Daniel “Uncle Dan” Beard was born on June 21, 1850, in Cincinnati, Ohio.
Beard was born into a family of artists and spent his childhood exploring and sketching the woods near his home in Covington, Kentucky. There, he developed a love of nature and the outdoors that would one day lead him into writing and illustrating about the subject.
After graduating with a degree in civil engineering in 1869, Beard worked at that profession until his family moved to New York City. In New York, Beard studied art at the Art Student’s League. He soon sold his first article, “How to Camp Without a Tent” to St. Nicholas magazine. Beard then wrote a series of articles for the magazine that he turned into the successful American Boy’s Handy Book. His illustrations caught the attention of some noted authors, including Mark Twain. Beard illustrated several of Twain’s books including Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court.
In 1905, Beard became the editor of the wildlife magazine Recreation. While there, he founded the “Sons of Daniel Boone” youth group, later renamed “Boy Pioneers of America.” The group was based on the frontier traditions Beard had learned as a boy. And, like Robert Baden Powell’s Boy Scout Organization in England, “The Sons of Daniel Boone” promoted outdoor recreation.
In 1910, Beard’s Boy Pioneers merged with Boy Scouts becoming the Boy Scouts of America (BSA). Beard was BSA’s first National Commissioner and Chairman of the Court of Honor. In addition, he was an editor for the Boy Scout magazine, Boy’s Life, and wrote a monthly column for the scouts. Beard went on to help establish the sister organization, the Camp Fire Girls.
In 1915, at the age of 64, Beard became an Eagle Scout. He was also the only recipient of the Boy Scout Gold Eagle Badge in 1922. Beard continued to serve in a leadership role in Boy Scouts until his death on Jun 11, 1941. Some 2,000 people lined the streets during his funeral and 127 boy scouts participated in an honor guard. Many scouting-related sites are named in Beard’s honor as well as a bridge across the Ohio River, schools, parks, and a mountain in Denali National Park and Preserve.
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I enjoyed my years in scouting. Reached the rank of Life scout but other interests replaced scouting from that point on. Scouting taught me to respect nature and people. For that I am forever grateful.
Oh, come on Dennis and Michael. Times change, people change, and organizations have to change and evolve. How many scout troops opened their arms to black and Hispanic kids in the early days? I was a cub scout, boy scout, and explorer scout in the 1950s and rose to the rank of Eagle, and I enjoyed the experiences a lot and learned a lot. As a city kid, I loved the campouts, the hikes, and summer camp. Welcoming girls into the scouts is a good thing, because we have to stop dividing things into boy/girl or man/woman, but I do worry about the effect on the Camp Fire and Girl Scout organizations.
My life long interest in stamps started while earning the Stamp Collecting merit badge. I have fond memories of my scouting experiences and both of my sons were in the Boy Scouts. Both still love camping.
I was in the Boy Scouts, too, and loved it !!! I did not become an Eagle Scout only because, at the time I was not able to acquire the swimming badge because, AT the time, I was just not able to swim well enough in the active river in my home town to earn the swimming badge before having to leave the Boy Scouts.. I regret that but I really enjoyed my time, camping, earnin g badges and sharing good times with my friends also in the Scouts.