Discontinued merit badges (Boy Scouts of America)

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This is a list of merit badges formerly offered by the Boy Scouts of America. In some cases, the entire subject has been dropped from the merit badge roster. In others, the merit badge's name has been changed, with or without significant revision to the badge's requirements.

Contents

In 2010, in celebration of Scouting's 100th anniversary, four historical merit badges were reintroduced for one year only—Carpentry, Pathfinding, Signaling, and Tracking (formerly Stalking). Bugling merit badge was briefly discontinued in 2010 but reinstated after complaints from volunteers.

Merit badgeCreatedDiscontinuedNotesRelated subjectsReferences
Aerodynamics19421952Created with Aeronautics, Airplane Design, and Airplane Structure to replace Aviation; replaced, along with Aeronautics, Airplane Design, and Airplane Structure, by new Aviation Aerodynamics [1]
Aeronautics19421952Created with Aerodynamics, Airplane Design, and Airplane Structure to replace Aviation; replaced, along with Aerodynamics, Airplane Design, and Airplane Structure, by new Aviation Aeronautics [1]
Agribusiness19871995Replaced Farm and Ranch Management Agribusiness [1]
Agriculture19111975 Agriculture [1]
Airplane Design19421952Created with Aerodynamics, Aeronautics, and Airplane Structure to replace Aviation; replaced, along with Aerodynamics, Aeronautics, and Airplane Structure, by new Aviation Fixed-wing aircraft [1]
Airplane Structure19421952Created with Aerodynamics, Aeronautics, and Airplane Design to replace Aviation; replaced, along with Aerodynamics, Aeronautics, and Airplane Design, by new Aviation Fixed-wing aircraft [1]
Ambulance19101911Replaced by First Aid First aid [1]
Angling19111951Replaced by Fishing Angling, Fishing [1]
Animal Industry19281975Replaced by Animal Science Animal science [1]
Atomic Energy19632004Replaced by Nuclear Science Nuclear energy [1]
Auto Mechanics19922008Replaced by Automotive Maintenance Auto mechanic [1]
Automobiling19111963 Automobile safety [1]
Automotive Safety19621974Replaced by Traffic Safety Automobile safety [1]
Aviation19111942Replaced by Aerodynamics, Aeronautics, Airplane Design, and Airplane Structure Transportation [1]
Bee Keeping19151955Replaced Beefarming; replaced by Beekeeping Beekeeping [1]
Beef Production19281975 Beef cattle [1]
Beefarming19111914Replaced by Bee Keeping Beekeeping [1]
Beekeeping19561995Replaced Bee Keeping Beekeeping [1]
Blacksmithing19111952 Blacksmith, Forging [1]
Bookbinding19271987Created with Basketry, Cement Work, Leathercraft, Metalwork, Pottery, Wood Carving, and Woodwork to replace Craftsmanship; replaced, along with Printing/Communications, by Graphic Arts Bookbinding [1]
Botany19211995 Botany [1]
Business19111966Replaced Clerk; replaced by American Business Business [1]
Carpentry19111952Reintroduced for 2010 only Carpentry [1]
Cement Work19271952Created with Basketry, Bookbinding, Leathercraft, Metalwork, Pottery, Wood Carving, and Woodwork to replace Craftsmanship Cement [1]
Cinematography19902013Replaced by Moviemaking Cinematography [1]
Citizenship19471951Replaced Civics; replaced by Citizenship in the Community, Citizenship in the Home, and Citizenship in the Nation Citizenship [1]
Citizenship in the Home19521972Created with Citizenship in the Community and Citizenship in the Nation to replace Citizenship Family [1]
Citrus Fruit Culture19311952 Citrus [1]
Civics19111946Replaced by Citizenship Citizenship [1]
Clerk19101911Replaced by Business Business [1]
Communications19652009Replaced by Communication Communication [1]
Computers19672014Replaced by Digital Technology Computer [1]
Conservation19111952 Conservation movement, Habitat conservation [1]
Conservation of Natural Resources19661972Replaced by Environmental Science Conservation movement, Habitat conservation [1]
