Elbert K. Fretwell (1878-1962) was an American
academic
An academy (Attic Greek: Ἀκαδήμεια; Koine Greek Ἀκαδημία) is an institution of secondary or tertiary higher learning (and generally also research or honorary membership). The name traces back to Plato's school of philosophy, ...
and early leader in the field of
youth development
Positive youth development (PYD) programs are designed to optimize youth developmental progress. ''Youth.gov'' states that "PYD is an intentional, prosocial approach that engages youth within their communities, schools, organizations, peer groups, ...
through
recreation and
extracurricular activity
An extracurricular activity (ECA) or extra academic activity (EAA) or cultural activities is an activity, performed by students, that falls outside the realm of the normal curriculum of school, college or university education. Such activities ...
. He served as the second
Chief Scout Executive of the
Boy Scouts of America
The Boy Scouts of America (BSA, colloquially the Boy Scouts) is one of the largest scouting organizations and one of the largest youth organizations in the United States, with about 1.2 million youth participants. The BSA was founded ...
(BSA), serving from 1943 to 1948. Upon his retirement from the BSA, Fretwell was given the title of Chief Scout.
His son
Elbert K. Fretwell Jr. was also a noted professor of education and served as
Chancellor of
University of North Carolina at Charlotte
The University of North Carolina at Charlotte (UNC Charlotte or simply Charlotte) is a public research university in Charlotte, North Carolina. UNC Charlotte offers 24 doctoral, 66 master's, and 79 bachelor's degree programs through nine colle ...
.
Academia
Fretwell was an associate professor of Scouting and recreational leadership and later, professor of education at the
Teachers College, Columbia University
Teachers College, Columbia University (TC), is the graduate school of education, health, and psychology of Columbia University, a private research university in New York City. Founded in 1887, it has served as one of the official faculties and ...
.
In 1918 Fretwell was appointed by the
Surgeon General of the United States together with the
American Red Cross to supervise
recreation work in
United States Army
The United States Army (USA) is the land warfare, land military branch, service branch of the United States Armed Forces. It is one of the eight Uniformed services of the United States, U.S. uniformed services, and is designated as the Army o ...
"reconstruction
hospitals."
Boy Scouts of America
Fretwell was a volunteer for many years in the Boy Scouts of America. He was recognized for his services with the
Silver Buffalo Award
The Silver Buffalo Award is the national-level distinguished service award of the Boy Scouts of America. It is presented for noteworthy and extraordinary service to youth on a national basis, either as part of, or independent of the Scouting pro ...
in 1939. He also received the Silver Tamaraw of the
Boy Scouts of the Philippines
The Boy Scouts of the Philippines (BSP) is the national scouting organization of the Philippines in the World Organization of the Scout Movement. The Scout movement was first introduced in the Philippines on 1910 during the American Occup ...
.
Upon the retirement of
Dr. James E. West in 1943, Fretwell was appointed
Chief Scout Executive and served until his retirement in 1948.
In 2017, the Boy Scouts of America established the E. K. Fretwell Outstanding Educator Award. The award recognizes school and school district personnel for modeling the values of Scouting in their professional life.
[Elbert K. Fretwell Outstanding Educator Award Implementation Guidebook](_blank)
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Partial list of works
* Extracurricular Activities in Secondary Schools, EK Fretwell - 1931 - Houghton Mifflin Company
*The School Assembly, EK Fretwell - Sixth Yearbook, National Association of Secondary School Principals, 1922
*Survey of the Public Schools of Philadelphia. Vol. IV, EK Fretwell - The Public Education and Child Labor Association
*Extra-Curricular Activities of the Boys' High Schools, EK Fretwell - Baltimore Survey, 1920[Beale, John Robert. "Elbert K. Fretwell and the Extra-Curricular Activity Movement 1917-31, New York." Ph. D. dissertation, Kent State University, 1983.]
See also
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Fretwell, Elbert K
Teachers College, Columbia University faculty
1878 births
1962 deaths
Chief Scout Executives