SCOUT HISTORY
THE USE OF THE NAME BOY SCOUTS, 1899-1906, IN BOYS LITERATURE.
First Published 1987, ISBN 1 85139 009 X . Second edition 1st February
1996 , ISSN 0276-4084.
©1997 The Reverend M J Foster SSC, MIWO.
The Use of the name 'Boy Scout'.
The aim of this booklet is not to place too much comment upon the material
presented but to make easily available the research documented in the
British Boy Scout
Archives to illustrate background material
relevant to the history of 'Boy Scouting'
3 tables are presented to illustrate the use of the name 'Boy Scout' and
mention of Scouting in Boys literature 1899-1906 just prior to Baden-Powell's
scheme of 1908
Aldine Publishing .
Contrary to popular opinion the name 'Boy Scout' was first used by Aldine
Publishing in 1899 in 'The New Buffalo Bill Library' in a Buffalo Bill story
to describe "Buffalo Bill's most trusted Scouts....Harry White a youngster
of seventeen" Issue 6 November 1909 .
The True Blue War Library.
Following in the wake of the Boer War 'The True Blue War Library' re-cast
the name 'Boy Scout' to describe the adventures in the Transvaal of 'Harry
St George' a heroic figure The hero of our story was serialised for the best
part of six years making him a cult figure of Boys literature
Table 1 .Stories about the Boy Scout in the Aldine Press.
1) Aldine Publishing 1899-1906 New Buffalo Bill Library 1899 1899-Saturdays----------------------------------------------------1899 18th Nov 6) The Boy Scout True Blue War Library 1900 1900-Mondays------------------------------------------------------1900
5th Feb 1) The Boy Scout of Scarlett's 12th Feb 2) The Boy Scout as Spy Tracker 19th Feb 3) The Boy Scout's Valorous Charge 26th Feb 4) The Boy Scout wins the V.C. 5th Mar 5) The Boy Scout's Brilliant Exploit 12th Mar 6) The Boy Scout's Fearless Defiance 19th Mar 7) The Boy Scout & Sailor Jack 26th Mar 8) The Boy Scout's Vow 2nd Apr 9) The Boy Scout's Perlious Plot 9th Apr 10) The Boy Scout and the Invisible Boer 16th Apr 11) The Boy Scout's Marvelous Ride 23th Apr 12) The Boy Scout Captures Long Tom 30th Apr 13) The Boy Scout Cheats Death 7th May 14) The Boy Scout and the Ambushed Convoy 14th May 15) The Boy Scout's Daring Dash 21st May 16) The Boy Scout a Prisoner in Pretoria 28th May 17) The Boy Scout's Struggle for Life 4th Jun 18) The Boy Scout and his Mighty Mastiff 11th Jun 19) The Boy Scout and Train No 39 18th Jun 20) The Boy Scout's Flying Column 25th Jun 21) The Boy Scout's Gallop for Gold 2nd Jul 22) The Boy Scout and the Vanishing Boer 16th Jul 24) The Boy Scout Hauls down the Vierkleur 23rd Jul 25) The Boy Scout and the Chinese Boxers 10th Sep 32) The Boy Scout & the C.I.V's 24th Sep 34) The Boy Scout in the Cave of Death 15th Oct 37) The Boy Scout & The Phanthom Horseman 22nd Oct 38) The Boy Scout and the Prisoners of War 31st Dec 48) The Boy Scout joins B-P's Police 1901-Mondays------------------------------------------------------1901 14th Jan 50) The Boy Scout and the Bridge of Doom 28th Jan 52) The Boy Scout on Desperate Service 11th Feb 54) The Boy Scout Saves Pretoria 4th Mar 57) The Boy Scout and the Scarlet Bar 15th Jul 76) The Boy Scout and the Henshawe Mystery 5th Aug 79) The Boy Scout and the Gun Runners 12th Aug 80) The Boy Scout entombed Alive 30th Sep 87) The Boy Scout's Crowning achievement 2nd Dec96) The Boy Scout's Hardest Task 1902-Mondays------------------------------------------------------1902 6th Jan 101) The Boy Scout Retrieves Disaster 20th Jan 103) The Boy Scout Baffles Botha 17th Mar 111) The Boy Scout Scores Again 8th Sep 136) The Boy Guide's Secret 22nd Sep 138) The Boy Scout's Return 1903-Mondays------------------------------------------------------1903 11th May 171) The Boy Scout's Brush with Brigands 22nd Jun 177) The Boy Scout's Tussle with the Turks 24th Aug 186) The Boy Scout's Quest of Vengeance 1904-Saturdays----------------------------------------------------1904 5th Mar 213) Scouts from the Sky 16th Apr 219) The Boy Scout in the Far East 30th Apr 221) King of the Clouds (Boy Scout adventure story) 30th Jul 234) Bayonet to Bayonet or The Boy Scout Battles on Sea and land and Mid-Air 13th Aug 236) By British Pluck or The Boy Scout's Great Commission 10th Sep 240) From the Jaws of the Dragon or The Boy Scout to the rescue 5th Nov 248) Foiled by a Briton or How the Boy Scout held the Yanshan Pass 26th Nov 251) The Silent Slayers or How the Boy Scout met a Terrible Foe 1905-Saturdays----------------------------------------------------1905 1906-Saturdays----------------------------------------------------1906 21st Apr 325) On Britian's Behalf The Boy Scout in Morocco.
