Daniel Carter Beard facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Daniel Carter Beard
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| Born | June 21, 1850 Cincinnati, Ohio, United States
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| Died | June 11, 1941 (aged 90) Suffern, New York, United States
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| Resting place | Brick Church Cemetery, Spring Valley, New York |
| Other names | Uncle Dan |
| Occupation | Illustrator, author, social reformer |
| Known for | Founding pioneer of the Boy Scouts of America |
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Daniel Carter "Uncle Dan" Beard (born June 21, 1850 – died June 11, 1941) was an American artist, writer, and a very important leader for young people. He started a group called the Sons of Daniel Boone in 1905. Later, this group joined with the Boy Scouts of America (BSA), which he helped create.
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Who Was Daniel Carter Beard?
Daniel Carter Beard was born in Cincinnati, Ohio. His family was full of artists, including his father, James Henry Beard, and his uncle, William Holbrook Beard. When he was young, Daniel loved to explore the woods and draw nature.
He grew up in Covington, Kentucky, near the Licking River. There, he heard many exciting stories about pioneer life in Kentucky.
Early Career and Art School
Before becoming a famous youth leader, Beard worked as an engineer and surveyor. He later went to art school in New York City.
He wrote articles for St. Nicholas Magazine. These articles later became his famous book, The American Boy's Handy Book. At art school, he met and became friends with Ernest Thompson Seton in 1883. Daniel Beard also drew pictures for books by famous authors like Mark Twain.
In 1908, when he lived in Redding, Connecticut, Beard was there to welcome Mark Twain to his new home, Stormfield.
Starting Youth Groups
Daniel Beard became an editor for Recreation magazine. He wrote a special column each month just for young people. In 1905, he started the Sons of Daniel Boone. This group was based on the exciting traditions of American pioneers.
Later, he moved his column to Woman's Home Companion. After some disagreements with a new editor, he moved to the Pictorial Review. Since Women's Home Companion owned the name "Sons of Daniel Boone," he simply changed his group's name to the Boy Pioneers of America.
Daniel Beard and Scouting
When the Boy Scouts of America was founded in 1910, Daniel Beard joined his group with them. He became one of the first National Scout Commissioners for the Boy Scouts and served for 30 years!
He also became the editor of Boys' Life magazine, which is the official magazine for the BSA. He continued to write a monthly column for young people. The ideas from both Beard and Ernest Thompson Seton helped shape what we know as Traditional Scouting today.
Beard also helped his sister start the Camp Fire Girls. He was a Freemason, which is a fraternal organization. An award for Masonic Scouters is named in his honor.
Daniel Beard became an Eagle Scout when he was 64 years old, on February 15, 1915. This was a special honor for him.
Beard was also involved with the Culver Academies' summer camp. They used his "Sons of Daniel Boone" program for many years. This program is still part of the Academy's Culver Woodcraft Camp today.
Daniel Beard passed away on June 11, 1941, just before his 91st birthday. He was buried near his home in Spring Valley, New York. About 2,000 people lined the funeral route, and 127 Boy Scouts formed an honor guard.
Honors and Legacy of Uncle Dan
Many things are named after Daniel Carter Beard to honor his work:
- The Daniel Carter Beard Bridge crosses the Ohio River in his home state.
- A bronze statue of Daniel Carter Beard and a Boy Scout stands in Covington, Kentucky, where he grew up.
- His boyhood home is now a National Historic Landmark.
- Junior High School 189 Daniel Carter Beard is in Flushing, Queens, New York. The Daniel Carter Beard Mall is a park nearby.
- The Daniel Carter Beard Elementary School is in Chicago, Illinois.
- The Dan Beard Council is the Boy Scouts of America's group in the Greater Cincinnati area.
Camps and Awards
Many Scout camps have places named after Beard, such as:
- Philmont Scout Ranch in New Mexico.
- Forestburg Scout Reservation in New York.
- Broad Creek Memorial Scout Reservation in Maryland.
- Tama Hills in Tokyo, Japan.
Some camps even have programs named after him, like the first-year camper program at McKee Scout Reservation in Kentucky. There is also a campground called Camp Dan Beard in Illinois.
Freemasons in the U.S. give the Daniel Carter Beard Masonic Scouter Award to Masons who are involved with Scouting. The BSA also has a special award called the Daniel Carter Beard level for those who donate a lot to the organization.
A mountain peak in the Alaska Range near Denali is named Mount Dan Beard. It stands at 10,082 feet (3,073 meters) tall.
Books by Daniel Carter Beard
Daniel Carter Beard wrote and illustrated many books, mostly for boys, encouraging them to explore nature and learn new skills. Here are some of his famous works:
- The American Boy's Handy Book (1882)
- A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court by Mark Twain (1889), where Beard was the illustrator
- The American Boy's Book of Sport (1890)
- The American Claimant by Mark Twain (1892), where Beard was the illustrator
- The Outdoor Handy Book (1896)
- The Jack of All Trades: New Ideas for American Boys (1900)
- The Field and Forest Handy Book: New Ideas for Out of Doors (1906)
- The Boy Pioneers: Sons of Daniel Boone (1909)
- Boat Building, and Boating (1912)
- The American Boy's Book of Camp-Lore and Woodcraft (1920)
- Do It Yourself (1925)
- Hardly A Man is Now Alive (1939)
Images for kids
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Daniel Beard in later life, with Boy Scouts
