Daniel Carter Beard Award

Many Freemasons nationwide have been of great service to the Boy Scouts of America by supporting the development of Scouting units, serving as volunteers, and assisting their Masonic lodges in forming and sponsoring Scout units. The relationship between individual Masons and Scouting, which has existedsince the founding of Scouting in America, has resulted in immeasurable benefits for both Freemasonry and Scouting.

At the June 2001 Quarterly Communication of the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania, the Grand Master approved the creation of the Daniel Carter Beard Masonic Scouter Award.

It was created with the approval of the Boy Scouts of America as a national Masonic Scouter award, and will be administered by the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania as a service to all other regular Grand Lodges.

The Daniel Carter Beard Masonic Scouter Award is an honor due to the countless Freemasons who practice the ideals of Freemasonry and act as role models to the young men who are part of one of our nation's most outstanding youth organizations. The Daniel Carter Beard Masonic Award not only supports the Masonic relationship through the man who brought Scouting to America, but proclaims the integrity of the Freemason who is honored by receiving the award.

Eligibility

The award will be presented to a Master Mason who is currently a registered Scouter and active in a Scout unit, district, council, or national affiliate, and has displayed outstanding dedication to the Scouting program through:

• developing of Scouting units;
• assisting lodges in forming units;
• exemplifying the Scout Law and Masonic virtues;
• recruiting Scouting volunteers;
• strengthening the relationship between Freemasonry and Scouting.

Work accomplishment and dedication, rather than a specific number of years in Scouting, will be the criteria for this award.

Brother Dan Beard

Freemasonry's relationship with the Boy Scouts started with a Freemason named Daniel Carter Beard. Bro. Beard was made a Mason in Mariner's Lodge No. 67, New York City, NY, and later affiliated with Cornucopia Lodge 563, Flushing, NY. In the late 1800's he founded a male youth program called the "Society of the Sons of Daniel Boone." By 1905, the program had become "The Boy Pioneers." The man who would create the first "Boy Scouts," and be known as its founder, was Lord Robert Baden-Powell of Great Britain. Lord Baden-Powell, who was not a Mason, read of Beard's program and, based on his own military experience, developed what is known as the "Boy Scouts." In 1910, the Boy Scout program came to America when Bro. Beard merged his organization into the "Boy Scouts of America" and became its first National Commissioner.

Bro. Beard, known affectionately as "Uncle Dan" by millions of Boy Scouts, worked tirelessly to create the Scouting Program that we know today. He developed the elements of the Scout badge and the Scout uniform, and wrote and illustrated various early publications of the Boy Scouts of America. Bro. Beard exemplified the Masonic ideals throughout the Scouting program.

Procedures for Petitioning for Recognition and Selection

The Grand Lodges of Masons in the United States invite their members to recommend a contemporary for the award. In the petition for this recognition, the recommender must submit the candidate's full name, mailing address, and an attached page(s) explaining the candidate's qualification for the award based on the criteria outlined above. The petition is then reviewed by the Master of the candidate's lodge, and if found to be qualified, the petition is authorized and forwarded to the lodge's District Deputy (or other designated Masonic authority). The District Deputy then submits the petition to the local Boy Scout Council for approval and verification that the candidate is registered in Scouting. Once approved and verified by the local Boy Scout Council, the District Deputy will forward the petition to his Grand Lodge for action.

The cost of the kit is $35.00, which is borne by the candidate's lodge. Checks should be made payable to the Grand Lodge F. & A.M. of Pennsylvania and submitted with the petition by the District Deputy to candidate's Grand Lodge. The Grand Lodge will then forward all petitions, attached information and costs to the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania, One North Broad Street, Philadelphia, PA 19107-2598, for the recognition kit that will be sent to the Grand Lodge. The Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania will then forward the information on awardees to the Boy Scouts of America Relationships Division, Irving TX.

Presentation of the Program Award

The Daniel Carter Beard Scouter Award is to be presented at the discretion of the Grand Master for each Jurisdiction. It is recommended that it be presented at a Grand Communication or similar meeting where a representative of the Grand Lodge makes a presentation. Arrangements can also be made to make the presentation at a Scouting related function. In all cases, the award is to be presented by a Grand Lodge representative. The award consists of a certificate endorsed by the candidate's Grand Master, and a Boy Scouts of America-approved Masonic neck medallion and knot patch to be worn with a Scout uniform.