Scouting in the United States
Encyclopedia
Scouting in the United States can refer to Scouting associations that are recognized by one of the international Scouting
organizations, as well as independent groups that are considered to be "Scout-like" or otherwise Scouting related.
in the United States was at its height during the early twentieth century. With the migration of families from rural to urban centers, there were concerns among some people that young men were no longer learning patriotism and individualism. Starting in the 1870s, the YMCA
was an early promoter of social welfare and other reforms involving young men around a program of mental, physical, social and religious development. Early corn clubs for farm boys began to develop into the 4-H
around 1902.
Ernest Thompson Seton
started the Woodcraft Indians
in 1902 and published The Birch Bark Roll of the Woodcraft Indians in 1906. Daniel Carter Beard
started the Sons of Daniel Boone
in 1905. When Baden-Powell
created the first Scouting program in 1907, he used elements of Setons' work in his Scouting for Boys. Several small local Scouting programs started in the U.S. soon after, most notably the Boy Scouts of the United States, the National Scouts of America and the Peace Scouts of California— these later merged into the BSA soon after it was formed. The YMCA in Michigan was organizing Scout troops based on Scouting for Boys as early as 1909.
Chicago publisher W. D. Boyce
was visiting London
, England
in 1909 where he met the Unknown Scout
and learned of the Scouting movement. Boyce secured the rights to the Scouting program in the U.S., and soon after his return, Boyce incorporated the Boy Scouts of America on February 8, 1910. Edgar M. Robinson
and Lee F. Hanmer became interested in the nascent BSA movement and convinced Boyce to turn the program over to the YMCA
for development. Robinson enlisted Seton, Beard and other prominent leaders in the early youth movements. After initial development, Robinson turned the movement over to James E. West
who became the first Chief Scout Executive
and the Scouting movement began to expand in the U.S.
The BSA's stated purpose at its incorporation in 1910 was "... to teach [boys] patriotism, courage, self-reliance, and kindred values ...". Later, in 1937, deputy Chief Scout Executive
George J. Fisher
expressed the BSA's mission, "Each generation as it comes to maturity has no more important duty than that of teaching high ideals and proper behavior to the generation which follows".
Other Scouting organizations were also started around 1910 and continued for some time. These include the Rhode Island Boy Scouts
(merged 1917), the Salvation Army
Life Saving Scouts (merged 1929), and the YMMIA Scouts
of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (merged 1913).
Boyce created the Lone Scouts of America
in 1915 and merged them into the BSA in 1924. The Boy Rangers of America
, an organization for younger boys, was created with help from the BSA and mainly merged in 1930.
The American Boy Scouts were organized by William Randolph Hearst
in 1910. The New England Boy Scouts split from the American Boy Scouts in 1911 and later merged with the BSA. The ABS changed their name to the United States Boy Scouts in 1913 after pressure from the BSA, then changed it to American Cadets in 1919 after a lawsuit by the BSA. The ABS survived for a few more years under various names before fading away.
Seton restarted Woodcraft after departing from the BSA in 1915, but the program faded after his death in 1946. After helping to create the BSA and seeing it grow into a successful rival, the YMCA began the Indian Guides in 1926 using some of Seton's material.
Other groups used the Scout name, but did not provide the Scouting program. Colonel Cody’s Boy Scouts were formed in 1909 and continue as the American Cadet Alliance
. The Michigan Forest Scouts were organized in 1912 as auxiliaries for forest fire service.
were incorporated in 1910 with help from the BSA. Again, Seton's influence was established with the use of his awards scheme and Indian ceremonies. The Girl Scouts of the USA
were founded by Juliette Gordon Low
in 1912 and were granted a congressional charter in 1950.
and the Girl Scouts of the USA
. The BSA is a member of the World Organization of the Scout Movement
while the GSUSA is a member of the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts
, the two main international Scouting associations. "Scouting" in the United States is the exclusive trademark of the Boy Scouts of America
. There are a number of other youth programs in the U.S. that are not recognized by any international Scouting associations, but use many methods of Scouting. Some of these programs are explicitly religious, while others are breakaway organizations formed in response to the policies of the BSA and GSUSA.
