national representatives of boys' work agencies met, developed
organization plans, and opened a temporary national headquarters in a YMCA
office in New York. In
September, Robert S.S. Baden-Powell, the founder of
Scouting, visited America and interpreted the program. President William Howard
Taft accepted the office of honorary president; Theodore Roosevelt became
honorary vice-president and chief Scout citizen; Colin H. Livingstone was
elected president; Mortimer L. Schiff, Milton A. McRae, and Benjamin L. Dulaney,
vice-presidents; George D. Pratt, treasurer; Daniel Carter Beard, National Scout
Commissioner; Ernest Thompson Seton, Chief Scout; and John Sherman Hoyt,
Jeremiah W. Jenks, William D. Murray, and Frank Presbrey, members of the
Executive Board. James E. West was appointed executive officer.
1911
The National Council office was established at 200
Fifth Avenue, New York, N.Y., on January 2, 1911, with seven employees. The
first annual meeting was held at the White House, Washington, D.C., and was
addressed by President Taft. The Scout Oath, Law, badges, and fundamental
policies were adopted. The first awards for heroism were presented by the
National Court of Honor. Membership to date, Scouts and Scouters, 61,495.
1912
By now Scouts were enrolled in
every state. Scouts mobilized for the first of a series of national civic Good
Turns, including the promotion of a safe and sane Fourth of July. Other
community Good Turns began. Sea Scouting for older Scouts was started. Boys'
Life was purchased to become an official BSA magazine. Membership during the
year, Scouts and Scouters, 97,495. Total members to date, 126,860.
1913
The first local council charters were issued to first-class and second-class councils. Local supervision was facilitated by dividing the United States into eight districts-the forerunner of 12 regions. Scouting, the official magazine for Scouters, was started. Boy Scout Week was observed. A registration plan for Scouts was adopted. Scouts demonstrated the motto ''Be Prepared'' in first aid during spring floods in Ohio and Indiana. Scouts rendered service at the 50th anniversary of the Battle of Gettysburg reunion of veterans. The first Children's Book Week was observed. Membership during the year, 115,364. Total members to date, 188,964.
1914
The troop committee plan was
created. The first Scout Sunday observance took place. Training for Scout
leaders was developed. The first William T. Hornaday gold medal for the
conservation of wildlife was presented. The first tree-planting project was held
in New York. Membership, December 31, was 127,685. Total members to date,
275,304.
1915
The Department of
Education established a national office to train all Scouters. Expansion of
merit badge work prompted issuance of 57 merit badge pamphlets. The Handbook for
Scoutmasters was issued. Military policy was adopted. Scouting was extended on
the Pacific coast. The Order of the Arrow was founded. Membership, December 31,
was 182,303. Total members to date, 409,662.
1916
Congress granted a Federal Charter on June 15,
giving special protection to the name and insignia and limiting membership to
American citizens. An act of Congress, June 3, authorized a Scout uniform
similar to the Army, Navy, or Marine uniform. The Constitution and Bylaws were
adopted. The first college course in Scouting was held at Teachers College, New
York. Veteran and associate Scout classifications were created. Scouting in
rural areas emphasized Pioneer Scouts (later Lone Scouts). A Department of
Camping was established at the national office to help
local councils maintain camping standards and promote
camping. Membership, December 31, was 245,183. Total members to date, 571,649.
1917
Scouting's full resources were
placed at the service of the government, under the slogan ''Help Win the War,''
and, within 24 hours, Scouts throughout the United States were so advised.
Significant demonstration of boypower, trained and organized for service,
followed for the duration of the war and drew thousands of boys into the
movement. The first winter camp was held by Chicago Scouts. Membership, December
31, was 363,837. Total members to date, 812,586.
1918
After the signing of the armistice, the slogan
''The War Is Over, but Our Work Is Not'' was adopted. Scouts rendered nationwide
service in the influenza epidemic. The first service club sponsorship of troops
was inaugurated by Rotary International. A Scout executives' training confererce
was held at Cranberry Lake. National standards were established for Boy Scout
camps. As part of the war effort, 1917-18, Scouts sold 2,350,977 Liberty Loan
bonds, totaling $147,876,902; war savings stamps, to a value of
$53,043,698. More than 300 million pieces of government literature were
distributed, and services rendered included food and fuel conservation and Boy
Scout war gardens. Membership, December 31, was 418,984. Total members to date,
1,065,495.
1919
A systematic method of
developing cooperation with churches of all faiths was adopted. Boy Scouts were
invited to aid the Department of Labor in its Americanization program. Following
the death of Chief Scout Citizen Theodore Roosevelt on January 6, Scouts began
the practice of planting Roosevelt memorial trees and making pilgrimages to his
grave at Oyster Bay. The first gold Honor Medals were awarded by the National
Court of Honor for saving life at risk of the rescuer's own, replacing the
silver and bronze awards. Membership, December 31, was 462,060. Total members to
date, 1,325,878.
1920 { Top of Page }
The
First National Training Conference for Scout Executives was held in
September at Bear Mountain, Palisades Interstate
Park. The First World Jamboree was held in England; Boy Scouts from 32 of 52
countries were present; the Boy Scouts of America sent 301 members. The First
International Conference of Scout Leaders was held in connection with the
jamboree, with International Scout Commissioner Mortimer L. Schiff and others
representing the Boy Scouts of America. The quota plan was adopted. The Scout
International Bureau was established in London. Membership, December 31, was
478,528. Total members to date, 1,643,988.
1921
Scouts of Washington, D.C., served as aides and
guides at the limitation of arms conference. Scouts participated at the annual
Eastern States Exposition at
Springfield, Mass. Outstanding civic Good Turns
were rendered in forest
conservation and in connection with the
Knickerbocker Theater disaster at
Washington, and floods at Pueblo,
Colo., and San Antonio, Texas. Membership, December 31, was 513,015. Total
members to date, 1,879,471.
1922
The
Order of the Arrow became an official program experiment. The Second
International Conference of Scout Leaders was appointed as a permanent
international committee upon which the Boy Scouts of America was represented by
Mortimer L. Schiff and Frank Presbrey. The Second National Training Conference
for Scout Executives took place at Blue Ridge, N.C. The membership roundup was
stimulated by streamer awards by President Warren G. Harding. Membership,
December 31, 534,415. Total members to date, 2,110,973.
1923
The international left handclasp was adopted.
Patrol leader conferences and training courses for Scout leaders were developed.
The Laura Spelman Rockefeller Memorial Fund advanced $100,000 for the promotion
of Boys' Life. The Bureau of Church Relations was established at the national
office. Patriotic pilgrimages to the homes of great Americans and to historic
spots were made. Membership, December 31, was 587,578. Total members to date,
2,371,520.
1924
The Every Scout a
Swimmer program was inaugurated. The first achievement badges were earned by
physically handicapped Scouts. The Third International Conference of Scout
Leaders was attended by 6,000 boys from 33 Scout associations. The Lone Scouts
of America merged with the Boy Scouts of America. The Second World Jamboree was
held at Copenhagen, Denmark; our delegation numbered 56. The Third Biennial
Conference of Scout Executives was held at Estes Park, Colo. The International
Scout constitution and bylaws were adopted. Membership, December 31, 696,620.
Total members to date, 3,144,300.
1925
James J. Storrow of Boston was elected president. The first National Training
School for executives opened. Outstanding service was rendered by Scouts in the
Illinois tornado, California earthquake, and Louisiana fire. A delegation from
Boy Scouts of America visited South America to advance Scouting there.
Membership, December 31, 756,857. Total members to date, 3,436,294.
1926
President James J. Storrow died in
March and Vice-President Milton A. McRae was elected to fill his term. At the
annual meeting in May, Walter W. Head was elected president. Sir Robert S.S.
Baden-Powell, founder of Scouting, attended the annual meeting and traveled
throughout the country inspecting Scouting centers. The first Silver Buffalo
Awards for distinguished service to boyhood were presented. Twenty-two awards
were given: the first to Baden-Powell and the second to the Unknown Scout whose
Good Turn brought Scouting to America. The Fourth International
Scout Conference was held at Kandersteg, Switzerland.
The Fourth Biennial Conference of Scout Executives was held at Hot Springs, Ark.
The national Executive Board authorized development of a program for younger
boys. Exceptional Scout service was rendered in the Florida hurricane and
Arkansas flood. Membership, December 31, was 783,574. Total members to date,
3,749,244.
1927
Eagle Palms were added
to the list of awards. Twelve new rural merit badges were added, bringing the
total to 89. Eight Sea Scouts were taken on the Borden-Field Museum Expedition
to the Bering Sea. Exceptional service was rendered by Scouts in the Mississippi
and Vermont flood disasters and the St. Louis tornado. The national office was
moved to its new enlarged quarters at 2 Park Avenue, New York, N.Y. Membership,
December 31, was 785,633. Total members to date, 4,095,988.
1928
Three Scouts-David R. Martin, Douglas Oliver, and
Dick Douglas-accompanied the Martin Johnson Expedition to Africa. The Fifth
National Training Conference for Scout Executives was held at Cornell
University. The 18th annual meeting was held in San Francisco. Four Scouts
participated in the Lincoln Highway covered-wagon tour from coast to coast and
Paul A. Siple, a Sea Scout, accompanied Commander Richard E. Byrd to the
Antarctic. Membership, December 31, was 819,791. Total members to date,
4,499,908.
1929
The Third World
Jamboree, held at Birkenhead, England, where 1,300 Scouts and Scouters
represented the Boy Scouts of America, was attended by 50,000 Scouts
representing 73 different lands. It was followed by the Fifth International
Scout Conference. The Cub Scout program was put into operation on an
experimental basis. Registration of all Scouters was authorized. Membership,
December 31, was 833,897. Total members to date, 4,779,219.
1930 { Top of Page }
The
Cub Scout program was formally launched; there were 5,102 Cub Scouts at the end
of 1930. Scouts participated in the Oregon Trail Memorial Centennial. The Chief
Scout Executive served as chairman of the committee on youth outside the home
and school for President Hoover's White House Conference on Child Health and
Protection. Scout circuses, merit badge exhibits, expositions, rallies, and
other gatherings increased in number and scope. Membership, December 31, was
847,051. Total members to date, 5,249,350.
1931
At the 21st annual meeting held in Memphis, Tenn.,
Mortimer L. Schiff was
elected president. Within a month of his election,
Scout organizations throughout
the world were saddened by his untimely
death. Walter W. Head was elected to fill the unexpired term of Mr. Schiff. The
divisional plan of organization was put
into operation at the national
office. The Sixth International Scout Conference
was held near Vienna. The
first Silver Beaver Awards were presented for
distinguished service to
boyhood within a council. Membership, December 31,
was 878,358. Total
members to date, 5,658,485.
1932
At the
22d annual meeting, the National Council adopted the 10-year program of growth-a
plan to enroll one of every four 12-year-old boys and keep them in Scouting for
4 years. To stimulate this effort, President Hoover presented awards to Scout
units, councils, and regions reaching a specific standard for the year. Mrs.
Jacob H. Schiff presented the Mortimer L. Schiff Scout Reservation at
Mendham, N.J., in memory of her son. Work in emergency relief continued.
There was strong development in troop camping under council-trained leadership.
Membership, December 31, was
878,461. Total members to date,
6,019,301.
1933
President Franklin D.
Roosevelt became honorary president and former President Hoover, honorary
vice-president. The Mortimer L. Schiff Scout Reservation was formally opened and
dedicated. The Fourth World Jamboree was held at Godollo, Hungary, with 21,000
Scouts from 46 countries and an American contingent of 406 Scouts and leaders.
Membership, December 31, was 904,240. Total members to date, 6,389,551.
1934
In response to the request of
President Roosevelt in a radio address delivered February 10, Boy Scouts
performed a nationwide Good Turn, collecting 1,812,284 items of clothing,
household furnishings, foodstuffs, and supplies for the distressed and needy.
President Roosevelt announced a national jamboree would be held in Washington,
D.C., in 1935. A strong program of cooperation was developed with the Catholic
Church. Special emphasis was placed on the health program. The Order of
the Arrow program was approved. Membership, December 31, was 973,589. Total
members to date, 6,530,330.
1935
The
entire Scout membership celebrated the Silver Jubilee of Scouting. For the first
time, the membership passed the million mark. Observed as part of the 25th
anniversary celebration: Boys' Life anniversary in March, ceremonies
incident to the publication of the 5-millionth copy of the Handbook for
Boys in April, the Silver Anniversary Meeting of the National Council in
October, and Christmas holiday camps. The proposed national jamboree was
canceled because of an infantile paralysis epidemic. Membership, December
31, was 1,027,833. Total members to date, 6,945,160.
1936
In a broadcast on February 8, President Roosevelt
again invited the Scout membership to a national jamboree to be held in
Washington in July 1937. The Sixth National Training Conference for Scout
Executives was held at French Lick, Ind. The 26th annual meeting of the National
Council took place at Atlantic City. In recognition of its health and safety
programs, the American Children's Fund made a grant of $100,000 to the Boy
Scouts of America. The new Handbook for Scoutmasters was published. Membership,
December 31, was 1,069,837. Total members to date, 7,376,961.
1937
The First National Jamboree was held in Washington
from June 30 to July 9, at the invitation of President Roosevelt, with an
attendance of 27,232 representing 536 councils. This was followed by the Fifth
World Jamboree at Vogelenzang, Holland (attendance in the American contingent:
814), and the Ninth International Scout Conference. A retirement plan for
professional leaders was adopted. Membership, December 31, was 1,129,841. Total
members to date, 7,858,931.
1938
The
national program emphasized Americanism and a rededication to the Constitution
of the United States and the Declaration of Independence. A magnificent
gift was made by Waite Phillips, a campsite known as Philturn Rockymountain
Scoutcamp (later changed to Philmont Scout Ranch-see 1941) consisting of 35,857
acres of land on the eastern slope of the Rocky Mountain Continental Divide,
near Cimarron, N.M. Scouts rendered unusual service in the New England hurricane
and floods. The first grants from the Frank Phillips Foundation were made in
Oklahoma and part of Texas to extend Scouting. Membership, December 31,
1,242,009. Total members to date, 8,399,923.
1939
Philturn Rockymountain Scoutcamp was opened for
advanced Scout camping. Scouts participated in the Golden Gate Exposition and at
the New York World's Fair. A session of the 29th annual meeting was held at the
New York World's Fair for a citizenship ceremony when a group of former Scouts
who had just become 21 were formally received into citizenship by U.S. Supreme
Court Justice Owen J. Roberts. The 10th International Scout Conference was held
in Edinburgh, Scotland. The Seventh National Training Conference for Scout
Executives was held at Bretton Woods, N.H. The Boy Scouts of America was
represented at the White House Conference on Youth in a Democracy by the Chief
Scout Executive. Special experimental work with Scouting in less-chance areas
was carried on through the Irving Berlin Fund. Membership, December 31, was
1,357,993. Total members to date, 8,977,696.
1940
{ Top
of Page }
Boy Scouts served again at
the New York World's Fair and at the Golden Gate Exposition in San Francisco. A
Boy Scout program for helping in national
emergency and government defense
programs was adopted. Outstanding events
included: troop inventory and roll
call, adoption of emergency service corps, and mobilization plans. Membership,
December 31, was 1,449,412. Total members
to date, 9,558,869.
1941
With the declaration of war, the
Government requested Boy Scout service for the distribution of defense bonds and
stamp posters; collection of aluminum and wastepaper; defense housing surveys;
victory gardens; distributions of air-raid posters; cooperation with the
American Red Cross; and, by joint agreement with the Office of Civil and Defense
Mobilization, services in three
capacities-messengers, assisting emergency
medical units, and fire watchers.
Waite Phillips made another large
gift-land, residence and ranch buildings,
livestock, operating ranch
equipment-contiguous to Philturn Rockymountain
Scoutcamp, bringing
total acreage to more than 127,000 acres. The area was
renamed
Philmont Scout Ranch. He also presented the Philtower Building in Tulsa, Okla.,
the income from which was to be used for operating and developing the camp. The
31st annual meeting was held in Washington, D.C. Membership, December 31, was
1,522,302. Total members to date, 10,165,060.
1942
Scouts continued in war service. Twenty-eight
projects were requested by the government, including: the collection of 30
million pounds of rubber in a 2-week drive; all-out salvage based on the
government-issued pamphlet Scrap and How Scouts Collect It; distribution of
pledge cards for war bonds and savings stamps; victory gardens; work on farms
and in harvest camps; and Government dispatch bearers. The 32d annual meeting
was held in Minneapolis-St. Paul. The Air Scouts program for boys 15 years of
age and older was developed. Membership, December 31, was 1,553,080. Total
members to date, 10,769,041.
1943
Scouts
rendered war service at the request of the government in four general
classifications: collections-aid in salvage drives; distribution, as official
dispatch bearers for government pamphlets and posters; production; and
conservation. The first Silver Antelope Awards were presented for distinguished
service to youth within a region. The Pan-American project was developed. Chief
Scout Executive James E. West became Chief Scout and Dr. Elbert K. Fretwell was
appointed Chief Scout Executive. Dr. George J. Fisher became National Scout
Commissioner. Long trousers and the Scout cap were made a part of the official
uniform. The 33d annual meeting was held in New York. Membership, December 31,
was 1,613,783. Total members to date, 11,477,483.
1944
The Whole Scout Family was emphasized with stress
on the three branches of the Scout program. World brotherhood was emphasized in
the continuation of the world jamboree and World Friendship program. The
Inter-American Youth Leaders' Training project was inaugurated and students from
Latin-American countries, in cooperation with the coordinator of Inter-American
affairs, attended the National Training School and toured the eastern United
States and Canada. The World Friendship Fund to help restore Scouting in
devastated countries was inaugurated. membership, December 31, was 1,866,356.
Total members to date, 12,289,614.
1945
The total Boy Scout war service included 69 requests from the government during
1941 through 1945. General Eisenhower's outstanding Wastepaper Campaign
culminated in the General Eisenhower Award-a gold medal was presented to him in
December by the Boy Scouts of America in appreciation. Other service included
collections in many communities, distribution of circulars on conservation
projects, and the Green Thumb program. Twenty thousand Scouts earned the General
Douglas MacArthur Medal for growing food. The World Friendship Fund increased;
$10,000 was allocated to the Philippines. The ''Shirts Off Our Back''
campaign was inaugurated to help Scouts abroad. The Army Air Force cooperated in
the Air Scouts program. World brotherhood literature was published. Increased
emphasis was placed on visual education as a means of training. Membership,
December 31, was 1,977,463. Total members to date, 13,073,629.
