The Patrol Leaders Handbook

This is a brief summary and comparison of each edition of The Patrol Leader Handbook, also including the two more general Troop Leadership books that were offered in place of a Patrol Leader Handbook for 20 years, and including the recent Senior Patrol Leader Handbook. It took The Boy Scouts of America almost 20 years from their founding even to put out a Patrol Leader Handbook.

This happened only after William "Green Bar Bill" Hillcourt convinced Chief Scout Executive James West to allow him to write one, which was published in 1929.

The Boy Scouts of America has been consistently sloppy about identifying editions and printings. The only edition officially identified was the 3rd in 1980. It appears that The Boy Scouts of America does not consider their Patrol and Troop Leadership and Junior Leader Handbook publications as Patrol Leader Handbooks. Even the new 2002 Edition of The Patrol Leader Handbook is not identified in any way.

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1st Edition—Handbook for Patrol Leaders (1929-1967)

The cover for the first 18 printings showed a Patrol Leader sitting by a campfire in front of his tent dreaming of driving a covered wagon, going on an African safari, or driving a dogsled in the Arctic. The revised 1950 printing changed to a color drawing of a Patrol Leader carry the Patrol flag beckoning to his Patrol.

Written by William Hillcourt, and filled with black-and-white line drawings, this book was received with great enthusiasm by Assistant Scoutmaster's. It was somewhat revised in 1950, but The Boy Scouts of America did not label this a new edition.

Table of Content

Chapter I. The Patrol Leader and his Job
Chapter II. Patrol Spirit
Chapter III. The Patrol and the Troop
Chapter IV. Patrol Organization
Chapter V. Patrol Meetings
Chapter VI. Patrol Instruction
Chapter VII. Patrol Hikes
Chapter VIII. Patrol Camping
Chapter IX. Patrol Handicraft
Chapter X. Patrol Stunts
Chapter XI. Patrol Relationships
Chapter XII. The Patrol Lives on

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2nd Edition—Patrol Leader's Handbook (1967-1972)

This edition is much thinner, with greatly reduced content from the previous Hillcourt edition.

Table of Content

Chapter I. Build Patrol Spirit
Chapter II Run Patrol Meetings
Chapter III. Include Games in Your Program
Chapter IV. Take Part in The Patrol Leader's Council
Chapter V. Help Your Scouts Advance
Chapter VI. Lead Your Patrol on Hikes
Chapter VII. Cook as a Patrol
Chapter VII. Prepare Your Patrol for Camping
Chapter IX. Attend Summer Camp With Your Patrol
Chapter X. Try These Patrol Projects

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Patrol and Troop Leadership Handbook (1972-1980)

There was no handbook specifically for Patrol Leaders during this period, only this much more general Leadership book with limited information on how to run a good Patrol.

Table of Content

PART ONE—Leadership
Chapter I. Why Leadership?
Chapter II. The Tasks of Leadership
Chapter III. The Skills of Leadership

PART TWO—BEING A Leader
Chapter IV. Leadership in the Patrol
Chapter V. The Leadership of the Troop
Chapter VI. How the Troop Works
Chapter VII. Planning Meetings of the Troop Leaders Council
Chapter VII. The Leadership CORPS

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3rd Edition—The Official Patrol Leader Handbook (1980-1990)

The Boy Scouts of America seems to be alternating between a dedicated Patrol Leader book and a generalized junior Leader book.

Table of Content

Part 1 Being A Patrol Leader
Chapter I. Welcome to Scouting's Toughest Job
Chapter II. Patrol Spirit
Chapter III. The Patrol and the Troop
Chapter IV. Successful Patrol Meetings
Chapter V. Happy Hiking
Chapter VI. Camping Is Where the Fun Is
Chapter VII. Advancement
Chapter VIII. Exit Smiling

Part 2 Tools for your Job
Games and Activities
Patrol Menus
Campfires Projects

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Junior Leader Handbook (1990-Today)

Back to a generalized Junior Leader book. This contains many photographs instead of cartoon line drawings.

Patrol Leader Handbook Table of Contents

opportunity and Challenge—Welcome to the Position of Patrol Leader
Building Patrol Spirit
Your Patrol and Your Troop Leading Patrol Meetings
Leading Patrol Activities
Being a Good Leader
Other Patrol Leadership Positions

Senior Patrol Leader Handbook Table of Contents

Welcome! Senior Patrol Leader
Qualifications
Building Troop Spirit
The Troop Program
Running a Good Troop Meeting
Leading the Troop Beyond the Meeting Room
How to Be a Good Senior Patrol Leader
The Troop Leadership Team