Scout Law
When and How It Changed
A comparison of the 1911-72 version and the current 2019 version
TRUSTWORTHY
1911: “A Scout’s honor is to be trusted. If he were to violate his honor by telling a lie or by cheating or by not doing exactly a given task, when trusted on his honor, he may be directed to hand over his Scout badge.”
2019: “A Scout tells the truth. A Scout is honest and keeps promises. People can depend on a Scout.”
Lost: the consequence. The original had teeth: violate your honor, lose your badge. If you aren’t Trustworthy, you aren’t a Scout. The current version describes trustworthiness. The original demanded it.
LOYAL
1911: “He is loyal to all to whom loyalty is due, his Scout leader, his home and parents and country.”
2019: “A Scout is loyal to those to whom loyalty is due.”
Lost: the specifics. Scout leader, home, parents, country — all named. The current version is so abstract that BSA has, per Troop 97’s observation, failed for over 115 years to explain it to an 11-year-old.
HELPFUL
1911: “He must be prepared at any time to save life, help injured persons, and share the home duties. He must do at least one Good Turn to somebody every day.”
2019: “A Scout cares about other people. A Scout helps others without expecting payment or reward. A Scout fulfills duties to the family by helping at home.”
Lost: “save life, help injured persons” — the urgency, the physical readiness. The daily Good Turn is gone. What remains is caring and volunteering.
FRIENDLY
1911: “He is a friend to all and a brother to every other Scout.”
2019: “A Scout is a friend to all other Scouts. A Scout offers friendship to people of all races, religions, and nations, and a Scout respects them even if their beliefs and customs are different.”
Changed: the simple universal statement became a list of categories. The original said everyone. The revision specifies who — which paradoxically narrows what was already universal.
COURTEOUS
1911: “He is polite to all, especially to women, children, old people, and the weak and helpless. He must not take pay for being helpful or courteous.”
2019: “A Scout is polite to people of all ages and positions. A Scout understands that using good manners makes it easier for people to get along.”
Lost: the specific duty to protect the vulnerable — women, children, the elderly, the weak. The prohibition on taking pay. What remains is generic politeness.
KIND
1911: “He is a friend to animals. He will not kill nor hurt any living creature needlessly, but will strive to save and protect all harmless life.”
2019: “Scouts treat others as they want others to treat them. A Scout knows there is strength in being gentle. A Scout does not harm or kill any living thing without good reason.”
Changed: shifted from animals and nature to the Golden Rule. The original was about stewardship of life. The revision is about interpersonal behavior.
OBEDIENT
1911: “He obeys his parents, Scoutmaster, patrol leader, and all other duly constituted authorities.”
2019: “A Scout follows the rules of the family, school and troop. Scouts obey the laws of their communities and countries. If a Scout thinks these rules and laws are unfair, then change is sought in an orderly way.”
Changed: the named authorities — parents, Scoutmaster, patrol leader — became abstract rules. The addition about seeking orderly change is a 1972 addition not in the original.
CHEERFUL
1911: “He smiles whenever he can. His obedience to orders is prompt and cheery. He never shirks nor grumbles at hardships.”
2019: “A Scout looks for the bright side of life. A Scout cheerfully does assigned tasks, and tries to make others happy, too.”
Lost: “never shirks nor grumbles at hardships.” The original demanded cheerfulness under difficulty. The current version suggests optimism. Billy Clark smiled in the bedpan. The current wording asks for a positive attitude.
THRIFTY
1911: “He does not wantonly destroy property. He works faithfully, wastes nothing, and makes the best use of his opportunities. He saves his money so that he may pay his own way, be generous to those in need, and helpful to worthy objects. He may work for pay, but must not receive tips for courtesies or Good Turns.”
2019: “Scouts work to pay their own way and to help others. Scouts save for the future. A Scout protects and conserves natural resources, and is careful in the use of time, money, and property.”
Lost: “must not receive tips for courtesies or Good Turns” — the prohibition that made service unconditional. And “wantonly destroy property,” “wastes nothing,” “makes the best use of his opportunities” — the specificity replaced by generality.
“When I was a Scout, it was forbidden to raise money in uniform or to accept donations. Today, nearly every council, district, and unit sells popcorn and camp cards: high-markup items marketed by Scouts in uniform at storefronts. The prohibition that kept service unconditional was removed from the Law. The fundraising programs moved into the space the removal created.“
BRAVE
1911: “He has the courage to face danger in spite of fear and to stand up for the right against the coaxings of friends or the jeers or threats of enemies, and defeat does not down him.”
2019: “A Scout faces danger even when afraid. A Scout does the right thing even when doing the wrong thing or doing nothing would be easier.”
Lost: “defeat does not down him.” The resilience in the face of failure. Also lost: “coaxings of friends” — the recognition that peer pressure is a form of cowardice to resist.
CLEAN
1911: “He keeps clean in body and thought; stands for clean speech, clean sport, clean habits; and travels with a clean crowd.”
2019: “Scouts keep their bodies and minds fit. A Scout chooses friends who also live by high standards. Scouts avoid profanity and pornography. A Scout helps keep the home and community clean.”
Changed: “clean in thought” became “minds fit.” “Clean crowd” became “friends who live by high standards.” Added profanity and pornography explicitly — suggesting the original’s broader concept of purity was no longer understood without specifics.
REVERENT
1911: “He is reverent toward God. He is faithful in his religious duties and respects the convictions of others in matters of custom and religion.”
2019: “A Scout is reverent toward God. A Scout is faithful in fulfilling religious duties. A Scout respects the beliefs of others.”
Lost: “convictions” became “beliefs.” “Custom and religion” became just “beliefs.” Rights became respect. The specific protection for cultural practice — the word “custom” — was deleted. This is the change most relevant to the Indian Lore fight.
Pattern of the Changes
The pattern across all twelve points is significant:
Consequences removed. Hand over your badge. Must not take pay. Never shirks. Defeat does not down him. The original had teeth. The revision describes virtues without demanding them.
Specifics replaced by generalities. Parents, Scoutmaster, patrol leader became “rules.” Women, children, the elderly, the weak became “people of all ages.” Save life and help injured persons became “cares about others.” Each revision lost the concrete and kept the abstract.
Hardship eliminated. Never shirks nor grumbles at hardships. Defeat does not down him. Courage against the jeers of enemies. The original assumed Scouting would be hard. The revision assumes it should be pleasant.
Duty replaced by attitude. The original told you what to do. The revision tells you how to feel. Be helpful became care about people. Be obedient became follow rules. Be cheerful became look for the bright side.
Protection of the vulnerable disappeared. Women, children, the elderly, the weak — named and protected in the original. Gone in the revision. Animals as a primary concern — gone.
Cultural practice unprotected. Custom and religion became beliefs. Rights became respect.
The Scout Law went from a code of conduct to a list of nice qualities. From something you could fail at to something you could only describe. From an oath with consequences to a poster on a wall.
When Did It Change?
It changed with the introduction of the so-called “New Improved Scouting Program” in the early 70s. When the program was corrupted. When membership numbers turned down.