Editing Cub Scouts (Scouting America) (section)

==Origins==
{{main|History of the Boy Scouts of America}}
[[File:Detroit Cub Scouts.jpg|thumb|right|225px|Detroit, Michigan. Cub Scouts with flag standards at the British Blitz Scout meeting, 1942]]
As early as 1911, [[Ernest Thompson Seton]] had developed a prototype program he named ''Cub Scouts of America'' that was never implemented. [[James E. West (Scouting)|James E. West]] felt that having BSA divisions for younger boys (those under 12; the "younger boy problem") would draw away boys from the core program, which was Scout troops focused on the 12- to 17-year-old age group; thus he opposed such a program for some time. In spite of this, unofficial programs for younger boys started around this time, under names such as ''Junior Troops'' or ''Cadet Corps''. The BSA obtained the rights to [[Robert Baden-Powell, 1st Baron Baden-Powell|Lord Baden-Powell]]'s ''[[The Wolf Cub's Handbook]]'' in 1916 and used it in unofficial Wolf Cub programs starting in 1918. This led to an issue with [[Daniel Carter Beard]] who felt that the use of the British book was nearly disloyal to the United States of America.{{citation needed|date=October 2016}} West encouraged the formation of the [[Boy Rangers of America]], a separate organization for boys eight through twelve based on an [[Native Americans in the United States|American Indian]] theme. The Boy Rangers used the Scout Law and their Chief Guide, [[Emerson Brooks]], was a Boy Scout commissioner in [[Montclair, New Jersey]]. The BSA finally began some experimental Cub units in 1928 and in 1930 the BSA began registering the first [[Cub Scout pack]]s, and the Boy Rangers were absorbed.<ref name="threefires">{{Cite web |title=A Brief History of the Boy Scouts of America |url=http://www.threefirescouncil.org/History/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070927023056/http://www.threefirescouncil.org/History/ |archive-date=September 27, 2007 |access-date=July 27, 2006 |publisher=Three Fires Council}}</ref>

The British Cubbing program used elements of [[Rudyard Kipling]]'s [[The Jungle Book|''Jungle Book'' series]], with the Cubmaster taking the role of [[Akela (Scouting)|Akela]] and the assistant Cubmaster the role of [[Baloo]]. The American program also [[Syncretism|syncretized]] [[Native Americans in the United States|American Indian]] elements, with all Cub Scouts belonging to the Webelos tribe, symbolized by the Arrow of Light and led by Akela. ''Webelos'' was also a portmanteau meaning ''Wolf, Bear, Lion, Scout''; the name was later given a [[backronym]] of "'''WE''''ll '''BE''' '''LO'''yal '''S'''couts". The initial rank structure was Wolf, Bear and Lion, with ages of 9, 10 and 11. Dens of six to eight Cubs were entirely led by a Scout holding the position of den chief.