Discontinued merit badges (Boy Scouts of America)

This is a list of merit badges formerly offered by the Boy Scouts of America. In some cases, the entire subject has been dropped from the merit badge roster. In others, the merit badge's name has been changed, with or without significant revision to the badge's requirements.

In 2010, in celebration of Scouting's 100th anniversary, four historical merit badges were reintroduced for one year only—Carpentry, Pathfinding, Signaling, and Tracking (formerly Stalking). Bugling merit badge was briefly discontinued in 2010 but reinstated after complaints from volunteers.

Merit badge	Created	Discontinued	Notes	Related subjects	References
Aerodynamics	1942	1952	Created with Aeronautics, Airplane Design, and Airplane Structure to replace Aviation; replaced, along with Aeronautics, Airplane Design, and Airplane Structure, by new Aviation	Aerodynamics	[1]
Aeronautics	1942	1952	Created with Aerodynamics, Airplane Design, and Airplane Structure to replace Aviation; replaced, along with Aerodynamics, Airplane Design, and Airplane Structure, by new Aviation	Aeronautics	[1]
Agribusiness	1987	1995	Replaced Farm and Ranch Management	Agribusiness	[1]
Agriculture	1911	1975		Agriculture	[1]
Airplane Design	1942	1952	Created with Aerodynamics, Aeronautics, and Airplane Structure to replace Aviation; replaced, along with Aerodynamics, Aeronautics, and Airplane Structure, by new Aviation	Fixed-wing aircraft	[1]
Airplane Structure	1942	1952	Created with Aerodynamics, Aeronautics, and Airplane Design to replace Aviation; replaced, along with Aerodynamics, Aeronautics, and Airplane Design, by new Aviation	Fixed-wing aircraft	[1]
Ambulance	1910	1911	Replaced by First Aid	First aid	[1]
Angling	1911	1951	Replaced by Fishing	Angling, Fishing	[1]
Animal Industry	1928	1975	Replaced by Animal Science	Animal science	[1]
Atomic Energy	1963	2004	Replaced by Nuclear Science	Nuclear energy	[1]
Auto Mechanics	1992	2008	Replaced by Automotive Maintenance	Auto mechanic	[1]
Automobiling	1911	1963		Automobile safety	[1]
Automotive Safety	1962	1974	Replaced by Traffic Safety	Automobile safety	[1]
Aviation	1911	1942	Replaced by Aerodynamics, Aeronautics, Airplane Design, and Airplane Structure	Transportation	[1]
Bee Keeping	1915	1955	Replaced Beefarming; replaced by Beekeeping	Beekeeping	[1]
Beef Production	1928	1975		Beef cattle	[1]
Beefarming	1911	1914	Replaced by Bee Keeping	Beekeeping	[1]
Beekeeping	1956	1995	Replaced Bee Keeping	Beekeeping	[1]
Blacksmithing	1911	1952		Blacksmith, Forging	[1]
Bookbinding	1927	1987	Created with Basketry, Cement Work, Leathercraft, Metalwork, Pottery, Wood Carving, and Woodwork to replace Craftsmanship; replaced, along with Printing/Communications, by Graphic Arts	Bookbinding	[1]
Botany	1921	1995		Botany	[1]
Business	1911	1966	Replaced Clerk; replaced by American Business	Business	[1]
Carpentry	1911	1952	Reintroduced for 2010 only	Carpentry	[1]
Cement Work	1927	1952	Created with Basketry, Bookbinding, Leathercraft, Metalwork, Pottery, Wood Carving, and Woodwork to replace Craftsmanship	Cement	[1]
Cinematography	1990	2013	Replaced by Moviemaking	Cinematography	[1]
Citizenship	1947	1951	Replaced Civics; replaced by Citizenship in the Community, Citizenship in the Home, and Citizenship in the Nation	Citizenship	[1]
Citizenship in the Home	1952	1972	Created with Citizenship in the Community and Citizenship in the Nation to replace Citizenship	Family	[1]
Citrus Fruit Culture	1931	1952		Citrus	[1]
Civics	1911	1946	Replaced by Citizenship	Citizenship	[1]
Clerk	1910	1911	Replaced by Business	Business	[1]
Communications	1965	2009	Replaced by Communication	Communication	[1]
Computers	1967	2014	Replaced by Digital Technology	Computer	[1]
Conservation	1911	1952		Conservation movement, Habitat conservation	[1]
