History
In May 1910, Hearst called an organizational meeting to form a new Scouting group. Hearst was aware of the Boy Scouts of America, formed months earlier by rival publisher William D. Boyce but pursued his own vision of Scouting and incorporated the ABS in June 1910. Edgar M. Robinson and Ernest Seton requested that Hearst united the ABS with the BSA but were rejected. The American Boy Scouts of Rhode Island was founded by Charles E. Mulhearn on August 29, 1910 with the meeting of an executive committee. The next day, the Rhode Island committee requested a charter from the ABS New England Department Headquarters.
Hearst had conflicts with the ABS directors over the methods of financing and the improper and unauthorized use of his name for the solicitation of money. He resigned in December 1910. Hearst also expressed his disdain at fund raisers being allowed to keep 40% of funds raised without his knowledge. Other leaders resigned at the same time Hearst did. General James O'Beirne, the ABS treasurer, replaced Hearst as president. Hearst referred the matter to the District Attorney which the organization claimed was over Hearst's dismissal. A grand jury was formed and the ABS indicated that they would sue Hearst for the false statement.
Citing ABS mismanagement, the New England Division left the ABS in 1910 and formed the New England Boy Scouts. On March 12, 1911, the Rhode Island group voted to break away from the American Boy Scouts and were renamed the Rhode Island Boy Scouts.
The ABS joined the Order of World Scouts in 1911. In August 1911, General Edwin A. McAlpin was elected national president and Chief Scout.
In March 1912, an ABS Scout in uniform shot and killed a boy with a rifle after a Scout function. The resulting negative publicity caused the group to practically dissolve by 1913.
They went to Remington Arms seeking a single shot training rifle. Remington designed the 4S Boy Scout Rifle and advertised it as the "Official Rifle of the American Boy Scouts" for sale from 1913 to 1914.
Read more about this topic: American Boy Scouts
Famous quotes containing the word history:
“Every literary critic believes he will outwit history and have the last word.”
—Mason Cooley (b. 1927)
“English history is all about men liking their fathers, and American history is all about men hating their fathers and trying to burn down everything they ever did.”
—Malcolm Bradbury (b. 1932)
“The history of mankind interests us only as it exhibits a steady gain of truth and right, in the incessant conflict which it records between the material and the moral nature.”
—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–1882)