Traditional Scouting

Traditional Scouting is "old-fashioned" or "back to basics" Scouting in some form, often with an emphasis on woodcraft and scoutcraft activities. As a decentralized movement, there is no one set definition for the term, but most groups do share a generally agreed-upon basic set of values and procedures. The Traditional Scouting movement aims to return Scouting to something approximating its original style and activities; rejecting the trend of modernizing the program in an attempt to widen its appeal.
History.
In 1967, in an attempt to address declining membership numbers, The Boy Scout Association made a series of sweeping changes to its program. Outlined in a document called "The Chief Scouts' Advance Party Report", those changes included modifications to the uniform, a new training system, the elimination of Lone Scouts and Rover Scouts, maximum ages for both youth and adult leaders, and minimum membership numbers for all groups. This caused a rift in the movement, and the Baden-Powell Scouts' Association was formed in 1970. Lady Baden-Powell, widow of B-P, granted them the use of her husband's name.
In addition, there have been alternative Scouting Associations in the United Kingdom since the founding of the movement, including the British Boy Scouts, formed in 1909, and the European Scout Federation (British Association), formed in 1959. The world's oldest international Scouting organisation, the Order of World Scouts, predated the Boy Scout Association's international alliance by nine years. Those groups are now associated with Traditional Scouting by virtue of their adherence to the original program. New groups also continue to form in the United Kingdom, including the Pathfinder Scouts Association in 1982.
Traditional Scouting came to North America in 1996 with the founding of the Baden-Powell Scouts' Association of Canada (B-PSAC). Forced by Industry Canada to remove "Scout" from its name, the organization renamed itself the Baden-Powell Service Association.
In 2006, a group of independent Rover Scouts in the United States formed an organization named "Baden-Powell Scouting" to promote Traditional Scouting. They were renamed the Baden-Powell Service Association (BPSA-US) in 2008, and began offering youth programs shortly thereafter.
Structure.
Traditional Scouting is often based on Robert Baden-Powell's book "Scouting for Boys", making changes only for advances in health and safety practices, environmental concerns ("Leave No Trace"), and lightweight equipment.
Traditional Scouting uses a Scout Method of progressive self-education through:
Associations.
As the policy of the World Organization of the Scouting Movement is to admit only one Scouting Association per country, independent international associations had to be formed to foster cooperation across national borders. The World Federation of Independent Scouts (WFIS) and its spin-off World Organization of Independent Scouts WOIS were founded to coordinate international cooperation between Associations.
Inclusivity.
One way in which Traditional Scouting groups distinguish themselves from Baden-Powell's original vision is by opening the program to groups of people originally prohibited. The British Boy Scouts and British Girl Scouts Association was one of the first to admit girls and host co-educational troops. Other groups have formed specifically to welcome gay and lesbian Scouts and leaders banned from other Scouting organizations. The BPSA-US, in particular, has from its founding promoted a policy it calls "Inclusive Scouting", welcoming all adults and children "regardless of race, gender identity, sexual orientation, class, ability, religion (or no religion), or other differentiating factors."
Differences.
There are several differences between modern Scouting and Traditional Scouting: