What was the Silver Fawn Award?

The Silver Fawn Award, presented from 1971 to 1974, was the female version of the council-level Silver Beaver Award. It was discontinued in 1974 when both women and men became eligible to earn the Silver Beaver. In all, 2,455 women received the honor in the award’s three years of existence.

The medal, which depicted a young deer in a resting position, was attached to a green-and-white ribbon. It was approved for “outstanding service by lady Scouters,” as told in the March-April 1971 issue of Scouting magazine.

The requirements were the same as the Silver Beaver Award, which at the time was just for male Scouters.

The Silver-level awards

The Silver Fawn Award joined three other Silver-level awards for Scouting volunteers. That Silver trio still exists today.

  • Silver Fawn Award
    • Awarded from Jan. 1, 1971, to June 30, 1974
    • Green and white medal; recipients wore the Silver Beaver square knot
    • Given to women for distinguished service to youth in local councils
  • Silver Beaver Award
    • Created in 1931
    • Blue and white medal and square knot
    • Given by the National Court of Honor for distinguished service to youth within the council
  • Silver Antelope Award
    • Created in 1942
    • Orange and white medal and square knot
    • Given by the National Court of Honor for distinguished service to youth within the region
  • Silver Buffalo Award
    • Created in 1926
    • Red and white medal and square knot
    • Given by the National Court of Honor for distinguished service to youth on the national level
    • See a complete list of Silver Buffalo recipients, from Baden-Powell in 1926 to today, here.

No more Fawns

Scouting magazine announced in our September 1974 issue that the Silver Fawn was no more.

“All Silver awards (Beaver, Antelope and Buffalo) will now be awarded to both men and women,” Scouting wrote. “Past recipients of the Fawn may convert to the Silver Beaver Award upon request to their local councils.”

The magazine announced that Mrs. Chester H. Lehman of Pittsburgh became the first woman to receive the Silver Beaver Award. She received the honor in April 1974.


About Bryan Wendell 3282 Articles
Bryan Wendell, an Eagle Scout, is the founder of Bryan on Scouting and a contributing writer.