International Boy Scouts History

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Brief I.B.S. History
I.B.S. Historical Documents
I.B.S. Scouters
I.B.S. Globe Scouts
I.B.S. Scout Nationalities
I.B.S Golden Globe Award

A Few of the many Historical Documents from the archives of the
International Boy Scouts, Troop 1
Yokohama, Japan

I.B.S 1925 "International" Troop Charter
This was the first Charter issued by the newly formed International Bureau. The original Charter is displayed at the Yokohama Headquarters of the I.B.S

A sampling of letters from over the years.
1950 Letter from the BSIB (R. T. Lund) confirming IBS, Troop 1 as the 1st directly registered "mixed nationality group". Included with this letter was a copy of a 1948 letter from J.S. Wilson to IBS. That letter is reproduced below and gives details of the 1923 International Scout Conference when the idea of "direct registration" was discussed.
1948 (Copy forwarded to IBS by R.T. Lund in 1950) This is a copy of a letter sent by J.S.Wilson, Director BSIB, to Pfc. Lindeen who was servering as a Asst. Scoutmaster with IBS at the time, stating that the BSIB was authorized to directly register "mixed nationality groups" after discussion at the 3rd internatinal Scout Conference in 1923. *See 1967 Letter from Joseph Janning referencing the B-P and the discussion.
1955 Letter from R.T. Lund of the BSIB saying that the only other remaining directly registered Group, a group in Iraq, had become moribund leaving the IBS with the distinction of being the frist and last directly registered Scout group.
1956 1956 letter from R.T. Lund, Deputy Director of the World Bureau. ..."At the present moment it is the only one of its type in existance"...
1957 1957 letter from WOSM Secretary General D. C. Spry thanking the members of the IBS that met and accompanied him on his visit to Japan.
1958 This is the reply to a letter sent by IBS to the Far East Office of the BSIB. The IBS, in preparations to send a contingent to 10th World Jamboree, consulted the BSIB about "passport and visa" requirements for Scouts attending the Jamboree because the planned IBS contingent had several stateless Scouts as well as Scouts from restricted countries. Passports and Visas were waived for the attending contingent.
1958 English letter (followed by the Japanese) from Y. Matsudaira, Director of BSJ, explaining that the Board of Directors of BSJ had decided, based on the special "significance" of the IBS a "courtesy" registration of the IBS would be set at 1,000 per year and be directly with the National Headquarters of BSJ. This allows a closer relationship between the BSJ and IBS.
1958 English letter (followed by the Japanese) from Y. Matsudaira, Director of BSJ, explaining that the Board of Directors of BSJ had decided, based on the special "significance" of the IBS a "courtesy" registration of the IBS would be set at 1,000 per year and be directly with the National Headquarters of BSJ. This allows a closer relationship between the BSJ and IBS.
1968 1968 letter from R. T. Lund, Acting Secretary General of WOSM, offering congratulations on the 50 Anniversary of the direct registration of the IBS.
1967 Letter from Joseph Janning, founder of Troop 1, to the IBS Scoutmaster, James Masur, in reply to questions regarding the formation of the international troop for inclusion in a 60th Anniversary publication by the IBS. Bro. Janning quotes from letters that he had written to his sister in 1918.
1972 1972 letter frm the WOSM again confirming that the IBS is the only directly registered group and that the Canal Zone Scouts is really different situation. (Note: The International Scouts of the Canal Zone have also since disbanded.)
1978 1978 letter from Lazlo Nagy, Secretary General of WOSM, offering congratulations on the 60 Anniversary of the direct registration of the IBS
2008 2008 letter from Tsunao Hashimoto, Chairman SAJ Board of Drectors, on the 90th Anniversay of the direct registration of IBS with the World Bureau.

Representitive samples of Scouter Warrents issued for different positions, on different letterhead, and signed by Secretary General of the WOSM over the years. NOTE: Present Scouters of the IBS in all Leadership positions have current Warrents issued by the World Scout Bureau.
Prior Warrents for Bro. Joseph Janning and for Bro. William Ambrose in 1918 and for Bro. Edward Sandrock in1919 were issued and signed by B-P The earliest Warrent issued by the Boy Scouts International Bureau after it's organization was to Joseph Janning, issued together with the Troop's Charter in 1925. The samples below are for a selection of various positions showing the various styles of the Warrents over the years and the signatures of the current Secretary General of the WOSM in office at the time of issue.
Warrents issued prior to 1940 were signed by Baden-Powell and the Director (now Secretary General) of the Boy Scouts International Bureau.
In the 1960's the BSIB adopted "World" to replace "International" and this is reflected in the new Warrants issued by the "World Scout Bureau". After the World Bureau relocated to Ottawa newly issued warrents were on paper with a B-P watermark.
After the World Bureau's move to Geneva the "watermark" warrents were replaced by warrents bearing the seal of the World Scout Bureau. The size of the seal changed in the mid-1970's.
Warrents beginning with those issued after 1980 now bear the WOSM seal with a "SCOUT" watermark at the top.

A few misc scans from the I.B.S. Archives
1968 Blessing from the Pope on the occasion of the 50th Anniversary of the I.B.S.
1971 This postcard was one of the many pre-World Scout Jamboree promotional pieces produced by the BSJ with cooperation of the IBS. All of the Scouts in the picture, with the exception of one BSJ Scout, are IBS Scouts. BSJ also produced several posters, different postcards and advertisements, all featuring IBS Scouts.
1978 Phamplet of the Yokohama District, Boy Scouts of Japan 4th Annual B-P Festival