016-Scout notebook – Samuel B. Curry – circa 1919-1923

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Overview

Original Date: circa 1919-1923
Type: Training Manual / Working Notebook
Era: 1920s Materials
Condition: good, shows age-appropriate wear

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Description

This loose-leaf notebook for a patrol leader, my father Samuel B. Curry, contains guidelines and instructions for troop and patrol leadership during the early years of the Boy Scouts of America. The notebook itself is an olive canvas-bound binder with metal rings, typical of the period’s office supplies, of the brand Lefax.

The content, mostly loose-leaf multi-page inserts, ranges from Delaware and Montgomery Counties Council in Pennsylavania publications (plans, schedules, standards, reports, and news letters) to Milwaukee County Council standards to Boy Scouts of America publications, and some hand written worksheets. The notebook contains numerous separate inserts covering various aspects of scouting, contests, timely information within the councils, and patrol information. Most inserts appear to be an official or semi-official document, printed on various paper stocks, suggesting they were distributed over time as training materials became available. Also included are some maps and handwritten guidelines, exercises, and diagrams done by the Scout.

These materials provide fascinating insight into how the BSA trained scouts in troop or patrol leadership during the 1920s, when the organization was still establishing standardized procedures and the scouting movement was rapidly expanding across America. The handwritten notes attest to the importance the Scout gave to his learning and duties.

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Images

Historical Context

This very rare notebook was in my father’s scouting memorabilia, then passed down to my brother and me. It dates mostly from 1919 to 1923. It appears to have been his at a time when he was a Patrol Leader.

In the early 1920s, the Boy Scouts of America was experiencing tremendous growth; membership had reached nearly 600,000 scouts. The organization was working to standardize training first at the local council level as well as nationally.

Training and informative materials like inserts in this notebook were essential tools, as scouts were learning leadership and outdoor skills. The loose-leaf format allowed a scout to add new materials as they were released and organize content according to their needs.

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Provenance & Personal Connection

Source: My father, Samuel B. Curry
How I Acquired It: Passed down in family
Personal Notes: On the front matter is the address of my father’s family, 135 Jansen St, Essington, Penna. It is most interesting seeing names of my father, his brother Edgar, and their troop, Essington Troop 1 mentioned in some of the inserts as well as troops in towns near where I grew up. The locale of most content is the suburbs of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania or of Milwaukee County where my father spoke of having lived. This notebook is a powerful connection to the legacy of those before me and to my own scouting journey that began nearly 30 years later in 1950.

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Physical Details

Material: Canvas cover, Lefax metal ring binding, various paper stocks for inserts
Dimensions: Approximately 4″ x 7″
Number of Inserts: Approximately 24 separate inserts or loose documents
Total Pages: Approximately 115 pages
Markings: Olive canvas cover is embossed in black “BOY SCOUTS OF AMERICA”. Two black spots are near right edge of the cover.
Notable Features: Shows evidence of regular use; some pages have pencil or ink annotations. Several loose leaf holes are torn due to over stuffing notebook and usage. The loose leaf notebook has two “buttons” on the ridge that open the inside 6 ring binder.

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Index: The Training/Information Inserts

Most items are from the Delaware and Montgomery Counties Council in Pennsylvania. Items from the Milwaukee County Council are highlighted in this list.

1. Lefax – Property of Samuel Curry
2. Patrol Activities and Stunts
3. Patrol and Troop Good Turns
4. Map Making-list of patrol members
5. unused
6. Accounting payment records
7. Knots, Hitches and Bends
8. Standardization of Tenderfoot Test
9. Tenderfoot Requirements
10. Initiation-Second Class
11. Conventional Symbols for Map Drawing
12. Military Bridges
13. Parliamentary Law-Rules of Motions
14. Publication Loose Leaf Announcement
15. Organization Bulletin-Milwaukee Council
16. Bulletin June 1923
17. Camp Delmont – Extract from Report 1922
18. Bulletin Jan. 1923
19. yellow note pages
20. Requirements for the Milwaukee Boy Scout
21. Map to Camp Pershing – Milwaukee County Council
22. Patrol Leaders School – Milwaukee County Council
23. Lefax Calendar 1919-1921
24. Hand drawn map – Prospect Park
25. Several unprinted pages, some with handwriting

Below is a complete inventory of all inserts or loose pieces contained in this notebook; may be viewed or downloaded as .pdf

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INSERT 1: Lefax – Property of Samuel Curry

|Return to Index

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Records 2-6: Handwritten Notes

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INSERT 7: Knots, Hitches and Bends

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INSERT 8: Standardization of Tenderfoot Test

|Return to Index

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INSERT 9: Tenderfoot Requirements

|Return to Index

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INSERT 10: Initiation – Second Class

|Return to Index

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INSERT 11: Conventional Symbols for Map Drawing

|Return to Index

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INSERT 12: Military Bridges

|Return to Index

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INSERT 13: Parliamentary Law-Rules of Motions

|Return to Index

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INSERT 14: Publication Loose Leaf Announcement

|Return to Index

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INSERT 15: Organization Bulletin-Milwaukee Council

|Return to Index

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INSERT 16: Bulletin June 1923

|Return to Index

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INSERT 17: Camp Delmont – Extract from Report 1922

|Return to Index

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INSERT 18: Bulletin Jan. 1923

|Return to Index

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INSERT 19: Yellow note pages

|Return to Index

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INSERT 20: Requirements for the Milwaukee Boy Scout

|Return to Index

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INSERT 21: Map to Camp Pershing

|Return to Index

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INSERT 22: Patrol Leaders School

|Return to Index

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INSERT 23: Lefax Calendar 1919-1921

|Return to Index

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INSERT 24: Hand drawn map – Prospect Park

|Return to Index

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INSERT 25: Several unprinted pages, some with handwriting

|Return to Index

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Preservation Notes

Current Storage: Stored in desk
Conservation Needs: Some pages require careful handling due to age
High-Resolution Scans: May be available for research and educational purposes upon request.

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Significance

This notebook represents an important piece of Boy Scouts of America history, documenting the training methods and organizational philosophy of the 1920s. It shows how the BSA worked to professionalize skill and scout leadership at a time when the organization was still defining best practices.

The annotations and wear patterns suggest this was a working document, actively used by a scout, my father, in role of Patrol Leader. It’s a window into both organizational history and some personal family history.

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Related Artifacts

• 014-Scoutmaster’s Notebook, circa 1920-1923
• 015-Scout notebook, Edgar Curry, circa 1922-1924

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Additional Resources

External resources about 1920s scouting

• BSA National Scouting Museum
• Scouting History archives at [relevant institution]

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Questions or want more information about this artifact? Contact Me

Last Updated: February 414 2026