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Scouting in Missouri

Scouting in Missouri has a long history, from the 1910s to the present day.

Early history (1910-1950)
According to William D. Murray, a charter member of the Executive Board of the Boy Scouts of America (BSA) when it incorporated on February 8, 1910, the first "Troop" to form in Missouri was formed by an Englishman in Sedalia, MO sometime in 1908 or 1909. In his 1937 book "The History of the Boy Scouts of America," he goes on to say that this man had even gone so far as to appoint field representatives in other states as well.

The 1938 National Order of the Arrow Lodge Meeting was held at Irondale, Missouri.

Boy Scouts of America in Missouri today
There are six BSA local councils in Missouri.

Great Rivers Council
Great Rivers Council (653) is based in Columbia, Missouri and serves Scouts in 33 counties in Mid-Missouri. In 1971 Great Rivers Council merged with Lake of the Ozarks Council (314).

Districts

 * Black Diamond is located in Randolph, Schuyler, Sullivan, Putnam, Adair, Scotland, Knox, Linn, Macon, and Western Shelby, counties.
 * Boons lick is located in Boone, Cooper and Howard counties
 * Five Rivers is located in Cole, Osage, Gasconade and Maries counties.
 * Grand Prairie is located in Callaway, Audrain and Montgomery counties.
 * Kinderhook is located in Morgan, Moniteau and Camden counties.
 * Mark Twain is located in Pike, Ralls, Lewis, Monroe, Marion and Eastern Shelby counties.
 * Osage Trails is located in Chariton, Saline, Pettis and Benton counties.

Lake of the Ozarks Scout Reservation
In addition, the Great Rivers Council has two mobile invention labs. These labs can be hooked onto a truck and taken anywhere in the council.

The Council operates Lake of the Ozarks Scout Reservation. Scouts BSA and Venturing Camps are offered at Hon. The camp is available for year-round use by Scout units for a variety of activities.

Lake of the Ozarks Scout Reservation is located on the Lake of the Ozarks Osage Arm at mile marker 44 near Laurie, Missouri.

The Lake of the Ozarks Scout Reservation offers facilities and equipment available for unit use and the Kit Carson Trail, an eight-mile-long perimeter trail which winds through the hills and along the bluff overlooking the Lake. The Lake of the Ozarks Scout Reservation is also home to the Sinquefield Invention Lab, Program Building and Welding/Blacksmithing Shop. The Sinquefield Invention Lab and Program Building was opened in May 2017, and is currently the only invention lab in the entire Boy Scouts of America. The Welding/Blacksmithing Shop opened in 2019. The facility has 9 labs: electronics & robotics, 2D design & woodworking, 3D modeling, blacksmithing, print & design, multimedia, leadership, business & ethics, and creativity. The Sinquefield Invention Lab and Program Building is used year-round as a merit-badge workshop, camping facility, and training center.

With the addition of the Sinquefield Invention Lab & Program Building, the Lake of the Ozarks Scout Reservation is currently the only Scouts BSA camp where scouts have access to an invention lab, a COPE/Climbing course, shooting sports, and a full aquatics program.

Camp Thunderbird
Started 1960 (based on its 50th-anniversary in 2010), now closed.

Located in Randolph County Latitude 39.542258 Longitude -92.3293471 on Lake Thunderbird.

 * 547 acres 12 group campsites Platform tents provided.
 * Dining Hall or Patrol Cooking 33 Merit Badges offered.

Order of the Arrow
The council is served by the Nampa Tsi lodge.

In 1971 Meta #216 and Po-E-Mo #426 merged. This merge took place after the Great Rivers Council merged with the Lake of the Ozark Council. The name Nampa-Tsi translated means "twin lodges."

There have been different designs for the lodge pocket flap. The original design of our lodge flap, by Vigil Honor James Quick, had an Osage (pronounced Oh-Song-Eh) Indian with a reservation hat, a coup staff, a flaming arrow, a lake and rivers, and two tepees. Some think that the hat was worn by the Osage Indian because they traded with settlers. This was not the case. The hats were taken as coup from pioneer settlers after they had been scalped.

Sons of Daniel Boone
Originally, the Sons of Daniel Boone was created by Daniel Carter Beard to encourage boys to go outdoors for recreation. This organization became the Boy Pioneers of America which merged with similar outdoor groups into the Boy Scouts of America in 1910. In 2006, the Sons of Daniel Boone reemerged as an honor camp society for Scouts and Scouters who have kept returning to Great Rivers Council Summer Camp.

Invention Scouts
Invention Scouts was founded in the Great Rivers Council in 2015 by Dr. Jeanne Sinquefield. It was founded as a Boy Scouts of America alternative to traditional STEM programs, which were too expensive and exclusive. The motto of Invention Scouts is "become an inventor and entrepreneur for life". The program is coeducational and is available to boys and girls aged 11–21. Scouts are exposed to cutting-edge equipment such as laser engravers, 3D printers, and CNC routers among others. Invention Scouts has its own ranks: Invention Scouts, Apprentice, Journeyman, & Master.

Heart of America Council
Heart of America Council has its headquarters in Kansas City, Missouri, and serves Scouts in both Missouri and Kansas. The Council has two sponsored camps, H. Roe Bartle Scout Reservation and Theodore Naish Scout Reservation. Bartle offers Mic-O-Say as an honor society, and Naish is home to the Tamegonit Lodge of the Order of the Arrow.

Mississippi Valley Council
Mississippi Valley Council is headquartered in Quincy, Illinois, and is served by Black Hawk Lodge #67. This council serves Scouts in Illinois, Missouri and Iowa.

Ozark Trails Council
Ozark Trails Council is based in Springfield, Missouri, and serves Scouts in Missouri and Kansas. Camps in the Ozark Trails Council include:

 * Camp Arrowhead offers programs for all Scouts, from first-year Trailblazer to High Adventure. Camp Arrowhead is situated on approximately 650 beautiful wooded acres in the Ozark Mountains near Marshfield in southwest Missouri. The property features a lake, many miles of hiking trails, a stream, caves, a spring, and many examples of native Missouri flora and fauna.

Scouts camping at Camp Arrowhead may enjoy traditional outdoor Scouting activities – backpacking, hiking, fishing, swimming, archery and shooting – as well as more challenging “adventure” and “aquatics” programs. These include: a C.O.P.E. course, mountain biking, rappelling, canoeing, small-boat sailing and snorkeling.

 * Cow Creek located on Table Rock Lake just south of Branson, Missouri. Cow Creek is available for unit camping. The property is winterized October 1 through April 15; during this time utility water will not be available.
 * Blazing Trails District
 * Frontier District
 * Mo-Kan District
 * Nih-Ka-Ga-Hah District
 * Osage Hills District
 * Pathfinder District
 * River Trails District

Camp Arrowhead
Camp Arrowhead is in Marshfield, Missouri located in Southwest Missouri.

The camp was started in 1924, and is the oldest continually operating Scouts BSA Camp west of the Mississippi River.

Camp Arrowhead offers programs for all Scouts, from first-year Trailblazer to High Adventure. Camp Arrowhead is situated on approximately 650 beautiful wooded acres in the Ozark Mountains near Marshfield in southwest Missouri. The property features a lake, many miles of hiking trails, a stream, caves, a spring, and many examples of native Missouri flora and fauna. The camp was likely named for the county's Native American relics.

Scouts camping at Camp Arrowhead may enjoy traditional outdoor Scouting activities – backpacking, hiking, fishing, swimming, archery and shooting – as well as more challenging “adventure” and “aquatics” programs. These include: a C.O.P.E. course, mountain biking, rappelling, canoeing, small-boat sailing and snorkeling.

Order of the Arrow
The council is served by Wah-Sha-She Lodge #42 since 1995. Wah-Sha-She was formed from the merger of Osage Lodge #42 and Ni-Ka-Ga-Hah Lodge #91. Lodge #42 has had a strong presence in the Section, Region, and National level. It has hosted several conclaves at Camp Arrowhead and been home to many section officers.

Wah-She-She has participated in every NOAC since its formation and has sponsored several teams in dance, ceremony, and other competitions. At the 2015 NOAC, Wah-Sha-She Lodge took 1st in the basketball competition.

Pony Express Council
The Pony Express Council is based in Saint Joseph, Missouri, and also serves Scouts in Kansas. The Council's summer camp is Camp Geiger, which is one of only two camps in the United States to offer Mic-O-Say rather than Order of the Arrow as the Scout honorary society. In the late 1970s, Pony Express Executive Parvin Bishop started the first Project C.O.P.E. program in the United States at the camp. After Bishop became Director of Program at the National Office, he expanded the program so that it became national.

 * Crossed Arrows District
 * Kanza District
 * Ma-Has-Kah District
 * Otoe District
 * Robidoux District

Camp Geiger
Camp Geiger is a Scouts BSA camp on the bluffs above the Missouri River two miles (3 km) northwest of St. Joseph, Missouri in Andrew County, Missouri at 39.83527°N, -94.87413°W used by the Pony Express Council. It is one of the only two scout camps including H. Roe Bartle Scout Reservation in the United States to use Mic-O-Say rather than Order of the Arrow exclusively as its Scout honor society. It was first camp in the United States to offer Project C.O.P.E.

