During the summer of 1997, the National Park Service’s Archeology and Ethnography Program participated in the 1997 Boy Scout National Jamboree by sponsoring the Archeology Merit Badge Booth. During the twelve days at the event, over 3000 Scouts and Scouters were introduced to the Archeology Merit Badge and over 400 scouts were provided a sound start to meeting the requirements of the badge. Led by the Stewardship and Partnerships Team from the National Park Service's Philadelphia Support Office, the booth was staffed with a combination of National Park Service, Department of the Army, Bureau of Land Management and Connecticut Historical Commission archeologists. This article describes the great adventure with archaeology at the Jamboree, looking specifically at the nature of the program’s audience, how the program was structured and the response that was received. In addition, changes that might improve the program for future Jamborees are examined.

Archaeology Merit Badge Background

The Archaeology Merit Badge officially became part of the Boy Scouts' merit badge program on April 1, 1997. A number of people, agencies, and organizations worked diligently for many years to get this program in place. In particular, Allan Skinner, an archaeologist from Texas who is also active in Boy Scouting, is recognized for his considerable work over a number of years to promote the concept to the Boy Scouts of America; he was tireless in his devotion to this cause. The requirements for earning the badge are sound in that they strive to inform the Scout about the basic concepts of archaeology and also endeavor to raise awareness of why archeological resources are important parts of our heritage and should be preserved. The Archaeology Merit Badge pamphlet is a good guide for the Scout interested in working on this badge.

1997 presented a great opportunity to present the Archaeology Merit Badge to the National Scouting Community. 1997 was the year for the National Scout Jamboree, an event that occurs every four years. The Jamboree brings together thousands of scouts and adult scouters for over a week of scouting activities. Approximately 30,000 Scouts participate in the Jamboree as residents at the site and the support staff number around 5000. Thousands of Scouts, Scouters, and others come to the Jamboree daily as visitors. Multiple activities are constantly going on and range from a visit by the President to concerts by noted entertainers to military skydiving teams. During the Jamboree, the site becomes one of the ten largest cities in Virginia.

The Merit Badge Midway

The location of the Archaeology Merit Badge Booth at the Jamboree was the Merit Badge Midway. The Midway was comprised of booths offering work toward approximately 60 merit badges. Many federal agencies were represented as well as companies and organizations. The Archaeology Merit Badge Booth was well located near the entrance to the Midway across from wood carving and between the camping and radio booths - all which are high volume, popular badges. Being near where most visitors entered the area increased the program's visibility, as well.

The booth was a 10 by 20 foot area in a long row of tents. We divided the area into two sections: one for providing introductory information on the Archaeology Merit Badge to Scouts and Scouters and an area with chairs and tables to offer two concurrent sessions on different merit badge requirements. Generally, the program started at 9 AM and ended at 5 PM with a one hour break at noon for a quick meal and replenishing supplies. Special events such as the visit from President Clinton to the Jamboree site resulted in some variations to the daily schedule.

The Audience

The primary audiences for the Archaeology Merit Badge Booth were Scouts and Scouters, each which wanted slightly different things from our program. Scouts generally wanted to know how many of the requirements could be completed at the Jamboree and the schedule for sessions related to the various requirements. Scouters (adults in leadership roles) were interested in information on the merit badge requirements and how to find Merit Badge Counselors.

The Scouts that visited our booth were impressive; they were cordial, friendly, knowledgeable and responsive, and certainly interested in archeology. This should not be surprising as the Jamboree tends to draw high quality, dedicated Scouts. The majority who visited our information booth desired information on the requirements and our session schedule. Most continued to start work on the badge, even after learning that the badge could not be completed on site.

The Program

The Archaeology Merit Badge program presented at the National Jamboree was shaped by several factors and concerns. First, this was the first national Scouting event since the Archaeology Merit Badge became part of the program in April, 1997. The National Scouting organization desired this to be an introduction to the badge that would provide information to a large number of Scouts and Scouters about the goals of the badge, the nature of the requirements and how the requirements could be achieved. Second, the National Scouting organization wanted a large number of boys to get a good start on earning the badge by completing actual requirements on site.

Again, although the Merit Badge Pamphlet contains many good references, it was not yet widely available at Jamboree time and the on-site Scout Shop copies quickly sold out. We anticipated needing to provide several types of information to introduce the Merit Badge to both Scouts and Scouters. First of all, based on experiences in our own Scout districts, we knew that the requirements of the badge were not yet well know and that we would need to convey the requirements to just about everyone who stopped by the booth whether they were going to complete any requirements or not. Additionally, we anticipated needing to provide direction to reference materials relevant to the requirements.

To address these needs, two handouts entitled Requirements and Resources were prepared. Requirements listed all the Archaeology Merit Badge requirements and identified those that could be earned at the Jamboree. Resources provided a list of books, computer programs, internet sites, and organizations useful in addressing the badge’s requirements. The two pamphlets were packaged in a craft paper envelope along with a copy of the Participate in Archeology brochure and a Take Pride in America bookmark.

