Exploring (1959-1968)
Overview
In January of 1959, National replaced the Explorer program with the Exploring
program. They had conducted an extensive research project, A Study of
Adolescent Boys, from May 1949 to 1955 with the
Initially, no changes would be made to the Air Explorer and Sea Explorer programs. Later in 1965, changes would occur to both. For more information about these changes to the Air Explorer and Sea Explorer program, see their pages. The rest of this page will deal only with the new Exploring program for the years of 1959-68. To learn what happens to the Exploring program with the establishment of the Exploring Division, go to the Exploring (1969-1998) for the rest of the story..
The New Exploring Logo
The new Exploring program made use of a radically new logo. This logo was
meant to be very modern and forward looking. To quote the Exploring manual: the
general impression of movement and speed is intended, and the design is meant
to be dynamic. The "V" in the center is symbolic of Explorer's
growth and progress. The two prisms represents duty to self and fellow
man. They merge, pointing to infinity, representing duty to God.
The circles represent the Explorer's environment: home, school, community,
nation. The colors of the circles represent his American heritage. The
fleur-de-lis in the center represents the Explorer's affiliation with the BSA
and the world brotherhood of Scouting. Most people today refer to this as the
"Circle-V" logo, or rarely the "rocket-V" or
"rocket" logo. The logo on green was for the uniform shirt.
The one on red was for the red explorer jacket. It was also produced on
white and navy blue for Sea Explorers to wear.
Exploring Program
The Exploring program was a radical change from the Explorer program.
Much of a Post activities would be built around six experience areas: Citizenship,
Service, Social, Vocational, Outdoor, and Personal Fitness. By this way,
posts would have a more well rounded program. Posts would also be encouraged to
have a particularly large 'superactivity' around their interest. More so then
under the Explorer program, Exploring posts would be marked by specialty posts,
especially in vocational areas. These career focused posts would soon
become among the most widespread of all the specialties. In addition,
Explorers would get their own Code and Motto. Before they just used the
Boy Scout Oath, Law, and Motto. Overall, we see the Exploring program
move away from being just an advanced Boy Scout program into a more unique and
separate program.
The Explorer Code
As an Explorer-
I believe that
I will, therefore, be faithful in my religious duties and will maintain a
personal sense of honor in my life.
I will treasure my American heritage and will do all I can to preserve and
enrich it.
I will recognize the dignity and worth of my fellow men and will use fair play
and good will in dealing with them.
I will acquire the Exploring attitude that seeks the truth in all things and
adventure on the frontiers of our changing world.
The Explorer Motto
Our Best Today, For a Better Tomorrow.
The Explorer Cabinet
One of the major changes to the Exploring program was the addition of Explorer
Cabinets. These would exist at the district and council levels and allow
for Explorers to themselves drive their program. Each Explorer Post was
to elect 2 members as Cabinet Representatives, who would represent the Post on
the District Cabinet. Each Post also sent an adult, and the districts
would appoint a cabinet advisor and have a professional member as well.
The District Cabinet officers (chairman, vice-chairman, secretary) would serve
on the Council Cabinet, along with the district cabinet advisors. Council
Cabinets also had an advisor and professional staff member as well. District
and Council cabinets where expected to met no more then four times a year and
plan out no more then 3 events for the year. Surprisingly, both adult and youth
members of the cabinets had a vote.
In 1969, district and council Explorer Cabinets would be replaced with a biannual Exploring Program Planning Conference at the Council level. Later on this would be replaced by Explorer President Associations at the council level.
National Explorer Conference
A new National event for Explorers was established, the National Explorer
Delegate Conference. This was held every two years, in between which
were held regional conferences. In 1961 the first of the Regional
Conferences were held. Each unit could send two delegates, in addition a
delegate from the district and council cabinets. At the Regional
Conferences, each Region elected a youth to serve on the steering committee for
the following National Conference. The National Conferences had a certain
number of delegates from each council, based on number of Explorers. At the
National Conference, each Region would choose the head of the next Regional
Conference Steering committee. The Regional and National Conference Steering
Committees were the closest to the idea of National Cabinets, however, their
purpose was limited to running the Regional and National Conferences, not
running the Exploring program. With the elimination of the
district/council cabinets in 1969, these events would end. Eventually
this would evolve into the National Explorer President's Congress which
started in 1971, and the creation of a true National President and Cabinet.
1st National Explorer Delegate Conference- August 1962, University of
Michigan
2nd National Explorer Delegate Conference- August 1964, University of Kansas
3rd National Explorer Delegate Conference- August 1966, Indiana University
4th National Explorer Delegate Conference- August, 1968, Colorado State
University
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1962 item (nametag) NO IMAGE |
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1968 items (mug & t-shirt) NO IMAGE |
1960 Jubilee Field Day
As part of the BSA's Fiftieth Anniversary, a special event was created just for
Explorers: the Jubilee Field Day. This one day event was to be
held on July 23 in local councils. It was to be a day of athletic
competitions.