The camp is named for Charles Geiger, a St. Joseph physician, who donated land from his boyhood home in 1930. It replaced Camp Brinton at Agency, Missouri (named for W.E. Brinton who had loaned 30 acre for the camp) which had been the Scout council's main summer camp since 1918. Scouting executive H. Roe Bartle founded the Mic-O-Say organization at Camp Brinton in 1925 while serving as head of the Pony Express council. Bartle was to found a Mic-O-Say chapter in Kansas City, Missouri when he was transferred to being head of the Heart of America chapter in Kansas City there in 1929. However, the Kansas City chapter also includes Order of the Arrow in its offering at its Camp Naish while having Mic-O-Say exclusively at its other camp—Camp Bartle.

In 1930 Geiger announced the donation and in 1935 it opened with a Dining Hall made of native limestone. In the 1950s, the council bought land higher on the bluffs and further to the north and a "new Camp Geiger" was begun with the bulk of the camp moved to the higher land in 1952. The original swimming pool lower on the bluff was replaced in 1971 with a new pool on top of the bluff.

In the late 1970s the Pony Express Council began Project COPE, which is aimed at encouraging teamwork, self-confidence, trust, leadership, communication, decision-making, and problem-solving. It was championed by Pony Express Council Executive Parvin Bishop who expanded the program when he became Director of Program at the National Office.

A new Dining Hall and Headquarters/Health Lodge buildings were built in 1992 after land was purchased on the road entering the camp.

Girl Scouting in Missouri

Missouri has three Girl Scout councils.

Girl Scouts of Eastern Missouri
Girl Scouts of Eastern Missouri serves more than 43,000 girls and has over 15,000 adult volunteers.

It was formed by merging Girl Scouts of The Becky Thatcher Area and The Girl Scout Council of Greater Saint Louis in 2007.

Headquarters: St. Louis, Missouri

Camps:
 * Camp Cedarledge is nearly 700 acre near Pevely, Missouri. Originally an old farm acquired by the Girl Scouts in 1927 and later expanded.
 * Camp Fiddlecreek is 83 acre near Labadie, Missouri.
 * Camp Tuckaho is 521 acre near Troy, Missouri.

Girl Scouts of Northeast Kansas and Northwest Missouri
Headquarters: Kansas City, Missouri

It was formed by a merger of Northeast Girl Scouts of Mid-Continent Council, Girl Scouts of Kaw Valley Council (Kansas), and Girl Scouts of the Midland Empire in 2007. It serves about 23,000 girls and has about 8,000 adult volunteers.

Camps:
 * Camp Daisy Hindman, founded in 1929, is 160 acre in Dover, Kansas near Topeka.
 * Camp Cutteru is near Junction City, Kansas
 * Camp Timberlake was 72 acre near Stilwell, Kansas and started in 1959. It was sold after the merger to private owners, although still offers scout camping by reservation with the new owners.
 * Tongawood Program center is 80 acre near Tonganoxie, Kansas
 * Camp Oakledge is 410 acre near Warsaw, Missouri. It specializes in aquatic activities and started in 1945.
 * Camp Prairie Schooner is over 170 acre near Kansas City, Missouri acquired in 1945.
 * Winding River Camp is an equestrian camp of over 400 acre near Dearborn, Missouri. It started in 1965.
 * Camp Woodland is near Albany, Missouri. It became a Girl Scout camp in 1948.
 * Warrensburg Little House is in Warrensburg, Missouri
 * Camp ToKaVaCa is 80 acre in Topeka, Kansas

Girl Scouts of the Missouri Heartland
Girl Scouts Missouri Heartland includes 67 counties in Missouri, Kansas, and Oklahoma. It serves over 9,000 girls and has over 4,000 adult volunteers.

It was formed by a merger of Girl Scouts — Cotton Boll Area Council, Girl Scouts of Dogwood Trails Council, Girl Scouts — Heart of Missouri Council, Girl Scouts of Otahki Council, and Girl Scout Council of The Ozark Area on October 1, 2008.

Headquarters: Springfield, Missouri

Service Centers:
 * Cape Girardeau, Missouri
 * Dexter, Missouri
 * Jefferson City, Missouri
 * Joplin, Missouri

Camps:
 * Camp Friendship Fields is 53 acre north of Pittsburg, Kansas (Crawford County, Kansas)
 * Camp Latonka is on the shores of Lake Wappapello in Wayne County, Missouri
 * Finbrooke Outdoor Center is 285 acre near Rogersville, Missouri (Christian County)*Green Berry Acres is 4 acre near the state capital, Jefferson City, Missouri (Cole County)
 * Silver Meadows is 130 acre near Columbia, Missouri (Boone County)

Baden-Powell Service Association in Missouri
Missouri is home to the Baden-Powell Service Association's former Chief Commissioner, David Atchley. Atchley, an Eagle Scout in the Boy Scouts of America, joined up in 2008, after being asked to leave his local Greater St. Louis Area Council after attempting to create a non-discrimination policy for the Cub Scout pack he was Cubmaster for. He started forming youth scouting sections for the BPSA based on other Traditional Scouting groups based in Canada and Great Britain. In 2009, Atchley became Chief Commissioner. Atchley then chartered his own BPSA scout group in 2010 called 10th Daniel Boone (now defunct) in Washington, Missouri. He resigned his position as Chief Commissioner to Susan Pesznecker in August 2015.

Currently, the Baden-Powell Service Association has just one chartered scout group in Missouri, and that is in the St. Louis, Missouri area. The BPSA is an inclusive, "back to basics" organization that welcomes boys and girls from 5 years of age through adulthood.

66th Confluence
The 66th Confluence scout group was formed in November 2012 following a BPSA Brownsea Training Camp that took place September 14–16, 2012 at Klondike Park in Augusta, Missouri. Several of the newly received Rover Squires from that training returned to St. Louis to begin the formation of the scout group, the ordinal "66" coming from the U.S. Route 66 highway that once crossed St. Louis, as well as the confluence of the Missouri and Mississippi Rivers, which is also in St. Louis.

title: Scouting in Missouri


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Scouting in Arkansas

Scouting in Arkansas has a long history, from 1913 to the present day, serving thousands of youth in programs that suit the environment in which they live.

Early history (1910–1950)
The Boy Scouts of America (BSA) began in Arkansas in 1913, when the Little Rock Council was chartered by the National Boy Scout Council and was directed by a volunteer commissioner. In 1920, the Little Rock Council was reclassified and W. G. Moseley became the first council executive in 1921. Two years later, the Little Rock Council was renamed to the Pulaski County Council.

In 1916, the De Soto Area Council was formed (#013). In 1916, the Blytheville Council was formed; it disbanded in 1917. In 1916, the Westark Area Council (#016) was formed. In 1916, Kia Kima Scout Reservation was opened in Hardy by the Chickasaw Council (#558).

In 1917, the Jonesboro Council (#019) was formed; it changed its name to the Saint Francis Valley Council (#019) in 1923. The council disbanded in 1930.

In 1918, the Hot Springs Council (#014) was formed; it changed its name to the Ouachita Area Council (#014) in 1925.

In 1919, the Jefferson County Council (#017) was formed; it changed its name to the Kanawha Area Council (#017) in 1930.

In 1920, the Fort Smith Council (#016) was formed; it changed its name to the Fort Smith-Van Buren Council (#016) in 1924. In 1928 the council merged into the Northwest Arkansas Council (#016). In 1926, the Ozark Council (#753) was formed; it merged into Northwest Arkansas in 1928. In 1930, the council changed its name to the Fort Smith Area Council, changing again in 1936 to the Westark Area Council (#016).

In 1922, the Fayetteville Council (#015) was formed; it changed its name to the Eastern Arkansas Area Council (#015) in 1935.

In 1924, the Crowley Ridge Council (#677) was formed; it changed its name to the Mohawk Council (#677) in 1926.

In 1930, the Kanawha Area Council was formed; it disbanded in 1934. The council disbanded in 1930, with half of the council moving to the De Soto Area Council (#013) and the other half to the Quapaw Area Council (#018).

Arkadelphia Boy Scout Hut
The Arkadelphia Boy Scout Hut, located in Central Park, Arkadelphia, is on the National Register of Historic Places. Since the roof and the original shutters and windows were replaced in 1953, the Hut is precluded from being listed on the National Register under Criterion C. However, it is listed under Criterion A as a "property that made a contribution to the major pattern of American history".

The Boy Scout Hut was constructed from 1938 to 1939 as a National Youth Administration (NYA) project. It is an example of the typical type of buildings constructed by the New Deal's Works Progress Administration (WPA), Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) and NYA during the Great Depression. However, it is the only known building constructed by the NYA and the only building designed in a Rustic style that remains standing in Arkadelphia that was designed and constructed during the New Deal era.

