The Official Handbook for Boys (1912)

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

The original edition of the handbook was based on Baden-Powell's work. Ernest Thompson Seton combined his Woodcraft manual, the Birch Bark Rolls, with Baden-Powell's Scouting for Boys. Subsequent works were done by other authors. William "Green Bar Bill" Hillcourt wrote the 6th, 7th, and 9th editions. Frederick L. Hines wrote the 8th, and Robert Birkby the 10th, 11th and 12th editions.

1452801The Official Handbook for Boys1912

Getting the final word before hiking


BOY SCOUTS of AMERICA

THE OFFICIAL HANDBOOK
FOR BOYS

Boy Scouts of America - Logo
Boy Scouts of America - Logo

Published for

THE BOY SCOUTS OF AMERICA

200 FIFTH AVENUE

NEW YORK


Garden City New York

DOUBLEDAY, PAGE & COMPANY

1912


COPYRIGHT, 1911, BY
BOY SCOUTS OF AMERICA


  1. CONTENTS
  2. PAGE
  3. Boy Scout Certificate
    ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
    iii
  4. Preface
    ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
    v
  5. Officers and Members of the National Council
    ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
    vii
  6. CHAPTER I.
  7. Scoutcraft
    ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
    3
    1. Aim of Scout Movement
      ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
      John L. Alexander
    2. What Scouting Means
      ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
      John" L." Alexander"
    3. Scout Virtues
      ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
      John" L." Alexander"
    4. The Boy Scout Organization
      ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
      Special Committee
    5. Scout Oath
      ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
      Special" Committee"
    6. Scout Law
      ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
      Special" Committee"
    7. Tenderfoot, Second Class, and First Class Scout Requirements
      ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
      Special" Committee"
    8. Badges, Awards and Equipment
      ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
      Special" Committee"
    9. Knots Every Scout Should Know
      ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
      Samuel A. Moffat
  8. CHAPTER II.
  9. Woodcraft
    ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
    57
    1. Woodlore
      ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
      Ernest Thompson Seton
    2. Birdcraft
      ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
      National Association Audubon Societies
    3. Shells and Shellfish
      ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
      Dr. Wm. Healey Dall
    4. Reptiles
      ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
      Dr. Leonhard Stejneger
    5. Insects and Butterflies
      ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
      United States Bureau of Entomology
    6. Fishes and Angling
      ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
      Dr. Hugh M. Smith
    7. Aquarium
      ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
      Dr. Wm. Leland Stowell
    8. Rocks and Pebbles
      ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
      United States Geological Survey
    9. Flowers, Ferns and Grasses
      ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
      Dr. L. C. Corbett
    10. Mushrooms, Fungi or Toadstools
      ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
      Ernest Thompson Seton
    11. Common North American Trees
      ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
      Ernest" Thompson" Seton"
    12. Native Wild Animals
      ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
      Ernest" Thompson" Seton"
  10. CHAPTER III.
  11. Campcraft
    ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
    145
    1. Hiking and Over Night Camps
      ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
      H. W. Gibson
    2. Tent Making Made Easy
      ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
      H. J. Holden
    3. An Open Outing Tent
      ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
      Warren H. Miller
    4. Canoeing, Rowing and Sailing
      ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
      Special Committee
  12. CHAPTER IV.
  13. Tracks, Trailing, and Signaling
    ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
    Ernest Thompson Seton187
  14. CHAPTER V.
  15. Health and Endurance
    ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
    George J. Fisher, M.D.219
  16. CHAPTER VI.
  17. Chivalry
    ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
    John L. Alexander237
  18. CHAPTER VII.
  19. First Aid and Life Saving
    ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
    Major Charles Lynch255
    1. Water Accidents
      ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
      Wilbert E. Longfellow
  20. CHAPTER VIII.
  21. Games and Athletic Standards
    ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
    291
    1. Indoor and Outdoor Games
      ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
      Ernest Thompson Seton
    2. Athletic Standards
      ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
      Special Committee
  22. CHAPTER IX.
  23. Patriotism and Citizenship
    ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
    Waldo H. Sherman323
    1. Practical Citizenship
      ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
      Col. Theodore Roosevelt
  24. APPENDIX.
  25. Equipment
    ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
    359
  26. Books for Reference
    ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
    369
  27. Index
    ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
    393
  28. Advertisements
    ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
    405

This work is in the public domain in the United States because it was published before January 1, 1929.


The longest-living author of this work died in 1946, so this work is in the public domain in countries and areas where the copyright term is the author's life plus 77 years or less. This work may be in the public domain in countries and areas with longer native copyright terms that apply the rule of the shorter term to foreign works.

Public domainPublic domainfalsefalse