As we stated in Historic Merit Badge Program A Go (for real this time!), we are going to be taking an in-depth look at each of the four Historic Merit Badges in the next few days.  First up was Carpentry Merit Badge, now its Signaling!

Signaling Merit Badge was first offered in 1910, and was discontinued in 1992.  This Merit Badge is not an easy one session merit badge, Scouts need to have a basic grasp of Morse Code and Semaphore Code which could take a few months to learn.

Original Signaling Merit Badge Book:
http://www.scouting.org/filestore/pdf/Signaling_MBP_Historical.pdf

New Information for Signaling Merit Badge:
http://www.scouting.org/filestore/pdf/historic_signaling_new.pdf

Signaling Merit Badge Requirements:

1. Make an electric buzzer outfit, wireless, blinker, or other signaling device.
2. Send and receive in the International Morse Code, by buzzer or other sound device, a complete message of not less than 35 words, at a rate of not less than 35 letters per minute.
3. Demonstrate an ability to send and receive a message in the International Morse Code by wigwag and by blinker or other light signaling device at the rate of not less than 20 letters per minute.
4. Send and receive by Semaphore Code at the rate of not less than 30 letters per minute.
5. Know the proper application of the International Morse and Semaphore Codes; when, where, and how they can be used to best advantage.
6. Discuss briefly various other codes and methods of signaling which are in common use.

Related Current Merit Badges:

• Wilderness Survival
• Radio
• Communications

This historical merit badge will only be available during the 100th Anniversary year of Scouting. The Signaling merit badge counts toward rank advancement.  Requirements must be completed by Dec. 31, 2010.

Popularity: unranked [?]

Back in January, we informed readers about the Words to Live By Marketing Campaign going National. Well it is now there. If you haven’t seen the themed advertisements in your area you can still get in on the action. The National Council has placed a good selection of resources for the 2009 recruitment campaign on a special Words to Live By section of their website.

Television Public Service Announcements:
– Words To Live By: Doing A Good Turn
– Words To Live By: Living The Scout Law
– Words To Live By: Giving Meaning To Words
– Scouting Is: A Way of Life
– Scouting Is: My Direction
– Scouting Is: Really Fun
– Scouting Is: Adventurous
– Scouting Is: You Can Do Anything
– Family of Scouting: We Are Family
– Pinewood Derby: Fast Cars, Fast Times
– I’m a Scout: Who Am I?
– I’m a Scout: Be A Scout

Radio Public Service Announcements:
– Scouting Is: Awesome(Boy Scouts)
– Scouting Is: Fun(Cub Scouts)
– Adventures of a Lifetime

There is also a selection of Public Service Announcements in Spanish.

Website Banners:
– Cub Scout Banners
– Boy Scout Banners

There are also a wide selection of flyers, billboards, and postcards available for Councils to order through ScoutPrinting.com.

Is your Council participating in the Words to Live By recruitment campaign?

Popularity: 3% [?]

Each year the Boy Scouts of America makes changes to the advancement requirements.

These changes will be listed in the Boy Scout Requirements Book (BSA Publication No. 33215) which is published yearly. Please note that the Merit Badge Pamphlets may or may not reflect the changes depending on when they are published. The requirements in the annual Boy Scout Requirements Book supersedes the requirements in the Merit Badge pamphlets.

The following Merit Badges have requirement changes set for 2009:
– Architecture
– Auto Mechanics became “Automotive Maintenance”
– Cinematography
– Coin Collecting
– Collections
– Drafting
– Emergency Preparedness
– Engineering
– Farm Mechanics
– Indian Lore
– Insect Study
– Landscape Architecture
– Lifesaving
– Motorboating
– Painting
– Pottery
– Radio
– Swimming

Paul Wolf, over at the U.S. Scouting Service Project has preformed an in depth analysis of the requirement changes. See the changes at: http://www.usscouts.org/advance/changes/advchanges09.asp

Popularity: 9% [?]