The American Young Men's Christian Association and Scouting


Figure 1.--

Important decissions were made about Scouting in the 1910s which had a major impact on its character and success. There were many competing visions of the movement with varying influences including commercial, altruistic, patriotic, militaristic, social, religious, racial, and many others. In this regard the influence of the YMCA had a critical and lasting impact on the direction of the BSA, especially the responsibility for community service. YMCA Executive Edgar M. Robinson played a major role in the early Scout movement. Surprisingly, his name is often not included on a list of American Scouting founders despite the key role that he played. Actually Boy Scouting in America began a makeshift YMCA arrangement that had never been planned. Of course Edgar Robinson was a YMCA executive, but James West also was involved with the Y. Perhaps even more importantly many early troops were organized at YMCAs or by YMCA staff.

Edgar M. Robinson

YMCA Executive Edgar M. Robinson played a major role in the early Scout movement. One Scouting historian describes him as the "forgotten member" of Scouting's founding fathers. Robinson was an energetic executive of Young Men's Christian Association who administed the BSA during much of its first year, addressing several critical problems. [Petersen] Surprisingly, his name is often not included on a list of American Scouting founders despite the key role that he played. Robinson was an experienced YMCA summer camp director. He had 20 years' experience in youth work when the BSA was founded in 1910. At that time few if any Scouters had any experience at all with youth work. Robinson was a balding executive without the chaismatic personality of other early Scouting leaders like Seaton and Beard. Robinson looked very stiff and stright-laced, rather like a tactiturn university professor which in fact he would become at Springfield College where the Y was to set up a training center. [Petersen] But he proved a highly effective manager. He immersed himself in work with boys. In 1900 he became the first boys'-work secretary of the Y's International Committee, with headquarters in New York City. Robinson was interested when he began hearing reports in 1908 and '09 about the new Boy Scout movement in England.

YMCA Scout Troops

Some YMCA workers exhibited an interest in Scouting well before the BSA was founded. A few YMCAs set up troops. Others used "Scouting for Boys" and other Scouting books to provide interesting projects and outings. [Macleod, p. 146.]

YMCA Summer Camping

The YMCA began establishing its summer camping prohram in the late 19th century. By the time the BSA was founded in 1910, the Y had an effective summer camp program underway and had acquired considerable experience. The Y by 1910 was operating 400 local summer camps around the country for 15,000 boys. [Petersen] This was the largest such program in the world and Y workers like West had acquired considerable expertise. Some Y camps were using elements of the Scoutcraft skills being developed by Baden Powell in England.

YMCA Scouting Program

Because of the considerable interest within the YMCA in Scouting, Boyce was looking for a program that they could be adapted for community work. It was at this time he learned that the organization of Scouting had gone beyond what he had anricipated. First he saw in May 1910 the Hearst newspapers exploiting Boy Scouting as what looked to him as a circulation gimmick. Then he read that William D. Boyce, another newspaper publisher, had already incorporated the Boy Scouts of America and was trying to obtain a Congressional charter. [Macleod, p. 146.] Robinson was concerned about the potential impact on the Scouting efforts.

William D. Boyce

Robinson saw that Boyce controlled the Boy Scouts and potentially the future of Scouting in America. Robinson with two colleagues traveled to Chicago to meet with Boyce. They found that that Boyce indeed had title to the BSA name, he had not yet recruited any boys pr set up and organization to do so. Robinson urged Boyce to work with the YMCA, which had the experiebce and organizational skills to turn the BSA into an actual functioning organization. Not only vould the Y set up Scouting, they could provide a source of Scoutmasters. Boyce who had been frustrated by the emensity of the challenge agreed to Robinson's offer and agreed to donate money get the BSA going. Robinson returned to New York and began the process of transfering title of the BSA from Boyce to an as-yet-unformed national committee. [Petersen] This was a key step. Association with the YMCA provided the mangerial expertise that enabled the BSA to veryt rapidly set up a national proggram. [Macleod, p, 146.]

Rival Associations

The BSA has dominated American Scouting. This has, however, involved Federal legislation and extensive litigation. They were not the only contenders. There had been earlier attempts at Scouting, two of which were very important influences on the Scouting movement. And there were also rival association in the 1910s. Robinson took responsibility for promoting the BSA during its first critical year. Robinson and Ernest Seaton played an important role in steering the BSA away from some of the more miltatistic aproaches that were organizing. [Macleod, p. 146.] They managed to bring almost all rival groups in to the BSA tent. U.S.American Scouts, unlike Scouts in European countries, were to have one single monolithic association--the BSA.

