William Hillcourt (1900–1992) was an influential leader in the Boy Scouts of America (BSA) organization for much of the 20th century, acclaimed as "the foremost influence on development of the Boy Scouting program". Hillcourt is especially noted as a writer and teacher in the areas of woodcraft, troop and patrol structure, and training. He was a prolific writer; his works include three editions of the BSA's widely circulated official Boy Scout Handbook, with over 12.6 million copies printed. Hillcourt developed and promoted the American adaptation of the Wood Badge program, the premier adult leader training program of Scouting. Hillcourt was Danish, but moved to the United States as a young adult and worked for the BSA. From his start in Danish Scouting in 1910 though his death in 1992, he was continuously active in Scouting. He traveled all over the world teaching and training both Scouts and Scouters, earning many of Scouting's highest honors. His legacy and influence can still be seen today in the BSA program and in Scouting training manuals and methods for both youth and adults.

Read the rest of this article: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Hillcourt

_______________________________ Today's selected anniversaries:

1890:

At Auburn Prison in Auburn, New York, US, William Kemmler became the first person to be executed in an electric chair. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/electric_chair

1914:

World War I: Germany's Atlantic U-boat Campaign began when ten U-boats sailed from their base in Heligoland to attack British Royal Navy warships in the North Sea, the first ever submarine war patrol in history. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atlantic_U-boat_Campaign_%28World_War_I%29

1930:

New York City judge Joseph Force Crater mysteriously disappeared after being last seen leaving a restaurant and entering a taxi, earning him the title of "The Missingest Man in New York". http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joseph_Force_Crater

1962:

Jamaica gained full independence from the United Kingdom, more than 300 years after the English captured it from Spanish colonists in 1655. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jamaica

1991:

British computer programmer Tim Berners-Lee first posted files describing his ideas for a system of interlinked, hypertext documents accessible via the Internet, to be called a "World Wide Web". http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tim_Berners-Lee

2008:

Mauritanian President Sidi Mohamed Ould Cheikh Abdallahi was ousted from power by a group of high ranking generals that he had dismissed from office several hours earlier. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2008_Mauritanian_coup_d%27%C3%A9tat

_____________________________ Wiktionary's word of the day:

harridan (n): A vicious and scolding woman, especially an older one http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/harridan

___________________________ Wikiquote quote of the day:

The fate of all explanation is to close one door only to have another fly wide open. --Charles Fort http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Charles_Fort