Consumer Buying19751995 Consumerism [1]
Corn Farming19281975 Maize [1]
Cotton Farming19311975 Cotton [1]
Craftsmanship19111926Replaced by Basketry, Bookbinding, Cement Work, Leathercraft, Metalwork, Pottery, Wood Carving, and Woodwork Artisan [1]
Cyclist19101911Replaced by Cycling Cycling [1]
Dairying19111975 Dairy farming [1]
Dramatics19321966Replaced by Theatre Acting [1]
Electrician19101911Replaced by Electricity Electrician [1]
Farm and Ranch Management19801987Replaced Farm Records; replaced by Agribusiness Agribusiness [1]
Farm Arrangement19601973Replaced Farm Home and Its Planning and Farm Layout and Building Arrangements; replaced by Farm Arrangements Agriculture, Agricultural science [1]
Farm Arrangements19741979Replaced Farm Arrangement Agriculture, Agricultural science [1]
Farm Home and Its Planning19281959Replaced, along with Farm Layout and Building Arrangements, by Farm Arrangement Agriculture, Agricultural science [1] [2]
Farm Layout and Building Arrangements19281959Replaced, along with Farm Home and Its Planning, by Farm Arrangement Agriculture, Agricultural science [1] [2]
Farm Records19591980Replaced Farm Records and Bookkeeping; replaced by Farm and Ranch Management Agriculture, Agricultural science [1]
Farm Records and Bookkeeping19281958Replaced by Farm Records Agriculture, Agricultural science [1]
Firemanship19111995Replaced by Fire Safety Firefighter, Fire safety [1]
First Aid to Animals19111972Replaced by Veterinary Science Veterinary medicine [1]
Food Systems19781987 Food systems, Botany [1]
Forage Crops19591975Replaced Grasses, Legumes, and Forage Crops Forage [1]
Foundry Practice19231952 Foundry [1]
Fruit and Nut Growing19531975 Fruit, Nut [1]
Fruit Culture19281954 Fruit [1]
Gardener19101911Replaced by Gardening Gardening [1]
General Science19721995 Science [1]
Grasses, Legumes, and Forage Crops19381958Replaced by Forage Crops Grass, Legume, Forage [1]
Handicap Awareness19851993Replaced Handicapped Awareness; replaced by Disabilities Awareness Disability, Disability studies [1]
Handicapped Awareness19801985Replaced by Handicap Awareness Disability, Disability studies [1]
Handicraft19111942Replaced by Home Repairs Home repair [1]
Hog and Pork Production19281958Replaced by Hog Production Pork [1]
Hog Production19591975Replaced Hog and Pork Production Pork [1]
Horseman19101911Replaced by Horsemanship Equestrianism [1]
Insect Life19231987Replaced by Insect Study Entomology [1]
Interpreting19111952 Interpreting [1]
Invention19111917Earned by only 10 Scouts, one known surviving specimen earned by Stephen Porter. [3] Invention [1]
Landscape Gardening19301958Replaced by Landscaping Landscaping [1]
Landscaping19591966Replaced Landscape Gardening; replaced by Landscape Architecture Landscaping [1]
Leather Work19281951Replaced by Leatherwork Leather crafting [1]
Leathercraft19271952Replaced Leatherworking, and created with Basketry, Bookbinding, Cement Work, Metalwork, Pottery, Wood Carving, and Woodwork to replace Craftsmanship Leather crafting [1]
Leatherworking19111927Replaced by Leathercraft Leather crafting [1]
Life Saving19111959Replaced by Lifesaving Lifesaving [1]
Machinery19111995 Machine [1]
Mammals19721987Replaced by Mammal Study Mammal [1]
Marksman19101911Replaced by Marksmanship Shooting [1]
Marksmanship19111966Replaced Marksman; replaced by Rifle and Shotgun Shooting Shooting [1]
Masonry19111995 Masonry [1]
Master-At-Arms19101911 Martial arts [1]
Mechanical Drawing19331964Replaced by Drafting Technical drawing [1]
Medicine19912011Replaced by Healthcare Professions Medicine [4]
Metallurgy19651971Replaced by Metals Engineering Metallurgy [1]
Metals Engineering19721995Replaced Metallurgy Metallurgy [1]
Mining19111937Replaced by Rocks and Minerals Mining [1]
Musician19101911Replaced by Music Music [1]
Nut Culture19281954 Nut [1]
