HOME—BSA Handbooks

BSA Handbooks

The BSA has three key handbooks for use by Scout troops—the Scout Handbook, the Scoutmaster Handbook, and the Patrol Leader Handbook. The Scout Fieldbook is another important resource the BSA has provided for a long time. The pages below give a brief history of each edition. Cover pictures (front & back) are shown with each description. Note that titles have variously used the terms 'Scout' and 'Boy Scout' interchangeably until 2019, when girls also became 'Scouts' [but note that 'Girl Scouts' are members of the US version of the separate worldwide Girl Guiding program].

BSA Handbook Histories

Scout Handbook Complete History (complete history of the BSA's Scout Handbook, from the original in 1910 through today, with many interesting comparisons and details.)
Brief History of Scoutmaster Handbook (1914 to today)
Brief History of Patrol Leader Handbook (including other BSA junior leader manuals, 1929 to today)
Brief History of Scout Fieldbook (1944 to today)

BSA Handbook Covers

The pages below show every cover of each handbook, along with a brief explanation about the artwork and the artist.

Scout Handbook Covers (including 4 covers by Norman Rockwell & 1 by Joseph Csatari)
Scoutmaster Handbook Covers (including 1 cover each by Norman Rockwell & Joseph Csatari)
Patrol Leader Handbook Covers (including 1 cover by Joseph Csatari)
Scout Fieldbook Covers (including 1 partial cover by Norman Rockwell)

All Title Variants

The various handbooks have used a number of different titles over the decades. The most complete title is generally on the title page of the book:

Scout Handbook

A Handbook of Woodcraft, Scouting, and Life-craft (1910-11) [temporary "original edition"]
The Official Handbook for Boys (1911-27)
Revised Handbook for Boys, First Edition (1927-48 [words "First Edition" finally dropped from title in 1944]
Handbook for Boys (1948-59)
Boy Scout Handbook (1959-72)
Scout Handbook (1972-79)
Official Boy Scout Handbook (1979-90)
Boy Scout Handbook (1990-2015)
The Boy Scout Handbook (2016-19)
Scouts BSA Handbook for Girls (2019-present)
Scouts BSA Handbook for Boys (2020-present)

Scoutmaster Handbook

Handbook for Scout Masters (1914-59) [the term "Scout Master" gradually changed to "Scoutmaster"]; sub-titled A Manual of Leadership from 1920-36
Scoutmaster's Handbook (1959-81)
The Official Scoutmaster Handbook (1981-90)
Scoutmaster Handbook (1990-2015); sub-titled Recommended for all Scout leaders from 1998-2015
Troop Leader Guidebook (2015/16-present)

Patrol Leader Handbook

Handbook for Patrol Leaders (1929-67)
Patrol Leader's Handbook (1967-72)
[no specific Patrol Leader Handbook from 1972-80]
The Official Patrol Leader Handbook (1980-90)
[no specific Patrol Leader Handbook from 1990-2002]
The Patrol Leader Handbook (2002-2016)
Patrol Leader Handbook (2017-present)

also covered with the Patrol Leader Handbook:

Patrol and Troop Leadership (1972-80) [very general leadership manual]
Junior Leader Handbook (1990-2002) [very general leadership manual]
The Senior Patrol Leader Handbook (2002-2016)
Senior Patrol Leader Handbook (2017-present)

Scout Fieldbook

Scout Fieldbook (1944-67)
Fieldbook (1967-present); sub-titled Scouting's Manual of Basic and Advanced Skills for Outdoor Adventures from 2014-present
Boy Scout Fieldbook (1978 commercial version)