1946
The first contribution in a program of continuing
support came from the Grant Foundation-$257,500 for a 5-year expansion of the
volunteer training program. The camping program was improved and camp activities
became more troop-centered. Sixteen hundred Senior Scouts camped at Philmont
Scout Ranch. Scouts carried through three national postwar service projects
requested by the government. The first Inter-American Scout conference was held
in Bogota, Colombia. President Head retired after 20 years of service and Amory
Houghton was elected president. Membership, December 31, was 2,063,397. Total
members to date, 13,882,639.
1947
Basic
Boy Scout requirements were authorized-putting equal emphasis on Scout spirit,
Scout participation, and Scoutcraft skills. Similar revisions made Cub Scouting
more effective. The Eighth National Training Conference for Scout Executives
took place in September at Indiana University. The International Scout
Conference of Scout Leaders from 112 countries meeting at Chateau Rosny near
Paris adopted a revised constitution and bylaws. The Sixth World Jamboree in
Moisson, France, in August brought together 32,000 Scouts from 38 countries; the
American delegation numbered 1,151. Membership,
December 31, was 2,141,984. Total members to date, 14,710,853.
1948
Dr. Arthur A. Schuck became the third Chief Scout
Executive, September 1; Dr. Elbert K. Fretwell was elected Chief Scout.
The 38th annual meeting was held in Seattle, Wash. The Order of the Arrow was
integrated in the national camping program. Philmont, the world's largest Scout
camp, enrolled 2,275 individual campers. The conservation program was extended.
Basic training for all unit leaders was emphasized. Twelve Scouts presented the
Report to the Nation to President Harry S. Truman and to United Nations
officials. The First International Commissioners' Conference was held at
Kandersteg, Switzerland. Membership, December 31, was 2,210,766. Total members
to date, 15,538,867.
1949
The crusade to
''Strengthen the Arm of Liberty'' was inaugurated in February. A dramatic
ceremony was held at the base of the Statue of Liberty. Age levels were
lowered-Cub Scouting, 8 through 10; Boy Scouting, 11 through 14; Exploring, 14
and up. The manual on citizenship was published. New procedures for physically
handicapped boys were adopted. Troop advancement procedures were emphasized.
Five hundred forty-three councils owned 831 campsites with
288,545 acres, at an estimated value of $10,525,731 on land and $17,436,306 on
equipment. The National Council held its 39th annual meeting in Boston, Mass.
Membership, December 31, was 2,579,515. Total members to date, 16,686,517.
1950 { Top of Page }
The
40th anniversary year was observed nationally and locally. The Second
National Jamboree at Valley Forge, June 30-July 6,
brought 47,163 Scouts and leaders from every state and territory in the United
States and from many other lands. Survival training was emphasized; conservation
education was a national program feature. A total of 1,100 Order of the Arrow
members participated in a national conference held at the University of Indiana,
Bloomington, Ind. Philmont Scout Ranch began an expanded program, and the first
training courses were held there. The 40th annual meeting was held in
Philadelphia immediately prior to the jamboree. The first Boy Scout stamp was
issued by the U.S. Post Office Department. Membership, December 31, was
2,795,222. Total members to date, 17,843,852.
1951
The 3-year crusade to ''Strengthen the Arm of
Liberty'' concluded with a 33 percent gain in membership. A program of
cooperation in civil defense was carried out. Conservation activities were
expanded in cooperation with federal, state, and local agencies. Two million
pounds of clothing were collected for domestic and foreign relief. Several
hundred Explorers took part in the Seventh World Jamboree at Bad Ischl, Austria,
where 13,000 Scouts represented 59 countries. Expansion at Philmont Scout Ranch
made new leadership training opportunities possible. The Ninth National Training
Conference for Scout Executives was held at Michigan State University. At the
41st annual meeting in Chicago, John M. Schiff was elected president, succeeding
Amory Houghton. membership, December 31, was 2,942,779. Total members to date,
18,995,887.
1952
Scouting's 3-year
program ''Forward on Liberty's Team'' was launched during Boy Scout Week. Scouts
distributed more than a million posters and 30 million Liberty Bell
doorknob hangers in a Get-Out-the-Vote campaign. Scouts also cooperated
nationally in securing blood-donor pledges, collected clothing for worthy
causes, distributed seeds for Asia, and aided in conservation projects and civil
defense. A quarter-million leaders took part in training experiences. Nine
thousand Explorers and leaders camped at Philmont Scout Ranch. The 42d annual
meeting was held in New York. The 20-millionth member was registered.
Membership, December 31, was 3,183,266. Total members to date, 20,236,331.
1953
The Third National Jamboree was
held at the Irvine Ranch in southern California, July 17-23, with 45,401 Scouts
and leaders from all parts of the United States and 21 other nations taking
part. Scouts assisted in the inauguration of President Dwight D. Eisenhower. The
effectiveness of the family ''Be Prepared'' plan was shown. Scouter training
combined with family vacation plans was expanded at Philmont Scout Ranch. Local
councils were organized in Germany and Japan to serve sons of Americans in those
countries. The 43d annual meeting was held in Los
Angeles. Membership, December 31, was 3,395,884. Total
members to date, 21,537,885.
1954
The
National Conservation Good Turn was conducted. The 44th annual meeting was held
in Washington, D.C. The National Council's office was moved to a new building
near New Brunswick, N.J., in October. Boys' Life circulation passed the 1
million mark. The Webelos den was created to provide a means of maintaining the
interest of Cub Scouts 10 years of age in Scouting and to provide a bridge for
crossing over to Boy Scouting. Membership, December 31, was 3,774,015. Total
members to date, 23,037,343.
1955
The
45th annual meeting was held in St. Louis. Through the facilities and courtesy
of the U.S. Air Force, 16 Explorers and 3 leaders made exchange visits with 16
European Senior Scouts and 2 leaders. The Eighth World Jamboree was conducted in
Ontario, Canada, with 15,000 Scouts present from 63 nations, including 1,500
Explorers from the Boy Scouts of America. In September, 4,000 attended the Tenth
National Training Conference for Scout Executives at the University of Michigan.
A College Scouter Reserve was authorized so young men attending college could
maintain active registered membership. For the first time, there was a total of
100,000 units and more than a million adults registered as Scouters. Membership,
December 31, was 4,175,134. Total members to date, 24,675,358.
1956
During Boy Scout Week, the Onward for God and My
Country program was launched with impressive national, state, and local
observances. A delegation of Explorers visited the White House and presented the
Report to the Nation. The 46th annual meeting was held in Cincinnati. Kenneth K.
Bechtel of San Francisco was unanimously elected president to succeed John M.
Schiff, who retired after 5 years. In a nationwide nonpartisan Get-Out-the-Vote
campaign, Scouts distributed over a million posters and 36 million Liberty Bell
doorknob hangers. In international exchange visits, nearly 300
Explorers and Senior Scouts were transported by the U.S. Air Force and Navy.
Boys' Life magazine was among the top 17 American magazines. Membership,
December 31, was 4,526,302. Total members to date, 26,383,479.
1957
The Fourth National Jamboree at Valley Forge, Pa.,
July 12-19, attracted 50,000 Scouts and Explorers. Some 1,700 Explorers and
leaders attended the World Jubilee near Birmingham, England, where 35,000 Scouts
of 82 nations celebrated the Centenary of Lord Baden-Powell's birth and the 50th
anniversary of the Boy Scout movement. The 47th annual meeting convened in
hiladelphia, July 11-12. Explorers visited the White House to present the Report
to the Nation and the 15-millionth copy of the Handbook for Boys. The U.S. Air
Force provided an airlift exchange for 50 Explorers and 50 European and Far
Eastern Boy Scouts. The Thomas J. Watson Memorial Visual Education Building at
Schiff Scout Reservation was dedicated on October 17. Membership, December 31,
was 4,751,495. Total members to date, 28,100,000.
1958
The National Safety Good Turn and the continuing
Onward for God and My Country program were outstanding successes. Explorer
Richard Lee Chappel of Eggertsville, N.Y., accompanied the National Academy of
Sciences team on the International Geophysical Year Arctic Expedition. The 48th
annual meeting was held May 16-17 in Chicago. The National Order of the Arrow
Conference in August at the University of Kansas attracted more than 2,400
members. The new Exploring program was implemented. Work began on the Johnston
Historical Museum. Membership, December 31, was
4,950,885. Total members to date, 29,945,000.
1959
During Boy Scout Week, 12 Explorers visited
President Eisenhower for the Report to the Nation. At the 49th annual meeting in
San Francisco, Ellsworth H. Augustus was elected president. A new edition of the
Boy Scout Handbook was published. More than 3,000 attended the 11th National
Training Conference for Scout Executives at the University of Michigan. Scouting
magazine started using full-color and color throughout. Delegations attended
both the 10th World Jamboree in the Philippines and the 17th International Scout
Conference at New Delhi, India. A citizenship study was completed. Membership,
December 31, was 5,043,195. Total members to date, 31,563,809.
1960 { Top of Page }
During
Scouting's Golden Jubilee Year, thousands of boys earned the 50th Anniversary
Achievement Award. Some 56,378 Scouts and leaders attended
the Fifth
National Jamboree at Colorado Springs, Colo., July 22-28. Scouts
took part
in a nationwide Get-Out-the-Vote campaign. The U.S. Post Office
Department
issued a Boy Scout commemorative stamp in February. A
representative from
each state took part in the Report to the Nation during Boy
Scout
Week.The 50th annual meeting was held in Washington, D.C., June 1-3.
The Johnston Historical Museum was dedicated at New Brunswick, N.J.,
on
June 4. On August 1, Joseph A. Brunton, Jr., became Chief Scout
Executive.
Membership, December 31, was 5,160,958. Total members to
date,
33,076,901.
1961
In
February, 12 Explorers presented the Report to the Nation to President John F.
Kennedy. Indiana University, Bloomington, Ind., was again the scene of the Order
of the Arrow's national conference with 2,000 members present. The 51st annual
meeting was held in Detroit in June with 2,400 Scouters attending. Delegations
of Scouts and leaders attended several foreign jamborees and the 18th
International Scout Conference in Portugal. Twelve regional Explorer delegate
conferences, participated in by 12,000 Explorers, made plans for the First
National Explorer Delegate Conference to be held in 1962. Membership, December
31, was 5,210,294. Total members to date, 34,524,815.
1962
The Fit for Tomorrow program was launched. The 52d
annual meeting was held at Portland, Ore., May 17-18, with some 2,200 Scouters
attending. Charter Day observances in Washington, D.C., on June 14, commemorated
Scouting's original Charter from Congress in June 1916. More than 3,000
Explorers attended the First National Explorer Delegate Conference at Ann Arbor,
Mich., August 26-30. A ''GO'' roundup was developed around space exploration in
cooperation with America's astronauts. Membership, December 31, was 5,322,167.
Total members to date, 36,058,864.
1963
Scouts and Explorers presented the Report to the Nation to President Kennedy
during Boy Scout Week. The 1963-65 Program of Emphasis-Scouting Can Make the
Difference-was launched. More than 2,500 delegates attended the 53d annual
meeting in New York, May 23-24. Philmont Scout Ranch received an anonymous gift
of 10,098 acres. The Eleventh National Training Conference for Scout Executives
was held at the University of Illinois, August 29-September 4, with nearly 5,000
attending. Each region held an Explorer delegate conference. The biennial
National Order of the Arrow Conference took place August 23-25 at the University
of Illinois. Some 621 Scouts and Scouters attended the Eleventh World Jamboree
held at Marathon, Greece, August 1-11. Membership, December 31, was 5,446,910.
Total members to date, 37,500,314.
1964
Waite Phillips, donor of Philmont Scout Ranch and the Philtower Building, died
in January. The New York World's Fair Service Corps of 2,772 boys and adults
operated for 18 weeks. The 54th annual meeting was held at Cleveland, May 21-22.
Thomas J. Watson, Jr., was elected president by the 2,500 representatives
attending. The Strengthen America's Heritage program was launched in cooperation
with Freedom's Foundation at Valley Forge. The Sixth
National Jamboree was
held at Valley Forge, July 17-23, with 52,000 Scouts and leaders participating.
The Second National Explorer Delegate Conference at the University of Kansas,
August 16-20, attracted 1,200 Explorers and Advisors. The commemorative tribute
statue was unveiled in Washington, D.C., on November 7. The Program of Emphasis
was continued. Membership, December 31, was 5,583,700. Total members to date,
39,120,922.
1965
The Report to the
Nation was presented to President Johnson during Boy Scout Week by 12 Boy Scouts
and Explorers. The 55th annual meeting was held at Bal Harbour, Fla., May 20-21,
with 2,300 attending. ''The Program of Emphasis Breakthrough for Youth'' for
1965-67 was launched. Each region held an Explorer delegate conference.
Some 3,727 boys and leaders served at the New York World's Fair, while
4,237 attended the Golden Anniversary National Conference of the Order of
the Arrow at Indiana University, August 27-31. Thomas J. Watson, Jr.,
was elected to the World Committee at the XX World Conference
meeting in Mexico City, September 27-October 3. The Inner-City Rural
Program was launched. Mrs. Ernest Thompson Seton presented memorabilia of her
husband. An addition was begun of the Johnston Historical Museum. The 500,000th
Eagle Scout badge was presented and the 40,000,000th member was registered.
Membership, December 31, was 5,732,708. Total members to date, 40,746,314.
1966
Boy Scouts and Explorers,
representing 12 regions, presented the Report to the Nation to President
Johnson. ''The Program of Emphasis Breakthrough for Youth'' continued. The 56th
annual meeting at Dallas, May 19-20, attracted 3,163 Scouters and their
wives. The revised Charter and Bylaws of the Boy Scouts of America was adopted.
Some 2,149 Explorers and Advisors attended the Third National Explorer Delegate
Conference at Indiana University, August 14-18.
More than 17,000 boys and leaders visited the renamed Philmont Scout Ranch and
Explorer Base, and 13,828 Scouts and leaders visited other countries. The
dedication of the new wing of the Johnston Historical Museum in New
Brunswick took place in June. In October, ground was broken for an Ernest
Thompson Seton Memorial Library and Museum at Philmont. Membership, December 31,
was 5,831,521. Total members to date, 42,375,467.
1967
The Boy Scouts of America hosted the XII World
Jamboree. The XXI Boy Scouts World Conference was held in Seattle, Wash. The
Report to the Nation was made to President Johnson, and Report to the State
ceremonies were conducted in all 50 states, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands.
Pittsburgh, Pa., hosted the 57th National Council Annual Meeting. Thomas J.
Watson, Jr., was elected to a fourth term as President. The Ernest Thompson
Seton Memorial Library and Museum at Philmont and the Ellsworth H. Augustus
International Scout House at the national office were dedicated. The National
Order of the Arrow Conference drew 4,158 members to the University of Nebraska.
Alden G. Barber became the fifth Chief Scout Executive. The updated Cub Scout
program was launched in September, establishing a special Webelos Scout program.
Nearly 26,000 needy and non-Scouts attended Scout camps. Regional Explorer
delegate conferences were held in all 12 regions. Membership, December 31, was
6,058,508. Total members to date, 44,139,905.
1968
The National Council at its 58th annual meeting in
Chicago elected Irving Feist President and adopted the BOYPOWER '76 8-year
long-range program. The National Executive Institute began at Schiff Scout
Reservation and Philmont Scout Ranch and Explorer Base. The National Council
raised national membership adult fees to $2 and boy fees to $1. A total of
1,449,266 Webelos activity badges were earned during the year. Scouts and
Explorers earned 28,311 Eagle Awards and 1,743,567 merit badges. Exploring
deputies were named in each region. Membership, December 31, was 6,247,160.
Total members to date, 45,997,048.
1969
A record 3,979 persons attended the 59th annual meeting in Boston. Irving Feist
was reelected President. The BOYPOWER '76 long-range plan was shared with
President Richard M. Nixon in Washington, D.C., on February 7, 1969, by the
Report to the Nation Scouts and Explorers. Exploring initiated a Grand National
Safe-Driving Road Rally with winning representatives of local council road
rallies competing for scholarships. Young women were accepted as participants in
special-interest posts. The 7th National Jamboree was held at Farragut State
Park, Idaho, with more than 35,000 Scouts and leaders attending. The National
Order of the Arrow Conference, held at Indiana University, was attended by 4,421
delegates. Some 18,607 needy Scouts and 17,433 non-Scouts attending Boy Scout
camps brought the 4-year total to 103,678 boys served. A total of 1,796,136
merit badges and 31,052 Eagle Awards were earned by Scouts and Explorers.
Long-term camping reached an all-time high with 64.6 percent of troops providing
792,371 Scouts this experience under its own leadership. Two summertime pack
events were conducted by 16,571 Cub Scout packs. Mergers brought the number of
local councils to 500. Membership, December 31, was 6,183,086. Total members to
date, 47,795,216.
1970 { Top
of Page }
At the 60th National
Council annual meeting, in Denver, Irving Feist was
elected to his
third term as President. BOYPOWER '76 attainment of goals for
the end
of 1970 was as follows: total units, 98.9 percent; national standard
units, 121.2 percent; trained top unit leaders, 112.1 percent; Cub
Scout
membership, 101.2 percent; Boy Scout membership, 96 percent; and
Explorer
membership, 97.6 percent. Needy and non-Scout camp attendance
was up to
46,408. Wood Badge courses were attended by 3,108; National
Camping
Schools attendance reached 2,504. Philmont and the national
canoe bases
drew 22,943. A National Standard Rating Plan for camps was
developed.
Leadership Development and Wood Badge training courses were
tested and
initiated. The whole organization mobilized for Project
SOAR (Save Our
American Resources). The first National Explorer
Olympics, attended by
1,200, was held at Colorado State University.
Realignment of councils reduced
the number of local councils to 493.
Membership, December 31, 6,287,284.
Total membership to date,
49,628,049.
