Historical merit badges help Boy Scouts celebrate Scouting’s past

Requirements

The following new, or should I say OLD merit badges will count are now available for you to earn as electives for rank advancement. They are Signaling, Pathfinding, Tracking and Carpentry

In honor of the BSA’s 100th Anniversary, Scouts will get the unique opportunity to experience some of the activities their predecessors enjoyed. That’s possible thanks to the BSA’s new Historical Merit Badge Program, a set of four discontinued merit badges that today’s Scouts can earn.

Boys can earn any or all of these merit badges:

Signaling

• Which was first offered in 1910 and discontinued in 1992.
• A Sample of the requirement: build a simple buzzer or blinker capable of sending Morse code messages, and send a message of at least 35 words; send and receive messages using semaphore flags at a rate of at least 30 letters per minute.

Probably the most difficult of the resurrected badges is Signaling. Scouts will need to learn both Morse Code and Semaphore. Build your own Morse Code signalers, or take a trip to the Washington State History Museum in Tacoma, where they have Morse Code stations set up. For Semaphore, find out which parents are affiliated with the Navy. Or contact the Sea Scouts at the SSS Hurricane in Port Orchard. There are some of the Scouters on board the USS Turner Joy possess this skill. An overnighter on that restored ship may be the perfect time and place for your Scouts to learn this skill.

Tracking

The kindler, gentler BSA term for the second badge is now Tracking. It used to be Stalking. Understandable why it was changed.

• Which was first offered in 1911 (as Stalker merit badge) and discontinued in 1952.
• A Sample of the requirements: recognize the tracks of 10 different animals; give evidence to show you have tracked at least two different kinds of birds or animals, documenting their speed and direction.

 Pathfinding

• First offered in 1911 and discontinued in 1952.

Requirements:
1. Demonstrate a general knowledge of the district within a three-mile radius of the local Scout Headquarters, or his house so as to be able to guide people at any time day or night to points within this area.
2. Know the population of the five principal neighboring towns and cities as selected by his Guide or Counselor. Demonstrate direction for reaching them from Scout Headquarters or his house.
3. If in the country, know the breeds of horses, cattle, sheep and hogs owned on the five neighboring farms; if in the city, demonstrate directions to tourist camp and to five places for purchasing food supplies.
4. Demonstrate how to direct tourists from his home to gas, oil, tire, and general auto repair.
5. Give telephone number, if any, and directions for reaching the nearest police station, fire-fighting apparatus, Court House or Municipal Building, the nearest Country Farm Agent’s office, doctor, veterinarian and hospital.
6. Know something of the history of his community and the location of its principal places of interest and public buildings.
7. Submit a scale map, not necessarily drawn by himself, upon which he has personally indicated as much of the above-required information

Carpentry

The Carpentry badge, first offered in 1911 and discontinued in 1952, offers boys an introduction to construction. Most of the badge is learning how to use tools, but there is a furniture making requirement as well. This is great to pair with either Home Repairs or Woodwork. You might even turn this into a troop project, repairing a senior’s home.

Requirements:
1. Demonstrate the use of the rule, square, level, plumb-line, miter, chalk-line and bevel.
2. Demonstrate the proper way to drive, set, and clinch a nail; draw a spike with a claw-hammer; and to join two pieces of wood with screws.
3. Show correct use of the cross-cut saw and of the rip-saw.
4. Show how to plane the edge, end and the broad surface of a board.
5. Demonstrate how to lay shingles.
6. Make a simple article of furniture for practical use in the home or on the home grounds, finished in a workmanlike manner, all work to be done without assistance.

These are all great opportunities to earn merit badges…but there’s one catch: You must start and finish all requirements within the year 2010. So if you built furniture at last year’s summer camp, for the Carpentry merit badge it won’t count because all of the requirements have to be done in 2010. And after Dec. 31, 2010, these merit badges will go back on the “retired” list.

If this is a program you want to bring to your troop, the BSA suggests you track down merit badge counselors soon. For Carpentry, contact a local cabinet-making business. A nearby Homeland Security office could help you with Pathfinding. Signaling would benefit from the help of a local amateur ham radio group. And for Tracking, try your state’s department of natural resources. Those are a few suggestions.

For more information, look for a special Web site and documentation on the websites on the flyer and on Three Fires Council Website. That’s where you’ll find the complete requirements for each patch. The BSA also plans to deliver instructions that will help councils and districts host a historical camporee or similar event to offer these merit badges.

The Historical Merit Badge Program gives you the perfect chance to organize exciting activities, while connecting them with the BSA’s rich past. It’s another example of the BSA’s devotion to Celebrating the Adventure, Continuing the Journey.

So look for these and enjoy the opportunity to earn merit badges and complete tasks that boy from the early 1900’s had to do to earn the merit badge!

Thanks to Patrick M for this page.