I’ve never been a Boy Scout in the literal sense of the word (though I have been referred to as a Boy Scout in the derogative, goody-goody sense). But I clicked through to this article on Wikipedia about discontinued merit badges.
The most amusing, to my mind:
* Stalker 1910-1911 (replaced by Stalking)
* Stalking 1911-1952 (replaced Stalker)
I’m sure that means something else, but it looks funny. Plus, I’ve noticed that the quality of stalkers has fallen off since 1952. And this despite the technology has only gotten better!
And why are the following no longer badges, anyway?
* Blacksmithing 1911-1952
* Carpentry 1911-1952
* Civics 1911-1946
* Consumer Buying 1975-1995
* Interpreting 1911-1952
* Invention 1911-1917
* Masonry 1911-1995
* Master-At-Arms 1910-1911
* Pigeon Raising 1933-1980
* Printing/Communication 1982-1987
* Rabbit Raising 1943-1993
* Wood Turning 1930-1952
Pigeon and Rabbit raising was probably discontinued because they learned the animals got on quite well by themselves, thank you very much.
And they cancelled the Consumer Buying in 1995? No wonder the stock market ran out of steam just a few years later.
It seems 1952 was a dark year for merit badges.
Maybe Consumer Buying was finally perfected in 1995, so the need for development vanished. I certainly know lots of people who were doing their part to get us there.
There’s something to that. Could be they felt it was spiralling out of control and didn’t need any encouragement. Like the rabbits and pigeons.
We don’t need no stalking badges!
I was a Boy Scout, and do think that Scouting has lost some of its core genius while trying to update itself.
Some of the mising badges were a result of lack of demand, obviously, but I would hope that this sort of knowledge lost would find a new venue.
I do think carpentry and wood turning should still be in there, especially with the Norm Abrams phenomenon of reviving this sort of thing.
Even more tragic in the history of scouting’s changes are those in uniform design. Some of the practical, utilitarian cotton versions gave way to Oscar deLaurenta (forgive my spelling but he really did design for the scouts)polyester nightmares that were obviously done by someone who had never spent any time outside much less exerted themselves. Not to mention how gay they looked. No wonder they had so much trouble with the homophobia!
I was under the impression that the stalking badge was traded for ‘tracking’. I may be wrong. They may have changed it to ‘failed dating strategies’.
Re: We don’t need no stalking badges!
Even more tragic in the history of scouting’s changes are those in uniform design.
I’m sure someone could come up with a wicked cool scouting uniform that would swell the ranks of participation. Probably something with a beret.
I was under the impression that the stalking badge was traded for ‘tracking’. I may be wrong. They may have changed it to ‘failed dating strategies’.
I would totally earn a badge for ‘failed dating strategies’.
Helicool
I wonder what happened to discontinue the Master-at-Arms after 1 year. I see that it included “single stick, boxing, ju jitsu, wrestling, quarter staff and fencing.” It reminds me of warning signs that aren’t posted until after someone has done the thing– such as “Don’t back into moving helicopter blade.” I tried for my Mistress-at-Arms in 1974, that included “rock throwing at provoking bitch.” Maybe that’s why it was discontinued in 1975.
I think this thing of taking liberties with English was encouraged by Chappelle’s show and is done in something of the same spirit– no points for originality, I’m afraid, and I actually prefer the word asshole for its gender-equivalence. But she was a bitch.
Re: Helicool
I tried for my Mistress-at-Arms in 1974, that included “rock throwing at provoking bitch.” Maybe that’s why it was discontinued in 1975.
See, if you’d just ju jitsu’d her with the rock, that badge may still be around. Thousands of would-be mistresses-at-arms are cursing your name as we speak.
They pull a single stick, you start boxing. They try ju-jitsu, you pull a quarter stff. That’s the way you get Capone. That’s the Girl Scout way.
Re: Helicool
I should have had her meet me after school. The real problem was the playground monitor.
But seriously, I was a Girl Scout for a while and remember working on lots of badges. I quit because of the leaders– in name only– who, I realize now, certainly didn’t have to give their time to be there, but really. They could have done much better. There was lots of sitting at tables in the church choir room. Get us outside! Teach us how to tie knots! I think a little quarter staff would have helped with the gossiping.