Boys' Life Magazine is the official monthly publication of the Boy Scouts of America and one that each and every Scout should have. To promote its Learning to Read program, the Boy Scouts of America purchased Boys' Life from the George S. Barton Company June 10, 1912 for $6,000.

The first Boys' Life edited at the BSA's National Office was the July 1912 issue. James E. West, chief scout executive, was its first editor. Shortly thereafter Boys' Life hired its first art director. A young lad of only 17 years, he appeared to have great promise as an illustrator. His name was Norman Rockwell. Over the years Rockwell provided covers for Boys' Life Magazine and numerous Boy Scout Handbooks.

In 1925, Brown and Bigelow introduced the first of 50 Scout calendars that would be issued through 1976.

One of the first things most Scouts do when they receive their issue, myself included, is to turn to the inside back cover. There they will find a two-page feature called “Think and Grin.”

Scouts from all over the country are invited to send in jokes. If yours is published, you get a choice of either $10 or a free Scout Handbook and bragging rights.

On the serious side, another regular feature is called “Scouts in Action.” Each month it features Scouts who have received the BSA's Heroism Award for saving someone's life by using skills they have learned in Scouting.

This month featured a Webelos Scout who saved a baby from drowning in the Platte River; A First Class Scout from Chicago who saved his Dad after he had a heart attack, and a Bear Cub Scout from Ocean City, Md. who saved his Dad from drowning.

Batman may have broken box office records this month, but to me these are the real super heroes.

Sports, history, outdoor skills and science are typical Boys' Life features.

This month Scouts will read about mountain biking and white water rafting by fellow Scouts in San Diego and how elite firefighters fight wild fires in Arizona.

Last year Boys' Life was awarded the prestigious Periodical of the Year Award by Ed Press (formally known as The Association of Educational Publishers).

It beat out some first rate competition that included National Geographic Kids, Ranger Rick, Nickelodeon, Weekly Reader, Highlights, youth publications from Time and the Wall Street Journal and many others.

So if your son is a Scout and is not receiving Boys' Life, ask your Scout Leader to start a subscription now or call the Scout office at 252-9579 for assistance.

All Scouts receive a half price subscription rate, so it's only $1 a month.

If your son plans to join Scouting this fall, he can order Boys' Life when he completes his new Scout application.

Don Grillo is the Scout Executive for the Cayuga County Council, Boy Scouts of America located at 7235 Mutton Hill Road in Auburn.