The International Scout and Guide Fellowship
is an alumni association open to former members of the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts
, the World Organization of the Scout Movement
and to adults who believe in the Scouting ideals; the ISGF has a number of members in the U.S.
The Baden-Powell Scouts' Association, a UK Scouting organization and part of the World Federation of Independent Scouts
, have had a small presence in the U.S. since 1998.
In 2006 the Baden Powell Scouts were formed, operating groups in Florida, Missouri and Connecticut, with lone Scouts supported by them in 12 states. They are members of WFIS
and claim to be affiliated to the "Baden-Powell Scouts' Association of England".
(Polish Scouting Association) also has some presence in the U.S. Külföldi Magyar Cserkészszövetség
(Hungarian Scout Association in Exteris) has also some presence in the U.S.
There are also some other Scouts-in-Exile
groups in the U.S.: Organization of Russian Young Pathfinders, Latvia
n, Lithuania
n Estonia
n and Ukrainian
groups. Some of them are also members of the Boy Scouts of America.
are a community service oriented uniformed youth organization of the Seventh-day Adventist Church
, formed in 1907. Awana
is an international evangelical youth organization founded in 1950. The Royal Rangers
were founded in 1962 as a program of the Assemblies of God
.
Some small elements of Seton's Woodcraft
program survive as the Woodcraft Rangers.
After much success, the YMCA
Indian Guides program declined until it was dissolved in 2001 and reformed as the YMCA Adventure Guides, no longer using American Indian themes. The Indian Guides program was reformed outside the YMCA as the Native Sons and Daughters in 2002.
The Camp Fire Girls are now a co-ed organization known as Camp Fire USA
with about 750,000 youth members.
are a Christian Scouting group formed in 1995 by a group of parents who were unhappy that the Girl Scouts accepted lesbians as troop leaders, allowed girls to substitute another word more applicable to their belief for "God" in the promise, and allegedly banned prayer at meetings. The group currently has troops in many states of the continental United States; membership as of 2007 is about 10,000 girls in 37 states.
Frontier Girls are another organization for girls ages 5–18; membership numbers are unknown.
SpiralScouts International
was founded in 1999 after the BSA declined recognition of a religious emblem program developed for the Wicca
n faith. It is a program for girls and boys of all faiths and serves youth throughout the USA, as well as in Canada and Europe.
Other new organizations with inclusive policies include Adventure Scouts USA (formerly StarScouting America), Navigators USA, and Earth Scouts.
The BSA converted its In School Scouting program to Learning for Life
in 1992. LFL uses no Scout emblems and has no policies on religion, gender or sexuality. The BSA's career-oriented Exploring
program was moved to LFL in 1998.
Alpha Phi Omega
is a co-ed service fraternity organized to provide community service, leadership development, and social opportunities. It was founded by students who were former Boy Scouts
and Scouters as a way to continue participating in the ideals of Scouting at the college level. Epsilon Tau Pi
is another fraternity whose membership is open only to Eagle Scouts
.
Scouting for All
was formed to promote tolerance and diversity within the BSA in the face of its policies that exclude non-theists from membership and avowed homosexuals from leadership positions. Similar organizations that are now defunct include the Coalition for Inclusive Scouting and ScoutPride.
In response to opposition to the BSA's policies, several organizations were formed to support the BSA. These included now-defunct organizations such as the American Civil Rights Union
's Scouting Legal Defense Fund and Save Our Scouts.
There are several organizations that offer resources for Scouting— the U.S. Scouting Service Project
is one of the largest.
Scouting
Scouting, also known as the Scout Movement, is a worldwide youth movement with the stated aim of supporting young people in their physical, mental and spiritual development, that they may play constructive roles in society....
organizations, as well as independent groups that are considered to be "Scout-like" or otherwise Scouting related.
Scouting for boys
The progressive movementProgressivism in the United States
Progressivism in the United States is a broadly based reform movement that reached its height early in the 20th century and is generally considered to be middle class and reformist in nature. It arose as a response to the vast changes brought by modernization, such as the growth of large...
in the United States was at its height during the early twentieth century. With the migration of families from rural to urban centers, there were concerns among some people that young men were no longer learning patriotism and individualism. Starting in the 1870s, the YMCA
YMCA
The Young Men's Christian Association is a worldwide organization of more than 45 million members from 125 national federations affiliated through the World Alliance of YMCAs...
was an early promoter of social welfare and other reforms involving young men around a program of mental, physical, social and religious development. Early corn clubs for farm boys began to develop into the 4-H
4-H
4-H in the United States is a youth organization administered by the National Institute of Food and Agriculture of the United States Department of Agriculture , with the mission of "engaging youth to reach their fullest potential while advancing the field of youth development." The name represents...
around 1902.
