(See also Curry Boy Scout Family Tree)
Overview
Original Date: circa 1920-1925
Type: Records and Notebook
Era: 1920s, Scouting’s 2nd decade
Condition: good, shows age-appropriate wear
These artifacts are very personal in nature in that they relate to the scouting adventures in the 1920s of my father’s closest younger brother, my Uncle Edgar S. Curry whom I never knew. He was born in 1908, was in scouting with his older brother, Samuel B. Curry (my father). He was a Patrol Leader, a Sr. Patrol Leader, and an Eagle Scout like his brother. He attended Penn State where he was in the Phi Kappa Sigma fraternity with his brother. As an aside, I also did all of those things with my older brother, Sam Jr.
Sadly Edgar, known as “Yegg”, died from a horseback accident while in college at age 21. While reviewing these artifacts, I have learned some things about my Uncle Edgar.
I believe that Edgar became a Scout while the family lived in Milwaukee, Wisconsin in 1920. Below are images of registration cards that are glued in a scrapbook made by my grandfather after “Yeg” died in 1929. The 1925 card shows that he achieved Tenderfoot on 2/5/1920, Eagle Scout on 12/26/2023, and became Senior Patrol Leader of Essington Troop 1 on 3/3/1924.
He and my father represented the Delaware and Montgomery Counties Council at the 7 Cities Competition of June 1923 in Washington, DC where they came in third in the Morse Signaling event.
Artifacts
Artifact 1: Horsemanship Merit Badge booklet
This booklet was published in 1927, so it most likely belonged to my Uncle Edgar who loved horses. Sadly, he lost his life at age 21 from a horseback riding accident.
I have scanned the pages which are available for your reading pleasure and mine. When I read it, I think of my Uncle Edgar who died nearly 100 years ago.
Disposition
2/13/2026-to Scout Heritage Museum-Milwaukee
Artifact 2: Scout Notebook – Edgar S. Curry circa 1922-1924
This loose-leaf notebook for a scout leader 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 to Boy Scouts of America publications, and other information. The notebook contains numerous separate inserts covering various aspects of scouting, contests, and timely information within the councils. 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 rosters and notations.
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.
Loose in the notebook was this note. It appears that Edgar was an excellent communicator and quite organized.
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 1922 to 1924. It appears to have been for a Senior 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.
Provenance & Personal Connection
Source: My father, Samuel B. Curry
How I Acquired It: Passed down in family
Personal Notes: A handwritten note helps to establish provenance to Edgar S. Curry, my uncle (whom I never knew as he died of an accident in 1929). It is most interesting seeing names of my father, his brother Edgar, and their troop, Essington Troop 1 mentioned as well as troops in towns near where I grew up. The locale of most content is the Delaware and Montgomery Counties adjacent to 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.
Physical Details
Material: Canvas cover, Lefax metal ring binding, various paper stocks for inserts
Dimensions: Approximately 4″ x 7″
Number of Inserts: Approximately 23 separate inserts or loose documents
Total Pages: Approximately ?? pages
Markings: Olive canvas cover is embossed in black “BOY SCOUTS OF AMERICA” and in lower right, “LEFAX”. Several brown age spots are in the lower left quadrant of the cover.
Notable Features: Shows evidence of regular use; some pages have pencil or ink annotations.
Disposition
1/29/2026-to Unami Lodge History Committee advisor
Milwaukee County Council items removed and sent to Scout Heritage Museum-Milwaukee 2/13/2026
Content 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.
- Lefax Loose Leaf Form Announcement
- Patrol Leaders School
- Camp Delmont Scoutcraft Course 4th Year
- Games for Boy Scouts
- Map to Camp Pershing
- Angler’s Knots
- County Championships May 26, 1923
- Decathlon Contest Dec. 1 to Mar. 1, 1923
- Activities
- Bulletin 1- November 1922
- Bulletin 1- May 1923
- Yearly Schedule 1922-1923
- Standardization of Tenderfoot Test
- Bulletin 1- March 1923
- Knots Hitches Bends
- Bulletin 1- December 1922
- Summer News 1922
- Roster, handwritten
- Miscellaneous notes, handwritten
Below is a complete inventory of all inserts or loose pieces contained in this notebook; may be viewed or downloaded as .pdf
INSERT 1: Lefax Loose Leaf Form Announcement
Milwaukee HQ info to Scoutmasters about usage and costs of Lefax Pocket Book items
Condition: Fair
Disposition
Page removed from notebook; 2/13/2026 to Scout Heritage Museum-Milwaukee
History of the Lefax Pocket Book and Lefax Loose Leaf form from early 1900s
The Lefax Pocket Book and its loose-leaf system, established in Philadelphia in 1910, revolutionized personal organization by providing a portable, customizable data system. It was widely adopted by professionals and organizations, most notably the Boy Scouts of America (BSA), for its flexibility in field environments.
