Boy Scout Handbook

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The Boy Scout Handbook is the official handbook of the Boy Scouts of America. Robert Baden-Powell's handbook, Scouting for Boys, has been the basis for Scout handbooks in many countries, with some variations from country to country to the text of the book depending on that country's codes and customs.

The original edition of the handbook was based on B-P's work. Ernest Thompson Seton combined his Woodcraft manual, the Birch Bark Rolls, with B-P's Scouting for Boys. Subsequent works were done by other authors. William "Green Bar Bill" Hillcourt did the 6th, 7th, and 9th edition. Robert Birkby has written the 10th and 11th editions.

Contents

1 The Original Edition
2 1st Edition
3 Later editions
4 External links

The Original Edition

A Handbook of Woodcraft, Scouting, and Life-craft was published in 1910, the year that William D. Boyce instituted the Boy Scouts of America. Written by Ernest Seton and drawing greatly on Lord Robert Baden-Powell's Scouting for Boys, it included information on the organization of Scouting, signs and signalling, and camping, as well as Scouting games and a description of several Scouting honours. Notably, this book did not place emphasis on first aid, knife and axe use, or map and compasswork, as later editions would. Because this edition of was intended solely as a temporary guide until an authoritative handbook could be made, it is now known as 'The Original'. The cover art was an illustration by Baden-Powell. 68,900 copies printed were printed from 1910—1911.

1st Edition

The Official Handbook for Boys (1911-14) The The Official Handbook for Boys was published in 1911. In this edition, the American Scouting program was standardized, albeit with many omissions and mistakes (cf. external links). As with the Original Edition, many now-standard Scouting skills were passed over, including knife and axe and map and compasswork.

The book describes many Scoutlike virtues and qualifications. After a lengthy section on what a Scout should know, including chivalry, history, and national issues, we read that "In short, to be a good Scout is to be a well-developed, well-informed boy."

Later editions

Boy Scout Handbook/2nd Edition The Official Handbook for Boys (1914-27)
Boy Scout Handbook/3rd Edition Revised Handbook for Boys (1927-40)
Boy Scout Handbook/4th Edition Revised Handbook for Boys (1940-48)
Boy Scout Handbook/5th Edition Handbook for Boys (1948-59)
Boy Scout Handbook/6th Edition Boy Scout Handbook (1959-65)
Boy Scout Handbook/7th Edition Boy Scout Handbook (1965-72)
Boy Scout Handbook/8th Edition Scout Handbook (1972-79)
Boy Scout Handbook/9th Edition Official Boy Scout Handbook (1979-90)
Boy Scout Handbook/10th Edition Boy Scout Handbook (1990-1998)
Boy Scout Handbook/11th Edition Boy Scout Handbook (1998-present)

External links

[Troop 97 History of the Boy Scout Handbook] (this site has been used as a source)
Peterson, Robert (September 1999). [The Perfect Book for a Desert Island]. Scouting Magazine.

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