Ernest Thompson Seton
Ernest Thompson Seton
Ernest Thompson Seton was a Scots-Canadian who became a noted author, wildlife artist, founder of the Woodcraft Indians, and one of the founding pioneers of the Boy Scouts of America . Seton also influenced Lord Baden-Powell, the founder of Scouting...
started the Woodcraft Indians
Woodcraft Indians
The League of Woodcraft Indians was an American youth program, established by Ernest Thompson Seton. Despite the name, it was developed for non-Indian boys. It was later renamed the "Woodcraft League of America", and would also allow girls to join...
in 1902 and published The Birch Bark Roll of the Woodcraft Indians in 1906. Daniel Carter Beard
Daniel Carter Beard
Daniel Carter "Uncle Dan" Beard was an American illustrator, author, youth leader, and social reformer who founded the Sons of Daniel Boone in 1905, which Beard later merged with the Boy Scouts of America .-Early life:...
started the Sons of Daniel Boone
Sons of Daniel Boone
The Sons of Daniel Boone was a youth program developed by Daniel Carter Beard in 1905 based on the American Frontiersman. When Dan Beard joined the Boy Scouts of America in 1910 as one of their National Scout Commissioners, he merged his group into the fledgling BSA.Boys were organized into "Forts"...
in 1905. When Baden-Powell
Robert Baden-Powell, 1st Baron Baden-Powell
Robert Stephenson Smyth Baden-Powell, 1st Baron Baden-Powell, Bt, OM, GCMG, GCVO, KCB , also known as B-P or Lord Baden-Powell, was a lieutenant-general in the British Army, writer, and founder of the Scout Movement....
created the first Scouting program in 1907, he used elements of Setons' work in his Scouting for Boys. Several small local Scouting programs started in the U.S. soon after, most notably the Boy Scouts of the United States, the National Scouts of America and the Peace Scouts of California— these later merged into the BSA soon after it was formed. The YMCA in Michigan was organizing Scout troops based on Scouting for Boys as early as 1909.
Chicago publisher W. D. Boyce
William D. Boyce
William Dickson "W. D." Boyce was an American newspaper man, entrepreneur, magazine publisher, and explorer. He was the founder of the Boy Scouts of America and the short-lived Lone Scouts of America . Born in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, he acquired a love for the outdoors early in his life...
was visiting London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
in 1909 where he met the Unknown Scout
Unknown Scout
The Unknown Scout was an anonymous member of The Boy Scout Association in the United Kingdom whose good turn inspired William D. Boyce to form the Boy Scouts of America .-Legend:...
and learned of the Scouting movement. Boyce secured the rights to the Scouting program in the U.S., and soon after his return, Boyce incorporated the Boy Scouts of America on February 8, 1910. Edgar M. Robinson
Edgar M. Robinson
Edgar M. Robinson was Boys' Work Secretary of the International Committee of the YMCA and a long-time director and executive with the YMCA in New York. He is notable for his significant efforts in helping to establish the Boy Scouts of America ....
and Lee F. Hanmer became interested in the nascent BSA movement and convinced Boyce to turn the program over to the YMCA
YMCA
The Young Men's Christian Association is a worldwide organization of more than 45 million members from 125 national federations affiliated through the World Alliance of YMCAs...
for development. Robinson enlisted Seton, Beard and other prominent leaders in the early youth movements. After initial development, Robinson turned the movement over to James E. West
James E. West (Scouting)
Dr. James E. West was a lawyer and an advocate of children's rights, who became the first professional Chief Scout Executive of the Boy Scouts of America , serving from 1911–1943. Upon his retirement from the BSA, West was given the title of Chief Scout.-Personal life:His father died around the...
who became the first Chief Scout Executive
Chief Scout Executive
The Chief Scout Executive is the top professional of the National Council of the Boy Scouts of America. In most similar non-profit organizations, this is equivalent to the position of executive director....
and the Scouting movement began to expand in the U.S.
