Original 57 merit badges (Boy Scouts of America)

1911 awards issued by American youth organization

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Original 57 merit badges of the Boy Scouts of America

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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. [1] 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.

Soon after the introduction of merit badges, the ranks of Life, Star, and Eagle were created to recognize the earning of merit badges; Star was moved before Life in 1924.

## Original merit badges

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Merit badge  | Subject matter  | Original Logo  | Status

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Agriculture | Agriculture | Plow | Merged into Plant Science, 1975
Angling | Angling, Fishing | Fish | Renamed Fishing in 1952
Archery | Archery | Bow and Arrow |
Architecture | Architecture | Arch | Logo used continuously for 100 years
Art | Art | Palette | Logo used continuously for 100 years
Astronomy | Astronomy | Star |
Athletics | Athletics | Wingfoot | Logo used continuously for 100 years
Automobiling | Automobile safety | Red Wheel | Exists today as Traffic Safety
Aviation | Aviation | Airplane |
Bee Farming | Beekeeping | Bee | Discontinued 1995
Blacksmithing | Blacksmithing | Anvil | Replaced by metalworking
Bugling | Bugling | Bugle | Logo used continuously for 100 years
Business | Business | Crossed quills | Renamed American Business in 1966.
Camping | Camping | Tepee |
Carpentry | Carpentry | Plane | Partially replaced by Woodwork, 1952. Carpentry introduced again in 2010 as historic merit badge.
Chemistry | Chemistry | Retort flask | Logo used continuously for 100 years
Civics | Citizenship | Faces | Renamed Citizenship, later split into Home, Community, Nation, and World
Conservation | Conservation | Forest | Exists today as Fish and Wildlife Management and Environmental Science
Cooking | Cooking | Cooking utensils |
Craftsmanship | Artisan | Calipers | Split into various Building and Handicraft merit badges
Cycling | Cycling | White Wheel |
Dairying | Dairy farming | Butter Churn | Merged into Animal Science, 1975
Electricity | Electricity | Lightning Bolt | Logo used continuously for 100 years
Firemanship | Fire safety | Crossed nozzles | Renamed Fire Safety in 1995
First Aid | First aid | Cross | Logo used continuously for 100 years
First Aid to Animals | Veterinary medicine | Cross w/Dog | Renamed Veterinary Medicine
Forestry | Forestry | Pine Cone |
Gardening | Gardening | Ear of Corn |
Handicraft | Handicraft | Hammer and Plunger | Split into various Building and Handicraft merit badges
Horsemanship | Equestrianism | Horseshoe |
Interpreting | Interpreting | Handshake | Discontinued 1952
Invention | Inventing | Gear | Discontinued 1915
Leatherworking | Leatherworking | Leather Stamp | Renamed Leatherwork
Lifesaving | Lifesaving | Life preserver | Logo used continuously for 100 years
Machinery | Machinery | Wrench | Discontinued 1995
Marksmanship | Shooting | Target | Split into Rifle Shooting and Shotgun Shooting
Masonry | Masonry | Trowel | Discontinued in 1995
Mining | Mining | Shovel | Renamed Geology
Music | Music | Lyre | Logo used continuously for 100 years
Ornithology | Ornithology | Hummingbird | Was originally required for Eagle, replaced by Bird Study
Painting | Paint | Paintbrush | Logo used continuously for 100 years
Pathfinding | Orienteering | Indian Head | Replaced by Orienteering. Introduced again in 2010 as historic merit badge.
Personal Health | Physical Fitness | Heart | Replaced by Personal Fitness in 1952
Photography | Photography | Camera |
Pioneering | Pioneering | Pick and Ax |
Plumbing | Plumbing | Faucet | Logo used continuously for 100 years
Poultry Farming | Poultry | Rooster | Merged into Animal Science, 1975
Printing | Printing | Printing Press | Merged into Graphic Arts, 1987
Public Health | Public Health | Torch | Logo used continuously for 100 years
Scholarship | Scholarship | Torch & Book | Logo used continuously for 100 years
Sculpture | Sculpture | Head |
Seamanship | Boating | Anchor | Split into Motorboating and Small Boat Sailing, 1964
Signaling | Semaphore | Semaphore Flags | Discontinued in 1992. Introduced again in 2010 as historic merit badge. Reinstated again in 2015 as Signs, Signals, and Codes
Stalking | Tracking | Raccoon | Discontinued 1952. Introduced again in 2010 as historic merit badge, and renamed Tracking
Surveying | Surveying | Telescope |
Swimming | Human swimming | Man Swimming |
Taxidermy | Taxidermy | Talon | Discontinued in 1952

## References

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1. ^ Duersch Jr., Fred (2003). Merit Badge Field Guide. Downs Printing Inc. pp. i–xi.

## See also

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* Merit badge (Boy Scouts of America)
* History of merit badges (Boy Scouts of America)
* Discontinued merit badges (Boy Scouts of America)