[lklawson]

Help me find a book! I'm looking for an original 1910 U.S. Boy Scouts "Master at Arms" merit badge handbook.

I've already found and republished the 1926 edition but that is a much later edition and it's British. The U.S. BSA "Master at Arms" badge was discontinued almost immediately, in 1911. I'm trying to source an original copy, both for my personal research and to pursue my hobby of republishing antique manuals and making the high-quality PDF available for free.

If you're a BSA collector (or a book collector) and have a copy, please, contact me. If you're not willing to part with your original, I can get done what I need with decent quality pics or even photocopies.

Please help me preserve this information and make it available to future generations.

Thank you!

Peace favor your sword,
Kirk

 

[FlashBang]

Why an original if you can get a reprint that has the same stuff in it?
"1910 BSA Handbook... by Chief Scout, Ernest Thompson Seton, had 14 "Badges of Merit"... [including] Master-of-Arms... The Master-at-Arms Badge involved mastering 3 of the following combat skills: single stick, boxing, ju jitsu, wrestling, quarterstaff and fencing."

The Boy Scouts Original 1910 Handbook: The Early-Version Temporary Manual For Use During The First Year Of The Boy Scouts|Hardcover

Note: This is a reproduction of the original temporary version of the handbook for scouts in 1910. It is not the current edition of the handbook. Please refer to the organization for the latest edition of the handbook.Starting A Legacy For Millions of...

www.barnesandnoble.com

 

[lklawson]

Why an original if you can get a reprint that has the same stuff in it?
"1910 BSA Handbook... by Chief Scout, Ernest Thompson Seton, had 14 "Badges of Merit"... [including] Master-of-Arms... The Master-at-Arms Badge involved mastering 3 of the following combat skills: single stick, boxing, ju jitsu, wrestling, quarterstaff and fencing."

The Boy Scouts Original 1910 Handbook: The Early-Version Temporary Manual For Use During The First Year Of The Boy Scouts|Hardcover

Note: This is a reproduction of the original temporary version of the handbook for scouts in 1910. It is not the current edition of the handbook. Please refer to the organization for the latest edition of the handbook.Starting A Legacy For Millions of...

www.barnesandnoble.com

I don't think the book contains all the details for the badge. Do you know that it actually contains the full badge training material or does it just reference other publications?

Peace favor your sword,
Kirk

 

[FlashBang]

I don't think the book contains all the details for the badge. Do you know that it actually contains the full badge training material or does it just reference other publications?

Peace favor your sword,
Kirk

No clue, the description just says it has the badge training in it.

 

[lklawson]

No clue, the description just says it has the badge training in it.

A friend found a PDF scan of the original; hosted by the Seton Institute. The original BSA Handbook of 1910 does mention the Master at Arms merit badge, but, as is standard, only lists the requirements to achieve it. It does not contain any instruction. To quote:
"Master-at-Arms. Proficiency in three out of these six subjects: Single stick, boxing, ju jitsu, wrestling, quarter staff, and fencing."

So I definitely need to find a copy of the 1910 Master-at-Arms merit badge Handbook.

Peace favor your sword,
Kirk

 

[RACHGIER]

You want the instructor's manual. I did some digging and found references to the elusive existence of said manual, but couldn't find anything other than what you've found so far. I sent an email with screen shots of your posts to a few historian type friends at the Baden-Powell Council, plus texted to confirm receipt, and I'm just waiting to hear back. If the actual training manual exists in some form, they'll find it.

 

[lklawson]

You want the instructor's manual. I did some digging and found references to the elusive existence of said manual, but couldn't find anything other than what you've found so far. I sent an email with screen shots of your posts to a few historian type friends at the Baden-Powell Council, plus texted to confirm receipt, and I'm just waiting to hear back. If the actual training manual exists in some form, they'll find it.

Thanks.

I know the exist. I've already republished the 1926 british edition.

Peace favor your sword,
Kirk

 

[RACHGIER]

Thanks.

I know the exist. I've already republished the 1926 british edition.

Peace favor your sword,
Kirk

But not the American version you're wanting, so you don't actually know if a copy exists in the free world.

If your ego was satisfied with just the British version, you wouldn't be making such a fuss about this version...

 

[lklawson]

But not the American version you're wanting, so you don't actually know if a copy exists in the free world.

That's true. I should rather say, "I know it must have existed." Every last copy might have been used for toilet paper last year or something.

If your ego was satisfied with just the British version, you wouldn't be making such a fuss about this version...

Unless you're using the Freudian ego here, then no. It's not my ego, it's my curiosity. I want to see what is inside it, learn it's contents, compare contrast to what I've seen elsewhere. I republish and share the PDF as a public service, my little effort at paying it forward and most of the time, the owners of the manual are more likely to share it with me if I'm going to share it with every one in the world, in turn. I suppose you might be arguing that I republish and share the material for free for the praise and accolades I receive by doing so. Did you ever see the 1967 Dudly Moore movie "Bedazzled?" You know, the version with Raquel Welch? Specifically the ending where St. Peter is talking to Lucifer?

Peace favor your sword,
Kirk

 

[RACHGIER]

@lklawson but of course.

If you wanted to satisfy the Id, you would have stopped with the British version.

To satisfy the Superego you would have acknowledged its existence but resigned yourself to it being out of reach.

 

[lklawson]

@lklawson but of course.

If you wanted to satisfy the Id, you would have stopped with the British version.

To satisfy the Superego you would have acknowledged its existence but resigned yourself to it being out of reach.

I have sufficient circumstantial evidence that the 1910 version may be different from the 1926 version to cast reasonable doubt that they are identical. My Id has an instinctive feeling that the two versions are different and the Ego has sufficient evidence to to believe the same might be true. My Superego is saying that if I can get a copy of the 1910 that I need to make it available to everyone as a free PDF because that's the moral thing to do.

Peace favor your sword,
Kirk

 

[RACHGIER]

So then it is your main ego driving you to be right....

 

[lklawson]

So then it is your main ego driving you to be right....

Better than being left. 🤣

Peace favor your sword,
Kirk

 

[histed]

Where else can I find a detailed, educated discussion of Freud's personality theory wrapped around the search for a possibly non-existent tome of very specialized knowledge - all while reading a forum devoted to the best SNS pistol yet developed!? I should have assigned reading this forum to my Psych classes. What a missed treasure trove. My deep appreciation to both of you - I laughed my BFA off!!!

 

[lklawson]

I got a reply from the U.S. National Scouting Museum.

Merit badge pamphlets did not exist for Merit Badges in 1910, they came along later in the program in February 1919. The Merit Badge in question, Master at Arms, was part of the British Scouting program and was brought to the U.S. in 1909 as part of the initial launch of the Scouting program in this country. There is no record that any U.S. Scout ever earned this or any of the original 14 merit badges imported from England.

So I guess I'm looking for a copy of the 1910 British manual.

Peace favor your sword,
Kirk