1971
A new 4-million acre
Maine National High Adventure Area was opened. Scouting Keep America Beautiful
Day was held on June 5 with some 2 million members cleaning up more than 200,000
miles of highways and waterways and 400,000 acres of land as more than a million
tons of litter were collected. Planning began in the fall for a nationwide
program (Operation Reach) against drug abuse. Participation by troops in Project
SOAR established a high level of Scout involvement in conservation. The First
National Explorer Presidents' Congress was held in Washington, D.C., with 2,043
post presidents attending. Exploring, a new magazine, was printed in the spring
and fall and distributed to 200,000 Explorers. The 62d National Council annual
meeting was held in Atlanta, and Norton Clapp was elected president. A Silver
World Award for distinguished service to youth on an international basis was
presented to four figures. In a special Ceremony held in Washington, D.C.,
President Richard M. Nixon was awarded the Silver Buffalo Award. For the first
time a Reader's Digest Association-BSA National Public Speaking Contest was
held. Nearly 8,000 American Scouts and leaders took part in the XIII World
Jamboree held in Japan. A record number of 48,000 needy and non-Scouts attended
summer camp. More than 5,000 members of the Order of the Arrow attended a
national conference at the University of Illinois. The BOYPOWER campaign effort
reached $16,065,658, 24.7 percent of the $65 million goal. A new
paraprofessional employment program was begun. Membership, December 31, was
6,427,026. Total members to date, 51,484,371.
1972
The improved Scouting program was introduced. The
BOYPOWER campaign exceeded $25 million. Paraprofessionals entered full- and
part-time positions in local councils. The second National Explorer Presidents'
Congress was held in Washington, D.C., in April with 2,700 Explorer presidents
and boatswains attending. A total of 2,086 Explorers from 185 Explorer posts
participated in the National Explorer Olympics held in August in Fort Collins,
Colo. The three winning posts attended the World Youth Camp, a part of the
Olympic Games in Munich, Germany. Nearly 4 million
Scouts and Girl Scouts took part in Scouting Keep America Beautiful Day.
Operation Reach, a program against drug abuse, was launched. Six new regions
were organized to provide support and service to local councils. The National
Eagle Scout Association was launched. Kenneth L. Beale, Jr., was the 1972
Reader's Digest Association-BSA National Public Speaking Contest winner. Project
SOAR, the national conservation program, was continued. A total of nearly 48,000
needy Scouts and non-Scouts attended summer camp. Norton Clapp, Medina, Wash.,
was reelected president at the annual meeting in Los Angeles. Troop leader
evelopment was tested for the first time at Schiff and Philmont. Membership,
December 31, was 6,524,640. Total members to date, 53,308,308.
1973
A series of special annual programs was started in
preparation for the nation's bicentennial in 1976. The first, called GIFT (Get
Involved for Them), continues through August 1974. For the third successive
year, Project SOAR (Save Our American Resources) demonstrated good conservation
practices. The program highlight was the 1973 National Scout Jamboree held in
two sites-Moraine State Park, Pa., and Farragut State Park, Idaho-with more than
64,000 participants. At the National Council annual meeting in Minneapolis,
Robert W. Reneker was elected as president. Several million Scouts and leaders
joined with other organizations on Keep America Beautiful Day in a massive
effort to beautify America. An updated Cub Scout program was introduced,
adjusted to be more relevant to boys and their families. New Scout merit badges
introduced were Truck Transportation, Veterinary Science, Genealogy, Skating,
and Pulp and Paper. A Washington, D.C., bureau was established to represent the
national office. There were 2,500 Explorer post presidents or boatswains at the
National Explorer Presidents' Congress in Washington, D.C. The National Order of
the Arrow Conference was held at the University of California at Santa Barbara
with 4,300 participants. The National Eagle Scout
Association was formed. Membership on December 31, was 6,405,225. Total members
to date, 55,100,376.
1974
For the second
annual program in preparation for the nation's bicentennial, the theme was Be
Prepared for Life; Be Safe, Be Fit. The National Council Annual Meeting was held
in Honolulu, and Robert W. Reneker was reelected as president. Approval was
given to hold future National Council meetings on a biennial schedule. The First
National Eagle Scout Association meeting was held at Colorado State University,
Fort Collins, Colo., with nearly 300 participants. Project SOAR (Save Our
American Resources) program continued with Scouting Environment Day held on
April 27. Jamboree contingents from the BSA participated in the National
Jamboree in New Zealand, the Quebec Provincial Jamboree, and the Fifth Caribbean
Jamboree in Surinam. The Cub Scout Safe Bicycle Driving program and the Cub
Scout Physical Fitness program were introduced. New Scout merit badges were
introduced for Orienteering and Wilderness Survival. In April, 2,500 Explorer
presidents attended the Fourth Annual National Explorer Presidents' Congress in
Washington, D.C., and Mary Wright of Auburndale, Mass., was elected national
Explorer president-the first young woman to hold
the highest office in Exploring. The biennial national Explorer Olympics saw a
new high in Explorer sports competition. Despite a loss in members, Scouting
made
positive gains in 1974 in the quality of its program. Membership on
December 31 was 5,803,885. Total members to date, 56,626,408.
1975
Participation in the nation's bicentennial
accelerated with the theme Spirit of '76. Because of the biennial schedule for
National Council meetings, the national Executive Board elected Arch Monson,
Jr., as president. All Out for Scouting!, a 2-year program of troop programming
and troop leader training, was introduced to councils. Project SOAR (Save Our
American Resources) continued with an emphasis on energy conservation, and
Scouting Environment Day was observed on March 22. The 14th World Jamboree was
attended by 2,500 U.S. Scouts and leaders in Norway. The National Order of the
Arrow Conference was held at Miami University, Oxford, Ohio, in August. The
Fifth Annual National Explorer Presidents' Congress was held in
Washington,
D.C., with nearly 2,500 Explorer post presidents attending. Membership on
December 31 was 5,318,070. Total members to date, 58,014,193.
1976
The bicentennial year gave 56,712 Cub Scout packs,
61,283 Scout troops, and 22,540 Explorer posts the opportunity to participate in
the celebration of the 200th birthday of our nation. Sea Explorers served on
some of the sailing ships participating in Operation Sail in New York Harbor on
July 4. The Eagle Scout Bicentennial Celebration during the entire summer
enabled 750 Eagle Scouts and leaders to show Scouting skills in an exhibition on
the Mall in our nation's capital. More than 1,000 Scouts from around the world
were hosted by BSA Scouts across the U.S.A. Exploring
had two exciting major events-2,000 Explorers competed in the Bicentennial
Explorer Olympics in Fort Collins, Colo., and the National Explorer Presidents'
Congress attracted some 2,000 to Washington, D.C. During our biennial National
Council meeting held in New York, Arch Monson, Jr., of San Francisco, Calif.,
was elected to his second term as president of the Boy Scouts of America. The
Scouting/USA communicative symbol was unveiled at the meeting. Alden G. Barber,
Jr., resigned as Chief Scout Executive and Harvey L. Price, Scout Executive of
the Los Angeles Area Council, was chosen as his
successor. Thousands of members participated in energy conservation projects and
Project SOAR. Eagle badges were awarded to 27,687 Scouts. Fifteen Scouts and
Explorers met with Eagle Scout Gerald R. Ford, President of the United States,
to present the Report to the Nation during the 66th Anniversary Celebration in
February. Membership on December 31 was 4,884,082. Total members to date,
59,311,859.
1977
The observance of the
nation's bicentennial ended in August with 137,335 Cub Scout packs, Scout
troops, and Explorer posts completing activities related to the New Spirit of
'76. A new program theme, Wonderful World of Scouting, was introduced in the
fall. The 1977 National Scout Jamboree was held at Moraine State Park, Pa., with
28,601 participants. The national Executive Board elected Downing B. Jenks of
St. Louis, Mo., as president. At the request of President Jimmy Carter during
the annual Report to the Nation, a renewed emphasis was placed on energy
conservation, and Scouting Energy Day was observed in the fall by thousands of
energy conservation activities across the country. In addition, Scouting
Environment Day was held again in the spring. The National Explorer Presidents'
Congress was held in Washington, D.C., and the National Order of the Arrow
Conference convened at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville. The new
four-function plan of council and district operation was developed to be
introduced in early 1978. Delegations of Scouts and leaders took part in
national jamborees held in Australia, Canada, Iceland, and Jamaica.
Membership on December 31 was 4,718,138. Total members to date, 60,551,879.
1978
The new four-function plan of
council and district operation was introduced and was well received. Age changes
related to advancement for handicapped persons were approved. Over 300,000 Cub
Scouts attended 1,800 Cub Scout day camps conducted by local councils. The
annual National Explorer Presidents' Congress was held in Washington, D.C., and
the biennial National Explorer Olympics was held in Fort Collins, Colo. There
was a new emphasis on family camping as local council camp properties were being
made available. Philmont Scout Ranch and Explorer Base and the five other
national high-adventure bases had an attendance of 23,835. Volunteer training
was established as a major program function for the movement. Mark W.
Leinmiller, Marietta, Ga., was selected for the Antarctic Scientific Program,
sponsored by the National Science Foundation and the Reader's Digest
Association. Downing B. Jenks, St. Louis, Mo., was elected to his second term as
president during the 1978 National Council Meeting in Phoenix, Ariz. The annual
Report to the Nation was held in February and included a meeting with President
Jimmy Carter. A Tom C. Clark Award was established by the National Park
Foundation for outstanding conservation projects. A revised God and Country
program for Cub Scouts, Boy Scouts, and Explorers was announced, and the
National Protestant Committee on Scouting was organized. Parent-teacher
associations continued as the largest single user of the Scouting program. A
''celebrity'' public service advertising campaign was introduced and was headed
by former President and Eagle Scout Gerald R. Ford. Official contingents took
part in international Scouting events in Japan, Mexico, Israel, Canada, Taiwan,
Switzerland, Scotland, and Ireland. The United Way continued as the largest
source of support for local councils, and a Principles of Affiliation was
approved. The Boy Scouts of America concluded its fifth consecutive year without
a deficit. Membership on December 31, was
4,493,491. Total members to date, 61,898,410.
1979
The national office moved to Irving, Texas, after
25 years in New Jersey, the National Executive Institute was relocated to
Arlington, Texas, and the Johnston National Scouting Museum was temporarily
closed. Plans were completed for the Eastern Distribution Center to move to
Charlotte, N.C., in early 1980. John D. Murchison, Dallas, Texas, was
elected president but died shortly thereafter. Downing B. Jenks, St. Louis, Mo.,
agreed to continue as president. J. L. Tarr, Scout Executive of the Circle Ten
Council, Dallas, Texas, became Chief Scout Executive
upon the retirement of Harvey L. Price. The annual
Report to the Nation was held in February and included a meeting with President
Jimmy Carter. New editions of The Official Boy Scout Handbook and Wolf Cub Scout
Book were published. The Cub Scout Trainers' Wood Badge was approved following
field testing. The biennial National Order of the Arrow Conference was held at
Colorado State University in Fort Collins, and the annual National Explorer
Presidents' Congress was held in Washington, D.C. Other Explorer events were the
first National Law Enforcement Explorer Conference and the first National
Aviation Explorer Fly-In. Because the XV World Jamboree in Iran was postponed,
1,000 Boy Scouts and leaders attended Dalajamb in Sweden. ''Scouting . . . the
Better Life'' was announced as the 1980-82 national program theme. A grant of
$2,124,500 was given by the Fleischmann Foundation for a development program at
the high-adventure bases. A National Funding Division at the national office was
created, and a ''Campaign for Character'' was approved to raise $49 million for
national needs in the 1980s. Membership on December 31 was 4,284,469. Total
members to date, 63,388,065.
1980 { Top
of Page }
The 70th anniversary year
concluded with gains in both membership and units. Outfitted in colorful new
uniforms designed by Oscar de la Renta, the
movement advanced into
another decade of service to the nation. In support of
the 1980
National Census, Cub Scouts, Boy Scouts, and Explorers passed out
fliers to houses and apartments across the country urging
participation in the
census taking. Cub Scouting celebrated its 50th
anniversary during 1980 and
was highlighted by the registration of the
30 millionth Cub Scout since 1930.
The annual Report to the Nation
presentation ceremony was held in February,
with youth representatives
of Scouting's three divisions having the opportunity
to meet with
President Jimmy Carter. Dr. Thomas C. MacAvoy of Corning,
N.Y., was
elected president of the BSA during the 1980 National Council
meeting
in New Orleans, La. A new Official Patrol Leader Handbook was
issued,
giving strong emphasis to the patrol method for instilling qualities of
leadership. A year-long health education program called ''The Fabulous
Human
Machine,'' funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, was
introduced to emphasize the tenets of the Scout Oath, ''. . . To keep myself
physically strong,
mentally awake, and morally straight.'' More than
1,200 Explorers and leaders attended the 10th National Explorer Presidents'
Congress in Phoenix, Ariz., and more than 2,300 participants took part in the
biennial National Explorer Olympics in Fort Collins, Colo. The first National
Explorer Winter Olympics was held in Squaw Valley, Calif., featuring
Olympic-style competition in downhill and cross-country skiing, biathlon, and
skating. In cooperation with the U.S. Department of Energy, kits containing
materials related to energy education and conservation were sent
to councils throughout America. An agreement was signed
with the Heritage Conservation and Recreation Service of the U.S. Department of
the Interior whereby Boy Scout troops and Explorer posts would monitor natural
landmarks administered by HCRS. More than 500 Boy Scouts and leaders represented
BSA at jamborees and activities in Switzerland, Scotland, Denmark, and Canada. A
fire destroyed the second floor of the national office in November, but
rebuilding plans were prepared immediately and satellite offices were leased to
provide space for displaced employees until
reconstruction was completed. Membership on December 31 was 4,326,082. Total
members to date, 64,840,661.
1981
For
the second consecutive year, the Boy Scouts of America showed gains in
membership and total units. The 10th National Scout Jamboree was held at Fort A.
P. Hill, Va., July 29-August 4, with more than 30,000 boys and leaders
participating from across the U.S. and 22 other countries. The annual Report to
the Nation, which included a visit with President Ronald Reagan, was held in
February. Dr. Thomas C. MacAvoy, Corning, N.Y., was reelected president. The
National Explorer Presidents' Congress was held in Indianapolis, Ind., and the
National Order of the Arrow Conference convened at the
University of Texas at Austin. Philmont Scout Ranch and four other national
high-adventure bases had attendance of 15,517. A new Official Scoutmaster
Handbook
was released, completing the trilogy of basic literature of Boy
Scouting. Murray, Ky., was picked as the site for thenew Boy Scout Museum.Nearly
64,000 Cub Scouts, Boy Scouts, and Explorers earned religious emblems while
4,140 adult volunteers received religious recognition. More than 3,000 Boy
Scouts and leaders represented BSA at jamborees and Scouting events in
Switzerland, Scotland, Denmark, and Canada. The year-long program emphasis,
''Save Our American Resources (SOAR) . . . for the Better
Life,'' continued through August 1982. Membership on December 31 was 4,355,723.
Total members to date, 70,774,443.
1982
A milestone in the history of the BSA was passed in September with the
registering of the millionth Eagle Scout, Alexander M. Holsinger. For the
third consecutive year, the BSA showed gains in membership and units. ''Shaping
Tomorrow,'' a project aimed at developing an effective strategy for addressing
crucial issues of the 1980s, was initiated in January. Four of the program
concepts from Foundations for Growth-Tiger Cubs, BSA; Bear Enrichment; Prepared
for Today; and Explorer Marketing-were field tested and implemented. ''Campaign
for Character'' continued through 1982 with $40 million of the $49 million goal
reported as of December 31. Representatives from Scouting's three program
divisions presented the annual Report to the Nation and had the opportunity to
meet President Ronald Reagan. Edward C. Joullian III of Oklahoma City, Okla.,
was elected president of the BSA during the 1982 National Council meeting in
Atlanta, Ga. The National Explorer Presidents' Congress was held at
Philadelphia, Pa., and the National Explorer Olympics convened at Fort Collins,
Colo. Cub Scouting published the Cub Scout Leader Book which combines five
separate books-the Cubmaster's Pack Book, the Den Leader's Handbook, the Webelos
Leader's Book, the Den Leaders Coach Book, and the Pack Committee Book-into
one volume. Philmont Scout Ranch and the other four
high-adventure bases had an attendance of 24,833. The Backpacking merit badge
was introduced. ''Catch the Scouting Spirit'' was announced as the national
program theme for 1983-84. More than 3,800 Boy Scouts and leaders took part in
international Scouting events in Canada, Australia, China, and Liechtenstein.
Membership, December 31, was 4,542,449. Total members to date, 68,140,738.
1983
The Boy Scouts of America showed
gains in both membership and units for the fourth consecutive year. The Shaping
Tomorrow project began implementing better methods of marketing, servicing, and
delivering of our full program and mission. Shaping Tomorrow included strategy
and structural recommendations for strengthening the organization. Campaign for
Character culminated with $52.5 million reported; this was $3.5 million over the
goal for financing major needs in the 1980s. The annual Report to the Nation
presentation ceremony was held in February, with youth representatives of
Scouting's three divisions having the opportunity to meet with President Ronald
Reagan. The Boy Scouts of America received the Margaret Pope Hovey Award from
the President's Committee on Employment of the Handicapped for outstanding
contributions to ehabilitation and employment of handicapped persons. The BSA
had registered more than 200,000 youth with handicapping conditions. Tiger Cubs,
BSA, for 7-year-old boys and their adult partners began its second year of
existence providing 123,000 families an opportunity to grow closer together (the
Tiger Cub motto: Search, Discover, Share). Pilot testing of Varsity Scouting, a
program for boys 14 through 17, was concluded with a recommendation for
implementation to begin in 1984. Varsity Scouting places emphasis on
advancement, high adventure, service, personal development, and special programs
and events. Explorer membership reached its highest level, increasing by 25.2
percent over last year, which included 354,286 Career Awareness Explorers. ''The
Great Outdoor Quest'' became the theme for Scout camping as troop camping
increased more than 6 percent and Scout attendance increased by 5 percent. The
National Order of the Arrow Conference was held in
August at Rutgers
University, New Brunswick, N.J. Order of the Arrow membership increased by
almost 7,000 since 1982. This was the year for both the XV World Scout Jamboree
and the 29th World Conference. The jamboree was held July 4-16, in Kananaskis
Country, a provincial park in the Canadian Rockies. The Boy Scouts of America
hosted the World Conference in Detroit, Mich., in July with representatives from
more than 100 countries. Membership on December 31, 1983, was 4,688,953. Total
members to date, 70,014,715.