The BSA's stated purpose at its incorporation in 1910 was "... to teach [boys] patriotism, courage, self-reliance, and kindred values ...". Later, in 1937, deputy Chief Scout Executive
Chief Scout Executive
The Chief Scout Executive is the top professional of the National Council of the Boy Scouts of America. In most similar non-profit organizations, this is equivalent to the position of executive director....
George J. Fisher
George J. Fisher
George J. Fisher M.D. was a physician and leader in the fields of youth development and physical fitness in the United States during the early twentieth century. He was a noted advocate for advancing the sport of volleyball....
expressed the BSA's mission, "Each generation as it comes to maturity has no more important duty than that of teaching high ideals and proper behavior to the generation which follows".
Other Scouting organizations were also started around 1910 and continued for some time. These include the Rhode Island Boy Scouts
Scouting in Rhode Island
Scouting in Rhode Island has a long history, from the 1910s to the present day, serving thousands of youth in programs that suit the environment in which they live.-Boy Scouts of America:...
(merged 1917), the Salvation Army
The Salvation Army
The Salvation Army is a Protestant Christian church known for its thrift stores and charity work. It is an international movement that currently works in over a hundred countries....
Life Saving Scouts (merged 1929), and the YMMIA Scouts
Young Men (organization)
The Young Men is a youth organization and an official auxiliary of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints...
of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (merged 1913).
Boyce created the Lone Scouts of America
Lone Scouts of America
Lone Scouts of America was a Scouting organization for American boys that operated from 1915 until it merged with the Boy Scouts of America in 1924. The LSA was founded by W. D. Boyce, a Chicago newspaper entrepreneur and one of the founders of the BSA...
in 1915 and merged them into the BSA in 1924. The Boy Rangers of America
Boy Rangers of America
The Boy Rangers of America was a Scouting program in the United States for boys ages 8 through 12. It was organized in 24 January 1913 in Montclair, New Jersey by Emerson Brooks...
, an organization for younger boys, was created with help from the BSA and mainly merged in 1930.
The American Boy Scouts were organized by William Randolph Hearst
William Randolph Hearst
William Randolph Hearst was an American business magnate and leading newspaper publisher. Hearst entered the publishing business in 1887, after taking control of The San Francisco Examiner from his father...
in 1910. The New England Boy Scouts split from the American Boy Scouts in 1911 and later merged with the BSA. The ABS changed their name to the United States Boy Scouts in 1913 after pressure from the BSA, then changed it to American Cadets in 1919 after a lawsuit by the BSA. The ABS survived for a few more years under various names before fading away.
Seton restarted Woodcraft after departing from the BSA in 1915, but the program faded after his death in 1946. After helping to create the BSA and seeing it grow into a successful rival, the YMCA began the Indian Guides in 1926 using some of Seton's material.
Other groups used the Scout name, but did not provide the Scouting program. Colonel Cody’s Boy Scouts were formed in 1909 and continue as the American Cadet Alliance
American Cadet Alliance
The United States Army Cadet Corps was founded under the name "Colonel Cody's Boy Scouts" by Captain James H. C. Smyth on April 10, 1909, at the First Presbyterian Church, Manhattan, New York...
. The Michigan Forest Scouts were organized in 1912 as auxiliaries for forest fire service.
Scouting for girls
Scouting for girls began when the Camp Fire GirlsCamp Fire USA
Camp Fire USA, originally Camp Fire Girls of America, is a nationwide American youth organization that began in 1910. The organization has been co-ed since 1975 and welcomes youth from pre-kindergarten through age 21. Camp Fire was the first nonsectarian, multicultural organization for girls in...
were incorporated in 1910 with help from the BSA. Again, Seton's influence was established with the use of his awards scheme and Indian ceremonies. The Girl Scouts of the USA
Girl Scouts of the USA
The Girl Scouts of the United States of America is a youth organization for girls in the United States and American girls living abroad. It describes itself as "the world's preeminent organization dedicated solely to girls". It was founded by Juliette Gordon Low in 1912 and was organized after Low...
were founded by Juliette Gordon Low
Juliette Gordon Low
Juliette Gordon Low was an American youth leader and the founder of the Girl Scouts of the USA in 1912.-Early life:...
in 1912 and were granted a congressional charter in 1950.