Aubrey Williams, Executive Director of the National Youth Administration, stated in a press release on 24 September 1937: "City Recreation Departments, children's agencies, YMCA's, YWCA's, Settlement Houses, institutions for the blind, public schools, orphanages, hospitals for handicapped and crippled children, Boy's clubs, Boy Scouts, community centers and churches were reported as cooperating agencies in supervising the students and providing facilities for increased recreational programs to all young people in the community. [sic]"

While the Boy Scout Hut was constructed specifically as a meeting place for two local Boy Scout troops, and its use is controlled by the Boy Scouts, the building is actually owned by the city of Arkadelphia. Starting around 1958, the Boy Scouts allowed local Girl Scout troops to use the building. Currently Cub Scout Pack 3024 and Girl Scout Troop 454 use the building.

Boy Scouting in Arkansas today
Currently, all BSA Scouts in the State of Arkansas are served by four area councils: the Caddo Area Council, the De Soto Area Council, the Natural State Council, and the Chickasaw Council.

Caddo Area Council
The Caddo Area Council serves youth in ten counties in southwest Arkansas and northeast Texas.

Organization
The council is divided into the Cossatot, Double Eagle and Longhorn districts.

Order of the Arrow
The council is supported by the Akela Wahinapay Lodge #232.

Camps

 * Camp Preston Hunt - in Texarkana, Arkansas, is a year-round camping facility is used for Cub Scouts, Scouts BSA, and outside organizations. Located on the outskirts of Texarkana, Camp Preston Hunt is over 250 acres, with cabins, as well as numerous areas for primitive tent camping, a large dining hall, lake with canoes, shower facilities, cub pirate ship, and pavilions. Camp Preston Hunt is used year-round.

Chickasaw Council
The Chickasaw Council serves Scouts in Crittenden County, Arkansas, as well as in Shelby County, Tennessee, and fifteen counties in northwest Mississippi. It was founded on February 22, 1916, to oversee the many Boy Scout troops already present in Memphis, Tennessee. The Chickasaw Council has two camps: Kia Kima Scout Reservation and Camp Currier. The Chickasaw Council is also home to the Order of the Arrow Ahoalan-Nachpikin Lodge 558.

De Soto Area Council
The De Soto Area Council serves youth in eleven counties in southeastern Arkansas.

Organization
The council is divided into three districts.

Camps

 * Camp De Soto

Order of the Arrow
The council is supported by the Abooikpaagun Lodge (#399). The lodge's headquarters is located in El Dorado and was founded in 1948, the same year the Order of the Arrow became officially integrated into the national camping program of the Boy Scouts of America.

Quapaw Area Council
The Quapaw Area Council is the largest in Arkansas in both area and members, and is headquartered in Little Rock. In 1927, the Pulaski County Council was renamed the Quapaw Area Council and covered several counties. In 1934, the Kanawha Area Council of Jefferson County was split between the Quapaw Area Council and the De Soto Area Council, which had a council office in El Dorado (Union County).

In 2002 and 2012 respectively, the Eastern Arkansas Area Council and Ouachita Area Council merged with the Quapaw Area Council. These mergers enlarged the Quapaw Area Council from seventeen counties to thirty-nine.

On October 26, 2023, the Quapaw Area Council Executive Board and voting membership held a special meeting and voted in favor of merging with the Westark Area Council to create the "Natural State Council". Westark Area Council's Executive Board and Membership held a similar meeting and vote on Tuesday, October 24, 2023, and also voted in favor of the resolution. The Natural State Council will be officially formed on December 1, 2023. https://www.quapawbsa.org/merger

The council serves over 18,000 youth and 3,600 adults in thirty-nine counties divided into nine districts, and approximately 100 boys become Eagle Scouts each year.

Council members who have received national honors include Dr. Raymond V. Biondo and Dr. David Briscoe, both of whom received the Silver Buffalo Award.

Order of the Arrow
The Order of the Arrow Quapaw Lodge 160 was formed with fifteen members in June 1939 and inducted sixty-two members during the summer of 1939. Today, the lodge has about 500 members.

Camps
Currently the Quapaw Area Council owns and operates the Gus Blass Scout Reservation, west of Damascus.

The first permanent camping facility for the Quapaw council was Camp Quapaw, opened in 1925. It was located on the Saline River west of Benton in Saline County. This early facility was limited, so between 1930 and 1931, fifty-five additional acres were purchased, and a mess hall was constructed. The numbers of scouts attending camp increased, which led to overuse of the facilities. Additionally, the Army Corps of Engineers was considering a dam on the Saline River. This would have flooded a section of the camp.

In 1975, the council acquired Camp Kiwanis in order to accommodate more Scouts and camping activities. This was an unimproved site which included over 2,900 acres west of Damascus. It was renamed the Cove Creek Scout Reservation and opened in 1976. Camp Quapaw was then closed and later sold.

In 1981, the portion of Cove Creek that was used as a permanent summer camp was named Camp Montgomery, after Nile Montgomery, a previous scout executive. The lake was named Lake Butler, for Richard C. Butler Sr., a supporter of the local scouting program.

In 2001, the Cove Creek Scout Reservation and Camp Nile Montgomery were renamed the Gus Blass Scout Reservation and Camp Rockefeller in honor of Gus Blass II and Lieutenant Governor Winthrop P. Rockefeller, both of whom were supporters of the Boy Scout program for many years.

The Gus Blass Scout Reservation also includes the Donald W. Reynolds Scout Training Center. This facility includes a 320-seat dining hall with commercial kitchen, 88 person/28 room sleeping wing including two ADA compliant rooms, three large classrooms, an area with a large fireplace, two large terraced areas and additional camping on the adjacent property.

Westark Area Council
The WestArk Area Council was originally organized in July 1920. The council is divided into five districts and is headquartered in Fort Smith. It serves over 6,500 youth in seventeen counties located in northwestern Arkansas.

Starting in July 1920, the council originally included only the city of Fort Smith and was named the Fort Smith Council. From 1922 to 1937 the council underwent a number of name changes and expansions. In 1922, the council expanded to include the city of Van Buren and was named the Fort Smith – Van Buren Council. Then in 1927, the council incorporating all of Crawford and Sebastian Counties, and the portion of Franklin County south of the Arkansas River. In 1928, the council took over an additional 13 counties, 10 of which had previously been part of the Ozark Council. From 1922 to 1930 the council was named the Northwest Arkansas Council, and from 1922 to 1937 it was named the Fort Smith Area Council. Finally, in 1937 the name changed to the Westark Area Council.

The Westark Area Council currently serves over 6,500 youth in seventeen counties in northwestern Arkansas. The Council Scout Service Center is located at 1401 Old Greenwood Road, Fort Smith, Arkansas, 72901 and was built in 1963.

In 2003, the council began a Youth Diversion Program that provides an alternative to the formal court proceedings for first-time offenders and gives a second chance to those young adults who are willing to accept responsibility and move forward. Through structured activities, this program aims to reduce the recidivism rate among these youth.

OA
The council is supported by the Wachtschu Mawachpo Lodge 559. The Lodge began in 1963 with 103 members. The first Lodge chapters were Butterfield, Northwest, Ozark, and Magazine Mountain. It now has five chapters: Butterfield Trail, Magazine Mountain, Ozark, Razorback and Cornerstone.

Camps
In 1953, land for a Scout camp was purchased and developed in Camp Orr. It has been in use since 1955 and covers nearly 600 acres of the Buffalo National River Wilderness Area. It is located south of Harrison, and is the only Boy Scout Camp situated within a National Park.

In 1973 the Arkansas State Legislature permitted the Westark Area Council to purchase 2,842 acres of the Booneville Sanatorium, just south of Booneville, for a future camp development. The land development began in 1975 and completed in May 1976. Construction of the camp started in the spring of 1976. The Scout camp is now known as Rogers Scout Reservation.

The council also owns Camp Spencer, a 100-acre primitive camping facility, located on the shore of Lake Norfork, east of Mountain Home.

High Adventure
There is one High Adventure Scouting event in Arkansas.
 * White River Canoe Race

There is also one regional High Adventure Base within Arkansas. Camp ORR High Adventure Base located in Jasper Ar off of the Buffalo National River. Camp ORR Is the first and only camp or proprietary within a National Park. Camp ORR is filled with over 100 miles of hiking in the Ozarks, The Buffalo river where you have access to all 165 miles to float where you please. WestArk Area Council has also opened up nearly 20 miles of high quality mountain biking within the Camp. You will also have access to countless climbing and rappelling within the Camp. Most notably, Garrhole Bluff! Garr is a 300Ft repel that you are able to do within Camp. http://www.westarkbsa.org/camping

Girl Scouting in Arkansas
There are two Girl Scout councils in Arkansas.

Girl Scouts - Diamonds of Arkansas, Oklahoma and Texas
The Girl Scouts - Diamonds of Arkansas, Oklahoma and Texas serves girls in Adair, LeFlore, and Sequoyah counties in Oklahoma, girls in Bowie and Cass counties in Texas, and all of Arkansas except Crittenden county. It was formed on October 1, 2008, by the merger of Arkansas Post Girl Scout Council, Girl Scouts of Conifer Council, Girl Scouts of Crowley's Ridge Council, Girl Scout Council of Mount Magazine Area, Noark Girl Scout Council, and Girl Scouts of Ouachita Council.