Further stories were planned but the True Blue Library came to an end in
1906
Use of the Name 'Boy Scout' by Aldine Publishing Nov 1899-Apr 1906 (6 &1/2
Years)
The Boys of the Empire .
The use of the name was quickly taken up by the Boys Comic 'Boys of the Empire'
(well after Aldine Publishing had issued stories about 'The Boy Scout' (34
issues) .
The use of the name by 'Boys of the Empire' was to popularised Baden-Powell's
'Aids to Scouting' amongst boys.
A further device was used that of encouraging boys to spot and report news-agents
which did not stock 'Boys of the Empire' .
Those taking part were commended "Our Boy Scouts have been a huge success.
They have taken Baden-Powell's hints and have tracked down every culprit
who ignores BOYS OF THE EMPIRE".
The participants were further described as an "army of Boy Scouts" (Boys
of the Empire Volume for December 1900 page 83).
Table 2. Occurances of 'Boy Scout' within 'Boys of the Empire'.
Boys of the Empire 1900 Scouting for Boys (serialised Aids to Scouting) 1900-Saturdays----------------------------------------------------1900 27th Oct Advert "Look out next week for "The Boy Scout" By Baden-Powell p24 3rd Nov Part I "The Boy Scout" p39 3rd Nov Scouting Competition anounced p39 10th Nov Part II "The Boy Scout" p57 17th Nov Part III "The Boy Scout" p70 24th Nov Winner of Scouting competition announced; competitiors described as "Boy Scouts" and collectively as an "army of Boy Scout" p83 24th Nov Part IV "The Boy Scout" p85 15th Dec Part V "The Boy Scout" p136 22nd Dec Part VI "The Boy Scout" p166 1901-Saturdays----------------------------------------------------1901 5th Jan Part VII "The Boy Scout" p204 19th Jan Part VIII "The Boy Scout" p244 26th Jan Part IX "The Boy Scout" p266
Woodcraft Indians & Ernest Thompson Seton.
Seton had founded a Youth organisation at the turn of the Century "The Woodcraft
Indians" He first published his scheme in the booklet 'The Birch Bark Roll"
in 1902 His scheme is compared side by side with Baden-Powell's scheme as
published in the fortnightly 'Scouting for Boys' of 1908
Table 3. Seton's Woodcraft Training Scheme.
If the Training scheme as a whole in the fortnightly parts of 'Scouting for
Boys' 1908 ('FSB') is compared side by side with the training scheme in Seton's
book 'The Birch Bark Roll' 1906 ('BBR') there is a remarkable degree of
similarity so much so as to suggest a dependance In 'FSB' Seton's organisation
is mentioned as 'the "red Indian" Boy Scouts in America' In 'BBR' there is
a section entitled 'Scouting' with a number of Scout games used later by
B-P at camps (p 39ff) ie Seton's Quicksight is B-P's Spotty face Baden-Powell
had the advantage of meeting Seton at the Savoy Hotel in London on October
30th 1906 to discuss their ideas Seton's Scheme although not using specifically
the title of 'Boy Scouts' never-the-less is an example of using scouting
in a Boy's youth organisation
| Birch Bark Roll 1906 | Scouting for Boys 1908 |
|---|---|
| Main scheme 'Campercraft' | Main scheme |
| 1 Group of tests consecutively numbered. No sub division but achievements of two grades. Those in the record making class are first class braves (p45) |
1 Group of tests consecutively numbered. Sub-divided 1-5 Second class, 6-12 First Class (p36) |
| amongst the subjects are:- Knots, Fire lighting, First Aid, Hike, Know and use signs, Taking latitudes from the stars, Camping, Chopping down trees, Naming star groups, |
amongst the subjects are:- Knots, Fire lighting, First Aid, Hike, Scout law and signs, Compass, Union Flag, Tracking, Canoeing Estimation, Boat Building. |
| Proficiency tests called Honors | Proficiency tests called Badges of Honour |
| Fishing, Bait-Casting, Riding, Shooting, Archery, Mountain-Climbing,
Eyesight, Athletics, Nature Study, Geology, Photography; Each part of the main scheme counts as an honor |
Signalling, Stalking, First Aid, Merit; Additional Badges added in Later Scheme |
| 24 honors count the member as a Sachem | Later scheme: 24 proficiency badges count for the Silver Wolf. |
| Honors: Badges two forms of award 1) feather to go in bonnet and also 2) round badge for ordinary wear with a symbol of the subject encircled, if first class standard. |
Honours: First and Second Class Badges to be gained (see Main scheme). Badges of honour consist of a badge with a symbol of the subject encircled. |
| Vow and 10 Laws | Oath and 9 Laws (10th added 1909) |
| On joining a 'scalp' of horsehair is issued. Represents a members honor. Can be lost in failure in competition or task. New one can be issued by Tribe Council. | The First Class Badge represents Scout's 'life'. Can be lost for failure in difficult task. Can be regained by some good work as judged by the Court of Honour. |
| Organisation: | Organisation: |
| Basic Unit: Bands of 10-50 Identified by a Totem of any bird animal, tree or flower. | Basic Unit: Patrol of 6-8 Identified by a Totem of any bird or animal. |
| Members use left handshake #28 | Members use left handshake |
| Tribal Council organises internal affairs. Consists of Sachems and elected members. | Court of Honour organises internal affairs. No details given on membership. Later scheme restricts membership to Patrol Leaders and Seconds |
| Activities divided between practical scoutcraft, test work, and games. |
Activities divided between practical scoutcraft, test work and games. |
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