Boy Scouts Of America Events

1908 Jan 15 Scouting for Boys: A Handbook for Instruction in Good Citizenship is Published
The 1908 edition of Scouting for Boys by Robert Baden-Powell is an extraordinary book that kicked off a movement that has changed the world. Much of it is practical advice not just on ...
1910 Feb 8 Boy Scouts of America Founded
The Boy Scouts of America was incorporated February 8, 1910 under the laws of the District of Columbia Thirty-four national representatives of boys’ work agencies met, June 21 in a ...
1910 Feb 8 W.D. Boyce founds the Boy Scouts of America
Boyce was lost on a foggy street in London in 1909 when an unknown Scout came to his aid, guiding him to his destination. The boy then refused Boyce's tip, explaining that he was a Boy Sc...
1911 Jan 1 First Issue of 'Boy's Life' is Published
In 1911, George S. Barton, of Somerville, Massachusetts, founded, and published the first edition of Boys' Life magazine. It was edited by 18-year old Joe Lane of Providence, Rhode Island...
1911 Apr 10 Camp Fire Girls of America is Founded
In 1910, young girls in Thetford, Vermont, watched their brothers, friends, and schoolmates – all Boy Scouts – practice their parts in the community's 150th anniversary, which would be ce...
1912 Sea Scouting Becomes an Official Program of the Boy Scouts of America
Almost from the start of the Scouting program in the US in 1910, the issue of the "older boy problem" arose. The age of Boy Scouts ran from 12 to 17. There was always a problem of how ...
1912 Mar 12 The Girl Scouts of the United States of America is Founded
Girl Scouting in the United States of America began on 12 March 1912 when Juliette "Daisy" Gordon Low organized the first Girl Scout troop meeting of 18 girls in Savannah, Georgia. Low, w...
1912 Sep 2 Arthur Rose Eldred Becomes the first Eagle Scout
Eldred completed the required 21 merit badges for Eagle in April of 1912. In the August 1912 issue of Boy’s Life, Eldred was listed in the Honor Roll section as having received the follo...
1915 The 'Order of the Arrow' is Founded
"The Order of the Arrow is a 'thing of the spirit' rather than of mechanics. Organization, operational procedure, and paraphernalia are necessary in any large and growing movement, but the..." —E. Urner Goodman, Founder of the Order of the Arrow
1916 Boy Scouts of America is Granted a Congressional Charter
The National Council is the corporate membership of the Boy Scouts of America and is administered by paid professional Scouters and volunteer Scouters. Members include the elected Nationa...
1920 Jul 30
to 1920 Aug 8
 First 'World Scout Jamboree' is Held
"Brother Scouts. Differences exist between the peoples of the world in thought and sentiment, just as they do in language and physique. The Jamboree has taught us that if we exercise mutua..." —Robert Stephenson Smyth Baden-Powell, Founder of the Scout Movement
1926 First 'Silver Buffalo' Awards Presented
Lieutenant General Sir Robert Stephenson Smyth Baden-Powell is a man of 69, with upright carriage and snapping eye, such as become a veteran who has campaigned in Zululand, Ashanti, Matab...
1930 Cub Scout Program Begins
The national Executive Board heard the Hurt committee Report and approved the Cub program "controlled experiment" as of February 10. They authorized Cub packs to register with BSA startin...
1933 Oct 18 Mortimer L. Schiff Scout Reservation is Founded
Mortimer L. Schiff was a member of the Council Executive Board and involved in the purchase of the camp property. He then later served as President of the Boy Scouts of America. The origi...
1938 Philmont Scout Ranch is Founded
Waite Phillips believed in sharing his wealth with people outside his family. In this spirit, he offered 35,857 acres of his ranch to the Boy Scouts of America in 1938 to serve as a nat...
1940 Irving Berlin Assigns Royalties from 'God Bless America' to the Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts of America
In 1938, with the rise of Hitler, Berlin, who was Jewish, and a first-generation European immigrant, felt it was time to revive it as a "peace song", and it was introduced on an Armistice...
1950 The Boy Scouts of America Celebrate their 40th Anniversary with 'Strengthen the Arm of Liberty' Campaign
On May 27, 1950, nearly 1,000 Boy Scouts marched through downtown Cheyenne, Wyo., on their way to the state capitol grounds to dedicate an eight-foot-tall replica of the Statue of Liberty...
1981 Oscar De La Renta Redesigns the Boy Scout Uniform
The most complete overhaul of the Boy Scout uniform in nearly 60 years occurred in 1980. Fashion designer Oscar de la Renta donated his services for a two-year project of remaking all uni...
1984 The Boy Scouts of America Introduce 'Varsity Scouting' Program
"As a Varsity Scout I, will: Live by the Scout Oath (Promise), Law, motto, and slogan; Honor the dignity and worth of all persons; Promote the cause of freedom; and Do my best to be a good..." —Varsity Scout Guidebook, 2000 Edition
1998 Feb 9 Boy Scouts of America Founds the 'Venturing' Program
Venturing is part of the program of the Boy Scouts of America for young adults, men and women, from the age of 14 years old or 13 years old and completed eighth grade through 21. Its p...
2010 Feb 8 The Boy Scouts of America Celebrates its 100th Anniversary
About 45,000 Boy Scouts and their leaders from around the country gathered in Virginia to celebrate Boy Scouts of America's 100th anniversary, only a small number of the people that have ...