Wood Badge History

WOOD BADGE is the capstone training course for all Scouters. Every Scouter should consider WOOD BADGE after completing basic training in their position. There are other training courses that go deeper into particular topics than WOOD BADGE, but they are all specialized for particular aspects of scouting.

Not only is WOOD BADGE the capstone course in the Boy Scouts of America, but it is held in common by every member of the World Movement of Scouting. The format & content of the course changes from country to country, but the award is the same. Hundreds of thousands of Scouters around the world have earned the WOOD BADGE training award.

Lord Baden-Powell, the founder of Scouting, directed the first WOOD BADGE course in 1919. It was held at Gilwell Park in Epping Forest outside London, England.

 

For a more thorough history of Wood Badge, visit these sites.

History page at Woodbadge.org

Wood Badge on Wikipedia

1st Gilwell Park Scout Group in England