Conservation of Natural Resources	1966	1972	Replaced by Environmental Science	Conservation movement, Habitat conservation	[1]
Consumer Buying	1975	1995		Consumerism	[1]
Corn Farming	1928	1975		Maize	[1]
Cotton Farming	1931	1975		Cotton	[1]
Craftsmanship	1911	1926	Replaced by Basketry, Bookbinding, Cement Work, Leathercraft, Metalwork, Pottery, Wood Carving, and Woodwork	Artisan	[1]
Cyclist	1910	1911	Replaced by Cycling	Cycling	[1]
Dairying	1911	1975		Dairy farming	[1]
Dramatics	1932	1966	Replaced by Theatre	Acting	[1]
Electrician	1910	1911	Replaced by Electricity	Electrician	[1]
Farm and Ranch Management	1980	1987	Replaced Farm Records; replaced by Agribusiness	Agribusiness	[1]
Farm Arrangement	1960	1973	Replaced Farm Home and Its Planning and Farm Layout and Building Arrangements; replaced by Farm Arrangements	Agriculture, Agricultural science	[1]
Farm Arrangements	1974	1979	Replaced Farm Arrangement	Agriculture, Agricultural science	[1]
Farm Home and Its Planning	1928	1959	Replaced, along with Farm Layout and Building Arrangements, by Farm Arrangement	Agriculture, Agricultural science	[1][2]
Farm Layout and Building Arrangements	1928	1959	Replaced, along with Farm Home and Its Planning, by Farm Arrangement	Agriculture, Agricultural science	[1][2]
Farm Records	1959	1980	Replaced Farm Records and Bookkeeping; replaced by Farm and Ranch Management	Agriculture, Agricultural science	[1]
Farm Records and Bookkeeping	1928	1958	Replaced by Farm Records	Agriculture, Agricultural science	[1]
Firemanship	1911	1995	Replaced by Fire Safety	Firefighter, Fire safety	[1]
First Aid to Animals	1911	1972	Replaced by Veterinary Science	Veterinary medicine	[1]
Food Systems	1978	1987		Food systems, Botany	[1]
Forage Crops	1959	1975	Replaced Grasses, Legumes, and Forage Crops	Forage	[1]
Foundry Practice	1923	1952		Foundry	[1]
Fruit and Nut Growing	1953	1975		Fruit, Nut	[1]
Fruit Culture	1928	1954		Fruit	[1]
Gardener	1910	1911	Replaced by Gardening	Gardening	[1]
General Science	1972	1995		Science	[1]
Grasses, Legumes, and Forage Crops	1938	1958	Replaced by Forage Crops	Grass, Legume, Forage	[1]
Handicap Awareness	1985	1993	Replaced Handicapped Awareness; replaced by Disabilities Awareness	Disability, Disability studies	[1]
Handicapped Awareness	1980	1985	Replaced by Handicap Awareness	Disability, Disability studies	[1]
Handicraft	1911	1942	Replaced by Home Repairs	Home repair	[1]
Hog and Pork Production	1928	1958	Replaced by Hog Production	Pork	[1]
Hog Production	1959	1975	Replaced Hog and Pork Production	Pork	[1]
Horseman	1910	1911	Replaced by Horsemanship	Equestrianism	[1]
Insect Life	1923	1987	Replaced by Insect Study	Entomology	[1]
Interpreting	1911	1952		Interpreting	[1]
Invention	1911	1917	Earned by only 10 Scouts, one known surviving specimen earned by Stephen Porter.[3]	Invention	[1]
Landscape Gardening	1930	1958	Replaced by Landscaping	Landscaping	[1]
Landscaping	1959	1966	Replaced Landscape Gardening; replaced by Landscape Architecture	Landscaping	[1]
Leather Work	1928	1951	Replaced by Leatherwork	Leather crafting	[1]
Leathercraft	1927	1952	Replaced Leatherworking, and created with Basketry, Bookbinding, Cement Work, Metalwork, Pottery, Wood Carving, and Woodwork to replace Craftsmanship	Leather crafting	[1]
Leatherworking	1911	1927	Replaced by Leathercraft	Leather crafting	[1]
Life Saving	1911	1959	Replaced by Lifesaving	Lifesaving	[1]
Machinery	1911	1995		Machine	[1]
Mammals	1972	1987	Replaced by Mammal Study	Mammal	[1]
Marksman	1910	1911	Replaced by Marksmanship	Shooting	[1]
Marksmanship	1911	1966	Replaced Marksman; replaced by Rifle and Shotgun Shooting	Shooting	[1]
Masonry	1911	1995		Masonry	[1]
Master-At-Arms	1910	1911		Martial arts	[1]
Mechanical Drawing	1933	1964	Replaced by Drafting	Technical drawing	[1]
