How much is known about the Unknown Boy Scout

[OldGreyEagle]

Ok, I totally embarrased myself a while back when sctmom asked about scouting trivia. Half of my answers to my OWN questions were wrong. So, I could have sworn Boyce was from Peoria, did I get that wrong? All I see now is that he was from Chicago. Did the encounter actually happen with Boyce and the Unknown Boy Scout? Last time we went over this topic, Bob White mentioned an article that said the story might have been "romantized".

 

I had an old biology teacher who used to say "its not what you dont know that gets you in trouble, its what you think you know that just aint so (notice, Biology teacher not English)

 

So, how did Scouting get across the pond?

 

 

[le Voyageur]

There may be a possible Mason connection that made it happen (B.P. was never a Mason, but the BSA advancement scheme seems to model that of the Mason's).

However, the evidence for this is either still out there waiting to be found, or so meager that it has been overlooked and ignored..............

[Bob White]

The W.D. Boyce council which has it's service center in Peoria IL. has as its slogan "Home of the Founder" because of a connection that Boyce had to a little town north of Peoria (within the council borders) called Ottowa. A more precise slogan for the council would be "Summer Vacation Home of the Founder" or "Burial site of the Founder". Boyce built a summer home along the Illinois river there late in his life and spend a few summers there before his death. Boyce's grave is in Ottowa, IL.

 

Did the unknown scout exist? Probably.

Was it foggy in London? Probably.

Was Boyce lost? Probably.

 

The romanticized part is why Boyce was there. the story says he was in England on business, got lost and the scout took him to his appointment. The scout would not accept a tip and told Boyce about scouting and Baden-Powell. So moved by the boy that Boyce met with BP and brought scouting to tyhe USA.

 

In actuallity Boyce was in London on his way to meet BP to secure the publishing rights for his book "Scouting for Boys" which at the time was the #1 selling book in Europe. Being an enterprising publisher from Chicago, Boyce wanted the rights to sell the book in America. Boyce was never looking to start a movement to benefit youth. He was a business man who sold books and saw a chance to sell alot of them.

 

If anything, he made it possible for kids across the country to become Lone Wolf Scouts, and it was their enthusiasm over BPs writings that made the movement take off here as it had already done in eight other countries.

 

From there the history takes all sorts of twists and turns as the teachings of Daniel Carter Beard, Ernest Thompson Seton, Boyce's battle with William Randolph Hearst for the BSA name and the leadership of James West all meld together.

 

Boyce was certainly instrumental, but he couldn't have produced todays program without the skills and vision of the others.

 

Bob

 

There is other neat history trivia like, Star Life and Eagle were not always in that order and were not always ranks. They were enhancements to the highest rank-First Class.

 

Norman Rockwells first job was as an illustator for Boys' Life when he was a teenager.

 

Why the Troop flag is red over white?

 

Did you know the current Boy Scout Uniform was designed by a big name fashion designer?

 

That there was a scout manual that gave 101 uses for the neckerchief?

 

(This message has been edited by Bob White)

[slontwovvy]

There was an article in Scouting magazine that described Boyce as the perfect "starter," but someone who would never complete what he started. Boyce when on with similar results when he "started" Lone Scouts.

[OldGreyEagle]

I beleive Oscar de la Renta desiged the current Boy Scout uniform

[SiouxRanger]

I heard the story of the Unknown Scout from a WD Boyce descendant who heard it from Boyce. It pretty much confirmed the romanticized version.:  Lost in London, fog, Unknown Scout giving directions, tip refused.

[The Latin Scot]

There was a Scout Manual with 101 USES FOR THE NECKERCHIEF?!?!? 

IF ANYBODY IS IN POSSESSION OF THIS MANUAL AND IS WILLING TO PART WITH IT I WOULD GLADLY GIVE IT A NEW FOREVER HOME AND TREASURE IT FOREVER!!!! 🤩

[skeptic]

Actually, someplace in the 90's I think, it was reproduced in the museum store in Dallas, including a replica of the old square necker.  I have that in my stuff I think,

as  well as the original.  It very well may be on one of the discs available on the net of older material.  I keep talking about going to a yardage store and getting some good, but inexpensive material from the discount gable and cutting them into full square size.  Maybe I could get the church quilters to hem them.    Then, get some simple wood blocks and challenge the scouts carve a slide as well, or teach them to make woggles.

[qwazse]

53 minutes ago, The Latin Scot said:

There was a Scout Manual with 101 USES FOR THE NECKERCHIEF?!?!? 

IF ANYBODY IS IN POSSESSION OF THIS MANUAL AND IS WILLING TO PART WITH IT I WOULD GLADLY GIVE IT A NEW FOREVER HOME AND TREASURE IT FOREVER!!!! 🤩

http://www.inquiry.net/uniforms/neckerchief/uses.htm lists 44 mundane uses on one page, and

http://www.inquiry.net/uniforms/neckerchief/1st_aid.htm lists (albeit garbled) 47 uses in first aid.

(Mods' feel free to branch in new topic.)

[skeptic]

14 hours ago, SiouxRanger said:

I heard the story of the Unknown Scout from a WD Boyce descendant who heard it from Boyce. It pretty much confirmed the romanticized version.:  Lost in London, fog, Unknown Scout giving directions, tip refused.

Okay.  According to the book, Lone Scout; W.D. Boyce and American Scouting, by Janice A. Petterchak, Boyce was in London on business and preparing for an African trip when the incident occurred.  Here is the pertinent page from the book.  

[SSScout]

4 hours ago, The Latin Scot said:

There was a Scout Manual with 101 USES FOR THE NECKERCHIEF?!?!? 

IF ANYBODY IS IN POSSESSION OF THIS MANUAL AND IS WILLING TO PART WITH IT I WOULD GLADLY GIVE IT A NEW FOREVER HOME AND TREASURE IT FOREVER!!!! 🤩

"" Matching Mountains With The Boy Scout Uniform""  by Edward F. Reimer, E.P.Dutton, New York , 1929.  I am not sure it has "101" uses for the necker, , but maybe 50 or 60 .  And lots more about the original uniform. History, etc.  

Pg.91:  "Be Prepared" tells the Scout never to be without his Neckerchief and therefore to be ready for any emergency. There are fifty-six practical uses among many others for the Necessary Neckerchief."    

You can find originals, reprints, and a digital copy with a little digital searching.  No, I am not willing to part with my copy. 😉.  

 

[The Latin Scot]

Thank you all for the information! I am more than content to at least have the publishing information; it is now near the very top of my very long list of "Scouting Grails." Much appreciated! 😄