Ernest Seaton

Ernest Thompson Seaton, or "Black Wolf," was an award winning wildlife illustrator and naturalist who was also a spell-binding storyteller and lecturer, a best selling author of animal stories, expert with Native American Sign language and early supporter of the political, cultural and spiritual rights of First Peoples. Robinson had struck up a frienship with Ernest Thompson Seton as part of his Y summer camp work, He asked Seton to merge his Woodcraft Indians with the new organization and serve as chairman of the newly formed Natioanl Committee. He played a major role in the development of the American Boy Scout movement. [Macleod, p. 146.] Seton and Robinson then approached men who had announced plans for their own Scouting organizations and got almost all to combine with the BSA. [Petersen] Seaton wrote the first American handbook and served as Chief Scout. He promoted the naturalist and native American approach to Scouting, but lost out to thoise who want a more militarist approach. Like Boyce, he did not get along with James West. After leaving the BSA, he devoted much of his energy to the Woodcraft movement in America.

American Boy Scouts (ABS)

The only important group that Robinson and Seaton failed to convince to join the BSA was William Randolph Hearst's American Boy Scouts. The most serious contention was launched by the American Boy Scouts (ABS), at first powerfully supported by newpaper magnate William Randolph Hearst. Hearst like William D. Boyce who founded the BSA were both newspaper publishers. There were several other rival associations, but only the ABC was ever a serious challenge. The most serious contention was launched by the American Boy Scouts (ABS), at first powerfully supported by newpaper magnate William Randolph Hearst. Hearst soon disowned the ABS. Considerable acrimony developed between the two associations, in part over the issue of soliciting funds from the piblic. The ABS continued operating for several years under different names, but disappeared in the 1920s.

Boy Scouts of America (BSA)

Actually Boy Scouting in America began a makeshift YMCA arrangement that had never been planned. Of course Edgar Robinson was a YMCA executive, but James West also was involved with the Y. Perhaps even more importantly many early troops were organized at YMCAs or by YMCA staff. This was a rather surprising beginning for America's most centarlized youth organization. Robinson on June 1, 1910 opened a one-room national office for the Boy Scouts of America right next to his own office in the YMCA building. Robinson's helped organize the BSA's National Committee. Seton was named chairman.

First Scout Camp

While the newly established National Committee deliberated, a historic 2-week Scout camp was held at Silver Bay on Lake George in upstate New York. As organized a year earlier, the camp wasn't intended to be a Scouting experience. Robinson had originally arranged for Ernest Thompson Seton to demonstrate Woodcraft Indians campcraft at a special late August session for YMCA boys. As it turned out, Seton and all the other camp leaders were involved with the infant BSA. They taught the campers about Scouting as well as the Woodcraft Indians. Even though all participants were YMCA boys and leaders, they became part of what is recognized as the first Scout camp in America. By the time the camp ended on September 1, "troops of Scouts were springing up like mushrooms in every section of the country," Robinson wrote.

Satellite Program

Robinson gave some thought to making the BSA a "YMCA satellite", rather like the appraoch the Boys' Brigade had considered in Britain. In the end he decided against this approach. He did invited men interested in the Scouting to join the BSA and managed form a broad base of support for the new organization. [Macleos, p.46.]

Commitment to the Y

Robinson desired to return to his YMCA duties. In the fall of 1910, he recruited a financial secretary to solicit funds for the BSA. He also began looking for his own successor as executive secretary. He declined overtures to become the BSA's permanent executive secretary because, he said, "my attachment to the YMCA was too strong to allow me to consider it."

James West

Robinson attention in his search for a new BSA executive to an enterprising young lawyer in Washington, D.C., named James E. West. West seemed an idel candidate. He had been active in the Y, the playground movement, and the Child Rescue League. While like himself, not a charismaric leader, and Robinson saw in him a stable man willing to tackle the mintutia necessary to effectively administer the growing organization. He decided to recruit West for the BSA. At first West was not anxious to assume responsibility for the organization which was not yet financially soind. West finally accepted the challenge and started work as the BSA's new chief on January 1, 1911. He proved to be an able administrator. [Petersen] West ewas a strong leader and in desiore to direct the BSA he alienated some of the founders like Boyce and Seaton. He soon established his authority and served until 1943.

Lasting Impact

Important decissions were made about Scouting in the 1910s which had a major impact on its character and success. There were many competing visions of the movement with varying influences including commercial, altruistic, patriotic, militaristic, social, religious, racial, and many others. In this regard the influence of the YMCA had a critical and lasting impact on the direction of the BSA, especially the responsibility for community service.

Sources

Macleod, David I. Building Character in the American Boy: The Boy Scouts, YMCA, and Their Forerunners, 1870-1920 (The University of Wisconsin Press, 1983), 315p.

Peterson, Robert. "The BSA's 'forgotten' founding father," Scouting Magazine.








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Last updated: July 30, 2002