return to: Cub Scout Rank Badges

Early Cub Scout Uniforms

Although we may look at early Cub Scout uniforms and say how funny looking they are, I am sure that Cubs at that time were just as happy wearing them as they are today.

Sleeve

Early Cub SleeveUntil the 1970s, uniforms displayed the community strip at the top of the sleeve.  From 1930 until 1952, the Cub Scout community strip was yellow lettering on a blue background.  This change in 1952 to white lettering on a red background for all scouting programs.  In the 1970's scouting units began using the multi-color shoulder patches that are used today.

Pack Numbers

From 1930 until 1948, Cub Scout Packs used unit numerals in the traditional Cub diamond shape.  In 1948, the Pack numeral insignia changed from the felt diamond to individual felt rectangular numerals.  The colors for both types were blue on gold.  Like the change in the community stripe in 1952, the Pack numeral insignia changed to white numbers on a red fully stitched background.

Early Cub Uniform

Den Number

The only change that has occurred in the Den Number is the location.  From 1930 to 1940, the Den Number was under the Pack Number on the left sleeve.  In 1940, the location changed to the right sleeve.

Denner Stripes

Until 1945, the Denner wore two stripes around his sleeve; the Assistant Denner wore one.  Original stripes were finely braided silk ribbon that was purchased in a roll.  Mom would sew this material around the denner's and assistant denner's left arm.  In 1945, new, easier to sew-on (cut-edge) bars for Denners and Assistant Denners were introduced.  Today, easy to pin on cords are used.


Early 1950's


 
The above Pittsburgh uniform is probably from the early 1950's because the rank badges and the temporary badge have moth holes in them which happens to felt badges.

Junior Scout

Steve Restelli sent me these images of a Junior Scout uniform from Barre, Vermont.  It is probably the oldest American scout uniform of any kind according to Steve.  He states, "it dates from 1909 to early 1910 as our Troop 1 scout troop had a few boys who were age 9.  One of these boys, Deane Davis, went on to become the Governor of Vermont."  More information about Troop 1 can be found on this site FirstBoyScout.com.


Cubs, B.S.A

Larry McGarrah sent me these images of a 1941 Cub uniform that he owns.  Larry noted, "It would appear that not all Cub Packs followed the handbook when displaying patches on the uniform."  He also stated that he had never seen another one of these metal slides.

Below are the knee socks for the uniform.  The bottom sock in the photo still has a fain BSA logo on the side of the foot.  Also pictured are three different 1930's CUBS B.S.A. Beanies.  Left to right; cotton beanie, all wool beanie, and the right beanie is also wool but has the gold band across the bill like the early English Cub Scout beanie.


View images of the Cub Scout rank badges on these pages:

Tiger Cub & Bobcat
Wolf
Bear
Lion
Webelos & Arrow of Light
Rank Badge Diamonds
Home Page

Notes

This is not an official site of the Boy Scouts of America.  The uniform pictures are John Burkitt's and Ben Lefever's collections and the scanned images are copyright.  You are welcome to print these pages for your reference.  However, if you would like to use the images in any other manner, you must receive permission from Craig Murray.

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