by Kilian Fitzgerald
The Boy Scouts of America is an organization that has branches in all fifty states. Napa County has seven Boy Scout troops, including Troop #832 which meets at the Napa Valley Elks Lodge and Troop #2 which meets at Napa’s First United Methodist Church. Napa’s Troop 2 is particularly significant as it was established in 1912 and is still active today.
Although long considered a staple of American culture and community, the Boy Scouts actually originated in Great Britain. The organization emerged from the military and survival techniques of promoted by Lord Robert Baden-Powell. Lord Baden-Powell was a highly decorated British soldier who became a hero for his involvement in the Second Boer War of 1899-1902. A soldier and outdoorsman, Baden-Powell published a field guide titled Aids to Scouting in 1899 that would help soldiers develop wilderness survival skills, first aid training and other vital skills. Baden-Powell’s fame helped make the book an instant bestseller. Much to his surprise, boys were buying and reading his field guide following his victory in the Siege of Mafeking in 1900. His next field guide, titled Scouting for Boys targeted this audience by including games and songs and removing some of the military themes and replacing them with lessons on morals and good deeds. After the success of Scouting for Boys, Baden-Powell decided to create the Boy Scout organization. His first trial run for the organization took place on June 25, 1907 when Baden-Powell and a group of twenty-one boys spent two weeks camping on Brownsea Island in Dorset. Baden-Powell taught the boys camping, lifesaving, and many other skills.
The American organization grew in popularity through the stories of Theodore Roosevelt, at the time the 26th President of the United States and a famous war hero, outdoorsman, and a national celebrity. Boyce continued to fund the organization until his death on June 11, 1924. He is honored today as one of the founders of the Boy Scouts of America.
Bibliography
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