Scout Patch Collectors

Scout Medal For WWI Gardening *Rare*

Copied From Seller*

This is a WWI Boy Scouts of America Gardening Medal, which is one of the scarcest BSA awards. It is a very good quality bronze medal and is about 3 1/4″ top to bottom with a 1 3/16″ diameter planchet. The obverse design has a uniformed scout hoeing a garden, along with the scout emblem and the legend “Every Scout To Feed A Soldier – War Service.” The reverse legend is: “Awarded To G.H. Hathaway On Behalf Of The Boy Scouts Of America 1917 Gardening.” In 1917, to assist with the war effort, the BSA National Headquarters urged scouts to help and created the motto “Every scout to feed a soldier.” The scouts who met very stringent requirements received this special Gardening Medal. To earn the medal in 1917, a scout had to not only have his own garden, but to convince nine other people to either start and maintain a garden or to expand their acerage. In 1917, only 214 scouts were able to meet the requirement. In 1918, the requirements were changed and a scout was required to work at least sixty days and 100 hours during the gardening season under the supervision of a qualified adult. He also had to enroll an adult to meet the same requirements. Additionally, he had to submit a written plan of his gardening work to be approved by his scoutmaster. Finally, the scoutmaster or local council and the nearest United States Department of Agriculture representative had to sign off and approve the completed work. Needless to say, it was much easier to sell Liberty Loan war bonds or war savings stamps and earn those medals than it was to compete the gardening requirements! This medal is from the famous Bernie Miller collection. It last changed hands at over $2,000.00 Rare!

Final For Auction Was US $2,761.11