LONE SCOUTS OF AMERICA: THE FIRST, OR LONE SCOUT, DEGREE

4 X 6" 31p. stapled booklet in light brown wrappers printed in black and with a vignette of the Lone Scout Indian standing and pointing with his hands. Illustrated with numerous black and white drawings showing Lone Scout badges, knots to tie, and the like. Just a few dings around the edges, corners square and flat, wrappers ever so lightly soiled, a bit of rust on the staples, fFaint stamp on cover regarding Lone Scout membership badges and the Lone Scout Magazine, else very good to near fine with no internal markings--in remarkably good condition given its age and fragility. Probable first edition of introductory manual to the Lone Scouts of America [LSA], founded in 1915 by William D. Boyce, who wanted to bring the Scouting experience to rural boys who had limited opportunities to form troops or patrols. In 1924 the LSA merged with the Boy Scouts of America. (Uniforms were first introduced in 1917 so the booklet may have been published then.) Boyce’s contribution to furthering Scouting was recognized by the Boy Scouts of America who awarded him the coveted Silver Buffalo Award in 1926, the first year it was given. This is a very rare piece of Scout ephemera.…