Medicine	1991	2011	Replaced by Healthcare Professions	Medicine	[4]
Metallurgy	1965	1971	Replaced by Metals Engineering	Metallurgy	[1]
Metals Engineering	1972	1995	Replaced Metallurgy	Metallurgy	[1]
Mining	1911	1937	Replaced by Rocks and Minerals	Mining	[1]
Musician	1910	1911	Replaced by Music	Music	[1]
Nut Culture	1928	1954		Nut	[1]
Ornithology	1911	1913	Replaced by Bird Study	Ornithology	[1]
Pathfinding	1911	1952	Reintroduced for 2010 only	Blazing, Orienteering	[1]
Personal Finances	1962	1971	Replaced by Personal Management	Personal finance	[1]
Personal Health	1911	1952	Replaced, along with Physical Development, by Personal Fitness	Physical fitness	[1]
Physical Development	1914	1952	Replaced, along with Personal Health, by Personal Fitness	Physical fitness	[1]
Pigeon Raising	1933	1980		Pigeon keeping	[1]
Pioneer	1910	1911	Replaced by Pioneering	Pioneering	[1]
Poultry Farming	1911	1913	Replaced by Poultry Keeping	Poultry	[1]
Poultry Keeping	1914	1974	Replaced Poultry Farming	Poultry	[1]
Printing	1911	1981	Replaced by Printing/Communications	Printing	[1]
Printing/Communications	1982	1987	Replaced Printing; replaced, along with Bookbinding, by Graphic Arts	Printing	[1]
Rabbit Raising	1943	1993		Rabbit	[1]
Reptile Study	1927	1993	Replaced Reptiles; replaced by Reptile and Amphibian Study	Herpetology	[1]
Reptiles	1926	1926	Replaced by Reptile Study	Herpetology	[1]
Rifle and Shotgun Shooting	1967	1987	Replaced Marksmanship; replaced by Rifle Shooting and Shotgun Shooting	Shooting	[1]
Rocks and Minerals	1937	1953	Replaced Mining; replaced by Geology	Geology	[1]
Safety First	1916	1926	Replaced by Safety	Safety	[1]
Seaman	1910	1911	Replaced by Seamanship	Seamanship	[1]
Seamanship	1911	1964	Replaced Seaman; replaced by Small-Boat Sailing	Seamanship	[1]
Sheep Farming	1928	1975		Domestic sheep	[1]
Signaling	1911	1991	Replaced Signaller; reintroduced for 2010 only	Flag semaphore, Morse code	[1]
Signaller	1910	1911	Replaced by Signaling	Flag semaphore	[1]
Skiing	1938	1999	Replaced by Snow Sports	Skiing	[1]
Small Grains	1959	1975	Replaced Small Grains and Cereal Foods	Cereal	[1]
Small Grains and Cereal Foods	1943	1958	Replaced by Small Grains	Cereal	[1]
Soil Management	1928	1952	Replaced by Soil and Water Conservation	Erosion, Soil science	[1]
Stalker	1910	1911	Replaced by Stalking	Tracking	[1]
Stalking	1911	1952	Replaced Stalker; reintroduced as Tracking for 2010 only	Tracking	[1]
Taxidermy	1911	1952		Taxidermy	[1]
Textiles	1927	1972	Replaced by Textile	Textile	[1]
Veterinary Science	1973	1995	Replaced First Aid to Animals; replaced by Veterinary Medicine	Veterinary Medicine	[1]
Waterskiing	1969	2007	Replaced by Water Sports	Waterskiing	[1]
Wildlife Management	1952	1972	Replaced by Fish and Wildlife Management	Wildlife management	[1]
Wireless	1919	1923	Replaced by Radio	Radio	[1]
Wood Turning	1930	1952		Woodturning	[1]
World Brotherhood	1952	1972	Replaced by Citizenship in the World; original badge design was a globe, then in 1968 it was changed to be the Scout sign on a blue background.[5]	Citizenship	[1]
Zoology	1930	1972		Zoology	[1]

Original 57 merit badges

Main article: Original 57 merit badges (Boy Scouts of America)

See also

• History of merit badges (Boy Scouts of America)
• Merit badge (Boy Scouts of America)

References

1. Henning, Steve (May 8, 2022). "Merit Badge History". US Scouting Service Project. Retrieved November 21, 2022.
2. "Bulletins from HQ". Scouting: 26. March 1961.
3. Eby, Dave (December 2015). "History of the Invention Merit Badge" (PDF). International Scouting Collector Association Journal. 15 (4): 2–5. Archived from the original (PDF) on September 24, 2020. Retrieved January 3, 2023.
4. "Health Care Professions merit badge debuts, replacing the Medicine merit badge".
5. Duersch Jr., Fred (2003). Merit Badge Field Guide. Downs Printing Inc.