Service centers

 * Fayetteville
 * Fort Smith
 * Jonesboro
 * Pine Bluff
 * Texarkana

Camps

 * Camp Cahinnio is almost 400 acre near Booneville.
 * Camp Crossed Arrows is 400 acre south of Batesville. It opened in 1965.
 * Burnham Woods is a small, 13.5 acre property serving the Fort Smith service center.
 * Radford House is a 14.23 acre property in Hot Springs.
 * Camp NOARK is 300 acre in the Ozarks near Huntsville.
 * Camp High Point is 163 acre in the foothills of the Ouachita Mountains east of Mena. It was established in 1945. Not in use.
 * Camp Taloha - not in use
 * Camp Kemp - not in use

Former camps

 * Camp Storeywood is 100 acre near Searcy. Closed September 2009.

Historic
Camp Ouachita was used as a Girl Scout camp from 1937 until 1979 when the cost of providing potable water proved too much for the local council. It is now a National Historic District as the only surviving Works Progress Administration (WPA) constructed Girl Scout camp. It was built in the Ouachita National Forest for the Little Rock Area Girl Scout Council, which before had only occasional use of a local Boy Scout camp.

Girl Scouts Heart of The South
Serves Crittenden County in Arkansas.

license: Creative Commons - Attribution Share-Alike - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

title: Scouting in Arkansas


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Stand-up comedy

Stand-up comedy is a form of comedy performance directed to a live audience, where the performer stands on a stage and delivers humorous and satirical monologues sometimes incorporating physical acts. These performances are typically composed of rehearsed scripts but often include varying degrees of live crowd interaction. Stand-up comedy consists of one-liners, stories, observations, or shticks that can employ props, music, impressions, magic tricks, or ventriloquism.

A performer in this genre can be known by the masculine and gender-neutral terms stand-up comedian and stand-up comic, or by the feminine term stand-up comedienne. Performances can take place in various venues, including comedy clubs, comedy festivals, bars, nightclubs, colleges, or theaters.

History
Stand-up comedy originated in various traditions of popular entertainment of the late 19th century. These include vaudeville, the stump-speech monologues of minstrel shows, dime museums, concert saloons, freak shows, variety shows, medicine shows, American burlesque, English music halls, circus clown antics, Chautauqua, and humorist monologues, such as those delivered by Mark Twain in his 1866 touring show Our Fellow Savages of the Sandwich Islands.

Charles Farrar Browne (April 26, 1834 – March 6, 1867), better known by his nom de plume, Artemus Ward, is considered America's first stand-up comedian. His character, portrayed as an illiterate rube with "Yankee common sense," was portrayed publicly by Browne.

The first documented use of "stand-up" appeared in The Stage in 1911, describing a woman named Nellie Perrier delivering 'stand-up comic ditties in a chic and charming manner'. However, this referred to a performance of comedy songs rather than stand-up comedy in its modern form.

The term appeared again in the “Stage Gossip” column of The Yorkshire Evening Post on November 10, 1917. The article discussed the career of a comedian Finlay Dunn, stating that Dunn was "what he calls a stand-up comedian'" during the latter part of the 19th century, although the term may have been used retrospectively.

Genres
Stand-up has multiple genres and styles with their formats. Common ones include:
 * Alternative: Intended to counter the established figures of mainstream comedy.
 * Anecdotal comedy: Storytelling using exaggeration and humor.
 * Character: A fictional persona created by the performer.
 * Deadpan: The deliberate display of emotional neutrality or no emotion, commonly as a form of comedic delivery to contrast with the ridiculousness or absurdity of the subject matter. This is also called dry humor, or dry-wit humor.
 * Insult: Consists mainly of offensive insults, usually directed at the audience or other performers.
 * Musical: Humorous songs or musical parodies, sometimes without lyrics.
 * Observational: Conversation on the absurdities of everyday life.
 * Satire: Ridicule of people, institutions, or ideas through jokes.
 * Topical: Framed around a specific topic related to current events or dealing with issues that are important or popular at the current time.
 * Wordplay comedy: Tends to involve the use of tactics like puns, double entendres and rhymes to entertain audiences. Thus, delivery tends to be filled with many one-liners.

Opener, feature, and headliner
In a typical stand-up show, the host, compere, or emcee "warms up" the audience and introduces the other performers. This is followed by the opener, the feature, and then the headliner. The host may also act as the opener for smaller shows. Proven comics tend to earn regular bookings at clubs that are part of a chain and comedy venues. Jobbing stand-ups may perform sets at two or more venues on the same day.

Open mic
Clubs and small venues often run open mic events; these slots may be booked in advance or left for walk-ins. Comedians use open mics to work on material or to show off their skills to get an opener slot. "Bringer shows" are shows that require amateur performers to bring a specified number of paying guests with them to receive stage time.

Festivals
As well as being a mainstay of the comedy circuit, festivals often also showcase up-and-coming acts, with promoters and agents using the festivals to seek out new talent.

TV specials and albums
Experienced comics with a following may produce a television special or a comedy album. It may be recorded on tour or at a show advertised and performed specifically for the purpose. A TV special originally released on television, video on demand, or film theaters may be re-released as an album on audio CD, LP record or audio streaming. A "half-hour special" is typically between 20 and 35 minutes in runtime excluding commercial breaks and an "hour-long special" is typically between 40 and 65 minutes excluding commercial breaks.

Routine
Stand-up comedians define their craft through the development of routines, which they construct and refine with jokes and interconnected "bits." These bits form an interwoven narrative, leading to the "closer," the final joke that ties the show's themes together for a satisfying conclusion.

Most jokes are the juxtaposition of two incongruous things and are made up of the premise, set-up, and punchline, often adding a twist, topper or tagline for an intensified or extra laugh. Delivery relies on the use of intonation, inflection, attitude and timing as well as other stylistic devices, such as the rule of three, idioms, archetypes or wordplay. Another popular joke structure is the paraprosdokian, a surprising punchline that changes the context or meaning of the setup.

In order to falsely frame their stories as true or to free themselves of responsibility for breaking social conventions, comedians can use the jester's privilege, which is the right to discuss and mock anything freely without being punished. Social commentators have referred to the concepts of "punching up" and "punching down" in attempting to describe who should be the "butt of the joke". This carries the assumption that, relative to the comedian's own socio-political identity, comedy should "punch up" at the rich and powerful without "punching down" at those who are marginalized and less fortunate. Many comedians have criticized the cultural rhetoric concerning "punching up" and "punching down", including Colin Quinn, who described the terms as a product of activism and "not created by humorous people."

Joke theft
Appropriation and plagiarism are considered "social crimes" by most stand-ups. There have been several high-profile accusations of joke theft, some ending in lawsuits for copyright infringement. Those accused will sometimes claim cryptomnesia or parallel thinking, but it is difficult to successfully sue for joke theft regardless due to the idea–expression distinction.

Audiences
According to Anna Spagnolli, stand-up comedy audiences "are both 'co-constructors of the situation' and 'co-responsible for it.

In stand-up comedy, an unspoken contract with the audience allows for the exploration of unexpected, controversial, or scandalous subjects. The reception of a joke, whether met with laughter or disapproval, hinges on the audience's understanding of the premise and appreciation of the punchline. A seasoned comic is able to instantly react to the audience's reaction and use it to further their narrative.

Stand-up comedy, distinct from traditional performing arts, features a lone comedian directly engaging the audience. Success hinges on creating spontaneity, fostering intimacy, and deterring heckling.

Part of the appeal of stand up is in appreciation of the skill of the performer, as studies have shown that many people find the idea of standing on stage daunting; research on the subject has consistently found that the fear of public speaking is more intense than the fear of dying.

The audience is integral to live comedy, both as a foil to the comedian and as a contributing factor to the overall experience. The use of canned laughter in television comedy reveals this, with shows often seeming "dry" or dull without it. Shows may be filmed in front of a live audience for the same reason.