1984
Sanford N. McDonnell of St. Louis, Mo., was elected President of the BSA during
the 1984 National Council Meeting in Salt Lake City, Utah. The third edition of
the Fieldbook was produced. Introduction to Family Camping was published and the
Family Camping Association was launched. The new association sought to enhance
the richness of family life through experiences in the out-of-doors. Dioxin
contamination was discovered at the site of the 1981 National Scout Jamboree,
Fort A. P. Hill, Va. After extensive soil testing, it was determined that the
extent of any exposure was no danger to
individuals who attended the 1981 jamboree and the 1985 jamboree would be held
at this facility as originally planned. The Boy Scouts of America completed its
fifth
consecutive year of membership gain. Varsity Scouting, for boys 14
through 17, was launched nationwide, accompanied by a full complement of
literature, training, and program materials. More than 2,000 Varsity Scout teams
were organized, serving about 30,000 Varsity Scouts. Exploring membership showed
a dramatic increase in 1984, primarily a result of the phenomenal success
of Career Awareness and in-school Exploring. The
National Eagle Scout Association awarded 30 $3,000 college scholarships from the
W. P. Clements National Eagle Scout Scholarship Fund and 6 $1,000 grants from
the Elks foundation. The Whitney M. Young, Jr., Service Award was presented to
36 individuals and organizations in recognition of their outstanding service to
youth in low-income situations. Membership on December 31, 1984, was 4,748,511.
Total members to date, 72,014,206.
1985
The Boy Scouts of America celebrated its 75th anniversary. ''Pride in the Past .
. . Footsteps to the Future'' was the theme that told the story through exciting
events conducted during the year. Ben H. Love became the BSA's eighth Chief
Scout Executive. The high point of the year was the 11th National Scout Jamboree
held July 24-30, at Fort A. P. Hill, Va. More than 32,000 Scouts and leaders
from around the world attended this event. First Lady Nancy Reagan was a special
visitor at the jamboree. During May, June, and July, the BSA lit a Heritage
Campfire outside every state capitol. Campfire ashes were placed in a
wooden box the shape of that state. The box was added to a Heritage
Campfire Caravan which began in Washington State and traveled 7,600 miles
through the country and through 40 state capitals. Following 3 months on the
road, the caravan arrived at the site of the 1985 National Scout Jamboree, its
final destination. A BSA history book titled The Boy Scouts: An American
Adventure was produced in cooperation with author Robert W. Peterson and
American Heritage Publishing Company. Youth membership increased for the sixth
consecutive year, registering a 2.7 percent gain over 1984. Cub Scouting .
introduced a new emphasis on Cub Scout sports. The Order of the Arrow presented
104 camperships totaling more than $4,000 to
American-Indian Boy Scouts. Membership in the Order of the Arrow increased
significantly versus 1984. The BSA Scouting for the Handicapped program was
cited for its innovative approaches in serving the handicapped and was the
recipient of the 1985 National Organization on Disability Award. Membership on
December 31, 1985, was 4,845,040. Total members to date, 73,639,425.
1986
On September 1, the Boy Scouts of
America took a new and dramatic step to serve boys in all school grades.
Membership requirements for Tiger Cubs and Cub Scouts became primarily based on
grade in school, rather than age. The plan was expanded to included first-grade
boys as Tiger Cubs and second-grade boys as Wolf Cub Scouts. The program
included plans for expanding Webelos Scouting to 2 years for fourth- and
fifth-graders. In the first 4 months of the expanded program, Cub Scout
membership increased by 14.3 percent compared to the previous year. The BSA was
touched by the tragic Challenger disaster. Two of the crew members were active
in Scouting as youths. Lt. Col. Ellison S. Onizuka attained the Eagle rank in
1964 in Holualoa, Hawaii. Dr. Ronald E. McNair reached Star rank as a youth in
Lake City, S.C. Boys' Life magazine, one of the 50 largest magazines in the
nation, celebrated its 75th anniversary. The biennial meeting of the National
Council held in Louisville, Ky., brought some 2,600 key volunteer and
professional leaders in Scouting together. Charles M. Pigott, president of
PACCAR, Inc., Bellevue, Wash., was elected president. The National Court of
Honor presented 19 Honor Medals, 71 Heroism Awards, and 189 Medals of Merit.
There were 26,840 youths that advanced to the rank of Eagle Scout and 13 Sea
Explorers who received the Quartermaster Award. The Distinguished Eagle Scout
Award was presented to 58 outstanding men. In response to a request by President
Reagan, the BSA conducted a nationwide Donor Awareness Good Turn to inform
American families of the urgent need for donated human organs and tissue.
Families were encouraged to discuss their wishes related to
providing ''a gift of life'' when a member dies suddenly. Some 597,823 Scouts
across the country distributed more than l4 million brochures to families in
their local neighborhoods and communities. More than 2 million mailing inserts
were distributed by 125 public service institutions. The Good Turn message was
delivered by 346 newspapers to an estimated audience of more than 21 million
readers. The BSA ended 1986 with a 7.5 percent increase, its seventh consecutive
year of membership increase and the largest in 30 years. Membership on December
31, 1986, was 5,170,979. Total members to date, 83,686,624.
1987
The Boy Scouts of America began to address five
''unacceptables'' in American society-drug abuse, hunger, child abuse,
illiteracy, and youth unemployment. The nation's largest anti-drug abuse
education campaign was launched with release of eight million copies of a
booklet titled Drugs: A Deadly Game for members, chartered organizations,
schools, and local institutions. Included in the anti-drug package were a
videotape; a poster showing how drugs, alcohol, and smoking damage the human
body; and a guide for teachers and parents. The BSA began planning a food
collection drive for 1988 to combat hunger. To help parents, teachers, and Scout
leaders deal with child abuse, a booklet called Child Abuse: Let's Talk About It
was distributed. A second booklet, Child Sexual Abuse: How to Deal with It, was
released for training professional and volunteer Scouters. To meet the challenge
of youth unemployment, the national Exploring Division promoted Career Awareness
Exploring, which exposes high school students to various vocations and shows
them what is required to be successful in the adult job market. The division
also renewed its effort to encourage major corporations to support Exploring in
the communities they serve. The effort, called the Exploring Impact Plan,
resulted in the organization of 800 new Explorer posts. The Boy Scout Division
reemphasized the importance of a Scout advancing steadily to First Class rank;
new materials to foster advancement were made available to troops. New troop
leaders were given help for immediate training with the release of three Fast
Start videotapes explaining their sponsibilities. Cub Scout leaders also
received Fast Start videos that discussed their positions. A new edition of the
Webelos Scout Book, featuring five new activity badges boys could earn,
was published. More Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts went
camping this year; total camping participation rose to 817,582 youths, an
increase of 8 percent over that of 1986. About 3,000 BSA members attended the
16th World Jamboree in Australia. For the eighth consecutive year, the BSA's
youth membership increased; the gain was 3.5 percent. Total membership on
December 31, 1987, was 5,347,098. Total members to date, 78,353,590.
1988
The largest national Good Turn
since World War II was held in November when Scouting for Food sent the BSA's
youth and adult leaders into their neighborhoods to collect food for the needy.
The harvest was more than 60 million containers of food. Cooperating in the
drive were Quaker Oats, United Way of America, the National Guard, scores of
food store chains, and many local organizations. Drugs: A Deadly Game was again
used by thousands of Scouting units, schools, and community organizations to
educate young people to the hazards of drugs, alcohol, and tobacco. Coca Cola
USA lent its support to the campaign, which received the prestigious 1988
Presidential Citation for Private Sector Initiatives. In its efforts to reduce
child abuse, the BSA distributed two publications, How to Protect Your Children
from Child Abuse and Drug Abuse: A Parent's Guide, plus a videotape with an
instructor's guide for training volunteer leaders. A 2-year Webelos Scouting
program was introduced; for the first time fourth-graders were eligible to
become Webelos Scouts. Henceforth, both fourth- and fifth-graders could
participate in Webelos Scouting to prepare for Boy Scouting. Resident camping
for Cub Scouts was approved, and many councils opened weeklong camps for Cub
Scouts while continuing to operate Cub Scout day camps. Boy Scouting received a
big boost in March from a closed-circuit teleconference broadcast nationwide by
satellite. Television personality Hugh Downs, a longtime Scouting supporter,
hosted the teleconference, which led to the organization of 8,132 new troops.
The Exploring Impact Plan was continued and brought scores of national
corporations into sponsorship of Exploring. The Exploring Division also
implemented ExplorEmphasis, a program to increase membership and the number of
special-interest Explorer posts through improved training of volunteer and
professional Scouters. At the biennial meeting of the National Council in San
Diego, Calif., Eagle Scout Harold S. Hook, chairman and chief executive officer
of American General Corp., was elected BSA president. Youth membership rose by
1.3 percent, the ninth straight annual increase. Total membership on December
31, 1988, was 5,377,493. Total members to date, 80,589,269.
1989
The 12th National Jamboree at Fort A. P. Hill, Va.,
drew 33,000 Scouts and leaders for a week's worth of challenges and fun. A
highlight was the appearance of President Bush, who praised the Scouting
movement for its fight against drug abuse. ''You are leading the youth of
America by example,'' the President said. Boy Scout advancement and troop
operation were revamped to give Scouts a more contemporary program. The changes
brought by the new Troop Operations Plan included separate patrols for new
Scouts, new advancement requirements to foster a
Scout's progress, enhanced activities for Scouts
with a year or so of experience, and advanced activities for older Scouts. The
changes are reflected in the 10th edition of the Boy Scout Handbook, which was
scheduled for release in January 1990. Cub Scouting instituted a ''Renewal Plan
for Separated Cub Scouts'' to invite dropouts back into the program. Local
councils that tried the plan reported a 40 to 50 percent return of dropouts. The
Exploring Division continued ExplorEmphasis for the second year, seeking to
expand and improve Exploring in local councils. To help market the program,
videos titled Let's Go Exploring and A Choice to Participate were introduced.
The BSA continued its attack on the ''unacceptables.'' The second annual
Scouting for Food drive netted 72 million
containers of food for the
nation's needy. A new package of materials for Drugs: A Deadly Game was
distributed. It included an 18-page brochure, a comic book-style true story of a
Drug Enforcement Administration agent, a body chart showing the effects of
drugs, alcohol, and smoking on the human body, and a teacher's guide. Advice for
preventing sexual abuse of children was incorporated into all training of adult
Scouters, and a video called A Time to Tell was produced for
showing to Boy Scout troops. The BSA continued its effort to reduce illiteracy
by establishing a book service called BSA Book Power. Youth membership rose by
.3 percent, the 10th consecutive year of gain. Total membership on December 31,
1989, was 5,363,593. Total members to date, 82,998,087.
1990 { Top of Page }
The
Boy Scouts of America responded to the needs of youth with a vision that was
both global in its scope and local in its effectiveness. A National Council
contingent travelled to the Kremlin to explore Scouting opportunities in the
USSR, and then to the Vatican to present Pope John Paul II with the BSA's
Distinguished Citizen of the World Commendation. The emerging Scout associations
of Hungary and Czechoslovakia received grants from the BSA's World Friendship
Fund. Across America, the new 10th edition of the Boy Scout Handbook enjoyed
overwhelming endorsement from Scouts, the public, and the media. Among its
messages were guidelines to help Scouts fight the five ''unacceptables'' of drug
abuse, hunger, child abuse, illiteracy, and youth unemployment. It also helped
Scouts realize the importance of caring for the environment and encouraged them
to roll up their sleeves and go to work for the land. The initial demand for a
million copies of the manual brought the total circulation of the Handbook since
1910 to 33,860,000. Each copy of the new
manual contained the Scouting
publication How to Protect Your Children from Child Abuse and Drug Abuse: A
Parent's Guide. Coupled with Drugs: A Deadly Game, it provided parents,
teachers, and other adults with the most informative educational materials
available. In its third year, the BSA's Scouting for Food National Good Turn
again flooded the nation's food banks with canned goods. President George Bush
honored the program for its 1989 success with a Presidential End Hunger Award.
Training opportunities for Scout leaders were enhanced by the opening of the new
Center for Professional Development in Westlake, Texas, to house
BSA's Professional Development Division. Eagle Scout
Richard H. Leet, executive vice-president of AMOCO Corporation, was
elected president of the BSA, thus ensuring the continuation of superb national
leadership. Youth membership rose by 1.4 percent, the 11th straight annual
increase. On December 31, 1990, total membership was 5,445,899. Total members to
date, 85,292,091.
1991
Scouting
continued to respond to pressing societal changes by seeking new ways to meet
young people's needs. A primary goal-to contact all youth who would benefit from
Scouting-was furthered by the BSA's Learning for Life subsidiary, which took a
values-based curriculum into the classroom to reach children who would not
otherwise be in a character-building youth program. Reaching out to a
growing segment of the population, Hispanic Emphasis placed professional staff
in local councils to support Scouting in Hispanic communities. Cub Scouting
introduced two programs: Ethics in Action to promote ethical decision
making, and the BSA family program to strengthen the family from within.
Membership grew for the tenth consecutive year in Tiger Cubs, BSA; participation
increased in Cub Scouting's day, family, and resident camping. Boy
Scouting's outdoor programs also expanded. New outdoor skills instruction
seminars increased Scout leaders' confidence in teaching skills to Scouts.
A newly published Conservation Handbook promised to become an essential
reference for Scout leaders and conservation project managers. The TRAIL Boss
program (Teaching Resources And Individual Leadership) was developed by
BSA and seven federal agencies to teach volunteers conservation skills. Four new
merit badge subjects were introduced. More than a thousand BSA members attended
the 17th World Jamboree in Korea. Scouts continued to combat the five
unacceptables-drug abuse, child abuse, illiteracy, youth unemployment, and
hunger. The national Good Turn, Scouting for Food, was the largest food
collection effort in the United States in 1991.
Exploring emphasized career preparation for young men and women through
formation of community-sponsored posts; a new video, Moments in Common,
introduced values-based post Advisor training. The DeWitt Wallace-Reader's
Digest Fund awarded a $2.3 million grant for BSA professional recruitment.
Redbook magazine's October 1991 issue carried sixteen pages about
Scouting; the special supplement titled ''The Adventure Begins!'' drew an
enthusiastic response from parents. In a year that saw several eastern European
countries determined to provide Scouting for their young people, BSA
funded training for Scout leaders from the former Soviet Union, funded the
writing of the Russian Scout handbook, sponsored the first Czechoslovakian and
Hungarian youth leaders participating in the International Camp Staff program,
and hosted a Czechoslovakian Scouting professional at BSA National Executive
Institute training. On December 31, 1991, total BSA membership was 5,319,226.
Total members to date, 87,158,867.
1992
The Boy Scouts of America moved forward to meet the future with a commitment to
make Scouting more widely available than ever. Analysis of future needs led to
implementation of the BSA's new Strategic Plan to guide the Scouting movement
through the 1990s and prepare it for the twenty-first century. The plan
restructured the six BSA regions into four and addressed the need for local
councils to prepare to serve the steadily increasing number of youths who could
benefit from Scouting. A new Urban Emphasis encouraged Cub Scout packs, Boy
Scout troops, and Explorer posts to form in low-income and minority communities.
Hispanic Emphasis, in its third year, increased the bilingual publication of
couting literature to serve Spanish-speaking parents and leaders. A grant from
the DeWitt Wallace-Reader's Digest Fund launched a college internship program
aimed at enlarging the pool of female and ethnic minority candidates for
professional Scouting positions. School-based Learning for Life, designed to
teach positive values and life skills in a classroom setting, completed its
first full year of operation; nearly 700,000 youth participated. Committed to
assisting the emerging Association of Siberian Scouts, the BSA sent an
experienced Scouting professional to work in Siberia, and facilitated the first
Scout exchange between BSA local councils and Scouts in Perm, Russia. A Cub
Scout Academics program debuted. Boy Scout summer camping attracted 70.1 percent
of Scout troops and 55.2 percent of all Scouts, the highest percentages on
record. Exciting new outdoor and service adventures were introduced through the
TRAIL Boss program for conservation education and natural resource stewardship.
Emphasis on growth in traditional Exploring resulted in substantial
increases in membership and posts. The national Good Turn, Scouting for Food,
was once again the nation's largest food collection effort. The ability of
Scouts and leaders to respond at a moment's notice was demonstrated in the wake
of Hurricane Andrew, when Scouts brought to the devastated area food, clothing,
and hands to help. John L. Clendenin, chairman and chief executive officer of
BellSouth Corporation and a Silver Buffalo Award recipient, was elected national
BSA president. Jere B. Ratcliffe, a Distinguished Eagle Scout, was chosen to
succeed Ben H. Love as Chief Scout Executive, the BSA's top professional leader
(assuming office in 1993). On December 31, 1992, total BSA membership was
5,339,660. Total members to date, 88,830,141.
1993
On February 1, Jere B. Ratcliffe became the Boy
Scouts of America's ninth Chief Scout Executive. The BSA implemented programs to
advance its National Strategic Plan in four areas critical to growth and a
quality Scouting program: traditional unit growth, Urban Emphasis, ndowment
emphasis, and positive public relations. To go where youth are and where
Scouting is most needed, the BSA devised strategies to bring Scouting to the
nation's urban areas. With the new Operation First Class initiative, efforts to
reach urban youth received board-level attention from local councils.
Professional staff members from councils throughout the nation participated in
seminars on the needs of urban youth. A new Train-the-Trainer Conference manual
was produced to train the people who train leaders in Cub Scouting, Boy
Scouting, Varsity Scouting, Exploring, commissioner service, and district and
council Scouting. Nearly 480,000 Boy Scouts, representing more than 55 percent
of Scout membership and more than 70 percent of units, went camping in
1993. Cub Scout camping drew nearly 573,000 youth, including 5,000 new campers.
Nearly 26,000 boys ages 12 to 18, from every state and sixty-four
countries, attended the 1993 National Scout Jamboree at Fort A.P. Hill,
Virginia. More than 25,000 youth participated in challenging outdoor activities
at the BSA's high-adventure bases. The Council Exploring Growth Plan achieved
its third consecutive year of membership growth, adding 13,810 to Exploring's
1992 membership. More schools adopted the BSA's popular Learning for Life
program. In its second year of operation, Learning for Life brought positive
values and essential life skills to nearly 738,000 students in classrooms
nationwide. Educators and council professionals
attended the first Learning for Life conference. Organizers of the Scouting
movement in the countries of the former Soviet Union turned to the BSA for help
in producing the first Russian Scout Handbook; 20,000 copies were distributed.
The BSA established a new award, named the James E. West Fellowship Award in
honor of the first Chief Scout Executive, to recognize major contributors to
council endowment trust funds. On December 31, 1993, total BSA membership
was 5,355,401. Total members to date, 90,525,242.
