The following pages show how Boy Scout handbooks have evolved through the years. Since 1910, the Handbooks have had 14 covers: two line drawings, a color sketch, two photo montages, and nine paintings. Only three covers were not full color (Original, 1st, and early 8th Editions).

	Original Edition 1910 — Was modified from Baden-Powell, line drawing of a Scout holding a US flag on a staff (taken from Baden-Powells Scouting for Boys, with the original British flag replaced with a US flag). This edition was written hastily by Ernest Thompson Seton. When Seton wrote it he incorporated part of Baden-Powells handbook and his own principles of the Woodcraft Indians.
	First Edition 1911 - The Scout in front of a campsite waving his campaign hat, was intended to to beckon to the reader.

Second Edition 1914 - It took the BSA about seven years to get the image on the cover correct. The artist was J. C. Leyendecker made several mistakes including putting the scout's badges on the wrong side, leaving the hanging knot off the Scout emblem, having the Scout signaling by semaphore using Morse flags, and not having the Scout's arms in a position that represents any semaphore letter. In 1916, the image was flipped 180 degrees, which took care of the badges, the semaphore letter was now "L", and the knot was added to the emblem. Finally, in 1921, the flags were corrected. This 1921 printing was unusual in that it used a different font for the title, which was not repeated.