Old or discontinued merit badges....

[RWSmith]

Does anyone know where there's a listing--with pictures--of old discontinued merit badges? It's been more than 45 years since I earned the last of what I did, and now I can't remember what a number of them were. Paticularly, does anyone know what the merit badge with a red heart is? I'm pretty sure it's not for being a great lover. What, I was only 14 years old!

[smtroop168]

Does anyone know where there's a listing--with pictures--of old discontinued merit badges? It's been more than 45 years since I earned the last of what I did, and now I can't remember what a number of them were. Paticularly, does anyone know what the merit badge with a red heart is? I'm pretty sure it's not for being a great lover. What, I was only 14 years old!

Welcome to the Forum. The Red Heart is Personal Health MB.

Don't know of a site that has pictures. The old handbooks do but not in color. Look at this site for some history.

http://www.scouters.us/homemb.html

[Troop12]

Thanks for the welcome and the info...except that I looked at Steve Henning's lists and according to that, Personal Health was discontinued in 1952...when I was three years old. I know I was precocious but even I didn't earn any merit badges at that tender age.

You know, I'll bet I have an old handbook up in The Box from My Parents' Attic...or maybe The Other Box from My Parents' Attic...if not the other one...

[Troop12]

A bit more research based on the lead you gave me: Personal Health became Personal Fitness in 1952. Personal Health had been one of the original merit badges from 1911. The "heart" badge motif was retained, however, until 1969, when it changed to the current "boy doing calethenics" motif.

I didn't realize until I looked at the list that I must have received one of the last Automobiling MBs awarded. That badge was discontinued in 1962 and had been one of the original 1911 merit badges. I'm a classic!

[smtroop168]

A bit more research based on the lead you gave me: Personal Health became Personal Fitness in 1952. Personal Health had been one of the original merit badges from 1911. The "heart" badge motif was retained, however, until 1969, when it changed to the current "boy doing calethenics" motif.

I didn't realize until I looked at the list that I must have received one of the last Automobiling MBs awarded. That badge was discontinued in 1962 and had been one of the original 1911 merit badges. I'm a classic!

You can't be that old...I have the "Red Heart" MB on my Sash.

Eagle 1969!

[RWSmith]

Check our wiki: http://meritbadge.org/wiki/index.php/Category:Discontinued Merit Badges

We also have a page with just the images in this category: Category:Discontinued Merit Badges Images

[smtroop168]

These are very cool links. I didn't know we had these.

[wagionvigil]

Surprise!

[smtroop168]

How long has that stuff been on the site??

[wagionvigil]

quite a while

[Quailman]

How long has that stuff been on the site??

Since August 25, 2007. If you're ever wondering why you haven't seen a page before, you can check the history tab and see when it was originated, edited, etc.

[smtroop168]

I'll have to go and search out other treasures on the site that I've missed.

[Troop12]

A bit more research based on the lead you gave me: Personal Health became Personal Fitness in 1952. Personal Health had been one of the original merit badges from 1911. The "heart" badge motif was retained, however, until 1969, when it changed to the current "boy doing calethenics" motif.

I didn't realize until I looked at the list that I must have received one of the last Automobiling MBs awarded. That badge was discontinued in 1962 and had been one of the original 1911 merit badges. I'm a classic!

You can't be that old...I have the "Red Heart" MB on my Sash.

Eagle 1969!

I'm old: Eagle 1963.

[wagionvigil]

wow another class of 63

[Troop12]

wow another class of 63

Yup, another relic. The boys are amazed that someone still alive could have been around for the 50th anniversary of Scouting. In fact, so am I.

[wagionvigil]

been there got the patch lol

[smtroop168]

I was helping a scout find an Eagle from each decade to interview. We found a gent who was awarded in Eagle Medal in 1929.

Also...is there still anyone working on finishing this page as there are a number of old MBs with requirements that are not on the list?

[RWSmith]

....is there still anyone working on finishing this page as there are a number of old MBs with requirements that are not on the list?

As with any wiki, it's a work in progress. However, I think I remember Googling (there, I finally said it) the matter a year or two ago and finding one with a lot of good info.

[smtroop168]

....is there still anyone working on finishing this page as there are a number of old MBs with requirements that are not on the list?

As with any wiki, it's a work in progress. However, I think I remember Googling (there, I finally said it) the matter a year or two ago and finding one with a lot of good info.

I'm gonna guess you didn't bookmark it. I have some of the reference material tofill in some of the blanks but its not electronic so it would have to be typed in. Maybe I can find some time over the summer.

[Troop12]

Speaking of discontinued merit badges, I took a look at the requirements for Automobiling, which I earned probably in 1963. Replacing a pneumatic tire? I don't think so. Getting a driver's license? At 14 years old? Highly unlikely. I do remember thinking that it was a really easy merit badge to do. Of course, as a car nut already, I was most of the way there when I started. The badge, btw, had been changed as well.