Terms

 * Beat: A pause specifically to create comic timing.
 * Bit: A section within a comedy show or routine.
 * Bombing: Failing to get laughs.
 * Callback: A reference to a joke earlier in the set.
 * Chewing the scenery: Being overly theatrical or "trying too hard" to get a laugh, especially when failing.
 * Chi-chi room: The ritzy room of a nightclub or a comedy club with niche performances.
 * Clapter: When the audience cheers or applauds an opinion that they agree with, but which is not funny enough for them to laugh at. Coined by Seth Meyers.
 * Corpsing or breaking: When the comedian laughs unintentionally during a portion of the show in which they are supposed to keep a straight face.
 * Crowd work: Talking directly with audience members through prewritten bits, improvisation or both.
 * Hack: A clichéd or unskilled comic.
 * Killing and dying: When a stand-up does well, they are killing. If they are doing poorly, they are dying.
 * Mugging: Pulling silly faces to elicit a cheap laugh, often relying on exaggerated expressions and physical gestures. This comedic technique aims to generate amusement through visual absurdity and can be employed by performers to enhance the comedic impact of their delivery.
 * Punter: A member of the audience. Primarily a British term.
 * The room: The space where the performance takes place. Stand-ups can "read the room" to interpret signs from the audience or "work the room" by interacting with the audience directly.
 * Smelling the road: Claiming that one can "smell the road" on a comedian suggests they have compromised their originality or pandered to get laughs while touring.
 * Tight five: A five-minute routine that is well-rehearsed and consists of a comedian's best material that reliably gets laughs. It is often used for auditions and is a stepping stone to getting a paid spot.
 * Warm up: To warm up a "cold" audience during the opening act before the main show. Often used at the filming of television comedies in front of studio audiences.
 * Work out: The process in which brand new jokes are introduced and polished over time.

Records
Phyllis Diller holds the Guinness World Record for most laughs per minute, with 12.

Taylor Goodwin holds the Guinness World Record for most jokes told in an hour with 550.

Lee Evans sold £7 million worth of tickets for his 2011 tour in a day, the biggest first-day sale of a British comedy tour.

Ricky Gervais set a new Guinness World Record for the highest gross from a single stand-up performance with his tour "Armageddon." The performance at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles, California, on May 6, 2023, garnered a notable sum of £1,410,000 ($1,790,206.50)

Peter Kay
British comedian Peter Kay currently holds multiple records for his 2010-2011 show The Tour That Doesn't Tour Tour...Now On Tour on a 112 date UK & Ireland arena tour.
 * Longest individual run at the Manchester Arena performing 20 nights.
 * First ever stand-up comedian to play 15 sold out nights at The O2, London.
 * The only British artist to ever play 20 consecutive nights at an arena.
 * Over 1.2 million tickets sold in arenas across the UK and Ireland, making it the biggest stand-up comedy tour of all time.

title: Stand-up comedy


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Kimberlite

Kimberlite, an igneous rock and a rare variant of peridotite, is most commonly known to be the main host matrix for diamonds. It is named after the town of Kimberley in South Africa, where the discovery of an 83.5-carat (16.70 g) diamond called the Star of South Africa in 1869 spawned a diamond rush and led to the excavation of the open-pit mine called the Big Hole. Previously, the term kimberlite has been applied to olivine lamproites as Kimberlite II, however this has been in error.

Kimberlite occurs in the Earth's crust in vertical structures known as kimberlite pipes, as well as igneous dykes and can also occur as horizontal sills. Kimberlite pipes are the most important source of mined diamonds today. The consensus on kimberlites is that they are formed deep within the mantle. Formation occurs at depths between 150 and 450 kilometres (93 and 280 mi), potentially from anomalously enriched exotic mantle compositions, and they are erupted rapidly and violently, often with considerable carbon dioxide and other volatile components. It is this depth of melting and generation that makes kimberlites prone to hosting diamond xenocrysts.

Despite its relative rarity, kimberlite has attracted attention because it serves as a carrier of diamonds and garnet peridotite mantle xenoliths to the Earth's surface. Its probable derivation from depths greater than any other igneous rock type, and the extreme magma composition that it reflects in terms of low silica content and high levels of incompatible trace-element enrichment, make an understanding of kimberlite petrogenesis important. In this regard, the study of kimberlite has the potential to provide information about the composition of the deep mantle and melting processes occurring at or near the interface between the cratonic continental lithosphere and the underlying convecting asthenospheric mantle.

Morphology and volcanology
Many kimberlite structures are emplaced as carrot-shaped, vertical intrusions termed "pipes". This classic carrot shape is formed due to a complex intrusive process of kimberlitic magma, which inherits a large proportion of CO2 (lower amounts of H2O) in the system, which produces a deep explosive boiling stage that causes a significant amount of vertical flaring. Kimberlite classification is based on the recognition of differing rock facies. These differing facies are associated with a particular style of magmatic activity, namely crater, diatreme and hypabyssal rocks.

The morphology of kimberlite pipes and their classical carrot shape is the result of explosive diatreme volcanism from very deep mantle-derived sources. These volcanic explosions produce vertical columns of rock that rise from deep magma reservoirs. The eruptions forming these pipes fracture the surrounding rock as it explodes, bringing up unaltered xenoliths of peridotite to surface. These xenoliths provide valuable information to geologists about mantle conditions and composition. The morphology of kimberlite pipes is varied, but includes a sheeted dyke complex of tabular, vertically dipping feeder dykes in the root of the pipe, which extends down to the mantle. Within 1.5 - 2 km of the surface, the highly pressured magma explodes upwards and expands to form a conical to cylindrical diatreme, which erupts to the surface. The surface expression is rarely preserved but is usually similar to a maar volcano. Kimberlite dikes and sills can be thin (1–4 meters), while pipes range in diameter from about 75 meters to 1.5 kilometers.

Petrology
Both the location and origin of kimberlitic magmas are subjects of contention. Their extreme enrichment and geochemistry have led to a large amount of speculation about their origin, with models placing their source within the sub-continental lithospheric mantle (SCLM) or even as deep as the transition zone. The mechanism of enrichment has also been the topic of interest with models including partial melting, assimilation of subducted sediment or derivation from a primary magma source.

Historically, kimberlites have been classified into two distinct varieties, termed "basaltic" and "micaceous" based primarily on petrographic observations. This was later revised by C. B. Smith, who renamed these divisions "group I" and "group II" based on the isotopic affinities of these rocks using the Nd, Sr, and Pb systems. Roger Mitchell later proposed that these group I and II kimberlites display such distinct differences, that they may not be as closely related as once thought. He showed that group II kimberlites show closer affinities to lamproites than they do to group I kimberlites. Hence, he reclassified group II kimberlites as orangeites to prevent confusion.

Group I kimberlites
Group-I kimberlites are of CO2-rich ultramafic potassic igneous rocks dominated by primary forsteritic olivine and carbonate minerals, with a trace-mineral assemblage of magnesian ilmenite, chromium pyrope, almandine-pyrope, chromium diopside (in some cases subcalcic), phlogopite, enstatite and of Ti-poor chromite. Group I kimberlites exhibit a distinctive inequigranular texture caused by macrocrystic (0.5 - 10 mm) to megacrystic (10 - 200 mm) phenocrysts of olivine, pyrope, chromian diopside, magnesian ilmenite, and phlogopite, in a fine- to medium-grained groundmass.

The groundmass mineralogy, which more closely resembles a true composition of the igneous rock, is dominated by carbonate and significant amounts of forsteritic olivine, with lesser amounts of pyrope garnet, Cr-diopside, magnesian ilmenite, and spinel.

Olivine lamproites
Olivine lamproites were previously called group II kimberlite or orangeite in response to the mistaken belief that they only occurred in South Africa. Their occurrence and petrology, however, are identical globally and should not be erroneously referred to as kimberlite. Olivine lamproites are ultrapotassic, peralkaline rocks rich in volatiles (dominantly H2O). The distinctive characteristic of olivine lamproites is phlogopite macrocrysts and microphenocrysts, together with groundmass micas that vary in composition from phlogopite to "tetraferriphlogopite" (anomalously Al-poor phlogopite requiring Fe to enter the tetrahedral site). Resorbed olivine macrocrysts and euhedral primary crystals of groundmass olivine are common but not essential constituents.

Characteristic primary phases in the groundmass include zoned pyroxenes (cores of diopside rimmed by Ti-aegirine), spinel-group minerals (magnesian chromite to titaniferous magnetite), Sr- and REE-rich perovskite, Sr-rich apatite, REE-rich phosphates (monazite, daqingshanite), potassian barian hollandite group minerals, Nb-bearing rutile and Mn-bearing ilmenite.

Kimberlitic indicator minerals
Kimberlites are peculiar igneous rocks because they contain a variety of mineral species with chemical compositions that indicate they formed under high pressure and temperature within the mantle. These minerals, such as chromium diopside (a pyroxene), chromium spinels, magnesian ilmenite, and pyrope garnets rich in chromium, are generally absent from most other igneous rocks, making them particularly useful as indicators for kimberlites.

Geochemistry
Kimberlites exhibit unique geochemical characteristics that distinguish them from other igneous rocks, reflecting their origin deep within the Earth's mantle. These features provide insights into the mantle's composition and the processes involved in the formation and eruption of kimberlite magmas.

Composition
Kimberlites are classified as ultramafic rocks due to their high magnesium oxide (MgO) content, which typically exceeds 12%, and often surpasses 15%. This high MgO concentration indicates a mantle-derived origin, rich in olivine and other magnesium-dominant minerals. Additionally, kimberlites are ultrapotassic, with a molar ratio of potassium oxide (K2O) to aluminum oxide (Al2O3) greater than 3, suggesting significant alterations or enrichment processes in their mantle source regions.