The Boy Scouts of America was incorporated on
February 8 under the laws of the District of Columbia by W. D. Boyce. On June
21, a group of 34 national representatives of boys' work agencies met, developed
organization plans, and opened a temporary national headquarters in a YMCA
office in New York. In
September, Robert S.S. Baden-Powell, the founder of
Scouting, visited America and interpreted the program. President William Howard
Taft accepted the office of honorary president; Theodore Roosevelt became
honorary vice-president and chief Scout citizen; Colin H. Livingstone was
elected president; Mortimer L. Schiff, Milton A. McRae, and Benjamin L. Dulaney,
vice-presidents; George D. Pratt, treasurer; Daniel Carter Beard, National Scout
Commissioner; Ernest Thompson Seton, Chief Scout; and John Sherman Hoyt,
Jeremiah W. Jenks, William D. Murray, and Frank Presbrey, members of the
Executive Board. James E. West was appointed executive officer.
1911
The National Council office was established at 200
Fifth Avenue, New York, N.Y., on January 2, 1911, with seven employees. The
first annual meeting was held at the White House, Washington, D.C., and was
addressed by President Taft. The Scout Oath, Law, badges, and fundamental
policies were adopted. The first awards for heroism were presented by the
National Court of Honor. Membership to date, Scouts and Scouters, 61,495.
1912
By now Scouts were enrolled in
every state. Scouts mobilized for the first of a series of national civic Good
Turns, including the promotion of a safe and sane Fourth of July. Other
community Good Turns began. Sea Scouting for older Scouts was started. Boys'
Life was purchased to become an official BSA magazine. Membership during the
year, Scouts and Scouters, 97,495. Total members to date, 126,860.
1913
The first local council charters were issued to first-class and second-class councils. Local supervision was facilitated by dividing the United States into eight districts-the forerunner of 12 regions. Scouting, the official magazine for Scouters, was started. Boy Scout Week was observed. A registration plan for Scouts was adopted. Scouts demonstrated the motto ''Be Prepared'' in first aid during spring floods in Ohio and Indiana. Scouts rendered service at the 50th anniversary of the Battle of Gettysburg reunion of veterans. The first Children's Book Week was observed. Membership during the year, 115,364. Total members to date, 188,964.
1914
The troop committee plan was
created. The first Scout Sunday observance took place. Training for Scout
leaders was developed. The first William T. Hornaday gold medal for the
conservation of wildlife was presented. The first tree-planting project was held
in New York. Membership, December 31, was 127,685. Total members to date,
275,304.
1915
The Department of
Education established a national office to train all Scouters. Expansion of
merit badge work prompted issuance of 57 merit badge pamphlets. The Handbook for
Scoutmasters was issued. Military policy was adopted. Scouting was extended on
the Pacific coast. The Order of the Arrow was founded. Membership, December 31,
was 182,303. Total members to date, 409,662.
1916
Congress granted a Federal Charter on June 15,
giving special protection to the name and insignia and limiting membership to
American citizens. An act of Congress, June 3, authorized a Scout uniform
similar to the Army, Navy, or Marine uniform. The Constitution and Bylaws were
adopted. The first college course in Scouting was held at Teachers College, New
York. Veteran and associate Scout classifications were created. Scouting in
rural areas emphasized Pioneer Scouts (later Lone Scouts). A Department of
Camping was established at the national office to help
local councils maintain camping standards and promote
camping. Membership, December 31, was 245,183. Total members to date, 571,649.
1917
Scouting's full resources were
placed at the service of the government, under the slogan ''Help Win the War,''
and, within 24 hours, Scouts throughout the United States were so advised.
Significant demonstration of boypower, trained and organized for service,
followed for the duration of the war and drew thousands of boys into the
movement. The first winter camp was held by Chicago Scouts. Membership, December
31, was 363,837. Total members to date, 812,586.
1918
After the signing of the armistice, the slogan
''The War Is Over, but Our Work Is Not'' was adopted. Scouts rendered nationwide
service in the influenza epidemic. The first service club sponsorship of troops
was inaugurated by Rotary International. A Scout executives' training confererce
was held at Cranberry Lake. National standards were established for Boy Scout
camps. As part of the war effort, 1917-18, Scouts sold 2,350,977 Liberty Loan
bonds, totaling $147,876,902; war savings stamps, to a value of
$53,043,698. More than 300 million pieces of government literature were
distributed, and services rendered included food and fuel conservation and Boy
Scout war gardens. Membership, December 31, was 418,984. Total members to date,
1,065,495.
1919
A systematic method of
developing cooperation with churches of all faiths was adopted. Boy Scouts were
invited to aid the Department of Labor in its Americanization program. Following
the death of Chief Scout Citizen Theodore Roosevelt on January 6, Scouts began
the practice of planting Roosevelt memorial trees and making pilgrimages to his
grave at Oyster Bay. The first gold Honor Medals were awarded by the National
Court of Honor for saving life at risk of the rescuer's own, replacing the
silver and bronze awards. Membership, December 31, was 462,060. Total members to
date, 1,325,878.
1920 { Top of Page }
The
First National Training Conference for Scout Executives was held in
September at Bear Mountain, Palisades Interstate
Park. The First World Jamboree was held in England; Boy Scouts from 32 of 52
countries were present; the Boy Scouts of America sent 301 members. The First
International Conference of Scout Leaders was held in connection with the
jamboree, with International Scout Commissioner Mortimer L. Schiff and others
representing the Boy Scouts of America. The quota plan was adopted. The Scout
International Bureau was established in London. Membership, December 31, was
478,528. Total members to date, 1,643,988.
1921
Scouts of Washington, D.C., served as aides and
guides at the limitation of arms conference. Scouts participated at the annual
Eastern States Exposition at
Springfield, Mass. Outstanding civic Good Turns
were rendered in forest
conservation and in connection with the
Knickerbocker Theater disaster at
Washington, and floods at Pueblo,
Colo., and San Antonio, Texas. Membership, December 31, was 513,015. Total
members to date, 1,879,471.
1922
The
Order of the Arrow became an official program experiment. The Second
International Conference of Scout Leaders was appointed as a permanent
international committee upon which the Boy Scouts of America was represented by
Mortimer L. Schiff and Frank Presbrey. The Second National Training Conference
for Scout Executives took place at Blue Ridge, N.C. The membership roundup was
stimulated by streamer awards by President Warren G. Harding. Membership,
December 31, 534,415. Total members to date, 2,110,973.
1923
The international left handclasp was adopted.
Patrol leader conferences and training courses for Scout leaders were developed.
The Laura Spelman Rockefeller Memorial Fund advanced $100,000 for the promotion
of Boys' Life. The Bureau of Church Relations was established at the national
office. Patriotic pilgrimages to the homes of great Americans and to historic
spots were made. Membership, December 31, was 587,578. Total members to date,
2,371,520.
1924
The Every Scout a
Swimmer program was inaugurated. The first achievement badges were earned by
physically handicapped Scouts. The Third International Conference of Scout
Leaders was attended by 6,000 boys from 33 Scout associations. The Lone Scouts
of America merged with the Boy Scouts of America. The Second World Jamboree was
held at Copenhagen, Denmark; our delegation numbered 56. The Third Biennial
Conference of Scout Executives was held at Estes Park, Colo. The International
Scout constitution and bylaws were adopted. Membership, December 31, 696,620.
Total members to date, 3,144,300.
1925
James J. Storrow of Boston was elected president. The first National Training
School for executives opened. Outstanding service was rendered by Scouts in the
Illinois tornado, California earthquake, and Louisiana fire. A delegation from
Boy Scouts of America visited South America to advance Scouting there.
Membership, December 31, 756,857. Total members to date, 3,436,294.
1926
President James J. Storrow died in
March and Vice-President Milton A. McRae was elected to fill his term. At the
annual meeting in May, Walter W. Head was elected president. Sir Robert S.S.
Baden-Powell, founder of Scouting, attended the annual meeting and traveled
throughout the country inspecting Scouting centers. The first Silver Buffalo
Awards for distinguished service to boyhood were presented. Twenty-two awards
were given: the first to Baden-Powell and the second to the Unknown Scout whose
Good Turn brought Scouting to America. The Fourth International
Scout Conference was held at Kandersteg, Switzerland.
The Fourth Biennial Conference of Scout Executives was held at Hot Springs, Ark.
The national Executive Board authorized development of a program for younger
boys. Exceptional Scout service was rendered in the Florida hurricane and
Arkansas flood. Membership, December 31, was 783,574. Total members to date,
3,749,244.
1927
Eagle Palms were added
to the list of awards. Twelve new rural merit badges were added, bringing the
total to 89. Eight Sea Scouts were taken on the Borden-Field Museum Expedition
to the Bering Sea. Exceptional service was rendered by Scouts in the Mississippi
and Vermont flood disasters and the St. Louis tornado. The national office was
moved to its new enlarged quarters at 2 Park Avenue, New York, N.Y. Membership,
December 31, was 785,633. Total members to date, 4,095,988.
1928
Three Scouts-David R. Martin, Douglas Oliver, and
Dick Douglas-accompanied the Martin Johnson Expedition to Africa. The Fifth
National Training Conference for Scout Executives was held at Cornell
University. The 18th annual meeting was held in San Francisco. Four Scouts
participated in the Lincoln Highway covered-wagon tour from coast to coast and
Paul A. Siple, a Sea Scout, accompanied Commander Richard E. Byrd to the
Antarctic. Membership, December 31, was 819,791. Total members to date,
4,499,908.
1929
The Third World
Jamboree, held at Birkenhead, England, where 1,300 Scouts and Scouters
represented the Boy Scouts of America, was attended by 50,000 Scouts
representing 73 different lands. It was followed by the Fifth International
Scout Conference. The Cub Scout program was put into operation on an
experimental basis. Registration of all Scouters was authorized. Membership,
December 31, was 833,897. Total members to date, 4,779,219.
1930 { Top of Page }
The
Cub Scout program was formally launched; there were 5,102 Cub Scouts at the end
of 1930. Scouts participated in the Oregon Trail Memorial Centennial. The Chief
Scout Executive served as chairman of the committee on youth outside the home
and school for President Hoover's White House Conference on Child Health and
Protection. Scout circuses, merit badge exhibits, expositions, rallies, and
other gatherings increased in number and scope. Membership, December 31, was
847,051. Total members to date, 5,249,350.
1931
At the 21st annual meeting held in Memphis, Tenn.,
Mortimer L. Schiff was
elected president. Within a month of his election,
Scout organizations throughout
the world were saddened by his untimely
death. Walter W. Head was elected to fill the unexpired term of Mr. Schiff. The
divisional plan of organization was put
into operation at the national
office. The Sixth International Scout Conference
was held near Vienna. The
first Silver Beaver Awards were presented for
distinguished service to
boyhood within a council. Membership, December 31,
was 878,358. Total
members to date, 5,658,485.
1932
At the
22d annual meeting, the National Council adopted the 10-year program of growth-a
plan to enroll one of every four 12-year-old boys and keep them in Scouting for
4 years. To stimulate this effort, President Hoover presented awards to Scout
units, councils, and regions reaching a specific standard for the year. Mrs.
Jacob H. Schiff presented the Mortimer L. Schiff Scout Reservation at
Mendham, N.J., in memory of her son. Work in emergency relief continued.
There was strong development in troop camping under council-trained leadership.
Membership, December 31, was
878,461. Total members to date,
6,019,301.
1933
President Franklin D.
Roosevelt became honorary president and former President Hoover, honorary
vice-president. The Mortimer L. Schiff Scout Reservation was formally opened and
dedicated. The Fourth World Jamboree was held at Godollo, Hungary, with 21,000
Scouts from 46 countries and an American contingent of 406 Scouts and leaders.
Membership, December 31, was 904,240. Total members to date, 6,389,551.
1934
In response to the request of
President Roosevelt in a radio address delivered February 10, Boy Scouts
performed a nationwide Good Turn, collecting 1,812,284 items of clothing,
household furnishings, foodstuffs, and supplies for the distressed and needy.
President Roosevelt announced a national jamboree would be held in Washington,
D.C., in 1935. A strong program of cooperation was developed with the Catholic
Church. Special emphasis was placed on the health program. The Order of
the Arrow program was approved. Membership, December 31, was 973,589. Total
members to date, 6,530,330.
1935
The
entire Scout membership celebrated the Silver Jubilee of Scouting. For the first
time, the membership passed the million mark. Observed as part of the 25th
anniversary celebration: Boys' Life anniversary in March, ceremonies
incident to the publication of the 5-millionth copy of the Handbook for
Boys in April, the Silver Anniversary Meeting of the National Council in
October, and Christmas holiday camps. The proposed national jamboree was
canceled because of an infantile paralysis epidemic. Membership, December
31, was 1,027,833. Total members to date, 6,945,160.
1936
In a broadcast on February 8, President Roosevelt
again invited the Scout membership to a national jamboree to be held in
Washington in July 1937. The Sixth National Training Conference for Scout
Executives was held at French Lick, Ind. The 26th annual meeting of the National
Council took place at Atlantic City. In recognition of its health and safety
programs, the American Children's Fund made a grant of $100,000 to the Boy
Scouts of America. The new Handbook for Scoutmasters was published. Membership,
December 31, was 1,069,837. Total members to date, 7,376,961.
1937
The First National Jamboree was held in Washington
from June 30 to July 9, at the invitation of President Roosevelt, with an
attendance of 27,232 representing 536 councils. This was followed by the Fifth
World Jamboree at Vogelenzang, Holland (attendance in the American contingent:
814), and the Ninth International Scout Conference. A retirement plan for
professional leaders was adopted. Membership, December 31, was 1,129,841. Total
members to date, 7,858,931.
1938
The
national program emphasized Americanism and a rededication to the Constitution
of the United States and the Declaration of Independence. A magnificent
gift was made by Waite Phillips, a campsite known as Philturn Rockymountain
Scoutcamp (later changed to Philmont Scout Ranch-see 1941) consisting of 35,857
acres of land on the eastern slope of the Rocky Mountain Continental Divide,
near Cimarron, N.M. Scouts rendered unusual service in the New England hurricane
and floods. The first grants from the Frank Phillips Foundation were made in
Oklahoma and part of Texas to extend Scouting. Membership, December 31,
1,242,009. Total members to date, 8,399,923.
1939
Philturn Rockymountain Scoutcamp was opened for
advanced Scout camping. Scouts participated in the Golden Gate Exposition and at
the New York World's Fair. A session of the 29th annual meeting was held at the
New York World's Fair for a citizenship ceremony when a group of former Scouts
who had just become 21 were formally received into citizenship by U.S. Supreme
Court Justice Owen J. Roberts. The 10th International Scout Conference was held
in Edinburgh, Scotland. The Seventh National Training Conference for Scout
Executives was held at Bretton Woods, N.H. The Boy Scouts of America was
represented at the White House Conference on Youth in a Democracy by the Chief
Scout Executive. Special experimental work with Scouting in less-chance areas
was carried on through the Irving Berlin Fund. Membership, December 31, was
1,357,993. Total members to date, 8,977,696.
1940
{ Top
of Page }
Boy Scouts served again at
the New York World's Fair and at the Golden Gate Exposition in San Francisco. A
Boy Scout program for helping in national
emergency and government defense
programs was adopted. Outstanding events
included: troop inventory and roll
call, adoption of emergency service corps, and mobilization plans. Membership,
December 31, was 1,449,412. Total members
to date, 9,558,869.
1941
With the declaration of war, the
Government requested Boy Scout service for the distribution of defense bonds and
stamp posters; collection of aluminum and wastepaper; defense housing surveys;
victory gardens; distributions of air-raid posters; cooperation with the
American Red Cross; and, by joint agreement with the Office of Civil and Defense
Mobilization, services in three
capacities-messengers, assisting emergency
medical units, and fire watchers.
Waite Phillips made another large
gift-land, residence and ranch buildings,
livestock, operating ranch
equipment-contiguous to Philturn Rockymountain
Scoutcamp, bringing
total acreage to more than 127,000 acres. The area was
renamed
Philmont Scout Ranch. He also presented the Philtower Building in Tulsa, Okla.,
the income from which was to be used for operating and developing the camp. The
31st annual meeting was held in Washington, D.C. Membership, December 31, was
1,522,302. Total members to date, 10,165,060.
1942
Scouts continued in war service. Twenty-eight
projects were requested by the government, including: the collection of 30
million pounds of rubber in a 2-week drive; all-out salvage based on the
government-issued pamphlet Scrap and How Scouts Collect It; distribution of
pledge cards for war bonds and savings stamps; victory gardens; work on farms
and in harvest camps; and Government dispatch bearers. The 32d annual meeting
was held in Minneapolis-St. Paul. The Air Scouts program for boys 15 years of
age and older was developed. Membership, December 31, was 1,553,080. Total
members to date, 10,769,041.
1943
Scouts
rendered war service at the request of the government in four general
classifications: collections-aid in salvage drives; distribution, as official
dispatch bearers for government pamphlets and posters; production; and
conservation. The first Silver Antelope Awards were presented for distinguished
service to youth within a region. The Pan-American project was developed. Chief
Scout Executive James E. West became Chief Scout and Dr. Elbert K. Fretwell was
appointed Chief Scout Executive. Dr. George J. Fisher became National Scout
Commissioner. Long trousers and the Scout cap were made a part of the official
uniform. The 33d annual meeting was held in New York. Membership, December 31,
was 1,613,783. Total members to date, 11,477,483.
1944
The Whole Scout Family was emphasized with stress
on the three branches of the Scout program. World brotherhood was emphasized in
the continuation of the world jamboree and World Friendship program. The
Inter-American Youth Leaders' Training project was inaugurated and students from
Latin-American countries, in cooperation with the coordinator of Inter-American
affairs, attended the National Training School and toured the eastern United
States and Canada. The World Friendship Fund to help restore Scouting in
devastated countries was inaugurated. membership, December 31, was 1,866,356.
Total members to date, 12,289,614.
1945
The total Boy Scout war service included 69 requests from the government during
1941 through 1945. General Eisenhower's outstanding Wastepaper Campaign
culminated in the General Eisenhower Award-a gold medal was presented to him in
December by the Boy Scouts of America in appreciation. Other service included
collections in many communities, distribution of circulars on conservation
projects, and the Green Thumb program. Twenty thousand Scouts earned the General
Douglas MacArthur Medal for growing food. The World Friendship Fund increased;
$10,000 was allocated to the Philippines. The ''Shirts Off Our Back''
campaign was inaugurated to help Scouts abroad. The Army Air Force cooperated in
the Air Scouts program. World brotherhood literature was published. Increased
emphasis was placed on visual education as a means of training. Membership,
December 31, was 1,977,463. Total members to date, 13,073,629.