Scouting today
The main national Scouting organizations in the U.S. are the Boy Scouts of AmericaBoy Scouts of America
The Boy Scouts of America is one of the largest youth organizations in the United States, with over 4.5 million youth members in its age-related divisions...
and the Girl Scouts of the USA
Girl Scouts of the USA
The Girl Scouts of the United States of America is a youth organization for girls in the United States and American girls living abroad. It describes itself as "the world's preeminent organization dedicated solely to girls". It was founded by Juliette Gordon Low in 1912 and was organized after Low...
. The BSA is a member of the World Organization of the Scout Movement
World Organization of the Scout Movement
The World Organization of the Scout Movement is the Non-governmental international organization which governs most national Scout Organizations, with 31 million members. WOSM was established in 1920, and has its headquarters at Geneva, Switzerland...
while the GSUSA is a member of the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts
World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts
The World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts is a global association supporting the female-oriented and female-only Scouting organizations in 145 countries. It was established in 1928 and has its headquarters in London, England. It is the counterpart of the World Organization of the Scout...
, the two main international Scouting associations. "Scouting" in the United States is the exclusive trademark of the Boy Scouts of America
Boy Scouts of America
The Boy Scouts of America is one of the largest youth organizations in the United States, with over 4.5 million youth members in its age-related divisions...
. There are a number of other youth programs in the U.S. that are not recognized by any international Scouting associations, but use many methods of Scouting. Some of these programs are explicitly religious, while others are breakaway organizations formed in response to the policies of the BSA and GSUSA.
The International Scout and Guide Fellowship
International Scout and Guide Fellowship
The International Scout and Guide Fellowship is a worldwide organization of Scout alumni in support of Scouting and Guiding who want to strengthen dialogue between communities through community-oriented projects worldwide....
is an alumni association open to former members of the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts
World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts
The World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts is a global association supporting the female-oriented and female-only Scouting organizations in 145 countries. It was established in 1928 and has its headquarters in London, England. It is the counterpart of the World Organization of the Scout...
, the World Organization of the Scout Movement
World Organization of the Scout Movement
The World Organization of the Scout Movement is the Non-governmental international organization which governs most national Scout Organizations, with 31 million members. WOSM was established in 1920, and has its headquarters at Geneva, Switzerland...
and to adults who believe in the Scouting ideals; the ISGF has a number of members in the U.S.
The Baden-Powell Scouts' Association, a UK Scouting organization and part of the World Federation of Independent Scouts
World Federation of Independent Scouts
The World Federation of Independent Scouts is the non-governmental international organization which governs 82 affiliated Scout Organizations in 41 countries, with an estimated 200,000 members in 3562 Scout Groups...
, have had a small presence in the U.S. since 1998.
In 2006 the Baden Powell Scouts were formed, operating groups in Florida, Missouri and Connecticut, with lone Scouts supported by them in 12 states. They are members of WFIS
World Federation of Independent Scouts
The World Federation of Independent Scouts is the non-governmental international organization which governs 82 affiliated Scout Organizations in 41 countries, with an estimated 200,000 members in 3562 Scout Groups...
and claim to be affiliated to the "Baden-Powell Scouts' Association of England".
Scouts-in-Exile
The Związek Harcerstwa PolskiegoZwiazek Harcerstwa Polskiego
Związek Harcerstwa Polskiego is the coeducational Polish Scouting organization recognized by the World Organization of the Scout Movement and the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts. It was founded in 1918 and currently is the largest Scouting organization in Poland...
(Polish Scouting Association) also has some presence in the U.S. Külföldi Magyar Cserkészszövetség
Külföldi Magyar Cserkészszövetség
Külföldi Magyar Cserkészszövetség is a Scouts-in-Exile organization created for youth of Hungarian descent. Scouting makes it possible for the young men and women to learn more about their Hungarian heritage, language and culture...
(Hungarian Scout Association in Exteris) has also some presence in the U.S.
