Daniel Carter Beard | |
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 Beard in 1930 | |
| Born | (1850-06-21)June 21, 1850 Cincinnati, Ohio, US |
| Died | June 11, 1941(1941-06-11) (aged 90) |
| Resting place | Brick Church Cemetery Spring Valley, New York, US[1] |
| Other names | Uncle Dan |
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| Known for | Founding pioneer of theBoy Scouts of America |
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Daniel Carter "Uncle Dan"Beard (June 21, 1850 – June 11, 1941) was an American illustrator, author, youth leader,Georgist and social reformer who founded theSons of Daniel Boone in 1905, which Beard later merged with theBoy Scouts of America (BSA).
Beard was born on June 21, 1850, inCincinnati, to a family of artists.[3] As a youth inPainesville,[4] he explored the woods and made sketches of nature. His father was the artistJames Henry Beard and his mother was Mary Caroline (Carter) Beard. His uncle was the artistWilliam Holbrook Beard. He lived at322 East Third Street inCovington, Kentucky near theLicking River, where he learned the stories ofKentucky pioneer life.[citation needed]
He started an early career as an engineer and surveyor.[5] He attended art school in New York City. He wrote a series of articles forSt. Nicholas Magazine that later formed the basis forThe American Boy's Handy Book. He was a member of the Student Art League, where he met and befriendedErnest Thompson Seton in 1883. He illustrated a number of books forMark Twain, and for other authors such asErnest Crosby.
In 1886, Daniel Carter Beard joinedHenry George'sSingle-tax movement and became a strong advocate of the Georgist philosophy. He wrote several novels about the subject (such asMoonblight and Six Feet of Romance).[6] WithMark Twain's approval, Beard's illustrations forA Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court were a Georgist interpretation of the story.[7]
In 1908, while living inRedding, Connecticut, Beard was among those on hand to welcomeMark Twain upon his arrival to the author's new villaStormfield.[8]
Beard became the editor ofRecreation magazine launched by his friendGeorge O. Shields and wrote a monthly column for youth. He founded theSons of Daniel Boone in 1905, basing it on American frontier traditions. He later moved his column toWoman's Home Companion. After conflicts with a new editor, he moved to thePictorial Review. SinceWomen's Home Companion retained the rights to the name, he simply renamed the organization toBoy Pioneers of America.[9]
Beard was a longstanding and influential member of theCamp-Fire Club of America.[10]
Beard merged his organization into theBoy Scouts of America when it was founded in 1910. He became one of the firstNational Scout commissioners of the Boy Scouts and served it for 30 years. He later became the editor ofBoys' Life magazine, the BSA official magazine, and wrote a monthly column for youth. The work of both Beard andErnest Thompson Seton are in large part the basis of theTraditional Scouting movement.[11][12]
Beard also helped his sister organize theCamp Fire Girls. Beard was aFreemason, initiated in the Mariners Lodge No. 67 (New York City).[13][14] An award for Masonic Scouters has been named in his honor.
Beard founded Boy Scout Troop 1 inFlushing, New York, which is believed to be one of theoldest continuously chartered Boy Scout Troops in the United States. He became anEagle Scout at the age of 64 on February 15, 1915.[15]
Prior to the establishment of theDistinguished Eagle Scout Award, Dan Beard was recipient of the only "gold Eagle badge" awarded at the Second National Training Conference of Scout Executives held in 1922 in Blue Ridge, North Carolina.[3]
Dan Beard was also involved with theCulver Academies' summer camp program for many years, which used his "Sons of Daniel Boone" program. This program still exists as the Academy's Culver Woodcraft Camp.
Beard died on June 11, 1941, aged 90, at his homeBrooklands inSuffern, New York.[16] He was buried near his home at the Brick Church Cemetery inSpring Valley, New York.[17] The National Program Director of the Boy Scouts of America,E. Urner Goodman, was selected to be in charge of the beloved youth leader's funeral in Suffern. An estimated 2,000 people lined the funeral route to the cemetery inMonsey, New York, where 127 Boy Scouts formed an honor guard and assisted with traffic control.[18]
TheDaniel Carter Beard Bridge carriesI-471 across theOhio River.[19] A life-size bronze statue of Daniel Carter Beard and a Boy Scout, created by world-renowned sculptor Kenneth Bradford, stands at 322 East 3rd Street inCovington, Kentucky, Beard's boyhood home. The nearbyDaniel Carter Beard Boyhood Home is now aNational Historic Landmark in theRiverside Drive Historic District.[20]
Junior High School 189 Daniel Carter Beard is located inFlushing, Queens, New York; the Daniel Carter Beard Mall is a nearby park. The Daniel Carter Beard Elementary School is located in Chicago, Illinois.
TheDan Beard Council is the administrative body of the BSA in the Greater Cincinnati area.[21]
Many Scout camps have sites named after Beard:
Other camps have programs named after Beard, such as the first-year camper program atMcKee Scout Reservation in Kentucky.
The Forest Preserves of Cook County, Illinois, has long had a campground calledCamp Dan Beard.
Freemasons in the U.S. offer the Daniel Carter Beard Masonic Scouter Award for Masons who are involved with Scouting. The BSA offers theJames E. West Fellowship Award; an advanced level is the 1910 Society which in turn includes levels of contributions—the Daniel Carter Beard is recognized for a gift of at least $100,000.
Mount Dan Beard, a 10,082-foot (3,073 m) peak in theAlaska Range nearDenali inDenali National Park and Preserve, is named after Beard.[22]
Every year on February 8, in commemoration ofFounders Day, local Scouts place a wreath on Beard's grave at theBrick Church Cemetery.[23]
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{{cite book}}:ISBN / Date incompatibility (help)East Nashville No. 560, TN [19]
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