Ornithology19111913Replaced by Bird Study Ornithology [1]
Pathfinding19111952Reintroduced for 2010 only Blazing, Orienteering [1]
Personal Finances19621971Replaced by Personal Management Personal finance [1]
Personal Health19111952Replaced, along with Physical Development, by Personal Fitness Physical fitness [1]
Physical Development19141952Replaced, along with Personal Health, by Personal Fitness Physical fitness [1]
Pigeon Raising19331980 Pigeon keeping [1]
Pioneer19101911Replaced by Pioneering Pioneering [1]
Poultry Farming19111913Replaced by Poultry Keeping Poultry [1]
Poultry Keeping19141974Replaced Poultry Farming Poultry [1]
Printing19111981Replaced by Printing/Communications Printing [1]
Printing/Communications19821987Replaced Printing; replaced, along with Bookbinding, by Graphic Arts Printing [1]
Rabbit Raising19431993 Rabbit [1]
Reptile Study19271993Replaced Reptiles; replaced by Reptile and Amphibian Study Herpetology [1]
Reptiles19261926Replaced by Reptile Study Herpetology [1]
Rifle and Shotgun Shooting19671987Replaced Marksmanship; replaced by Rifle Shooting and Shotgun Shooting Shooting [1]
Rocks and Minerals19371953Replaced Mining; replaced by Geology Geology [1]
Safety First19161926Replaced by Safety Safety [1]
Seaman19101911Replaced by Seamanship Seamanship [1]
Seamanship19111964Replaced Seaman; replaced by Small-Boat Sailing Seamanship [1]
Sheep Farming19281975 Domestic sheep [1]
Signaling19111991Replaced Signaller; reintroduced for 2010 only Flag semaphore, Morse code [1]
Signaller19101911Replaced by Signaling Flag semaphore [1]
Skiing19381999Replaced by Snow Sports Skiing [1]
Small Grains19591975Replaced Small Grains and Cereal Foods Cereal [1]
Small Grains and Cereal Foods19431958Replaced by Small Grains Cereal [1]
Soil Management19281952Replaced by Soil and Water Conservation Erosion, Soil science [1]
Stalker19101911Replaced by Stalking Tracking [1]
Stalking19111952Replaced Stalker; reintroduced as Tracking for 2010 only Tracking [1]
Taxidermy19111952 Taxidermy [1]
Textiles19271972Replaced by Textile Textile [1]
Veterinary Science19731995Replaced First Aid to Animals; replaced by Veterinary Medicine Veterinary Medicine [1]
Waterskiing19692007Replaced by Water Sports Waterskiing [1]
Wildlife Management19521972Replaced by Fish and Wildlife Management Wildlife management [1]
Wireless19191923Replaced by Radio Radio [1]
Wood Turning19301952 Woodturning [1]
World Brotherhood19521972Replaced by Citizenship in the World; original badge design was a globe, then in 1968 it was changed to be the Scout sign on a blue background. [5] Citizenship [1]
Zoology19301972 Zoology [1]

Original 57 merit badges

See also

Related Research Articles

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In 1911, 57 merit badges were issued by the Boy Scouts of America. Many of them exist to this day and are listed below in green. Many of the others have been discontinued or reintroduced with different names. Of the discontinued original merit badges, four were offered in 2010 as part of the Boy Scouts of America centennial. These merit badges are listed in beige.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 100 101 102 103 104 105 106 107 108 109 110 111 112 113 114 115 116 117 118 119 120 121 122 123 Henning, Steve (May 8, 2022). "Merit Badge History". US Scouting Service Project. Retrieved November 21, 2022.
  2. 1 2 "Bulletins from HQ". Scouting: 26. March 1961.
  3. ↑ Eby, Dave (December 2015). "History of the Invention Merit Badge" (PDF). International Scouting Collector Association Journal. 15 (4): 2–5. Archived from the original (PDF) on September 24, 2020. Retrieved January 3, 2023.
  4. ↑ "Health Care Professions merit badge debuts, replacing the Medicine merit badge".
  5. ↑ Duersch Jr., Fred (2003). Merit Badge Field Guide. Downs Printing Inc.
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