There are also some other Scouts-in-Exile
Scouts-in-Exile
Scouts-in-Exteris, also referred to as Scouts-in-Exile, are Scouting and Guiding groups formed outside of their native country as a result of war and changes in governments...
groups in the U.S.: Organization of Russian Young Pathfinders, Latvia
Latvia
Latvia , officially the Republic of Latvia , is a country in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by Estonia , to the south by Lithuania , to the east by the Russian Federation , to the southeast by Belarus and shares maritime borders to the west with Sweden...
n, Lithuania
Lithuania
Lithuania , officially the Republic of Lithuania is a country in Northern Europe, the biggest of the three Baltic states. It is situated along the southeastern shore of the Baltic Sea, whereby to the west lie Sweden and Denmark...
n Estonia
Estonia
Estonia , officially the Republic of Estonia , is a state in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by the Gulf of Finland, to the west by the Baltic Sea, to the south by Latvia , and to the east by Lake Peipsi and the Russian Federation . Across the Baltic Sea lies...
n and Ukrainian
Plast
The Plast National Scout Organization of Ukraine commonly called Ukrainian Plast or simply Plast is the largest Scouting organization in Ukraine.-First Phase: 1911-1920:...
groups. Some of them are also members of the Boy Scouts of America.
Scout-like organizations
PathfindersPathfinders (Seventh-day Adventist)
The Pathfinder Club is a worldwide program organized and directed by the Youth Department of the General Conference of the Seventh-day Adventist Church...
are a community service oriented uniformed youth organization of the Seventh-day Adventist Church
Seventh-day Adventist Church
The Seventh-day Adventist Church is a Protestant Christian denomination distinguished by its observance of Saturday, the original seventh day of the Judeo-Christian week, as the Sabbath, and by its emphasis on the imminent second coming of Jesus Christ...
, formed in 1907. Awana
Awana
AWANA is an international evangelical nonprofit organization founded in 1950, headquartered in Streamwood, Illinois...
is an international evangelical youth organization founded in 1950. The Royal Rangers
Royal Rangers
Royal Rangers is a worldwide ministry of the Assemblies of God and is designed to provide youth with challenging activities while providing them with Christian instruction. Royal Rangers International is open to participation of both boys and girls, while the US only allows boy participation in...
were founded in 1962 as a program of the Assemblies of God
Assemblies of God
The Assemblies of God , officially the World Assemblies of God Fellowship, is a group of over 140 autonomous but loosely-associated national groupings of churches which together form the world's largest Pentecostal denomination...
.
Some small elements of Seton's Woodcraft
Woodcraft Indians
The League of Woodcraft Indians was an American youth program, established by Ernest Thompson Seton. Despite the name, it was developed for non-Indian boys. It was later renamed the "Woodcraft League of America", and would also allow girls to join...
program survive as the Woodcraft Rangers.
After much success, the YMCA
YMCA
The Young Men's Christian Association is a worldwide organization of more than 45 million members from 125 national federations affiliated through the World Alliance of YMCAs...
Indian Guides program declined until it was dissolved in 2001 and reformed as the YMCA Adventure Guides, no longer using American Indian themes. The Indian Guides program was reformed outside the YMCA as the Native Sons and Daughters in 2002.
The Camp Fire Girls are now a co-ed organization known as Camp Fire USA
Camp Fire USA
Camp Fire USA, originally Camp Fire Girls of America, is a nationwide American youth organization that began in 1910. The organization has been co-ed since 1975 and welcomes youth from pre-kindergarten through age 21. Camp Fire was the first nonsectarian, multicultural organization for girls in...
with about 750,000 youth members.
Breakaway organizations
The American Heritage GirlsAmerican Heritage Girls
The American Heritage Girls is a Christian Scouting organization founded in 1995 by Patti Garibay and other parents from West Chester, Ohio, who were unhappy that the Girl Scouts accepted lesbians as troop leaders, allowed girls to substitute another word more applicable to their belief for "God"...
are a Christian Scouting group formed in 1995 by a group of parents who were unhappy that the Girl Scouts accepted lesbians as troop leaders, allowed girls to substitute another word more applicable to their belief for "God" in the promise, and allegedly banned prayer at meetings. The group currently has troops in many states of the continental United States; membership as of 2007 is about 10,000 girls in 37 states.
Frontier Girls are another organization for girls ages 5–18; membership numbers are unknown.