1946
The first contribution in a program of continuing
support came from the Grant Foundation-$257,500 for a 5-year expansion of the
volunteer training program. The camping program was improved and camp activities
became more troop-centered. Sixteen hundred Senior Scouts camped at Philmont
Scout Ranch. Scouts carried through three national postwar service projects
requested by the government. The first Inter-American Scout conference was held
in Bogota, Colombia. President Head retired after 20 years of service and Amory
Houghton was elected president. Membership, December 31, was 2,063,397. Total
members to date, 13,882,639.
1947
Basic
Boy Scout requirements were authorized-putting equal emphasis on Scout spirit,
Scout participation, and Scoutcraft skills. Similar revisions made Cub Scouting
more effective. The Eighth National Training Conference for Scout Executives
took place in September at Indiana University. The International Scout
Conference of Scout Leaders from 112 countries meeting at Chateau Rosny near
Paris adopted a revised constitution and bylaws. The Sixth World Jamboree in
Moisson, France, in August brought together 32,000 Scouts from 38 countries; the
American delegation numbered 1,151. Membership,
December 31, was 2,141,984. Total members to date, 14,710,853.
1948
Dr. Arthur A. Schuck became the third Chief Scout
Executive, September 1; Dr. Elbert K. Fretwell was elected Chief Scout.
The 38th annual meeting was held in Seattle, Wash. The Order of the Arrow was
integrated in the national camping program. Philmont, the world's largest Scout
camp, enrolled 2,275 individual campers. The conservation program was extended.
Basic training for all unit leaders was emphasized. Twelve Scouts presented the
Report to the Nation to President Harry S. Truman and to United Nations
officials. The First International Commissioners' Conference was held at
Kandersteg, Switzerland. Membership, December 31, was 2,210,766. Total members
to date, 15,538,867.
1949
The crusade to
''Strengthen the Arm of Liberty'' was inaugurated in February. A dramatic
ceremony was held at the base of the Statue of Liberty. Age levels were
lowered-Cub Scouting, 8 through 10; Boy Scouting, 11 through 14; Exploring, 14
and up. The manual on citizenship was published. New procedures for physically
handicapped boys were adopted. Troop advancement procedures were emphasized.
Five hundred forty-three councils owned 831 campsites with
288,545 acres, at an estimated value of $10,525,731 on land and $17,436,306 on
equipment. The National Council held its 39th annual meeting in Boston, Mass.
Membership, December 31, was 2,579,515. Total members to date, 16,686,517.
1950 { Top of Page }
The
40th anniversary year was observed nationally and locally. The Second
National Jamboree at Valley Forge, June 30-July 6,
brought 47,163 Scouts and leaders from every state and territory in the United
States and from many other lands. Survival training was emphasized; conservation
education was a national program feature. A total of 1,100 Order of the Arrow
members participated in a national conference held at the University of Indiana,
Bloomington, Ind. Philmont Scout Ranch began an expanded program, and the first
training courses were held there. The 40th annual meeting was held in
Philadelphia immediately prior to the jamboree. The first Boy Scout stamp was
issued by the U.S. Post Office Department. Membership, December 31, was
2,795,222. Total members to date, 17,843,852.
1951
The 3-year crusade to ''Strengthen the Arm of
Liberty'' concluded with a 33 percent gain in membership. A program of
cooperation in civil defense was carried out. Conservation activities were
expanded in cooperation with federal, state, and local agencies. Two million
pounds of clothing were collected for domestic and foreign relief. Several
hundred Explorers took part in the Seventh World Jamboree at Bad Ischl, Austria,
where 13,000 Scouts represented 59 countries. Expansion at Philmont Scout Ranch
made new leadership training opportunities possible. The Ninth National Training
Conference for Scout Executives was held at Michigan State University. At the
41st annual meeting in Chicago, John M. Schiff was elected president, succeeding
Amory Houghton. membership, December 31, was 2,942,779. Total members to date,
18,995,887.
1952
Scouting's 3-year
program ''Forward on Liberty's Team'' was launched during Boy Scout Week. Scouts
distributed more than a million posters and 30 million Liberty Bell
doorknob hangers in a Get-Out-the-Vote campaign. Scouts also cooperated
nationally in securing blood-donor pledges, collected clothing for worthy
causes, distributed seeds for Asia, and aided in conservation projects and civil
defense. A quarter-million leaders took part in training experiences. Nine
thousand Explorers and leaders camped at Philmont Scout Ranch. The 42d annual
meeting was held in New York. The 20-millionth member was registered.
Membership, December 31, was 3,183,266. Total members to date, 20,236,331.
1953
The Third National Jamboree was
held at the Irvine Ranch in southern California, July 17-23, with 45,401 Scouts
and leaders from all parts of the United States and 21 other nations taking
part. Scouts assisted in the inauguration of President Dwight D. Eisenhower. The
effectiveness of the family ''Be Prepared'' plan was shown. Scouter training
combined with family vacation plans was expanded at Philmont Scout Ranch. Local
councils were organized in Germany and Japan to serve sons of Americans in those
countries. The 43d annual meeting was held in Los
Angeles. Membership, December 31, was 3,395,884. Total
members to date, 21,537,885.
1954
The
National Conservation Good Turn was conducted. The 44th annual meeting was held
in Washington, D.C. The National Council's office was moved to a new building
near New Brunswick, N.J., in October. Boys' Life circulation passed the 1
million mark. The Webelos den was created to provide a means of maintaining the
interest of Cub Scouts 10 years of age in Scouting and to provide a bridge for
crossing over to Boy Scouting. Membership, December 31, was 3,774,015. Total
members to date, 23,037,343.
1955
The
45th annual meeting was held in St. Louis. Through the facilities and courtesy
of the U.S. Air Force, 16 Explorers and 3 leaders made exchange visits with 16
European Senior Scouts and 2 leaders. The Eighth World Jamboree was conducted in
Ontario, Canada, with 15,000 Scouts present from 63 nations, including 1,500
Explorers from the Boy Scouts of America. In September, 4,000 attended the Tenth
National Training Conference for Scout Executives at the University of Michigan.
A College Scouter Reserve was authorized so young men attending college could
maintain active registered membership. For the first time, there was a total of
100,000 units and more than a million adults registered as Scouters. Membership,
December 31, was 4,175,134. Total members to date, 24,675,358.
1956
During Boy Scout Week, the Onward for God and My
Country program was launched with impressive national, state, and local
observances. A delegation of Explorers visited the White House and presented the
Report to the Nation. The 46th annual meeting was held in Cincinnati. Kenneth K.
Bechtel of San Francisco was unanimously elected president to succeed John M.
Schiff, who retired after 5 years. In a nationwide nonpartisan Get-Out-the-Vote
campaign, Scouts distributed over a million posters and 36 million Liberty Bell
doorknob hangers. In international exchange visits, nearly 300
Explorers and Senior Scouts were transported by the U.S. Air Force and Navy.
Boys' Life magazine was among the top 17 American magazines. Membership,
December 31, was 4,526,302. Total members to date, 26,383,479.
1957
The Fourth National Jamboree at Valley Forge, Pa.,
July 12-19, attracted 50,000 Scouts and Explorers. Some 1,700 Explorers and
leaders attended the World Jubilee near Birmingham, England, where 35,000 Scouts
of 82 nations celebrated the Centenary of Lord Baden-Powell's birth and the 50th
anniversary of the Boy Scout movement. The 47th annual meeting convened in
hiladelphia, July 11-12. Explorers visited the White House to present the Report
to the Nation and the 15-millionth copy of the Handbook for Boys. The U.S. Air
Force provided an airlift exchange for 50 Explorers and 50 European and Far
Eastern Boy Scouts. The Thomas J. Watson Memorial Visual Education Building at
Schiff Scout Reservation was dedicated on October 17. Membership, December 31,
was 4,751,495. Total members to date, 28,100,000.
1958
The National Safety Good Turn and the continuing
Onward for God and My Country program were outstanding successes. Explorer
Richard Lee Chappel of Eggertsville, N.Y., accompanied the National Academy of
Sciences team on the International Geophysical Year Arctic Expedition. The 48th
annual meeting was held May 16-17 in Chicago. The National Order of the Arrow
Conference in August at the University of Kansas attracted more than 2,400
members. The new Exploring program was implemented. Work began on the Johnston
Historical Museum. Membership, December 31, was
4,950,885. Total members to date, 29,945,000.
1959
During Boy Scout Week, 12 Explorers visited
President Eisenhower for the Report to the Nation. At the 49th annual meeting in
San Francisco, Ellsworth H. Augustus was elected president. A new edition of the
Boy Scout Handbook was published. More than 3,000 attended the 11th National
Training Conference for Scout Executives at the University of Michigan. Scouting
magazine started using full-color and color throughout. Delegations attended
both the 10th World Jamboree in the Philippines and the 17th International Scout
Conference at New Delhi, India. A citizenship study was completed. Membership,
December 31, was 5,043,195. Total members to date, 31,563,809.
1960 { Top of Page }
During
Scouting's Golden Jubilee Year, thousands of boys earned the 50th Anniversary
Achievement Award. Some 56,378 Scouts and leaders attended
the Fifth
National Jamboree at Colorado Springs, Colo., July 22-28. Scouts
took part
in a nationwide Get-Out-the-Vote campaign. The U.S. Post Office
Department
issued a Boy Scout commemorative stamp in February. A
representative from
each state took part in the Report to the Nation during Boy
Scout
Week.The 50th annual meeting was held in Washington, D.C., June 1-3.
The Johnston Historical Museum was dedicated at New Brunswick, N.J.,
on
June 4. On August 1, Joseph A. Brunton, Jr., became Chief Scout
Executive.
Membership, December 31, was 5,160,958. Total members to
date,
33,076,901.
1961
In
February, 12 Explorers presented the Report to the Nation to President John F.
Kennedy. Indiana University, Bloomington, Ind., was again the scene of the Order
of the Arrow's national conference with 2,000 members present. The 51st annual
meeting was held in Detroit in June with 2,400 Scouters attending. Delegations
of Scouts and leaders attended several foreign jamborees and the 18th
International Scout Conference in Portugal. Twelve regional Explorer delegate
conferences, participated in by 12,000 Explorers, made plans for the First
National Explorer Delegate Conference to be held in 1962. Membership, December
31, was 5,210,294. Total members to date, 34,524,815.
1962
The Fit for Tomorrow program was launched. The 52d
annual meeting was held at Portland, Ore., May 17-18, with some 2,200 Scouters
attending. Charter Day observances in Washington, D.C., on June 14, commemorated
Scouting's original Charter from Congress in June 1916. More than 3,000
Explorers attended the First National Explorer Delegate Conference at Ann Arbor,
Mich., August 26-30. A ''GO'' roundup was developed around space exploration in
cooperation with America's astronauts. Membership, December 31, was 5,322,167.
Total members to date, 36,058,864.
1963
Scouts and Explorers presented the Report to the Nation to President Kennedy
during Boy Scout Week. The 1963-65 Program of Emphasis-Scouting Can Make the
Difference-was launched. More than 2,500 delegates attended the 53d annual
meeting in New York, May 23-24. Philmont Scout Ranch received an anonymous gift
of 10,098 acres. The Eleventh National Training Conference for Scout Executives
was held at the University of Illinois, August 29-September 4, with nearly 5,000
attending. Each region held an Explorer delegate conference. The biennial
National Order of the Arrow Conference took place August 23-25 at the University
of Illinois. Some 621 Scouts and Scouters attended the Eleventh World Jamboree
held at Marathon, Greece, August 1-11. Membership, December 31, was 5,446,910.
Total members to date, 37,500,314.
1964
Waite Phillips, donor of Philmont Scout Ranch and the Philtower Building, died
in January. The New York World's Fair Service Corps of 2,772 boys and adults
operated for 18 weeks. The 54th annual meeting was held at Cleveland, May 21-22.
Thomas J. Watson, Jr., was elected president by the 2,500 representatives
attending. The Strengthen America's Heritage program was launched in cooperation
with Freedom's Foundation at Valley Forge. The Sixth
National Jamboree was
held at Valley Forge, July 17-23, with 52,000 Scouts and leaders participating.
The Second National Explorer Delegate Conference at the University of Kansas,
August 16-20, attracted 1,200 Explorers and Advisors. The commemorative tribute
statue was unveiled in Washington, D.C., on November 7. The Program of Emphasis
was continued. Membership, December 31, was 5,583,700. Total members to date,
39,120,922.
1965
The Report to the
Nation was presented to President Johnson during Boy Scout Week by 12 Boy Scouts
and Explorers. The 55th annual meeting was held at Bal Harbour, Fla., May 20-21,
with 2,300 attending. ''The Program of Emphasis Breakthrough for Youth'' for
1965-67 was launched. Each region held an Explorer delegate conference.
Some 3,727 boys and leaders served at the New York World's Fair, while
4,237 attended the Golden Anniversary National Conference of the Order of
the Arrow at Indiana University, August 27-31. Thomas J. Watson, Jr.,
was elected to the World Committee at the XX World Conference
meeting in Mexico City, September 27-October 3. The Inner-City Rural
Program was launched. Mrs. Ernest Thompson Seton presented memorabilia of her
husband. An addition was begun of the Johnston Historical Museum. The 500,000th
Eagle Scout badge was presented and the 40,000,000th member was registered.
Membership, December 31, was 5,732,708. Total members to date, 40,746,314.
1966
Boy Scouts and Explorers,
representing 12 regions, presented the Report to the Nation to President
Johnson. ''The Program of Emphasis Breakthrough for Youth'' continued. The 56th
annual meeting at Dallas, May 19-20, attracted 3,163 Scouters and their
wives. The revised Charter and Bylaws of the Boy Scouts of America was adopted.
Some 2,149 Explorers and Advisors attended the Third National Explorer Delegate
Conference at Indiana University, August 14-18.
More than 17,000 boys and leaders visited the renamed Philmont Scout Ranch and
Explorer Base, and 13,828 Scouts and leaders visited other countries. The
dedication of the new wing of the Johnston Historical Museum in New
Brunswick took place in June. In October, ground was broken for an Ernest
Thompson Seton Memorial Library and Museum at Philmont. Membership, December 31,
was 5,831,521. Total members to date, 42,375,467.
1967
The Boy Scouts of America hosted the XII World
Jamboree. The XXI Boy Scouts World Conference was held in Seattle, Wash. The
Report to the Nation was made to President Johnson, and Report to the State
ceremonies were conducted in all 50 states, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands.
Pittsburgh, Pa., hosted the 57th National Council Annual Meeting. Thomas J.
Watson, Jr., was elected to a fourth term as President. The Ernest Thompson
Seton Memorial Library and Museum at Philmont and the Ellsworth H. Augustus
International Scout House at the national office were dedicated. The National
Order of the Arrow Conference drew 4,158 members to the University of Nebraska.
Alden G. Barber became the fifth Chief Scout Executive. The updated Cub Scout
program was launched in September, establishing a special Webelos Scout program.
Nearly 26,000 needy and non-Scouts attended Scout camps. Regional Explorer
delegate conferences were held in all 12 regions. Membership, December 31, was
6,058,508. Total members to date, 44,139,905.
1968
The National Council at its 58th annual meeting in
Chicago elected Irving Feist President and adopted the BOYPOWER '76 8-year
long-range program. The National Executive Institute began at Schiff Scout
Reservation and Philmont Scout Ranch and Explorer Base. The National Council
raised national membership adult fees to $2 and boy fees to $1. A total of
1,449,266 Webelos activity badges were earned during the year. Scouts and
Explorers earned 28,311 Eagle Awards and 1,743,567 merit badges. Exploring
deputies were named in each region. Membership, December 31, was 6,247,160.
Total members to date, 45,997,048.
1969
A record 3,979 persons attended the 59th annual meeting in Boston. Irving Feist
was reelected President. The BOYPOWER '76 long-range plan was shared with
President Richard M. Nixon in Washington, D.C., on February 7, 1969, by the
Report to the Nation Scouts and Explorers. Exploring initiated a Grand National
Safe-Driving Road Rally with winning representatives of local council road
rallies competing for scholarships. Young women were accepted as participants in
special-interest posts. The 7th National Jamboree was held at Farragut State
Park, Idaho, with more than 35,000 Scouts and leaders attending. The National
Order of the Arrow Conference, held at Indiana University, was attended by 4,421
delegates. Some 18,607 needy Scouts and 17,433 non-Scouts attending Boy Scout
camps brought the 4-year total to 103,678 boys served. A total of 1,796,136
merit badges and 31,052 Eagle Awards were earned by Scouts and Explorers.
Long-term camping reached an all-time high with 64.6 percent of troops providing
792,371 Scouts this experience under its own leadership. Two summertime pack
events were conducted by 16,571 Cub Scout packs. Mergers brought the number of
local councils to 500. Membership, December 31, was 6,183,086. Total members to
date, 47,795,216.
1970 { Top
of Page }
At the 60th National
Council annual meeting, in Denver, Irving Feist was
elected to his
third term as President. BOYPOWER '76 attainment of goals for
the end
of 1970 was as follows: total units, 98.9 percent; national standard
units, 121.2 percent; trained top unit leaders, 112.1 percent; Cub
Scout
membership, 101.2 percent; Boy Scout membership, 96 percent; and
Explorer
membership, 97.6 percent. Needy and non-Scout camp attendance
was up to
46,408. Wood Badge courses were attended by 3,108; National
Camping
Schools attendance reached 2,504. Philmont and the national
canoe bases
drew 22,943. A National Standard Rating Plan for camps was
developed.
Leadership Development and Wood Badge training courses were
tested and
initiated. The whole organization mobilized for Project
SOAR (Save Our
American Resources). The first National Explorer
Olympics, attended by
1,200, was held at Colorado State University.
Realignment of councils reduced
the number of local councils to 493.
Membership, December 31, 6,287,284.
Total membership to date,
49,628,049.
