In 1936 the Boys Scouts of America adopted a new program under the direction of Chief Scout Excecutive Dr. James E. West and BSA President Walter Head. The program was called the "President Walter W. Head Acorn Award". The award was designed to get Scouts and Leaders to expand Scouting in their communities. The symbolism of the Acorn came to Dr. West from a conversation he had with Lord Baden-Powell. Basically it revolved around how a small acorn planted at Brownsea Island in 1907 would 29 years later result in a large Oak Tree. BSA President Walter W. Head (who founded American General Life) was asked to promote this on behalf of the BSA. Pins and Ribbons were awarded to Units and Scouts who met the goals set.
Region V of the BSA which was composed of the Deep South States of Alabama, Tennessee, Mississippi, Louisiana and Arkansas (part of NW Florida and NW Georgia were also in the Region), decided to incorporate this into their Region Felt patch. Introduced sometime in the late 1930's, it was mostly a Professional Scout patch. It did not hold up well to the weather, washings and moths - so few made it to today as Mint! These are assumed to have been made by Standard Pennant in Pennsylvania. In the 1940's the Acorn was replaced with the Roman Numeral V Felt which later gave way to the Red, White & Blue Region V Shield Patch. Most Region V patches are very collectible, none moreso than the "Acorn Felt".
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