SpiralScouts International
SpiralScouts International
SpiralScouts International is a youth organization in the United States for children of neo-pagan faiths . It was created in 1999 as a loosely organized children's program, at the Aquarian Tabernacle Church...
was founded in 1999 after the BSA declined recognition of a religious emblem program developed for the Wicca
Wicca
Wicca , is a modern Pagan religious movement. Developing in England in the first half of the 20th century, Wicca was popularised in the 1950s and early 1960s by a Wiccan High Priest named Gerald Gardner, who at the time called it the "witch cult" and "witchcraft," and its adherents "the Wica."...
n faith. It is a program for girls and boys of all faiths and serves youth throughout the USA, as well as in Canada and Europe.
Other new organizations with inclusive policies include Adventure Scouts USA (formerly StarScouting America), Navigators USA, and Earth Scouts.
Alternative programs
In response to the BSA membership policies that limit participation by girls and exclude atheists, agnostics, and known or avowed homosexuals, some youth organizations using Scouting principles have formed.The BSA converted its In School Scouting program to Learning for Life
Learning for Life
Learning for Life is a United States school and work-site based youth program that is a subsidiary of the Boy Scouts of America. It utilizes programs designed for schools and community-based organizations that are designed to prepare youth for the complexities of contemporary society and to...
in 1992. LFL uses no Scout emblems and has no policies on religion, gender or sexuality. The BSA's career-oriented Exploring
Exploring (Learning for Life)
Exploring is a worksite-based program of Learning for Life, a subsidiary of the Boy Scouts of America, for young men and women who are 14 through 20 years old...
program was moved to LFL in 1998.
Scouting-related organizations
There are several organizations related to but not part of any Scouting organizations.Alpha Phi Omega
Alpha Phi Omega
Alpha Phi Omega is the largest collegiate fraternity in the United States, with chapters at over 350 campuses, an active membership of approximately 17,000 students, and over 350,000 alumni members...
is a co-ed service fraternity organized to provide community service, leadership development, and social opportunities. It was founded by students who were former Boy Scouts
Boy Scouts of America
The Boy Scouts of America is one of the largest youth organizations in the United States, with over 4.5 million youth members in its age-related divisions...
and Scouters as a way to continue participating in the ideals of Scouting at the college level. Epsilon Tau Pi
Epsilon Tau Pi
Epsilon Tau Pi was founded in 1999 at the University of Dayton in Dayton, Ohio. The fraternity was formed as a collegiate Honor Society for Eagle Scouts at universities or colleges in the United States.-History:...
is another fraternity whose membership is open only to Eagle Scouts
Eagle Scout (Boy Scouts of America)
Eagle Scout is the highest rank attainable in the Boy Scouting program of the Boy Scouts of America . A Scout who attains this rank is called an Eagle Scout or Eagle. Since its introduction in 1911, the Eagle Scout rank has been earned by more than 2 million young men...
.
Scouting for All
Scouting For All
Scouting for All is an American advocacy organization. It is a 501 non-profit organization whose stated purpose is to promote tolerance and diversity within the Boy Scouts of America in the face of its policies requiring members to be heterosexuals who believe in God.-History:Initially founded in...
was formed to promote tolerance and diversity within the BSA in the face of its policies that exclude non-theists from membership and avowed homosexuals from leadership positions. Similar organizations that are now defunct include the Coalition for Inclusive Scouting and ScoutPride.
In response to opposition to the BSA's policies, several organizations were formed to support the BSA. These included now-defunct organizations such as the American Civil Rights Union
American Civil Rights Union
The American Civil Rights Union is a civil liberties organization founded by former Reagan Administration official Robert B. Carleson in 1998. It was founded in response to views that the most prominent civil liberties organization, the American Civil Liberties Union, was too leftward leaning; ACRU...
's Scouting Legal Defense Fund and Save Our Scouts.
There are several organizations that offer resources for Scouting— the U.S. Scouting Service Project
U.S. Scouting Service Project
The U.S. Scouting Service Project is one of the largest online collections of Scouting resource and reference materials. USSSP is organized as a non-profit corporation founded in 1998 named "The U.S. Scouting Service Project, Inc." and is maintained by volunteer Scouters...
is one of the largest.