Elemental Abundance
Characteristic of kimberlites is their abundance in near-primitive elements such as nickel (Ni), chromium (Cr), and cobalt (Co), with concentrations often exceeding 400 ppm for Ni, 1000 ppm for Cr, and 150 ppm for Co. These high levels reflect the primitive nature of their mantle source, having undergone minimal differentiation.

Rare Earth and Lithophile Elements
Kimberlites show enrichment in rare earth elements (REEs), which are pivotal for understanding their genesis and evolution. This enrichment in REEs, along with a moderate to high large-ion lithophile element (LILE) enrichment (ΣLILE > 1,000 ppm), including elements like potassium, barium, and strontium, points to a significant contribution from metasomatized mantle sources, where the rock composition has been altered by fluids.

Volatile Content
A defining feature of kimberlites is their high volatile content, particularly of water (H2O) and carbon dioxide (CO2). The presence of these volatiles influences the explosivity of kimberlite eruptions and facilitates the transport of diamonds from deep within the mantle to the Earth's surface. The high levels of H2O and CO2 are indicative of a deep mantle origin, where these compounds are more abundant.

Exploration techniques
Kimberlite exploration techniques encompass a multifaceted approach that integrates geological, geochemical, and geophysical methodologies to locate and evaluate potential diamond-bearing deposits.

Indicator minerals sampling
Exploration techniques for kimberlites primarily hinge on the identification and analysis of indicator minerals associated with the presence of kimberlite pipes and their potential diamond cargo. Sediment sampling is a fundamental approach, where kimberlite indicator minerals (KIMs) are dispersed across landscapes due to geological processes like uplift, erosion, and glaciations. Loaming and alluvial sampling are utilized in different terrains to recover KIMs from soils and stream deposits, respectively. Understanding paleodrainage patterns and geological cover layers aids in tracing KIMs back to their source kimberlite pipes. In glaciated regions, techniques such as esker sampling, till sampling, and alluvial sampling are employed to recover KIMs buried beneath thick glacial deposits. Once collected, heavy minerals are separated and sorted by hand to identify these indicators. Chemical analysis confirms their identity and categorizes them. Techniques like thermobarometry help understand the conditions under which these minerals formed and where they came from in the Earth's mantle. By analyzing these indicators and geological curves, scientists can estimate the likelihood of finding diamonds in a kimberlite pipe. These methods help prioritize where to drill in the search for valuable diamond deposits.

Geophysical methods
Geophysical methods are particularly useful in areas where direct detection of kimberlites is challenging due to significant overburden or weathering. These methods leverage physical property contrasts between kimberlite bodies and their surrounding host rocks, enabling the detection of subtle anomalies indicative of potential kimberlite deposits. Airborne and ground surveys, including magnetics, electromagnetics, and gravity surveys, are commonly employed to acquire geophysical data over large areas efficiently. Magnetic surveys detect variations in the Earth's magnetic field caused by magnetic minerals within kimberlites, which typically exhibit distinct magnetic signatures compared to surrounding rocks. Electromagnetic surveys measure variations in electrical conductivity, with conductive kimberlite bodies producing anomalous responses. Gravity surveys detect variations in gravitational attraction caused by differences in density between kimberlite and surrounding rocks. By analyzing and interpreting these geophysical anomalies, geologists can delineate potential kimberlite targets for further investigation, such as drilling. However, the interpretation of geophysical data requires careful consideration of geological context and potential masking effects from surrounding geology, highlighting the importance of integrating geophysical results with other exploration techniques for accurate targeting and successful diamond discoveries.

3-D modeling
Three-dimensional (3D) modeling offers a comprehensive framework for understanding the internal structure and distribution of key geological features within potential diamond-bearing deposits. This process begins with the collection and integration of various datasets, including drill-hole data, ground geophysical surveys, and geological mapping information. These datasets are then integrated into a cohesive digital platform, often utilizing specialized software packages tailored for geological modeling. Through advanced visualization techniques, geologists can create detailed 3D representations of the subsurface geology, highlighting the distribution and geometry of kimberlite bodies alongside other significant geological features such as faults, fractures, and lithological boundaries. Within the model, efforts are made to accurately depict the internal phases of kimberlite pipes, incorporating different facies, country rock xenoliths, and mantle xenoliths identified through careful interpretation of drill-core data and geophysical surveys. Once validated, the 3D model serves as a valuable decision-making tool, offering insights into potential diamond-bearing potential, identifying high-priority drilling targets, and guiding exploration strategies to maximize the chances of successful diamond discoveries.

Historical significance
Kimberlites are a valuable source of information about the composition of the Earth's mantle and the dynamic processes that occur within it. The study of kimberlites has contributed to our understanding of the Earth’s deep geochemical cycles and the mechanism of mantle plumes, which are upwellings of abnormally hot rock within the Earth's mantle.

Moreover, kimberlites are unique in their ability to transport material from the Earth's mantle to its surface. This process, known as xenolith transport, provides geologists with samples of the Earth's mantle, which are otherwise inaccessible. Analyzing these samples has led to significant advances in our knowledge of the Earth's deep interior, including its physical conditions, composition, and the evolutionary history of the planet.

The role of kimberlites in diamond exploration cannot be overstated. Diamonds are formed under the high-pressure, high-temperature conditions of the Earth's mantle. Kimberlites act as carriers for these diamonds, transporting them to the Earth's surface. The discovery of diamond-bearing kimberlites in the 1870s in Kimberley sparked a diamond rush, transforming the area into one of the world’s largest diamond-producing regions. Since then, the association between kimberlites and diamonds has been crucial in the search for new diamond deposits around the globe.

Kimberlites also serve as a window into the Earth's past, offering clues about the formation of continents and the dynamic processes that shape our planet. Their distribution and age can provide insights into ancient continental movements and the assembly and breakup of supercontinents.

Economic importance
Kimberlites are the most important source of primary diamonds. Many kimberlite pipes also produce rich alluvial or eluvial diamond placer deposits. About 6,400 kimberlite pipes have been discovered in the world, of those about 900 have been classified as diamondiferous, and of those just over 30 have been economic enough to diamond mine. The deposits occurring at Kimberley, South Africa, were the first recognized and the source of the name. The Kimberley diamonds were originally found in weathered kimberlite, which was colored yellow by limonite, and so was called "yellow ground". Deeper workings encountered less altered rock, serpentinized kimberlite, which miners call "blue ground". Yellow ground kimberlite is easy to break apart and was the first source of diamonds to be mined. Blue ground kimberlite needs to be run through rock crushers to extract the diamonds. See also Mir Mine and Udachnaya pipe, both in the Sakha Republic, Siberia.

The blue and yellow ground were both prolific producers of diamonds. After the yellow ground had been exhausted, miners in the late 19th century accidentally cut into the blue ground and found gem-quality diamonds in quantity. The economic situation at the time was such that, with a flood of diamonds being found, the miners undercut each other's prices and eventually decreased the diamonds' value down to cost in a short time.

title: Kimberlite


text:
Cystine

Cystine is the oxidized derivative of the amino acid cysteine and has the formula (SCH2CH(NH2)CO2H)2. It is a white solid that is poorly soluble in water. As a residue in proteins, cystine serves two functions: a site of redox reactions and a mechanical linkage that allows proteins to retain their three-dimensional structure.

Structure
Cystine is the disulfide derived from the amino acid cysteine. The conversion can be viewed as an oxidation:
 * 2 HO2CCH(NH2)CH2SH + 0.5 O2  ->  (HO2CCH(NH2)CH2S)2  +  H2O

Cystine contains a disulfide bond, two amine groups, and two carboxylic acid groups. As for other amino acids, the amine and carboxylic acid groups exist in rapid equilibrium with the ammonium-carboxylate tautomer. The great majority of the literature concerns the l,l-cystine, derived from l-cysteine. Other isomers include d,d-cystine and the meso isomer d,l-cystine, neither of which is biologically significant.

Occurrence
Cystine is common in many foods such as eggs, meat, dairy products, and whole grains as well as skin, horns and hair. It was not recognized as being derived of proteins until it was isolated from the horn of a cow in 1899. Human hair and skin contain approximately 10–14% cystine by mass.

History
Cystine was discovered in 1810 by the English chemist William Hyde Wollaston, who called it "cystic oxide". In 1833, the Swedish chemist Jöns Jacob Berzelius named the amino acid "cystine". The Norwegian chemist Christian J. Thaulow determined, in 1838, the empirical formula of cystine. In 1884, the German chemist Eugen Baumann found that when cystine was treated with a reducing agent, cystine revealed itself to be a dimer of a monomer which he named "cysteïne". In 1899, cystine was first isolated from protein (horn tissue) by the Swedish chemist Karl A. H. Mörner (1855-1917). The chemical structure of cystine was determined by synthesis in 1903 by the German chemist Emil Erlenmeyer.

The history of cystine and cysteine is complicated by the dimer-monomer relationship of the two. The cysteine monomer was proposed as the actual unit by Embden in 1901.

The sulfur within the structure of cysteine and cystine has been subject of historical interest. In 1902, Osborne partially succeeded in analysing cystine content via lead compounds. An improved colorimetric method was developed in 1922 by Folin and Looney. An iodometric analysis method was developed by Okuda in 1925.

