History of Eagle Requirements

We hear from time to time the comment that the Eagle requirements are being ‘dumbed down’ or somehow easier than in years gone by.  Here is a short history of the Eagle project and Eagle requirements.  I’ll let you be the judge

History of the Eagle Scout Project

• Prior to 1952 – There was no Eagle Scout Service requirement.
• 1952 – "Do your best to help in your home, school, church and community."
• 1961 – "Do your best to help in your home, school, church or synagogue, and community."
• 1965 – "While a Life Scout, plan, develop, and carry out a service project helpful to your church or synagogue, school, or community approved in advance by your Scoutmaster."
• 1972 – "While a Life Scout, plan, develop, and carry out a service project helpful to your religious institution, school, or town. This project must be approved by your Scoutmaster and troop committee before you start."
• 1994 – "While a Life Scout, plan, develop, and give leadership to others in a service project helpful to any religious institution, any school, or your community. The project idea must be approved by your Scoutmaster and troop committee and approved by the council or district before you start. You must use the Eagle Scout Service Project Workbook in meeting this requirement."
• 1999 – "While a Life Scout, plan, develop, and give leadership to others in a service project helpful to any religious institution, any school, or your community. (The project should benefit an organization other than Boy Scouting.) The project plan must be approved by the organization benefiting from the effort, your Scoutmaster and troop committee, and the council or district before you start. You must use the Eagle Scout Leadership Service Project Workbook, in meeting this requirement."

 
Source: http://meritbadge.org/wiki/index.php/Eagle_Scout_Leadership_Service_Project
 

History of the Eagle Scout Merit Badge Requirements

• Here is a list of the Merit Badges that have been required to earn the Eagle Scout rank since 1912. Please note that 21 total merit badges must have been earned for the Eagle Scout rank, except from 1972-1979, when 24 were needed (but not camping.)
• 1912: Athletics, First Aid, Life Saving, Personal Health, Public Health.[5]
• 1915: Athletics, Bird Study, Cooking, Camping, First Aid, Life Saving, Pathfinding, Personal Health, Physical Development, Pioneering, Public Health.[11]
• 1916: Athletics, Athletics OR Physical Development, Bird Study, Camping, Civics, Cooking, First Aid, Life Saving, Pathfinding, Personal Health, Physical Development,  Pioneering, Public Health.[11]
• 1924: No change in list.
• 1925: Athletics OR Physical Development, Bird Study, Camping, Civics, Cooking,   First Aid, Life Saving, Pathfinding, Personal Health, Pioneering, Public Health, Swimming.[12]
• 1927: No change except Swimming specifically listed
• 1928: Athletics OR Physical Development, Bird Study, Camping, Civics, Cooking, First Aid, Life Saving, Pathfinding, Personal Health, Pioneering, Public Health,  Swimming.[11]
• 1932: Athletics OR Physical Development, Bird Study, Camping, Civics, Cooking, First Aid, Life Saving, Pathfinding, Personal Health, Pioneering, Public Health,  Safety.[12] ,
• 1939: Athletics OR Physical Development, Bird Study, Camping, Civics, Cooking, First Aid, Life Saving,  Pathfinding, Personal Health, Pioneering, Public Health,  Safety, Swimming.[13]
• 1941: Athletics OR Physical Development, Bird Study, Camping, Civics, Cooking, First Aid, Life Saving, Pathfinding, Personal Health, Pioneering, Public Health,  Safety, Swimming.[12]
• 1950: Athletics OR Physical Development, Bird Study, Camping, Citizenship,   Civics, Cooking, First Aid, Life Saving, Pathfinding, Personal Health, Pioneering, Public Health, Safety, Swimming.[13]
• 1952: Athletics OR Physical Development, Bird Study, Camping, Citizenship,  Cooking, Firemanship, First Aid, Life Saving, Nature, Pathfinding, Personal Fitness, Personal Health, Pioneering, Public Health, Safety, Swimming, one from the Outdoor Sports group, one from any of the following groups - Animal Husbandry, Plant Cultivation, Communication, Transportation, or Building, one from the Conservation group, three from the Citizenship group.[16]
• 1954: No change in list.
• 1959: Camping, Cooking, Firemanship, First Aid, Life Saving, Lifesaving (name change only), Nature, Personal Fitness, Public Health, Safety, Swimming, one from the Outdoor Sports group, one from any of the following groups - Animal Husbandry, Plant Cultivation, Communication, Transportation, Building, one from the Conservation group, three from the Citizenship group[16]
• 1961: No change in list.
• 1965: one from the Conservation group, three from the Citizenship group, Camping, Citizenship in the Community, Citizenship in the Nation, Cooking,Firemanship, First Aid, Lifesaving, Nature, Personal Fitness, Public Health, Safety, Soil and Water Conservation, Swimming, one from the Outdoor Sports group, one from any of the following groups - Animal Husbandry, Plant Cultivation, Communication, Transportation, Building, one from the Conservation group, three from the Citizenship group.[11]
• 1966: No change in list.
• 1967: Camping, Citizenship in the Community, Citizenship in the Nation,  Conservation of Natural Resources, Cooking, First Aid, Lifesaving, Nature, Personal Fitness, Safety, Soil and Water Conservation, Swimming.[11]
• 1972: Camping, Citizenship in the Community, Citizenship in the Nation, Citizenship in the World, Communications, Conservation of Natural Resources,Cooking, Environmental Science, Emergency Preparedness OR Lifesaving, First Aid, Lifesaving, Nature, Personal Fitness, Personal Fitness OR Swimming OR Sports, Personal Management, Safety,.Swimming.[10]
• 1979:  Camping, Citizenship in the Community, Citizenship in the Nation, Citizenship in the World, Communications, Emergency Preparedness OR Lifesaving, Environmental Science, First Aid, Personal Fitness OR Swimming OR Sports, Personal Management, Safety.[11]
• 1989 - 1994: No change in list.
• 1994: Camping, Citizenship in the Community, Citizenship in the Nation, Citizenship in the World, Communications, Emergency Preparedness OR Lifesaving, Environmental Science, Family Life, First Aid, Personal Fitness OR Swimming OR Sports, Personal Management, Safety.[12]
• 1999: Camping, Citizenship in the Community, Citizenship in the Nation, Citizenship in the World, Communications, Cycling OR Hiking OR Swimming, Emergency Preparedness OR Lifesaving, Environmental Science, Family Life, First Aid, Personal Fitness, Personal Fitness OR Swimming OR Sports, Personal Management, Safety.[12]
• 2010: Camping, Citizenship in the Community, Citizenship in the Nation, Citizenship in the World, Communications Communication, Cycling OR Hiking OR Swimming, Emergency Preparedness OR Lifesaving, Environmental Science, Family Life, First Aid, Personal Fitness, Personal Management.[12]
• 2013: Camping, Citizenship in the Community, Citizenship in the Nation, Citizenship in the World, Communication, Cycling OR Hiking OR Swimming, Emergency Preparedness OR Lifesaving, Environmental Science OR Sustainability, Family Life, First Aid, Personal Fitness, Personal Management.[12]
• 2014: Camping, Citizenship in the Community, Citizenship in the Nation, Citizenship in the World, Communication, Cooking, Cycling OR Hiking OR Swimming, Emergency Preparedness OR Lifesaving, Environmental Science OR Sustainability, Family Life, First Aid, Personal Fitness, Personal Management.[13]

source: http://usscouts.org/eagle/EagleHistory.asp