djvu Boy Scout Merit Badge Pamphlets: A History and Reference

This book is a comprehensive History and Reference of Boy Scout Merit Badge Pamphlets. It begins with the history of the Boy Scouts of America in 1910 and the first merit badges Scouts could earn. The requirements to earn merit badges have always been listed in Scout Handbooks, but no information on how to complete the requirements. The solution was the development of a merit badge pamphlet library. The first chapter is an in depth history of how the pamphlets came to be and how they were crucial in helping Scouts earn the badges. This, in-turn, became the foundation of Boy Scout ranks. The next 10 chapters go in depth on the 10 Merit Badge Types, there history and information about each cover. Following on the chapters define special pamphlets, extra covers on pamphlets, and the evolution of the back covers. Appendix 1 is a detailed explanation on how the merit badge pamphlet, Types, Sub-Types, and Deviations are defined. This knowledge is then used with an example from an online catalog of all the Subjects, like First Aid, that defines all the 10,000+ printings of all merit badge pamphlets from 1919-2025. This amazing tool will help collectors learn the quantity, design, history and, in some cases, special information about each printing of every Subject. The detail of information well help collectors become experts in what to collect.

The merit badge pamphlets become story tellers as they tell the history of the evolution of the Boy Scouts of America. The pamphlets were greatly affected by both World Wars. The Subjects of the merit badges, and thus the pamphlets, evolve with the times. Wireless becomes Radio merit badge, farming related badges grow in the 1920-40s then fade away after World War Two. Some Subjects change with the norms of the time, like Handicapped Awareness becoming Disability Awareness Merit Badge and Pamphlets. The number and size of printings of certain subject explain the importance of some of the badges in Scouting including the mandatory completion of certain badges for Rank Advancement.

Finally, the book showcases the art in Boy Scout literature. From amazing Line Art hand drawn for each Subject pamphlet for the first two Whit Cover types, to the iconic Tan Cover pamphlets of the 1920 to 1930s and the Color Covers of today, represent the art of the time. The book has a plethora of illustrations of not just the pamphlet covers, but of other advertisements and articles related to the the pamphlets. If you like to learn about some of the errors on the covers over the years, this book is for you. It is all in this comprehensive book on not just Merit Badge Pamphlets, but their integral role in the history of Scouting.