I trust you on your honor to strive to become the kind of a Scout and the kind of a citizen that our country and the world needs and deserve. - Josph A. Brunton Jr, Chief Scout Executive, 1967 

{HISTORY}

This collection of vintage midcentury scout books portrays a slice of good-hearted, earnest Americana that is straight out of a modern-day Wes Anderson movie. Colorful, engaging and useful, these books are not just the story of how to be a scout but also the story of two real-life scouts (previous owners) and their journey through the scouting program.

Good manners, resourcefulness, thoughtful care of self and the environment never goes out of style, no matter what the decade. These books teach by training and mentorship all that raises a good citizen in the world.

Aside from all the educational information contained within, two of these books also offer an intimate look of one specific cub scout's experience in the program through handwritten notes inside the Bear (1960) and Wolf (1959) books. It's a sweet reminder of how scouts took their instruction and coursework seriously.  The third book, The Boy Scout Handbook is a reference manual that covers a wealth of life skills information spanning over 400 pages beginning with Tenderfoot and ending with Citizenship. 

It's fascinating to read through these pages and learn what was expected of growing boys in midcentury America as well as parents and their participation in both raising  and supporting their scout's activities. The variety of information is wide covering everything from nature identification to camping, hobby building, birdwatching, cooking, animal husbandry, manners, grooming, sports, exercise, health and wellness and pretty much everything in between. 

The Boy Scouts of America was first founded in 1910 by William Dickinson Boyce and was modeled after the British Boy Scouts Association founded in 1908. Currently, more than 1 million active scouts are enrolled in the program along with over 600,000 active adult volunteers. While the world has changed greatly since the 1960s, it is refreshing to see that care, compassion, and commitment to creating harmonious relationships and a healthy environment are still top priority. 

{SPECIAL FEATURES}

- This collection includes three books...

• Wolf Cub Scout Book (published in 1959) - 188 pages 
• Bear Cub Scout Book (published in 1960) - 156 pages
• Boy Scout Handbook (published in 1967) - 448 pages 

- All books are illustrated throughout with wonderful midcentury graphics including decorated coverboards

- Paperback

{CONDITION}

In lovely vintage condition. These books are bright, clean and colorful. Please see notes up top about the handwritten notes that appear in two of the books. All pages are intact and the spine is tight on each book. Five pages in the Bear book are clipped in the bottom corner as a result of a cut-and-paste activity required at the beginning of the book. That's another little nod to the dedication of one's scout's involvement in the program. 

{SIZE}

Each book measures 8" inches (length) x 5.5" inches (width). Together, all three books weigh 2.3lbs

{STYLE IDEA}

Whether you collect these books for nostalgic reasons of fond memories from your own scouting days or are interested in growing solid leadership skills for your own little ones today, these books also lend a lovely bit of vintage charm to rustic cabin and cottage decor.