Figure 1.-- While the Boy Scouts of America (BSA) was not founded until 1910, there seemed to have been groups of boys who began to participate in scouting activities well before this, perhaps as early as the 1890s, certainly by the 1900s. Here we see New Jersey boys on a camping adventure. It looks about the turn of the 20th century, although the photograph is undated. Anote on the back reads, "The scout movement has grown - until many boys have an opportunity for a week or more in the open." Click on the image for more informnation about this group.

While the Boy Scouts of America (BSA) was not founded until 1910, there seemed to have been groups of boys who began to participate in scouting activities well before this, perhaps as early as the 1890s, certainly by the 1900s. They do not appear to have been organized groups, aleast on a national basis. Not did they have destinctive uniforms. But with adult superviion there was hiking and camping in the woods and a activities like swimming and boating. We do not have a lot of information on this. It was done on a private basis and there was no national organization. It occurred along with the American summer camp movement. here were some pre-BSA Scouts in the United States. Woodcraft Indians were founded by Ernest Thompson Seton in 1902. Sons of Daniel Boone started by Daniel Carter Beard in 1905. These were the two principal presursor groups to the Boy Scouts of American (BSA) and they provided the inspiration for the American Scouting movement and even influenced Baden Powell's English Scouting movement. It was William D. Boyce and BSA beaureacrats that were to build the BSA into the most important youth group in America. Strangly American Scouting was not born in the pristine woodlands or wide expansive plains, but rather in of all places a thick "pea soup" fog of polluted London streets.

Scouting

While the Boy Scouts of America (BSA) was not founded until 1910, there seemed to have been groups of boys who began to participate in scouting activities well before this, perhaps as early as the 1890s, certainly by the 1900s. They do not appear to have been organized groups, aleast on a national basis. Not did they have destinctive uniforms. But with adult superviion there was hiking and camping in the woods and a activities like swimming and boating. We do not have a lot of information on this. It was done on a private basis and there was no national organization. It occurred along with the American summer camp movement. Some of these groups seem to have used the term scouting, apparently before it was appropriated by Baden Powell in Britain.

Precursor Groups

here were some pre-BSA Scouts in the United States. Woodcraft Indians were founded by Ernest Thompson Seton in 1902. Sons of Daniel Boone started by Daniel Carter Beard in 1905. These were the two principal presursor groups to the Boy Scouts of American (BSA) and they provided the inspiration for the American Scouting movement and even influenced Baden Powell's English Scouting movement. . Both of these groups embodied outdoor adventure and camping, bit with quite destincr outlooks. Boy's Clubs were founded in 1906, but had a more urban outlook and focus. The idea of a destibctive uniform was not an important part of any of these groups. While Seaton and Beard were inspirational, charismatic figures, neither had the the nore mundane, but important organizational and administrative skills needed to found a large national organization.

Boy Scouts

It was William D. Boyce and BSA beaureacrats that were to build the BSA into the most important youth group in America. Strangly American Scouting was not born in the pristine woodlands or wide expansive plains, but rather in of all places a thick "pea soup" fog of polluted London streets. It was there that William D. Boyce got lost and was assisted by the famed unknown British Scout in 1909. The American Boy Scout movement generally dates itself from 1910 when Boyce returned to America and help found it.

The Uniform

HBU knows of no standardized iniforms worn by the various precursor groups to the Boy Scouts.

Chronology

1900

1901

1902

Ernest Thompson Seton founded the Woodcraft Indians in 1902.

1903

1904

1905

Daniel Carter Beard founds the Sons of Daniel Boone in 1905.

1906

Boy's Clubs were founded in 1906.

1907

1908

1909

William D. Boyce was a 51 year-old newspaper and magazine publisher from Chicago, Illinois who after getting lost in a thick London fog in 1910 was escorted to his destination by the famed unknown Boy Scout. Boyce apparently stopped under a street lamp, lost in the notorious London fog. He attempted to get his bearings. A boy seeing that he was lost, approached him and asked if he could be of help. "You certainly can," Boyce answered. He told the boy that he was attempting to find a business office in the center of the city. "I'll take you there," the boy offered. When they safely arrived, Boyce attempted to reward the boy with a tip. But the boy declined the offer. "No thank you, sir. I am a Scout. I won't take anything for helping." Suprised Boyce replied, "A Scout? And what might that be?". The young Scout described the British Scouting movement to him. Boyce who as a publisher knew a good story when he found one, had the boy take him to the British Scouting office. At the office, Boyce met Lord Robert Baden-Powell, the founder of the British Scouting movement. Boyce at the time had never even heard of Boy Scouting, but was so impressed that when he retuned to America he helped found the Boys Scouts of America (BSA). He used his business skills to help create the most important youth organization in the United States. Boyce's generous financial contributions were critical at the early stages of the program. His donations came with only one condition, the BSA would include all boys, regardless of race or creed. No one today knows just who the Scout was. He had neither asked for money or gave his name. At the British Scout Training Center in Gilwell Park, England, American Scouts erected a statue of an American Buffalo in honor of this unknown scout.