Boy Scouts of America Memorial - Washington, D.C., USA
Posted by: Groundspeak Premium Member Marine Biologist
N 38° 53.633 W 077° 02.051
18S E 323585 N 4306967
A memorial to the Boy Scouts of America stands on the site of the first Boy Scout Jamboree in 1937 in downtown Washington, D.C., USA.
Waymark Code: WMAWXZ
Location: District of Columbia, United States
Date Posted: 03/05/2011
Published By:Groundspeak Regular Member razalas
Views: 40

"The memorial to the Boy Scouts of America stands on the site of the first Boy Scout Jamboree in 1937. It is one of the few memorials in Washington, D.C. commemorating a living cause. The funds to build this memorial were raised by Scout units throughout the United States, and each donor signed one of several scrolls that were placed in the pedestal of the statue. The memorials was unveiled in a ceremony on November 7, 1964. The statue was accepted for the country by Associate Supreme Court Justice Tom Clark, who noted that the day marked his fiftieth anniversary as an Eagle Scout.

The bronze statue consists of three figures. The Boy Scout represents the aspirations of all past, present, and future Scouts throughout the world. The male figure exemplifies physical, mental, and moral fitness, love of country, good citizenship, loyalty, honor, and courage. He carries a helmet, a symbol of masculine attire. The female figure symbolizes enlightenment with the love of God and fellow man, justice, freedom, and democracy. She holds the eternal flame of God's Holy Spirit."

-- Source

"Inscription. The two symbolic figures represent the sum of the great ideals of past civilizations, developed through the centuries and now at best is delivered by American manhood and womanhood to the present generation.

The Boy Scout, aware of his fellowship with Scouts around the world and symbolic of all Cub Scouts, Boy Scouts, and Explorers striding into the future, represents their hope that all is fine in our nation's past will continue to live in future generations.

The male figure symbolizes love of country, citizenship, patrotism, loyalty, honor, integrity, courage, clean living, and physical development.

The female figure symbolizes the spiritual qualities of good citizenship - enlightenment with the light of faith, love of God, high ideals, liberty, freedom, democracy, love of humanity, lighting the way.

Erected 1964 by Boy Scouts of America.

More about this marker. The Boy Scout oath is engraved on the pedestal of the statue: "On my honor I will do my best To do my duty to God and my country and to obey the Scout Law; To help other people at all times; To keep myself physically strong, mentally awake, and morally straight."

Next to the statue is a pool which bears the inscription: "In grateful tribute to the men and women whose generosity, devotion, and leadership have brought Scouting to the nation's youth and to honor all members of the Boy Scouts of America who in days of peace and times of peril have done their duty to God and their country this memorial was authorized by the Congress of the United States and erected in recognition of the fiftieth anniverary of the Boy Scouts of America."

Regarding Boy Scout Memorial. During the 50th Anniversary Year of Scouting (1959), a proposal was made to establish the memorial on the site of where the first Boy Scount Jamboree in Washington, D.C. was held. Lyndon B. Johnson, who was the Senate majority leader at the time, introduced the measure to the Senate. The memorial was constructed at no expense to the government. The funds were raised from each Scout unit and each donor signed a scroll that was later placed in the pedestal of the statue. The memorial was eventually unveiled in a ceremony on November 7, 1964."

-- Source

Fleur-de-lis?: Yes (on the Boy Scout's Shirt Pockets)

Who placed the Monument or Memorial?: Congress of the United States

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