Redox
It is formed from the oxidation of two cysteine molecules, which results in the formation of a disulfide bond. In cell biology, cystine residues (found in proteins) only exist in non-reductive (oxidative) organelles, such as the secretory pathway (endoplasmic reticulum, Golgi apparatus, lysosomes, and vesicles) and extracellular spaces (e.g., extracellular matrix). Under reductive conditions (in the cytoplasm, nucleus, etc.) cysteine is predominant. The disulfide link is readily reduced to give the corresponding thiol cysteine. Typical thiols for this reaction are mercaptoethanol and dithiothreitol:
 * (SCH2CH(NH2)CO2H)2 +  2 RSH  →  2 HSCH2CH(NH2)CO2H  +  RSSR

Because of the facility of the thiol-disulfide exchange, the nutritional benefits and sources of cystine are identical to those for the more-common cysteine. Disulfide bonds cleave more rapidly at higher temperatures.

Cystine-based disorders
The presence of cystine in urine is often indicative of amino acid reabsorption defects. Cystinuria has been reported to occur in dogs. In humans the excretion of high levels of cystine crystals can be indicative of cystinosis, a rare genetic disease. Cystine stones account for about 1-2% of kidney stone disease in adults.

Biological transport
Cystine serves as a substrate for the cystine-glutamate antiporter. This transport system, which is highly specific for cystine and glutamate, increases the concentration of cystine inside the cell. In this system, the anionic form of cystine is transported in exchange for glutamate. Cystine is quickly reduced to cysteine. Cysteine prodrugs, e.g. acetylcysteine, induce release of glutamate into the extracellular space.

Nutritional supplements
Cysteine supplements are sometimes marketed as anti-aging products with claims of improved skin elasticity. Cysteine is more easily absorbed by the body than cystine, so most supplements contain cysteine rather than cystine. N-acetyl-cysteine (NAC) is better absorbed than other cysteine or cystine supplements.

title: Cystine


text:
Scouting in Louisiana

Scouting in Louisiana has a long history, from the 1910s to the present day, serving thousands of youth in programs that suit the environment in which they live.

Early history (1910–1960)
The first Boy Scouts of America (BSA) Troop in Louisiana was founded in 1910 in Monroe, LA by Isaac Cowden. The group of boys had formed the year before as "The Newsboy's Club" and met Sundays in the Knights of Pythias Hall on St. John Street. This troop was among the first in the south. The first Scout Master to be commissioned in Louisiana was Osee W. Zeagler.

In the days of segregation, five of the seven Louisiana councils maintained a separate summer camp for Negro scouts and the other two ran a special session at the regular council camp in order that black scouts would not be denied a camping program. In the period 1957-1967, each of the "Negro Scout Camps" were closed and the regular councils camps were integrated. Negro camps in Louisiana were: Camp Pioneer (Norwela Council), Camp Britton (Ouachita Valley Council), Camp Chenier (Evangeline Area Council), Indian Village Scout Camp (New Orleans Area Council), and Camp Carver (Istrouma Area Council).

In 1924, the Evangeline Area Council (#212) was formed. In 1917, the Minden Council was formed, ending in 1919. In 1917, the Ruston Council was formed, ending in 1918. In 1917, the Minden Council was formed, ending in 1919. In 1923, the Fourth District Council (#213) was formed, changing its name to the Ouachita Valley Council (#213) in 1925. In 1919, the Alexandria Council (#208) was formed, changing its name to the Attakapas Council (#208) in 1921. In 1923 the council changed its name to Rapides Parish Council (#208), and back to Attakapas (#208) in 1925. Attakapas (#208) dissolved in 1925, reforming in 1938. In 1917, the Baton Rouge Council (#211) was formed, changing its name to the East Baton Rouge Parish Council (#211) in 1922. It changed its name to the Istrouma Area Council (#211) in 1924. In 1924, the Old Hickory Area Council (#657) was formed, merging into the Istrouma Area Council (#211) in 1931.

In 1923, the Choctaw Area Council (#210) was formed. In 1919, the Calcasieu Parish Council (#209) was formed, changing its name to the Lake Charles Council (#209) in 1920. It changed its name to the Calcasieu Parish Council (#209) in 1922. In 1925, Calcasieu Parish changed its name to the Calcasieu and Cameron Parishes Council (#209). In 1930, the Choctaw Area (#210) and Calcasieu and Cameron Parishes (#209) councils merged to form the Calcasieu Area Council (#209).

In 1917, the Minden Council was formed, ending in 1919. In 1924, the Mississippi-Gulf Coast Area Council (#666) was formed, merging into the New Orleans Area Council (#214) in 1927.

In 1916, the New Orleans Council (#214) was formed, changing its name to the New Orleans Area Council (#214) in 1927. In 1925, the ClaiBienWeb Council (#699) was formed. In 1921, the Shreveport Council (#215) was formed, changing its name to the NorWeLa Area Council (#215) in 1923. The ClaiBienWeb Council merged into the NorWeLa Area Council (#215) in 1923.

Recent history (1960–2010)
The Louisiana Purchase Council was formed from 2003 the merger between the Ouachita Valley and Attakapas councils. In 1999, the New Orleans Area Council (#214) changed its name to the Southeast Louisiana Council (#214).

Louisiana Purchase Council
The Louisiana Purchase Council serves 20 parishes in Northeast and Central Louisiana. Parishes include: Allen, Avoyelles, Caldwell, Catahoula, Concordia, East Carroll, Franklin, Grant, Jackson, LaSalle, Lincoln, Madison, Morehouse, Ouachita, Rapides, Richland, Tensas, Union, West Carroll, and Winn.

History
In 1917, the Ruston Council was formed, ending in 1918. In 1923, the Fourth District Council (#213) was formed, changing its name to the Ouachita Valley Council (#213) in 1925. In 1919, the Alexandria Council (#208) was formed, changing its name to the Attakapas Council (#208) in 1921. In 1923 the council changed its name to Rapides Parish Council (#208), and back to Attakapas (#208) in 1925. Attakapas (#208) dissolved in 1925, reforming in 1938.

The council was formed from 2003 the merger between the Ouachita Valley (#213) and Attakapas (#208) councils to serve Scouts in Northeast and Central Louisiana.

Organization

 * Pioneer District: Ouachita, Morehouse, East Carroll, West Carroll, Richland and Madison Parishes.
 * Thunderbird District: Union, Lincoln, Jackson, and Winn Parishes.
 * Attakapas District: Allen, Avoyelles, Catahoula, Concordia, Grant, LaSalle, and Rapides Parishes.

Camps

 * Camp T.L. James - near Downsville, Louisiana.
 * Camp Attakapas - approximately 35 miles NE of Alexandria, near Jena.

Order of the Arrow

 * Comanche Lodge 254

Calcasieu Area Council
The Calcasieu Area Council serves the families and youth in five Parishes of Southwest Louisiana.

History
In 1923, the Choctaw Area Council (#210) was formed. In 1919, the Calcasieu Parish Council (#209) was formed, changing its name to the Lake Charles Council (#209) in 1920. It changed its name to the Calcasieu Parish Council (#209) in 1922. In 1925, Calcasieu Parish changed its name to the Calcasieu and Cameron Parishes Council (#209). In 1930, the Choctaw Area (#210) and Calcasieu and Cameron Parishes (#209) councils merged to form the Calcasieu Area Council (#209).

Organization
The Council is divided into three districts: Pioneer District serves Lake Charles, Louisiana, and Jeff Davis Parish;  Cypress Knee District serves Calcasieu and Cameron Parishes;  Thunderbird District serves Beauregard and Vernon Parishes.

Camps
The Council's Camp is Camp Edgewood, located near DeQuincy, Louisiana.

Order of the Arrow

 * Quelqueshoe Lodge 166

Evangeline Area Council
The Evangeline Area Council (#212) serves Scouts in Acadia, Evangeline, Lafayette, Iberia St. Landry, St. Martin, St. Mary and Vermilion parishes.

History
In 1924, the council was formed.

Organization

 * Bon Temps District
 * Kuna Nisha District

Camps

 * Mountain Bayou Scout Camp
 * Camp Brownell
 * Camp Steen
 * Camp Thistlethwaite

Order of the Arrow

 * Atchafalaya Lodge

Istrouma Area Council
Istrouma Area Council serves Scouts in 13 parishes in Louisiana (Ascension, East Baton Rouge, East Feliciana, Iberville, Livingston, Pointe Coupee, St. Helena, St. James, St. Tammany, Tangipahoa, Washington, West Feliciana and West Baton Rouge) and in Wilkinson County, Mississippi. The Council is divided into three districts- Nashoba, Sewell-Eagle, and Nawaganti.

Camps

Avondale Scout Reservation- 1,700 acre reservation located in Clinton, LA. The reservation is divided into 4 camps- Camp Avondale (summer camp area), Woodbadge Hill (primitive camping), Camp Tigator (Council Training Center) and Camp McGee (Cub Scouts). The property has three lakes (Lake Istrouma, Lake Tigator, and Lake McGee) and frontage on Sandy Creek.