1971
A new 4-million acre
Maine National High Adventure Area was opened. Scouting Keep America Beautiful
Day was held on June 5 with some 2 million members cleaning up more than 200,000
miles of highways and waterways and 400,000 acres of land as more than a million
tons of litter were collected. Planning began in the fall for a nationwide
program (Operation Reach) against drug abuse. Participation by troops in Project
SOAR established a high level of Scout involvement in conservation. The First
National Explorer Presidents' Congress was held in Washington, D.C., with 2,043
post presidents attending. Exploring, a new magazine, was printed in the spring
and fall and distributed to 200,000 Explorers. The 62d National Council annual
meeting was held in Atlanta, and Norton Clapp was elected president. A Silver
World Award for distinguished service to youth on an international basis was
presented to four figures. In a special Ceremony held in Washington, D.C.,
President Richard M. Nixon was awarded the Silver Buffalo Award. For the first
time a Reader's Digest Association-BSA National Public Speaking Contest was
held. Nearly 8,000 American Scouts and leaders took part in the XIII World
Jamboree held in Japan. A record number of 48,000 needy and non-Scouts attended
summer camp. More than 5,000 members of the Order of the Arrow attended a
national conference at the University of Illinois. The BOYPOWER campaign effort
reached $16,065,658, 24.7 percent of the $65 million goal. A new
paraprofessional employment program was begun. Membership, December 31, was
6,427,026. Total members to date, 51,484,371.
1972
The improved Scouting program was introduced. The
BOYPOWER campaign exceeded $25 million. Paraprofessionals entered full- and
part-time positions in local councils. The second National Explorer Presidents'
Congress was held in Washington, D.C., in April with 2,700 Explorer presidents
and boatswains attending. A total of 2,086 Explorers from 185 Explorer posts
participated in the National Explorer Olympics held in August in Fort Collins,
Colo. The three winning posts attended the World Youth Camp, a part of the
Olympic Games in Munich, Germany. Nearly 4 million
Scouts and Girl Scouts took part in Scouting Keep America Beautiful Day.
Operation Reach, a program against drug abuse, was launched. Six new regions
were organized to provide support and service to local councils. The National
Eagle Scout Association was launched. Kenneth L. Beale, Jr., was the 1972
Reader's Digest Association-BSA National Public Speaking Contest winner. Project
SOAR, the national conservation program, was continued. A total of nearly 48,000
needy Scouts and non-Scouts attended summer camp. Norton Clapp, Medina, Wash.,
was reelected president at the annual meeting in Los Angeles. Troop leader
evelopment was tested for the first time at Schiff and Philmont. Membership,
December 31, was 6,524,640. Total members to date, 53,308,308.
1973
A series of special annual programs was started in
preparation for the nation's bicentennial in 1976. The first, called GIFT (Get
Involved for Them), continues through August 1974. For the third successive
year, Project SOAR (Save Our American Resources) demonstrated good conservation
practices. The program highlight was the 1973 National Scout Jamboree held in
two sites-Moraine State Park, Pa., and Farragut State Park, Idaho-with more than
64,000 participants. At the National Council annual meeting in Minneapolis,
Robert W. Reneker was elected as president. Several million Scouts and leaders
joined with other organizations on Keep America Beautiful Day in a massive
effort to beautify America. An updated Cub Scout program was introduced,
adjusted to be more relevant to boys and their families. New Scout merit badges
introduced were Truck Transportation, Veterinary Science, Genealogy, Skating,
and Pulp and Paper. A Washington, D.C., bureau was established to represent the
national office. There were 2,500 Explorer post presidents or boatswains at the
National Explorer Presidents' Congress in Washington, D.C. The National Order of
the Arrow Conference was held at the University of California at Santa Barbara
with 4,300 participants. The National Eagle Scout
Association was formed. Membership on December 31, was 6,405,225. Total members
to date, 55,100,376.
1974
For the second
annual program in preparation for the nation's bicentennial, the theme was Be
Prepared for Life; Be Safe, Be Fit. The National Council Annual Meeting was held
in Honolulu, and Robert W. Reneker was reelected as president. Approval was
given to hold future National Council meetings on a biennial schedule. The First
National Eagle Scout Association meeting was held at Colorado State University,
Fort Collins, Colo., with nearly 300 participants. Project SOAR (Save Our
American Resources) program continued with Scouting Environment Day held on
April 27. Jamboree contingents from the BSA participated in the National
Jamboree in New Zealand, the Quebec Provincial Jamboree, and the Fifth Caribbean
Jamboree in Surinam. The Cub Scout Safe Bicycle Driving program and the Cub
Scout Physical Fitness program were introduced. New Scout merit badges were
introduced for Orienteering and Wilderness Survival. In April, 2,500 Explorer
presidents attended the Fourth Annual National Explorer Presidents' Congress in
Washington, D.C., and Mary Wright of Auburndale, Mass., was elected national
Explorer president-the first young woman to hold
the highest office in Exploring. The biennial national Explorer Olympics saw a
new high in Explorer sports competition. Despite a loss in members, Scouting
made
positive gains in 1974 in the quality of its program. Membership on
December 31 was 5,803,885. Total members to date, 56,626,408.
1975
Participation in the nation's bicentennial
accelerated with the theme Spirit of '76. Because of the biennial schedule for
National Council meetings, the national Executive Board elected Arch Monson,
Jr., as president. All Out for Scouting!, a 2-year program of troop programming
and troop leader training, was introduced to councils. Project SOAR (Save Our
American Resources) continued with an emphasis on energy conservation, and
Scouting Environment Day was observed on March 22. The 14th World Jamboree was
attended by 2,500 U.S. Scouts and leaders in Norway. The National Order of the
Arrow Conference was held at Miami University, Oxford, Ohio, in August. The
Fifth Annual National Explorer Presidents' Congress was held in
Washington,
D.C., with nearly 2,500 Explorer post presidents attending. Membership on
December 31 was 5,318,070. Total members to date, 58,014,193.
1976
The bicentennial year gave 56,712 Cub Scout packs,
61,283 Scout troops, and 22,540 Explorer posts the opportunity to participate in
the celebration of the 200th birthday of our nation. Sea Explorers served on
some of the sailing ships participating in Operation Sail in New York Harbor on
July 4. The Eagle Scout Bicentennial Celebration during the entire summer
enabled 750 Eagle Scouts and leaders to show Scouting skills in an exhibition on
the Mall in our nation's capital. More than 1,000 Scouts from around the world
were hosted by BSA Scouts across the U.S.A. Exploring
had two exciting major events-2,000 Explorers competed in the Bicentennial
Explorer Olympics in Fort Collins, Colo., and the National Explorer Presidents'
Congress attracted some 2,000 to Washington, D.C. During our biennial National
Council meeting held in New York, Arch Monson, Jr., of San Francisco, Calif.,
was elected to his second term as president of the Boy Scouts of America. The
Scouting/USA communicative symbol was unveiled at the meeting. Alden G. Barber,
Jr., resigned as Chief Scout Executive and Harvey L. Price, Scout Executive of
the Los Angeles Area Council, was chosen as his
successor. Thousands of members participated in energy conservation projects and
Project SOAR. Eagle badges were awarded to 27,687 Scouts. Fifteen Scouts and
Explorers met with Eagle Scout Gerald R. Ford, President of the United States,
to present the Report to the Nation during the 66th Anniversary Celebration in
February. Membership on December 31 was 4,884,082. Total members to date,
59,311,859.
1977
The observance of the
nation's bicentennial ended in August with 137,335 Cub Scout packs, Scout
troops, and Explorer posts completing activities related to the New Spirit of
'76. A new program theme, Wonderful World of Scouting, was introduced in the
fall. The 1977 National Scout Jamboree was held at Moraine State Park, Pa., with
28,601 participants. The national Executive Board elected Downing B. Jenks of
St. Louis, Mo., as president. At the request of President Jimmy Carter during
the annual Report to the Nation, a renewed emphasis was placed on energy
conservation, and Scouting Energy Day was observed in the fall by thousands of
energy conservation activities across the country. In addition, Scouting
Environment Day was held again in the spring. The National Explorer Presidents'
Congress was held in Washington, D.C., and the National Order of the Arrow
Conference convened at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville. The new
four-function plan of council and district operation was developed to be
introduced in early 1978. Delegations of Scouts and leaders took part in
national jamborees held in Australia, Canada, Iceland, and Jamaica.
Membership on December 31 was 4,718,138. Total members to date, 60,551,879.
1978
The new four-function plan of
council and district operation was introduced and was well received. Age changes
related to advancement for handicapped persons were approved. Over 300,000 Cub
Scouts attended 1,800 Cub Scout day camps conducted by local councils. The
annual National Explorer Presidents' Congress was held in Washington, D.C., and
the biennial National Explorer Olympics was held in Fort Collins, Colo. There
was a new emphasis on family camping as local council camp properties were being
made available. Philmont Scout Ranch and Explorer Base and the five other
national high-adventure bases had an attendance of 23,835. Volunteer training
was established as a major program function for the movement. Mark W.
Leinmiller, Marietta, Ga., was selected for the Antarctic Scientific Program,
sponsored by the National Science Foundation and the Reader's Digest
Association. Downing B. Jenks, St. Louis, Mo., was elected to his second term as
president during the 1978 National Council Meeting in Phoenix, Ariz. The annual
Report to the Nation was held in February and included a meeting with President
Jimmy Carter. A Tom C. Clark Award was established by the National Park
Foundation for outstanding conservation projects. A revised God and Country
program for Cub Scouts, Boy Scouts, and Explorers was announced, and the
National Protestant Committee on Scouting was organized. Parent-teacher
associations continued as the largest single user of the Scouting program. A
''celebrity'' public service advertising campaign was introduced and was headed
by former President and Eagle Scout Gerald R. Ford. Official contingents took
part in international Scouting events in Japan, Mexico, Israel, Canada, Taiwan,
Switzerland, Scotland, and Ireland. The United Way continued as the largest
source of support for local councils, and a Principles of Affiliation was
approved. The Boy Scouts of America concluded its fifth consecutive year without
a deficit. Membership on December 31, was
4,493,491. Total members to date, 61,898,410.
1979
The national office moved to Irving, Texas, after
25 years in New Jersey, the National Executive Institute was relocated to
Arlington, Texas, and the Johnston National Scouting Museum was temporarily
closed. Plans were completed for the Eastern Distribution Center to move to
Charlotte, N.C., in early 1980. John D. Murchison, Dallas, Texas, was
elected president but died shortly thereafter. Downing B. Jenks, St. Louis, Mo.,
agreed to continue as president. J. L. Tarr, Scout Executive of the Circle Ten
Council, Dallas, Texas, became Chief Scout Executive
upon the retirement of Harvey L. Price. The annual
Report to the Nation was held in February and included a meeting with President
Jimmy Carter. New editions of The Official Boy Scout Handbook and Wolf Cub Scout
Book were published. The Cub Scout Trainers' Wood Badge was approved following
field testing. The biennial National Order of the Arrow Conference was held at
Colorado State University in Fort Collins, and the annual National Explorer
Presidents' Congress was held in Washington, D.C. Other Explorer events were the
first National Law Enforcement Explorer Conference and the first National
Aviation Explorer Fly-In. Because the XV World Jamboree in Iran was postponed,
1,000 Boy Scouts and leaders attended Dalajamb in Sweden. ''Scouting . . . the
Better Life'' was announced as the 1980-82 national program theme. A grant of
$2,124,500 was given by the Fleischmann Foundation for a development program at
the high-adventure bases. A National Funding Division at the national office was
created, and a ''Campaign for Character'' was approved to raise $49 million for
national needs in the 1980s. Membership on December 31 was 4,284,469. Total
members to date, 63,388,065.
1980 { Top
of Page }
The 70th anniversary year
concluded with gains in both membership and units. Outfitted in colorful new
uniforms designed by Oscar de la Renta, the
movement advanced into
another decade of service to the nation. In support of
the 1980
National Census, Cub Scouts, Boy Scouts, and Explorers passed out
fliers to houses and apartments across the country urging
participation in the
census taking. Cub Scouting celebrated its 50th
anniversary during 1980 and
was highlighted by the registration of the
30 millionth Cub Scout since 1930.
The annual Report to the Nation
presentation ceremony was held in February,
with youth representatives
of Scouting's three divisions having the opportunity
to meet with
President Jimmy Carter. Dr. Thomas C. MacAvoy of Corning,
N.Y., was
elected president of the BSA during the 1980 National Council
meeting
in New Orleans, La. A new Official Patrol Leader Handbook was
issued,
giving strong emphasis to the patrol method for instilling qualities of
leadership. A year-long health education program called ''The Fabulous
Human
Machine,'' funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, was
introduced to emphasize the tenets of the Scout Oath, ''. . . To keep myself
physically strong,
mentally awake, and morally straight.'' More than
1,200 Explorers and leaders attended the 10th National Explorer Presidents'
Congress in Phoenix, Ariz., and more than 2,300 participants took part in the
biennial National Explorer Olympics in Fort Collins, Colo. The first National
Explorer Winter Olympics was held in Squaw Valley, Calif., featuring
Olympic-style competition in downhill and cross-country skiing, biathlon, and
skating. In cooperation with the U.S. Department of Energy, kits containing
materials related to energy education and conservation were sent
to councils throughout America. An agreement was signed
with the Heritage Conservation and Recreation Service of the U.S. Department of
the Interior whereby Boy Scout troops and Explorer posts would monitor natural
landmarks administered by HCRS. More than 500 Boy Scouts and leaders represented
BSA at jamborees and activities in Switzerland, Scotland, Denmark, and Canada. A
fire destroyed the second floor of the national office in November, but
rebuilding plans were prepared immediately and satellite offices were leased to
provide space for displaced employees until
reconstruction was completed. Membership on December 31 was 4,326,082. Total
members to date, 64,840,661.
1981
For
the second consecutive year, the Boy Scouts of America showed gains in
membership and total units. The 10th National Scout Jamboree was held at Fort A.
P. Hill, Va., July 29-August 4, with more than 30,000 boys and leaders
participating from across the U.S. and 22 other countries. The annual Report to
the Nation, which included a visit with President Ronald Reagan, was held in
February. Dr. Thomas C. MacAvoy, Corning, N.Y., was reelected president. The
National Explorer Presidents' Congress was held in Indianapolis, Ind., and the
National Order of the Arrow Conference convened at the
University of Texas at Austin. Philmont Scout Ranch and four other national
high-adventure bases had attendance of 15,517. A new Official Scoutmaster
Handbook
was released, completing the trilogy of basic literature of Boy
Scouting. Murray, Ky., was picked as the site for thenew Boy Scout Museum.Nearly
64,000 Cub Scouts, Boy Scouts, and Explorers earned religious emblems while
4,140 adult volunteers received religious recognition. More than 3,000 Boy
Scouts and leaders represented BSA at jamborees and Scouting events in
Switzerland, Scotland, Denmark, and Canada. The year-long program emphasis,
''Save Our American Resources (SOAR) . . . for the Better
Life,'' continued through August 1982. Membership on December 31 was 4,355,723.
Total members to date, 70,774,443.
1982
A milestone in the history of the BSA was passed in September with the
registering of the millionth Eagle Scout, Alexander M. Holsinger. For the
third consecutive year, the BSA showed gains in membership and units. ''Shaping
Tomorrow,'' a project aimed at developing an effective strategy for addressing
crucial issues of the 1980s, was initiated in January. Four of the program
concepts from Foundations for Growth-Tiger Cubs, BSA; Bear Enrichment; Prepared
for Today; and Explorer Marketing-were field tested and implemented. ''Campaign
for Character'' continued through 1982 with $40 million of the $49 million goal
reported as of December 31. Representatives from Scouting's three program
divisions presented the annual Report to the Nation and had the opportunity to
meet President Ronald Reagan. Edward C. Joullian III of Oklahoma City, Okla.,
was elected president of the BSA during the 1982 National Council meeting in
Atlanta, Ga. The National Explorer Presidents' Congress was held at
Philadelphia, Pa., and the National Explorer Olympics convened at Fort Collins,
Colo. Cub Scouting published the Cub Scout Leader Book which combines five
separate books-the Cubmaster's Pack Book, the Den Leader's Handbook, the Webelos
Leader's Book, the Den Leaders Coach Book, and the Pack Committee Book-into
one volume. Philmont Scout Ranch and the other four
high-adventure bases had an attendance of 24,833. The Backpacking merit badge
was introduced. ''Catch the Scouting Spirit'' was announced as the national
program theme for 1983-84. More than 3,800 Boy Scouts and leaders took part in
international Scouting events in Canada, Australia, China, and Liechtenstein.
Membership, December 31, was 4,542,449. Total members to date, 68,140,738.
1983
The Boy Scouts of America showed
gains in both membership and units for the fourth consecutive year. The Shaping
Tomorrow project began implementing better methods of marketing, servicing, and
delivering of our full program and mission. Shaping Tomorrow included strategy
and structural recommendations for strengthening the organization. Campaign for
Character culminated with $52.5 million reported; this was $3.5 million over the
goal for financing major needs in the 1980s. The annual Report to the Nation
presentation ceremony was held in February, with youth representatives of
Scouting's three divisions having the opportunity to meet with President Ronald
Reagan. The Boy Scouts of America received the Margaret Pope Hovey Award from
the President's Committee on Employment of the Handicapped for outstanding
contributions to ehabilitation and employment of handicapped persons. The BSA
had registered more than 200,000 youth with handicapping conditions. Tiger Cubs,
BSA, for 7-year-old boys and their adult partners began its second year of
existence providing 123,000 families an opportunity to grow closer together (the
Tiger Cub motto: Search, Discover, Share). Pilot testing of Varsity Scouting, a
program for boys 14 through 17, was concluded with a recommendation for
implementation to begin in 1984. Varsity Scouting places emphasis on
advancement, high adventure, service, personal development, and special programs
and events. Explorer membership reached its highest level, increasing by 25.2
percent over last year, which included 354,286 Career Awareness Explorers. ''The
Great Outdoor Quest'' became the theme for Scout camping as troop camping
increased more than 6 percent and Scout attendance increased by 5 percent. The
National Order of the Arrow Conference was held in
August at Rutgers
University, New Brunswick, N.J. Order of the Arrow membership increased by
almost 7,000 since 1982. This was the year for both the XV World Scout Jamboree
and the 29th World Conference. The jamboree was held July 4-16, in Kananaskis
Country, a provincial park in the Canadian Rockies. The Boy Scouts of America
hosted the World Conference in Detroit, Mich., in July with representatives from
more than 100 countries. Membership on December 31, 1983, was 4,688,953. Total
members to date, 70,014,715.