Other National Exploring
Events
There were a few other National Exploring
events. Starting in 1956, there was the NRA-BSA Explorer Rifle
Match. The eleventh was held in 1966. Not sure how long they had
them. In 1961, an annual National Bowling Tournament was also
begun. The last was held in 1965. One was planned for 1966, but was
cancelled, and Explorers were encouraged to participate in the new "Sports
That Can Last a Lifetime" program, which included bowling, golf, swimming,
and physical fitness.
Exploring Uniforms
Explorers continued with their forest green uniforms. The strips on the
shirts now read "Explorer". Also, the Circle-V logo was already sewn
on the left pocket, preventing the wearing of any advancement patch
there. Office patches were strips worn below the left pocket. The
white web belt would be updated to the Circle-V logo on the brass buckle.
In addition, a more formal blazer uniform was introduced. This consisted
of a blue blazer with Explorer logo, gray slacks, white shirt, and maroon
tie. This was intended for more dress-up occasions: socials, community
events, conferences, and the like. This blazer uniform, with a red,
white, and blue tie would later become an optional uniform for Scouting
professionals.
Overall, we would see in this period a lessening emphasis on Explorer uniforms that would evolve into the idea of 'Distinctive Dress Identity' with the posts determining their own uniform.
Exploring Advancement
Program
The new Exploring program had no advancement program. The only award available
to Explorers was Eagle Scout. They could earn it one of two ways.
One was to continue to progress through Star-Life-Eagle if they had earned
First Class or higher in a Boy Scout Troop. The other way was to earn
Eagle using special "Explorer-only"
requirements. These requirements did not require that the Explorer have
earned any prior Boy Scout ranks. These Explorer-only requirement would
end on December 31, 1971.
Exploring Unit Organization
With the new Exploring program, officer names were aligned with more common
club terminology, such as President, vice president, etc. These were
strips worn below the left pocket on the uniform.
The position of "Representative" was for the 2 Cabinet
Representatives from each unit. The "Cabinet Officer" was for
the elected officers of the Cabinet, and the Cabinet Advisor for the Cabinet
Advisor, of course.
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Exploring Office Insignia |
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Cabinet Advisor, NO PICTURE |
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Literature
The basic manual for the Exploring program was the new Exploring Manual.
This manual gave detailed information on how Exploring operated. Toward the
end of the 60s, it would be dropped to be replaced by nothing more then a few
pamphlets.
For information on operating District and Council Explorer Cabinets, you had the Explorer Cabinet Guidebook (#3145A). This book was a revision of the District and Council Explorer Activities booklet. Not sure how long it was kept in print. With the replacement of Explorer Cabinets with EPA/EOA, new booklets would describe those groups.
Several other small manuals were produced. There was the Explorer Parent's
and Leader's Guidebook (#3151), for instance. This was about the closest
they had to a leader book initially. It presented some of the findings of the
National continued with the Explorer Program Quarterly until May of 1966, at which point they created monthly Explorer Program Helps as a special insert in Scouting, the same for Cub Scout and Boy Scout leaders. The first of these were the June 1966 Explorer Program Helps, which appeared in the May 1966 issue of Scouting.
The Explorer Program Notebook continued as the Explorer Officer's Program Notebook. These lasted at least until 1968, but probably not past 1969.
The
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Exploring Literature |
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Exploring Manual
(#3506A) paperback book, Ted S. Holstein, editor |
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District and Council
Explorer Activities (#3145A) paperback, 64pg |
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Explorer Parent's and
Leader's Guidebook (#3151) pamphlet, 48pg |
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Explorer Officer's
Program Notebook paperback, 132pg |
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Explorer Program
Quarterly magazine, 24pg |
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Statistics |
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year |
membership |
units |
Eagle awards |
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1959 |
240,954 |
19159 |
? |
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1960 |
237,568 |
18769 |
4393 |
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1961 |
251,676 |
19085 |
4282 |
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1962 |
272,455 |
19806 |
4384 |
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1963 |
280,314 |
20154 |
4303 |
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1964 |
286,774 |
20602 |
? |
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1965 |
296,773 |
21543 |
? |
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1966 |
292,459 |
21351 |
? |
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1967 |
? |
? |
? |
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1968 |
? |
? |
? |
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1969 |
? |
? |
? |
Statistics taken from BSA Annual Reports to Congress
Updated: 01/17/2006mrb