 The cover of Boys' Life, October 2007 issue |
|
| Editor-in-chief | J.D. Owen |
|---|---|
| Staff writers | Aaron Derr, senior writer |
| Categories | Boy Scouts of America |
| Frequency | Monthly |
| Publisher | George S. Barton Company Boy Scouts of America1 |
| First issue | January 1, 1911 |
| Country |  United States |
| Language | English |
| Website | http://www.boyslife.org/ |
| ISSN | 0006-8608 |
Boys' Life is the monthly magazine of the Boy Scouts of America (BSA). Its targeted readership is young American males between the ages of 6 and 18.
Boys' Life is published in three demographic editions. All editions have the same cover, but are tuned to the target audience through the inclusion of 16-20 pages of unique content per edition.
The first edition is suitable for the youngest members of Cub Scouting, the 6-8 year-old Tiger Cubs and the Wolf Cubs. The second edition is targeted at 9-10 year-old Bears and 1st-year Webelos. The third edition is appropriate for 11-18 year old boys, which includes 2nd-year Webelos through 18-year old Boy Scouts, Varsity Scouts and Venturers.2 If the subscription is obtained through registration in the Boy Scouts of America program, the publisher will select the appropriate edition based on the boy's age.
In June 2007, Boys' Life garnered four Distinguished Achievement Awards conferred by the Association of Educational Publishers (AEP), including Periodical of the Year.3
The magazine's mascot is "Pedro the Mailburro," who signs his letters with the signature "UU" (meant to represent the hoofprints of a burro kicking out with both hind legs.)
Contents |
History
In 1911, George S. Barton, of Somerville, Massachusetts, founded, and published the first edition of Boys' Life magazine. It was edited by 18-year old Joe Lane of Providence, Rhode Island.45 He called it Boys' and Boy Scouts' Magazine. At that time there were three major competing Scouting organizations: the American Boy Scouts, New England Boy Scouts, and Boy Scouts of America (BSA).1
The first issue of Barton's Boys' Life was published on January 1, 1911. Five thousand copies were printed of that first issue. Very few of those copies actually reached the public. The widely accepted first edition was published on March 1, 1911. With this issue, the magazine was expanded from eight to 48 pages, the page size was reduced, and a two-color cover was added. In 1912, the Boy Scouts of America purchased the magazine, making it an official BSA magazine.1 BSA paid $6,000, $1 per subscriber for the magazine.4
Noteworthy writers contributing over the years are Alex Haley, Arthur C. Clarke, Ray Bradbury, Isaac Bashevis Singer, Van Wyck Brooks, Ernest Thompson Seton, Bobby Fischer, Catherine Drinker Bowen, Robert A. Heinlein, Isaac Asimov, Arthur B. Reeve and John Knowles.
Noteworthy artists and photographers contributing over the years are Harrison Cady,6 Norman Rockwell, Salvador Dalí, Ansel Adams, Philippe Halsman, and Joseph Csatari.
Content
Often, the version of Boys' Life geared towards older boys features buying guide for products such as cars, MP3 players, digital cameras, sunglasses, and more.
Boys' Life had in 2005 a monthly feature called "BL's Get Fit Guide". Each month highlights a different aspect of physical health, such as diet, exercise, and drugs. Each month the magazine also features a unique Boy Scout trip that most Scouts do not normally do. The unique trips range from a Philmont adventure to a white water rafting trip.
In both versions, Boys' Life features a video game section, which, in addition to new video game reviews, contains cheats for a video game monthly. They also contain technology updates, as well as book reviews.
Content includes Special Features, Adventure Stories, Bank Street Classics, Entertainment, Environmental Issues, History, Sports, and Codemaster.
Comics have included Bible Stories, Pedro, Pee Wee Harris, Scouts in Action, Tiger Cubs, Webelos Woody, Norby, and John Christopher's The Tripods trilogy.
Feature columns include Electronics, Entertainment, Fast Facts, History, Hitchin' Rack With Pedro the Mailburro, Think and Grin (jokes page), Science, Scouting Around, and Sports.
See also
References
- ^ a b c History of Boy's Life Magazine
- ^ "BSA at a Glance". Fact Sheet. Boy Scouts of America. Retrieved on 2007-02-15.
- ^ "Boys' Life Wins No. 1 Periodical Of 2007". Scouting Magazine (November - December 2007): 10. 2007. http://www.scoutingmagazine.org/issues/0711/d-news.html. Retrieved on 1 November 2007.
- ^ a b Petterchak, Janice A. (2003). Lone Scout: W. D. Boyce and American Boy Scouting. Legacy Press. p. 76. ISBN 0-9653198-7-3.
- ^ "Boys; Life, April 1911". Trussell.com. Retrieved on 2008-11-27.
- ^ "Harrison Cady's Boys Life Birds Eye Views". ASIFA-Hollywood Animation Archive. Retrieved on 2008-03-23.
- "Boys' Life magazine". Boy Scouts of America. Retrieved on 12 July 2006.
- Dizer, Dr. John T. (1994). "The Birth and Boyhood of Boys' Life". Scouting Magazine. Boy Scouts of America. Retrieved on 12 July 2006.
- Hood, Robert (1996). "The Best of Times". Scouting Magazine. Boy Scouts of America. Retrieved on 12 July 2006.
External links
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