1984
Sanford N. McDonnell of St. Louis, Mo., was elected President of the BSA during
the 1984 National Council Meeting in Salt Lake City, Utah. The third edition of
the Fieldbook was produced. Introduction to Family Camping was published and the
Family Camping Association was launched. The new association sought to enhance
the richness of family life through experiences in the out-of-doors. Dioxin
contamination was discovered at the site of the 1981 National Scout Jamboree,
Fort A. P. Hill, Va. After extensive soil testing, it was determined that the
extent of any exposure was no danger to
individuals who attended the 1981 jamboree and the 1985 jamboree would be held
at this facility as originally planned. The Boy Scouts of America completed its
fifth
consecutive year of membership gain. Varsity Scouting, for boys 14
through 17, was launched nationwide, accompanied by a full complement of
literature, training, and program materials. More than 2,000 Varsity Scout teams
were organized, serving about 30,000 Varsity Scouts. Exploring membership showed
a dramatic increase in 1984, primarily a result of the phenomenal success
of Career Awareness and in-school Exploring. The
National Eagle Scout Association awarded 30 $3,000 college scholarships from the
W. P. Clements National Eagle Scout Scholarship Fund and 6 $1,000 grants from
the Elks foundation. The Whitney M. Young, Jr., Service Award was presented to
36 individuals and organizations in recognition of their outstanding service to
youth in low-income situations. Membership on December 31, 1984, was 4,748,511.
Total members to date, 72,014,206.
1985
The Boy Scouts of America celebrated its 75th anniversary. ''Pride in the Past .
. . Footsteps to the Future'' was the theme that told the story through exciting
events conducted during the year. Ben H. Love became the BSA's eighth Chief
Scout Executive. The high point of the year was the 11th National Scout Jamboree
held July 24-30, at Fort A. P. Hill, Va. More than 32,000 Scouts and leaders
from around the world attended this event. First Lady Nancy Reagan was a special
visitor at the jamboree. During May, June, and July, the BSA lit a Heritage
Campfire outside every state capitol. Campfire ashes were placed in a
wooden box the shape of that state. The box was added to a Heritage
Campfire Caravan which began in Washington State and traveled 7,600 miles
through the country and through 40 state capitals. Following 3 months on the
road, the caravan arrived at the site of the 1985 National Scout Jamboree, its
final destination. A BSA history book titled The Boy Scouts: An American
Adventure was produced in cooperation with author Robert W. Peterson and
American Heritage Publishing Company. Youth membership increased for the sixth
consecutive year, registering a 2.7 percent gain over 1984. Cub Scouting .
introduced a new emphasis on Cub Scout sports. The Order of the Arrow presented
104 camperships totaling more than $4,000 to
American-Indian Boy Scouts. Membership in the Order of the Arrow increased
significantly versus 1984. The BSA Scouting for the Handicapped program was
cited for its innovative approaches in serving the handicapped and was the
recipient of the 1985 National Organization on Disability Award. Membership on
December 31, 1985, was 4,845,040. Total members to date, 73,639,425.
1986
On September 1, the Boy Scouts of
America took a new and dramatic step to serve boys in all school grades.
Membership requirements for Tiger Cubs and Cub Scouts became primarily based on
grade in school, rather than age. The plan was expanded to included first-grade
boys as Tiger Cubs and second-grade boys as Wolf Cub Scouts. The program
included plans for expanding Webelos Scouting to 2 years for fourth- and
fifth-graders. In the first 4 months of the expanded program, Cub Scout
membership increased by 14.3 percent compared to the previous year. The BSA was
touched by the tragic Challenger disaster. Two of the crew members were active
in Scouting as youths. Lt. Col. Ellison S. Onizuka attained the Eagle rank in
1964 in Holualoa, Hawaii. Dr. Ronald E. McNair reached Star rank as a youth in
Lake City, S.C. Boys' Life magazine, one of the 50 largest magazines in the
nation, celebrated its 75th anniversary. The biennial meeting of the National
Council held in Louisville, Ky., brought some 2,600 key volunteer and
professional leaders in Scouting together. Charles M. Pigott, president of
PACCAR, Inc., Bellevue, Wash., was elected president. The National Court of
Honor presented 19 Honor Medals, 71 Heroism Awards, and 189 Medals of Merit.
There were 26,840 youths that advanced to the rank of Eagle Scout and 13 Sea
Explorers who received the Quartermaster Award. The Distinguished Eagle Scout
Award was presented to 58 outstanding men. In response to a request by President
Reagan, the BSA conducted a nationwide Donor Awareness Good Turn to inform
American families of the urgent need for donated human organs and tissue.
Families were encouraged to discuss their wishes related to
providing ''a gift of life'' when a member dies suddenly. Some 597,823 Scouts
across the country distributed more than l4 million brochures to families in
their local neighborhoods and communities. More than 2 million mailing inserts
were distributed by 125 public service institutions. The Good Turn message was
delivered by 346 newspapers to an estimated audience of more than 21 million
readers. The BSA ended 1986 with a 7.5 percent increase, its seventh consecutive
year of membership increase and the largest in 30 years. Membership on December
31, 1986, was 5,170,979. Total members to date, 83,686,624.
1987
The Boy Scouts of America began to address five
''unacceptables'' in American society-drug abuse, hunger, child abuse,
illiteracy, and youth unemployment. The nation's largest anti-drug abuse
education campaign was launched with release of eight million copies of a
booklet titled Drugs: A Deadly Game for members, chartered organizations,
schools, and local institutions. Included in the anti-drug package were a
videotape; a poster showing how drugs, alcohol, and smoking damage the human
body; and a guide for teachers and parents. The BSA began planning a food
collection drive for 1988 to combat hunger. To help parents, teachers, and Scout
leaders deal with child abuse, a booklet called Child Abuse: Let's Talk About It
was distributed. A second booklet, Child Sexual Abuse: How to Deal with It, was
released for training professional and volunteer Scouters. To meet the challenge
of youth unemployment, the national Exploring Division promoted Career Awareness
Exploring, which exposes high school students to various vocations and shows
them what is required to be successful in the adult job market. The division
also renewed its effort to encourage major corporations to support Exploring in
the communities they serve. The effort, called the Exploring Impact Plan,
resulted in the organization of 800 new Explorer posts. The Boy Scout Division
reemphasized the importance of a Scout advancing steadily to First Class rank;
new materials to foster advancement were made available to troops. New troop
leaders were given help for immediate training with the release of three Fast
Start videotapes explaining their sponsibilities. Cub Scout leaders also
received Fast Start videos that discussed their positions. A new edition of the
Webelos Scout Book, featuring five new activity badges boys could earn,
was published. More Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts went
camping this year; total camping participation rose to 817,582 youths, an
increase of 8 percent over that of 1986. About 3,000 BSA members attended the
16th World Jamboree in Australia. For the eighth consecutive year, the BSA's
youth membership increased; the gain was 3.5 percent. Total membership on
December 31, 1987, was 5,347,098. Total members to date, 78,353,590.
1988
The largest national Good Turn
since World War II was held in November when Scouting for Food sent the BSA's
youth and adult leaders into their neighborhoods to collect food for the needy.
The harvest was more than 60 million containers of food. Cooperating in the
drive were Quaker Oats, United Way of America, the National Guard, scores of
food store chains, and many local organizations. Drugs: A Deadly Game was again
used by thousands of Scouting units, schools, and community organizations to
educate young people to the hazards of drugs, alcohol, and tobacco. Coca Cola
USA lent its support to the campaign, which received the prestigious 1988
Presidential Citation for Private Sector Initiatives. In its efforts to reduce
child abuse, the BSA distributed two publications, How to Protect Your Children
from Child Abuse and Drug Abuse: A Parent's Guide, plus a videotape with an
instructor's guide for training volunteer leaders. A 2-year Webelos Scouting
program was introduced; for the first time fourth-graders were eligible to
become Webelos Scouts. Henceforth, both fourth- and fifth-graders could
participate in Webelos Scouting to prepare for Boy Scouting. Resident camping
for Cub Scouts was approved, and many councils opened weeklong camps for Cub
Scouts while continuing to operate Cub Scout day camps. Boy Scouting received a
big boost in March from a closed-circuit teleconference broadcast nationwide by
satellite. Television personality Hugh Downs, a longtime Scouting supporter,
hosted the teleconference, which led to the organization of 8,132 new troops.
The Exploring Impact Plan was continued and brought scores of national
corporations into sponsorship of Exploring. The Exploring Division also
implemented ExplorEmphasis, a program to increase membership and the number of
special-interest Explorer posts through improved training of volunteer and
professional Scouters. At the biennial meeting of the National Council in San
Diego, Calif., Eagle Scout Harold S. Hook, chairman and chief executive officer
of American General Corp., was elected BSA president. Youth membership rose by
1.3 percent, the ninth straight annual increase. Total membership on December
31, 1988, was 5,377,493. Total members to date, 80,589,269.
1989
The 12th National Jamboree at Fort A. P. Hill, Va.,
drew 33,000 Scouts and leaders for a week's worth of challenges and fun. A
highlight was the appearance of President Bush, who praised the Scouting
movement for its fight against drug abuse. ''You are leading the youth of
America by example,'' the President said. Boy Scout advancement and troop
operation were revamped to give Scouts a more contemporary program. The changes
brought by the new Troop Operations Plan included separate patrols for new
Scouts, new advancement requirements to foster a
Scout's progress, enhanced activities for Scouts
with a year or so of experience, and advanced activities for older Scouts. The
changes are reflected in the 10th edition of the Boy Scout Handbook, which was
scheduled for release in January 1990. Cub Scouting instituted a ''Renewal Plan
for Separated Cub Scouts'' to invite dropouts back into the program. Local
councils that tried the plan reported a 40 to 50 percent return of dropouts. The
Exploring Division continued ExplorEmphasis for the second year, seeking to
expand and improve Exploring in local councils. To help market the program,
videos titled Let's Go Exploring and A Choice to Participate were introduced.
The BSA continued its attack on the ''unacceptables.'' The second annual
Scouting for Food drive netted 72 million
containers of food for the
nation's needy. A new package of materials for Drugs: A Deadly Game was
distributed. It included an 18-page brochure, a comic book-style true story of a
Drug Enforcement Administration agent, a body chart showing the effects of
drugs, alcohol, and smoking on the human body, and a teacher's guide. Advice for
preventing sexual abuse of children was incorporated into all training of adult
Scouters, and a video called A Time to Tell was produced for
showing to Boy Scout troops. The BSA continued its effort to reduce illiteracy
by establishing a book service called BSA Book Power. Youth membership rose by
.3 percent, the 10th consecutive year of gain. Total membership on December 31,
1989, was 5,363,593. Total members to date, 82,998,087.
1990 { Top of Page }
The
Boy Scouts of America responded to the needs of youth with a vision that was
both global in its scope and local in its effectiveness. A National Council
contingent travelled to the Kremlin to explore Scouting opportunities in the
USSR, and then to the Vatican to present Pope John Paul II with the BSA's
Distinguished Citizen of the World Commendation. The emerging Scout associations
of Hungary and Czechoslovakia received grants from the BSA's World Friendship
Fund. Across America, the new 10th edition of the Boy Scout Handbook enjoyed
overwhelming endorsement from Scouts, the public, and the media. Among its
messages were guidelines to help Scouts fight the five ''unacceptables'' of drug
abuse, hunger, child abuse, illiteracy, and youth unemployment. It also helped
Scouts realize the importance of caring for the environment and encouraged them
to roll up their sleeves and go to work for the land. The initial demand for a
million copies of the manual brought the total circulation of the Handbook since
1910 to 33,860,000. Each copy of the new
manual contained the Scouting
publication How to Protect Your Children from Child Abuse and Drug Abuse: A
Parent's Guide. Coupled with Drugs: A Deadly Game, it provided parents,
teachers, and other adults with the most informative educational materials
available. In its third year, the BSA's Scouting for Food National Good Turn
again flooded the nation's food banks with canned goods. President George Bush
honored the program for its 1989 success with a Presidential End Hunger Award.
Training opportunities for Scout leaders were enhanced by the opening of the new
Center for Professional Development in Westlake, Texas, to house
BSA's Professional Development Division. Eagle Scout
Richard H. Leet, executive vice-president of AMOCO Corporation, was
elected president of the BSA, thus ensuring the continuation of superb national
leadership. Youth membership rose by 1.4 percent, the 11th straight annual
increase. On December 31, 1990, total membership was 5,445,899. Total members to
date, 85,292,091.
1991
Scouting
continued to respond to pressing societal changes by seeking new ways to meet
young people's needs. A primary goal-to contact all youth who would benefit from
Scouting-was furthered by the BSA's Learning for Life subsidiary, which took a
values-based curriculum into the classroom to reach children who would not
otherwise be in a character-building youth program. Reaching out to a
growing segment of the population, Hispanic Emphasis placed professional staff
in local councils to support Scouting in Hispanic communities. Cub Scouting
introduced two programs: Ethics in Action to promote ethical decision
making, and the BSA family program to strengthen the family from within.
Membership grew for the tenth consecutive year in Tiger Cubs, BSA; participation
increased in Cub Scouting's day, family, and resident camping. Boy
Scouting's outdoor programs also expanded. New outdoor skills instruction
seminars increased Scout leaders' confidence in teaching skills to Scouts.
A newly published Conservation Handbook promised to become an essential
reference for Scout leaders and conservation project managers. The TRAIL Boss
program (Teaching Resources And Individual Leadership) was developed by
BSA and seven federal agencies to teach volunteers conservation skills. Four new
merit badge subjects were introduced. More than a thousand BSA members attended
the 17th World Jamboree in Korea. Scouts continued to combat the five
unacceptables-drug abuse, child abuse, illiteracy, youth unemployment, and
hunger. The national Good Turn, Scouting for Food, was the largest food
collection effort in the United States in 1991.
Exploring emphasized career preparation for young men and women through
formation of community-sponsored posts; a new video, Moments in Common,
introduced values-based post Advisor training. The DeWitt Wallace-Reader's
Digest Fund awarded a $2.3 million grant for BSA professional recruitment.
Redbook magazine's October 1991 issue carried sixteen pages about
Scouting; the special supplement titled ''The Adventure Begins!'' drew an
enthusiastic response from parents. In a year that saw several eastern European
countries determined to provide Scouting for their young people, BSA
funded training for Scout leaders from the former Soviet Union, funded the
writing of the Russian Scout handbook, sponsored the first Czechoslovakian and
Hungarian youth leaders participating in the International Camp Staff program,
and hosted a Czechoslovakian Scouting professional at BSA National Executive
Institute training. On December 31, 1991, total BSA membership was 5,319,226.
Total members to date, 87,158,867.
1992
The Boy Scouts of America moved forward to meet the future with a commitment to
make Scouting more widely available than ever. Analysis of future needs led to
implementation of the BSA's new Strategic Plan to guide the Scouting movement
through the 1990s and prepare it for the twenty-first century. The plan
restructured the six BSA regions into four and addressed the need for local
councils to prepare to serve the steadily increasing number of youths who could
benefit from Scouting. A new Urban Emphasis encouraged Cub Scout packs, Boy
Scout troops, and Explorer posts to form in low-income and minority communities.
Hispanic Emphasis, in its third year, increased the bilingual publication of
couting literature to serve Spanish-speaking parents and leaders. A grant from
the DeWitt Wallace-Reader's Digest Fund launched a college internship program
aimed at enlarging the pool of female and ethnic minority candidates for
professional Scouting positions. School-based Learning for Life, designed to
teach positive values and life skills in a classroom setting, completed its
first full year of operation; nearly 700,000 youth participated. Committed to
assisting the emerging Association of Siberian Scouts, the BSA sent an
experienced Scouting professional to work in Siberia, and facilitated the first
Scout exchange between BSA local councils and Scouts in Perm, Russia. A Cub
Scout Academics program debuted. Boy Scout summer camping attracted 70.1 percent
of Scout troops and 55.2 percent of all Scouts, the highest percentages on
record. Exciting new outdoor and service adventures were introduced through the
TRAIL Boss program for conservation education and natural resource stewardship.
Emphasis on growth in traditional Exploring resulted in substantial
increases in membership and posts. The national Good Turn, Scouting for Food,
was once again the nation's largest food collection effort. The ability of
Scouts and leaders to respond at a moment's notice was demonstrated in the wake
of Hurricane Andrew, when Scouts brought to the devastated area food, clothing,
and hands to help. John L. Clendenin, chairman and chief executive officer of
BellSouth Corporation and a Silver Buffalo Award recipient, was elected national
BSA president. Jere B. Ratcliffe, a Distinguished Eagle Scout, was chosen to
succeed Ben H. Love as Chief Scout Executive, the BSA's top professional leader
(assuming office in 1993). On December 31, 1992, total BSA membership was
5,339,660. Total members to date, 88,830,141.
1993
On February 1, Jere B. Ratcliffe became the Boy
Scouts of America's ninth Chief Scout Executive. The BSA implemented programs to
advance its National Strategic Plan in four areas critical to growth and a
quality Scouting program: traditional unit growth, Urban Emphasis, ndowment
emphasis, and positive public relations. To go where youth are and where
Scouting is most needed, the BSA devised strategies to bring Scouting to the
nation's urban areas. With the new Operation First Class initiative, efforts to
reach urban youth received board-level attention from local councils.
Professional staff members from councils throughout the nation participated in
seminars on the needs of urban youth. A new Train-the-Trainer Conference manual
was produced to train the people who train leaders in Cub Scouting, Boy
Scouting, Varsity Scouting, Exploring, commissioner service, and district and
council Scouting. Nearly 480,000 Boy Scouts, representing more than 55 percent
of Scout membership and more than 70 percent of units, went camping in
1993. Cub Scout camping drew nearly 573,000 youth, including 5,000 new campers.
Nearly 26,000 boys ages 12 to 18, from every state and sixty-four
countries, attended the 1993 National Scout Jamboree at Fort A.P. Hill,
Virginia. More than 25,000 youth participated in challenging outdoor activities
at the BSA's high-adventure bases. The Council Exploring Growth Plan achieved
its third consecutive year of membership growth, adding 13,810 to Exploring's
1992 membership. More schools adopted the BSA's popular Learning for Life
program. In its second year of operation, Learning for Life brought positive
values and essential life skills to nearly 738,000 students in classrooms
nationwide. Educators and council professionals
attended the first Learning for Life conference. Organizers of the Scouting
movement in the countries of the former Soviet Union turned to the BSA for help
in producing the first Russian Scout Handbook; 20,000 copies were distributed.
The BSA established a new award, named the James E. West Fellowship Award in
honor of the first Chief Scout Executive, to recognize major contributors to
council endowment trust funds. On December 31, 1993, total BSA membership
was 5,355,401. Total members to date, 90,525,242.