Eagle Scout:

"Any first-class scout qualifying for twenty-one merit badges will be entitled to wear the highest scout merit badge. This is an eagle's head in silver, and represents the all-round perfect scout."

Rik's note: Pretty simple back then, and interesting how they called the award a "merit badge"...

The twenty one merit badges had to include the first set of required merit badges:  First Aid, Athletics, Lifesaving, Personal Health, and Public Health.

Here is a picture of the 1911 Eagle Badge from that book:

By the time Arthur R. Eldred received the very first Eagle Scout badge on Labor Day 1912, the award had been changed.  It was quite similar to today's medal, although the bird was rather scrawny and poorly finished.

In that first year of 1912, a total of 23 Scouts received the Eagle merit badge award.

Last update:  9/28/2003