Cyclist Merit Badge-Girl Scouts 1920

[Lifesgreat]

Barnes and Noble reprinted the orginal 1920 Girl Scout Handbook and I was reading about the merit badges. Here is what a girl needed to do in order to earn the Cyclist merit badge:

"1. Own a bicycle, and care for it, cleaning, oiling and making minor repairs, readjusting chain, bars and seat.
2. Be able to mend a tire.
3. Demonstrate the use of a road map.
4. Demonstrate leading another bicycle while riding.
5. Know the laws of the road right of way, lighting and so forth.
6. Make satisfactory report to Captain of a bicycle Scouting expedition as to the condition of a road with camping site for an over-night hike.
7. Pledge the bicycle to the government in time of need."

From Scouting for Girls, The Original 1920 Girl Scout Handbook
Barnes and Noble, 2005 Page 507 (I know that isn't the official way to cite something, sorry!)


#6 Sounds like fun: a bicycle Scouting expedition
#7 While this requirement would give me angst now, it wouldn't have if I lived in 1920.

[mimitabby]

wow! I finally qualify for a merit badge!

[RoadRaven]

Really interesting - how did you come to be reading about merit badges then?
I have never been and scout or a brownie or anything like that - but this makes very interesting reading

[Lifesgreat]

Being the mother of (only) girls, we would have a fun time with the book. With money burning on a gift card, I bought it at Barnes and Noble last month. It is a fun read. I wouldn't follow some of its first aid advice, though.

[Tuckervill]

I have old Boy Scouts and Campfire Girls manuals (real ones, not reprints). They're great for ideas for crafts and skills we wouldn't necessarily run across today.

I also have the Handy Book for Boys and (I think it's called) The Dangerous Book for Boys. The Handy Book was written by one of the guys who founded Boy Scouts. It shows how to make fish hooks and build fires and make silhouette puppet shows! It has a whole section on how to go out in the woods and spend the night by yourself, with nothing but a knife, I think. My son loves both of those books.

When I was in the National Guard, I had Guard plates on my car, and that meant my car could be commandeered by the gov't. if it came to it. It's appalling now, but back in the 40s, we would have thought nothing of it, you know?

Karen

[mimitabby]

i was enjoying the vision of soldiers commandering children's bicycles "in time of need"
kind of funny from a 21st century perspective.

[Lifesgreat]

.

I also have the Handy Book for Boys and (I think it's called) The Dangerous Book for Boys. The Handy Book was written by one of the guys who founded Boy Scouts. It shows how to make fish hooks and build fires and make silhouette puppet shows! It has a whole section on how to go out in the woods and spend the night by yourself, with nothing but a knife, I think. My son loves both of those books.


Karen

Santa is bringing The Daring Book for Girls to my girls next Monday night! It is the "female" counterpart to the The Dangerous Book for Boys.

[Flybye]

It's interesting that you really don't have to ride the bike much to get the badge!!!

#4 and #6 sound like you need to be on the bike to do them, but you could do them both on the same ride, same day, and do them on a 10 foot slab of pavement on the way to a campsite.

Interesting!!

[bmccasland]

It's interesting that you really don't have to ride the bike much to get the badge!!!

#4 and #6 sound like you need to be on the bike to do them, but you could do them both on the same ride, same day, and do them on a 10 foot slab of pavement on the way to a campsite.

Interesting!!

It could be the difference between a Junior Scout or a Cadette Scout badge. Considering the era, I wouldn't even begin to venture a guess.

[SouthernBelle]

Now I'm curious. Is there a present day equivalent badge and what are the requirements?

Anybody know???

[OakLeaf]

Now I'm curious. Is there a present day equivalent badge and what are the requirements?

Anybody know???

Well a quick 'net search turns up a "Rolling Along" interest project award, that has pictures of bicycles on the badge! The requirements aren't available online though. Anybody have a book?

[Flybye]

Here is what the Boy Scouts have to do to earn their badge. I can't help out with the Girl Scouts because my Dear Dear Daughter abandoned them after one year because all they did was crafts and being a tomboy, she was HUGELY disappointed.

Merit badge requirements

1. Show that you know first aid for injuries or illnesses that could occur while cycling, including hypothermia, heat reactions, frostbite, dehydration, insect stings, tick bites, snakebites, blisters, and hyperventilation.
2. Clean and adjust a bicycle. Prepare it for inspection using a bicycle safety checklist. Be sure the bicycle meets local laws.
3. Show your bicycle to your counselor for inspection. Point out the adjustments or repairs you have made. Do the following:

a. Show all points that need oiling regularly.
b. Show points that should be checked regularly to make sure the bicycle is safe to ride.
c. Show how to adjust brakes, seat level and height, and steering tube.

4. Describe how to brake safely with foot brakes and with hand brakes.
5. Show how to repair a flat. Use an old bicycle tire.
6. Take a road test with your counselor and demonstrate the following:

a. Properly mount, pedal, and brake including emergency stops.
b. On an urban street with light traffic, properly execute a left turn from the center of the street; also demonstrate an alternate left turn technique used during periods of heavy traffic.
c. Properly execute a right turn.
d. Demonstrate appropriate actions at a right-turn-only lane when you are continuing straight.
e. Show proper curbside and road-edge riding. Show how to safely ride along a row of parked cars.
f. Cross railroad tracks properly.

7. Describe your state’s traffic laws for bicycles. Compare them with motor-vehicle laws. Know the bicycle-safety guidelines.
8. Avoiding main highways, take two rides of 10 miles each, two rides of 15 miles each, and two rides of 25 miles each. You must make a report of the rides taken. List dates, routes traveled, and interesting things seen.*
9. After fulfilling requirement 8, lay out on a road map a 50-mile trip. Stay away from main highways. Using your map, make this ride in eight hours.

* The bicycle must have all required safety features. It must be registered as required by your local traffic laws.

Source: 2007 Boy Scout Requirements (33215)
[edit] Notes

[mimitabby]

To be fair, we need to compare the 1920 boyscouts bicycling badge requirement (They probably have to construct a bike!)

[tulip]

Here is what the Boy Scouts have to do to earn their badge.

I have a friend who helped some boy scouts get their badges for cycling. The 50-mile ride was a huge challenge for most of them. Walmart bikes, sneakers, baggy shorts...but they made it and were all very, very proud. It took over 6 hours.

Girl Scouts should have a bike badge similar to the Boy Scouts. I was never into the scout thing, but for those who are, biking would be a great part of the experience. I'd even volunteer to help out!

[Bad JuJu]

Santa is bringing The Daring Book for Girls to my girls next Monday night! It is the "female" counterpart to the The Dangerous Book for Boys.

I sent my niece The Daring Book for Girls for Christmas. I didn't see anything in it specifically about cycling, but it has a nice mix of crafts, sports, and intellectual pursuits, and it seemed like a book I'd have loved to have when I was a girl.