In the 1920s and 1930s, the BSA heavily utilized the Lefax system to create the Official Boy Scout Fieldbook, which allowed Scouts and leaders to carry only the specific information they needed.
Modular Fieldbook: Unlike the bound Handbook for Boys, the Lefax-based fieldbook was a binder—often in canvas or cardboard—that could be filled with specific “Fieldbook Inserts”.
Leadership and Administration: Scoutmasters and Patrol Leaders used specialized inserts like Hints to Patrol Leaders, Troop Meeting Score Sheets, and Programs for Scout Troops to manage their units.
General Utility: Binders often included non-scouting Lefax sheets such as calendars, address books, and blank or lined paper for field notes.
INSERT 2: Patrol Leaders School
Milwaukee County Council outline of 7 meetings
Condition: Good
Disposition
Page removed from notebook; 2/13/2026 to Scout Heritage Museum-Milwaukee
INSERT 3: Camp Delmont Scoutcraft Course 4th Year
51 Items listed plus instructions for completion. No entries – light blue cardstock
Condition: Good
INSERT 4: Games for Boy Scouts
Games for Boy Scouts – including selected War Games of the Y.M.C.A.
Condition: Good
INSERT 5: Map to Camp Pershing
Milwaukee County Council – Map to Camp Pershing, blueprint
Condition: Good
Compare the 1920s map to a current map.
Disposition
Page removed from notebook; 2/13/2026 to Scout Heritage Museum-Milwaukee
INSERT 6: Angler’s Knots
Disposition
Page removed from notebook; 2/13/2026 to Scout Heritage Museum-Milwaukee
INSERT 7: County Championships May 26, 1923
Delaware and Montgomery Counties – Closed and Open Events, Prizes and Rules
Condition: Very good
INSERT 8: Decathlon Contest Dec. 1 to Mar. 1, 1923
Delaware and Montgomery Counties – Description of events and point system
Condition: Very good
INSERT 9: Activities
Delaware and Montgomery Counties – Activities for each district for a program
Condition: Very good
INSERT 10: Bulletin 1- November 1922
Delaware and Montgomery Counties – A variety of Announcements
Condition: Very good
INSERT 11: Bulletin 1- May 1923
Delaware and Montgomery Counties – A variety of Announcements
Condition: Very good
INSERT 12: Yearly Schedule 1922-1923
Delaware and Montgomery Counties – List of council meetings, events, dinners, contests, camps from Sept 1922 to August 1923
Condition: Good
INSERT 13: Standardization of Tenderfoot Test
Delaware and Montgomery Counties – A council standard listing requirements about Scouting, the flag, and knot tying; bibliography
Condition: Very good
INSERT 14: Bulletin 1- March 1923
Delaware and Montgomery Counties – A variety of Announcements-(page 5 mentions troop programs from Milwaukee Council, perhaps influenced by a Curry?)
Condition: Very good
INSERT 15: Knots Hitches Bends
Terms, types, diagrams, usage
Condition: Very good
INSERT 16: Bulletin 1- December 1922
Delaware and Montgomery Counties – Schedules and a variety of announcements
Condition: Very good
INSERT 17: Summer News 1922
Delaware and Montgomery Counties – Updated council news
Condition: Good
INSERT 18: Roster, handwritten
INSERT 19: Miscellaneous notes, handwritten
Text of notes
Written slips to call Scout before tribun[al]. W. Strain dismissed for disorder in meeting.
- Tools for Cabin
- Bulletin Board
- Write good turns out before meeting to save time
- Community Good Turn Committee
- Quartermaster Report
- Money Scemes
- Report from Troop Committee
- Easter Egg Report
All members to attend Tribunal meeting when present at troop meeting
J & W Strain and Yarnel & comittee of 5 are to brake up tribunal meeting
Related Artifacts
Additional Resources
External resources about 1920s scouting and scoutmaster training
- BSA National Scouting Museum
- Scouting History archives at Cradle of Liberty Council
Questions or want more information about this artifact? Contact Me
Last Updated: February 14, 2026