Figure 1.--American Boy Scout Association publications in the 1910s often showed Scouts wearing short pants, even though few did. Important BSA leaders apparently though that American Scouts should wear short pants like other Scouts around the world.

American Scouts until the 1940s mostly wore knickers. The early uniform required knickers. Long pants were not introduced to Scouting until the 1940s. Through the 1940s and 50s Scouts mostly wore long pants. Gradually many Scouts began wearing long pants as part of a winter or cool weather uniform. Short pants were not always a part of the official BSA uniform. They were not introduced until the 1920s (with considerable resistance, however) and were rare throughout the 1930s, except at camp. It was not until 1950 that large groups of Scouts would venture onto streets in them. One troop was among the first to embrace short pants in the 1930s and was readily recognized (and jeered and respected) as the "short pants troop" even into the late 1940s and early 1950s. The BSA in the 1950s began a program of promoting short pants for Scouting, especially during the sumer. They were required wear at all National Jamborees and many camps.

Types

American Scouts have worn knickers/breeches, long pants, and short pants. American Scouts from the 1910s to the 1940s were almost the only scouts around the world that wore knickers rather than short pants. Some Scouts did wear shorts while at camp. Interestingly by the 1990s, American Scouts commonly wore short pants while many European Scouts wore long pants. The same knickers/breeches unifirm pants were not changed until the 1940s. At that time along pants unidorm was introduced, giving Scouts the choice of shorts or longs. Most Scouts chose the long pants, even in the witer. Shorts were often required at camps. And the short began to become more popular in the 1970s. This was often left as an option to individual Scous, but some units adopted uniform policies that include the type of pants worn.

Official BSA Policy

HBU has no details at this time on the discussions within the Boy Scout Association (BSA) on the type of pants to be worn by American Scouts. There is some reason to think that the BSA wanted Scouts to wear short pants, but the boys essentially refused to do so. Notably early Boy Scout publications often depicted the boys wearing shiort pants evven though few boys often did so. In additiion, the BSA when jt finally held a Jamboree required participants to wear shorts, as did many Scout camps. This was also the practice at many Scout camps.

Group Policy

The BSA when they introduced short pants to the official uniform in the 1940s for both Cubs and Scouts as an option. Scout troops at the loval level differed in their approach. Many troops ledt it up to the individual to decide what they wanted to wear. Thus you have troops with boys wearing both short and long pants. Some troops decided that this did not give a smart uniform look so they established uniform standards. This varied widely from troop to troop over the country. Of course climate was a factor. Some troops such as boys in Florida could wear shorts year round. This was hardly possible in Minnesota. In some cases troops only enforced the standard approach for parades and other special events. Other troops ebforced the policy even at weekly troop meetings. Hopefully HBU readers will provide us some details about troop policies.