# Handbook for Boys

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