Notes on Cub Scout Badges

Notes

12/1932

Wolf

The Wolf badge by itself if referred to as the "Bronze" Badge.  "Two higher Wolf Ranks have been made with gold and silver 'honor arrow points.'  These are added as follows and show that the wearer has completed ten extra honor point electives for the 'Gold Honor Arrow Point' and ten beyond that for the 'Silver Honor Arrow Point.'"

10/1942

Bear

There is no reference to wearing all his rank and arrow point badges.  There is a section on Bear Catch-ups.  It states:  If you have come into Cubbing while you are 10, you may choose either of these two things:

THIS	OR	THIS
Take a little extra time to complete the Wolf Achievements and receive you Wolf Badge before going ahead with you Bear Achievements.		Start in on the Bear Achievements as soon as you do three simple "catch-up" requirements to show that you are ready to go ahead.

3/1944

Bear

A colored supplement shows all rank and arrow point badges and the Webelos badge centered on the pocket flap with the Lion badge at the top, Bear to the left and Wolf to the right.  The book has the same section on Bear Catch-ups as did the 1942 book.

3/1948

Bear

Adjacent to the back page is an illustration of the wearing of the Bear and Wolf badges.  The Bear is shown to the left of the Wolf indicating that the Lion would be at the top after it was earned.  The age for joining Cub Scouts was still 9.  Cubs joining at the age of 10 still had the option of going back and earning Wolf if they choose to.

10/1948

Den Mother

On page 3 in bold print is a paragraph stating that the terms Cub Scout and Cub Scoutings were official.  This was noted because the handbook had not yet been updated.  Diagrams in the handbook still showed the Lion badge at the top of the diamond.  This handbook still showed that Cubs was for boys 9, 10 and 11.

8/1949

Wolf

Joining Cub Scouts could now be done at age 8.  "If you are at least eight years old, but not yet eleven, you may become a Cub Scout."

6/1954

Bear

At the beginning of the book there is a section entitled If Your Son Enters at the Age of Nine or Ten.  That section reads:  If you boy becomes a Cub Scout at the age of nine, he has a choice to make after completing his Bobcat requirements.  He may start on his Wolf achievements and receive his Wolf badge, OR — he may choose to start immediately on his Bear achievements, in which case he does not receive his Wolf badge.

Adjacent to the back page is an illustration of the wearing of the Wolf, Bear, Lion and Webelos badges.  The Wolf is shown at the top with the Bear and Lion adjoining on either side and the Webelos badge is centered above the button on the pocket flab above the other badges.

11/1965

Lion -
Webelos

To earn the Webelos badge (today's AOL) you must be at least 10½ and be a Lion Cub Scout.  I would believe being a Lion Cub Scout means a Cub has earned the Lion Badge.  Page 188 says:  "As a Lion Cub Scout, your son is eligible to wear the Wolf, Bear, and Lion badges, if he has earned them.  The Wolf badge is centered on the left pocket touching the flap, with the Bear and Lion badges adjoining on either side."  And goes on to say:  "The Webelos badge is centered above the button on the left pocket flap."

2/1971

Wolf

The front cover shows the Wolf badge with arrow points centered on the wearer right half of the left pocket.  On page 3, it states:  "When you are 10 years old, you may join the Webelos den as a Webelos Scout and receive you Webelos den insignia. ... Three months before your 11th birthday, you may start to work on requirements for the Webelos award."

1/1972

Webelos

Inside the front cover shows the Arrow of Light badge at the top of the pocket and on the pocket are the Wolf and Bear badges; side by side.  The Webelos Den is for 10 year olds and you work all year on the Arrow of Light award.  Page 300 says:  "As a Webelos Scout, you are eligible to wear the Wolf, Bear, and Webelos badges, if you have earned them."  And goes on to say:  "The Arrow of Light is centered above the button on the left pocket flap."  I could not find any other reference to the Webelos badge in this book so I would assume that it is referring to what is commonly referred to as the Webelos Badge Colors; three woven streamers (gold, green & red) attached to a medal bar with the word WEBELOS on it.

In the Webelos Parents' Supplement, it is stated that:  "The den is led by a man instead of a Den Mother."

10/1974

Webelos

The front cover shows the Arrow of Light badge at the top of the pocket and on the pocket are the Bobcat, Wolf and Bear badges; Bobcat at the top, Wolf to the left and Bear to the right.  Page 284 says:  "As a Webelos Scout, you may wear the Wolf and Bear badges, if you have earned them."  And goes on to say:  "The Arrow of Light is centered above the button on the left pocket flap."  It is interesting that there is no reference to wearing the new Bobcat badge.

In the Webelos Parents' Supplement, it is stated that:  "The den is led by a man."  Interesting that the reference to Den Mother has been dropped.

3/1984

Webelos

The front cover shows only half of the left pocket with half the Bobcat badge and the Wolf badge.  The arrow points are sewn so that the Webelos badge will fit into the bottom of the diamond.