Historical Highlights

Historical Highlights - 1920's

1920: The First National Training Conference for Scout Executives was held inSeptember at Bear Mountain, Palisades Interstate Park. The First WorldJamboree was held in England; Boy Scouts from 32 of 52 countries were present;the Boy Scouts of America sent 301 members. The First International Conference of Scout Leaders was held in connection with the jamboree, with International Scout Commissioner Mortimer L. Schiff and others representing the Boy Scouts of America. The quota plan was adopted. The Scout International Bureauwas established in London. Membership, December 31, was 478,528. Totalmembers to date, 1,643,988.

1921: Scouts of Washington, D.C., served as aides and guides at the limitation of arms conference. Scouts participated at the annual Eastern States Exposition at Springfield, Mass. Outstanding civic Good Turns were rendered in forest conservation and in connection with the floods at Pueblo, Colo., and SanAntonio, Texas. Membership, December 31, was 513,015. Total members todate, 1,879,471.

1922: The Order of the Arrow became an official program experiment. The SecondInternational Conference of Scout Leaders was appointed as a permanent international committee upon which the Boy Scouts of America was represented by Mortimer L. Schiff and Frank Presbrey. The Second National TrainingConference for Scout Executives took place at Blue Ridge, N.C. The membershiproundup was stimulated by streamer awards by President Warren G. Harding.Membership, December 31, was 534,415. Total members to date, 2,110,973.

1923: The international left handclasp was adopted. Patrol leader conferencesand training courses for Scout leaders were developed. The Laura SpelmanRockefeller Memorial Fund advanced $100,000 for the promotion of Boys'Life. The Bureau of Church Relations was established at the national office. Patriotic pilgrimages to the homes of great Americans and to historic spots were made. Membership, December 31, was 587,578. Total members todate, 2,371,520.

1924: The Every Scout a Swimmer program was inaugurated. The first achievementbadges were earned by physically disabled Scouts. The Third InternationalConference of Scout Leaders was attended by 6,000 boys from 33 Scout associations.The Lone Scouts of America merged with the Boy Scouts of America. The SecondWorld Jamboree was held at Copenhagen, Denmark; the U.S. delegation numbered56. The Third Biennial Conference of Scout Executives was held at EstesPark, Colo. The International Scout constitution and bylaws were adopted.Membership, December 31, was 696,620. Total members to date, 3,144,300.

1925: James J. Storrow of Boston was elected president. The first National TrainingSchool for executives opened. Outstanding service was rendered by Scoutsin the Illinois tornado, California earthquake, and Louisiana fire. A delegationfrom Boy Scouts of America visited South America to advance Scouting there.Membership, December 31, was 756,857. Total members to date, 3,436,294.

1926: President James J. Storrow died in March and Vice President Milton A. McRaewas elected to fill his term. At the annual meeting in May, Walter W. Headwas elected president. Sir Robert S. S. Baden-Powell, founder of Scouting,attended the annual meeting and traveled throughout the country inspectingScouting centers. The first Silver Buffalo Awards for distinguished serviceto boyhood were presented. Twenty-two awards were given: the first to Baden-Powelland the second to the Unknown Scout whose Good Turn brought Scouting toAmerica. The Fourth International Scout Conference was held at Kandersteg,Switzerland. The Fourth Biennial Conference of Scout Executives was heldat Hot Springs, Ark. The National Executive Board authorized development of a program for younger boys. Exceptional Scout service was rendered inthe Florida hurricane and Arkansas flood. Membership, December 31, was783,574. Total members to date, 3,749,244.

1927: Eagle Palms were added to the list of awards. Twelve new rural merit badgeswere added, bringing the total to 89. Eight Sea Scouts were taken on theBorden-Field Museum Expedition to the Bering Sea. Exceptional service wasrendered by Scouts in the Mississippi and Vermont flood disasters and theSt. Louis tornado. The national office was moved to its new enlarged quartersat 2 Park Avenue, New York, N.Y. Membership, December 31, was 785,633.Total members to date, 4,095,988.

1928: Three Scouts— David R. Martin, Douglas Oliver, and Dick Douglas—accompaniedthe Martin Johnson Expedition to Africa. The Fifth National Training Conferencefor Scout Executives was held at Cornell University. The 18th annual meetingwas held in San Francisco. Four Scouts participated in the Lincoln Highwaycovered-wagon tour from coast to coast, and Paul A. Siple, a Sea Scout,accompanied Commander Richard E. Byrd to the Antarctic. Membership, December31, was 819,791. Total members to date, 4,499,908.

1929: The Third World Jamboree, held at Birkenhead, England, where 1,300 Scoutsand Scouters represented the Boy Scouts of America, was attended by 50,000Scouts representing 73 lands. It was followed by the Fifth InternationalScout Conference. The Cub Scout program was put into operation on an experimentalbasis. Registration of all Scouters was authorized. Membership, December31, was 833,897. Total members to date, 4,779,219.