Recognizing that Scouts and Scouters have an uncontrollable urge to collect pins and patches, we distributed a one inch enameled pin with the Merit Badge’s Folsom Point in the center circled by Preserve Archaeology and 1997 National Jamboree to each person who stopped by the information table at the booth.

Five Archeology Merit Badge requirements were identified that could be presented to small groups of Scouts during 30 minute classroom sessions. We did not think that we could capture the attention of the Scouts for more than a total of two to three hours given everything that was scheduled at the Jamboree. Also, we predicted that a Scout who had completed half of the requirements for a Merit Badge at the Jamboree would finish upon returning home.

The five requirements addressed at the booth included:

• What Archeology is and its relationship to other disciplines
• Education Requirements and Career Opportunities in Archeology
• Why preservation of archeological sites is important and what one can do
• What a Scout would put in a time capsule today and how it might be interpreted in one thousand years
• How Archeologists date artifacts, structures and sites.

The first two requirements were covered in one session and the four others were presented individually. Two requirements were taught concurrently during the morning sessions and the other two requirements were presented concurrently during the afternoon sessions. Requirements were taught by lectures, discussion, videos, and exercises. For example, the preservation requirement was approached through the use of segments of the "Assault on Time" video. The dating requirement was approached using model cars of various vintages, projectile point casts, and diagrams of site stratigraphy.

While on site and after visiting the Bureau of Land Management’s exhibit on the Conservation Trail portion of the Jamboree, we collaborated with Richard Brooks and his staff to make it able for Scouts to address two additional requirements at the Jamboree. Scouts could assist the Bureau of Land Management in building a reconstruction of a pit house to address the requirement that entails assisting in the preparation of an archaeological exhibit. Also Scouts could study the information presented by the Bureau of Land Management on American Indians who lived in pit houses and write a brief essay that addressed the requirement to research lifeways of American Indians.

Upon completing requirements, Scouts were presented with documentation verifying their accomplishments for their home district Merit Badge Counselors.

Once a Scout had completed three of the requirements, he was eligible to receive a woven patch recognizing his accomplishments toward the Archaeology Merit Badge at the Jamboree.

Response to the Program

The response to the Archaeology Merit Badge Booth by Scouts and Scouters was outstanding. Over 3000 individuals visited the booth to receive information on the Merit Badge. We recorded visitors from every state of the union with the exceptions of Wyoming and Montana. We had over 500 visitors on the opening afternoon of the jamboree. A majority of the adult scouters who visited the booth remarked how great they thought the Archaeology Merit Badge was and how long overdue it was. In addition to asking for the requirements, the most frequent question was how to find a counselor for the Merit Badge. The most frequent questions from Scouts was whether the badge could be completed at the jamboree and how long it would take. Not many walked away after asking.

Over 425 Scouts completed three or more of the Badge requirements offered at the jamboree and received the special Jamboree Archaeology patch. Although we do not have exact counts, of this total, probably as many as 90% completed all five requirements offered at the booth and at least 25% did the requirements addressed through the Conservation Trail.

Several dozen boys came to the jamboree prepared to do serious work on the Archaeology Merit Badge’s requirements, including written reports on research they had done and photographs of excavations on which they had participated. In order to respond to the enthusiasm of the these potential budding archeologists, we reserved an hour each afternoon between 4 and 5 to go over other requirements. If Scouts wanted to address requirements requiring research, books were checked out to them overnight.

Planning for Future Jamborees

The response from Scouts and Scouters to the Archaeology Merit Badge Booth at the 1997 Jamboree indicates that similar programs should be presented at future jamborees. With this is mind, what changes would I make in planning and presenting the program?

First of all, I would increase the amount of space in which to provide introductory materials and present requirement sessions. We frequently had as many as 12 Scouts at each of the two concurrent requirement sessions. More room is needed for instruction space and comfort of the participants. Some degree of separation between sessions is desirable as well. While we welcomed the close proximity in 1997 – it tended to emphasize the interest the badge was generating - some additional breathing room would be appreciated in 2001.

Second, support staff size needs to be increased. While we tried to have three people at the booth at all times - one to distribute information and two to present requirement sessions, four would have allowed for breaks and replenishment of supplies. Given the length of the event, staff needs to be given time off, if to do nothing other than see what else is at the Jamboree.

Third, more preplanned connections to other programs and activities need to be made. The connection that was made to the Bureau of Land Management exhibit in the Conservation Trail worked well. Similar connections might be made to other merit badges such as Indian Lore where projectile points are frequently replicated.

Fourth, the booth should be an opportunity for a number of agencies to promote archaeological awareness. We need to explore making it an inter agency effort. Our staffing for the 1997 event came from the Department of the Army, Bureau of Land Management, and the Connecticut Historical Commission in addition to the National Park Service.

And finally, fifth, we need to continue to develop ways to present the requirements to the Scouts that they find interesting and to which they can relate.