Carruth Scout Preserve- 150 acre property in Port Allen, La. Home to primitive camping.

Camp 5 Lakes- 200 acre property located in Bush, La. Home to primitive camping.

Order of the Arrow

Quinipissa Lodge

Norwela Council
The Norwela Council of the BSA was established in 1923. It serves a nine-parish region: Bienville, Bossier, Caddo, Claiborne, DeSoto, Natchitoches, Red River, Sabine, and Webster.

History
In 1925, the ClaiBienWeb Council (#699) was formed. In 1921, the Shreveport Council (#215) was formed, changing its name to the NorWeLa Area Council (#215) in 1923. The ClaiBienWeb Council merged into the NorWeLa Area Council (#215) in 1923.

Organization

 * Neshota District
 * Netami District
 * Yatasi District
 * Cherokee District

Camp

 * Kinsey Scout Reservation, south of Stonewall (fka Garland Scout Camp)

Order of the Arrow

 * Caddo Lodge

Southeast Louisiana Council
The Southeast Louisiana Council serves the Southeast Louisiana Parishes of Assumption, Jefferson, Lafourche, Orleans, Plaquemine, St. John the Baptist, St. Bernard, St. Charles, St. James, St. Tammany, and Terrebonne.

History
In 1917, the Minden Council was formed, ending in 1919. In 1924, the Mississippi-Gulf Coast Area Council (#666) was formed, merging into the New Orleans Area Council (#214) in 1927.

In 1916, the New Orleans Council (#214) was formed, changing its name to the New Orleans Area Council (#214) in 1927. It kept the name until 1999, when it changed to Southeast Louisiana Council.

Organization

 * Bayou District
 * Cataouatche District
 * Cypress District
 * Emerging Markets District
 * Fleur de Lis District
 * Pelican District

Order of the Arrow

 * Chilantakoba Lodge

Before the devastation of Hurricane Katrina, Chilantakoba Lodge was the largest Order of the Arrow lodge in its section. The membership peaked around 600 but, following the storm, fell to nearly 100. The Council's camp, and much of the area it serves, was impacted severely. There were downed trees, damaged buildings, destroyed trails, and loss of many other assets on the council's property. Members of Chilantakoba Lodge helped in the resurrection of the Council Camp, Salmen Scout Reservation, and helped to staff the summer program, putting on three weeks of Boy Scout summer camp. It is this level of dedication, and desire to serve, that has caused Chilantakoba Lodge to produce five Lodge Chiefs who have later gone on to receive the Distinguished Service Award, the highest award for service to the Order.

Girl Scouting in Louisiana
Two Girl Scout Councils serve Louisiana.

Girl Scouts Louisiana East
Girl Scouts Louisiana East serves some 16,000 girls in 23 parishes. It was formed by the merger of Girl Scout Council of Southeast Louisiana and Girl Scouts-Audubon Council in April 2008.

 * Headquarters: New Orleans, Louisiana
 * Website: http://www.gsle.org;

 * Service Center:
 * Baton Rouge, LA

 * Camps
 * Camp Marydale is 400 acre in St. Francisville, LA
 * Camp Whispering Pines is 600 acre in Independence, LA. It includes a 23 acre lake.
 * Camp Covington is 23 acre in Covington, LA. It was founded in 1927.
 * McFadden Cabin is located in City Park (New Orleans)

Girl Scouts of Louisiana - Pines to the Gulf
It was formed by the merger of Bayou Girl Scout Council, Central Louisiana Girl Scout Council, Inc., Girl Scouts Pelican Council, and Girl Scouts Silver Waters Council in January 2008.

 * Headquarters: Lafayette, Louisiana
 * Website: http://www.girlscoutspinestogulf.org

 * Camps
 * Camp Bon Temps is 106 acre in Breaux Bridge, Louisiana
 * Camp Wawbansee is 140 acre in Arcadia, Louisiana
 * Camp Indian Creek is in Chatham, Louisiana

Baden-Powell Service Association
There is one Baden-Powell Service Association local group in Louisiana, the 39th Cypress Scouts located in New Orleans.

title: Scouting in Louisiana


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Plexus

In neuroanatomy, a plexus (from the Latin term for "braid") is a branching network of vessels or nerves. The vessels may be blood vessels (veins, capillaries) or lymphatic vessels. The nerves are typically axons outside the central nervous system.

The standard plural form in English is plexuses. Alternatively, the Latin plural plexūs may be used.

Nerve plexuses
The four primary nerve plexuses are the cervical plexus, brachial plexus, lumbar plexus, and the sacral plexus.

Choroid plexus
The choroid plexus is a part of the central nervous system in the brain and consists of capillaries, brain ventricles, and ependymal cells.

Invertebrates
The plexus is the characteristic form of nervous system in the coelenterates and persists with modifications in the flatworms. The nerves of the radially symmetric echinoderms also take this form, where a plexus underlies the ectoderm of these animals and deeper in the body other nerve cells form plexuses of limited extent.

title: Plexus


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Scouting in Mississippi

Scouting in Mississippi has a long history, from the 1910s to the present day, serving thousands of youth in programs that suit the environment in which they live.

Early history (1910-1950)
In 1909, Dr. Cran, the Local Episcopal Minister, and Mr. C.H. Hamilton organized Troop 19 in Brookhaven, Mississippi. In 1910, the unit was officially recognized by the local scout office in Vicksburg. Troop 19 became Troop 119 after the Andrew Jackson Council was formed. It was sponsored by the First Presbyterian Church until 1938/39 when it was then sponsored by "The Men's Bible Class" First United Methodist church where it has remained. The Troop has been continuously chartered since 1910 and is as old as the incorporated Boy Scouts of America.

In 1912, one year after the Boy Scout movement came from England to the United States, George F. Maynard, Sr. founded the first troop in Tupelo — Troop 1. Scout units were soon founded in other cities such as Picayune, Corinth and Oxford.

The Yazoo County Council was founded in 1919, and closed in 1922. The Southwest Mississippi Council (#303) was founded in 1923, and closed in 1928. The South Mississippi Area Council (#705) was founded in 1925, and closed in 1928. The Meridian Council (#302) was founded in 1920, and in 1935 changed its name to the Choctaw Area Council (#302).

The Pine Burr-Hattiesburg Area Council (#304) was founded in 1927, changing its name to the Pine Burr Area Council (#304) in 1935. The East Mississippi Area Council (#691) was founded in 1926, changing its name to the Pushmataha Area Council (#691) in 1936. The Yocona Area Council (#748) was founded in 1926.

The Jackson Council (#301) was founded in 1918, changing its name to the Hinds and Rankin Counties Council (#301) in 1922. The Vicksburg Council (#304) was founded in 1919. The Hinds and Rankin Counties and Vicksburg councils merged to become the Kickapoo Area Council (#301) in 1927. In 1930, the Andrew Jackson Area Council (#303) was merged, and it merged with the Kickapoo Area Council (#301) in 1937 to become the Andrew Jackson Council (#303).

Recent history (1950-1990)
Scouting has continued to thrive in Mississippi. There are eight Boy Scout councils and two Girl Scout councils that serve the state.

Scouting in Mississippi today
There are eight Boy Scouts of America (BSA) local councils that serve Mississippi.

Andrew Jackson Council
The Andrew Jackson Council serves Scouts in the area surrounding the state capital.

History
The Jackson Council (#301) was founded in 1918, changing its name to the Hinds and Rankin Counties Council (#301) in 1922. The Vicksburg Council (#304) was founded in 1919. The Hinds and Rankin Counties and Vicksburg councils merged to become the Kickapoo Area Council (#301) in 1927. In 1930, the Andrew Jackson Area Council (#303) was merged, and it merged with the Kickapoo Area Council (#301) in 1937 to become the Andrew Jackson Council (#303).

Organization
The council has five districts:
 * Natchez Trace District: Adams, Amite, Claiborne, Franklin, and Jefferson Counties
 * Big Creek District: Copiah, Lawrence, Lincoln, Pike, and Walthall Counties
 * Strong River District: Scott, Rankin and Simpson Counties
 * Four Rivers District: Hinds, Issquena, Sharkey, and Warren Counties
 * North Trace District: Attala, Holmes, Leake, Madison and Yazoo Counties

Camps

 * Hood Scout Reservation

Order of the Arrow

 * Sebooney Okasucca Lodge

Chickasaw Council
The Chickasaw Council serves Scouts in Tennessee and Arkansas, as well as Mississippi. The Delta Area Council of west Mississippi and their Koi Hatachie lodge 345, Order of the Arrow, merged into Chickasaw Council in the early 1990s.

Choctaw Area Council
The Choctaw Area Council serves youth in east Mississippi and west Alabama, with the council office located in Meridian, Mississippi. The Choctaw Area Council camp is Camp Binachi, and the council's name refers to the Choctaw nation.

History
The Meridian Council (#302) was founded in 1920, and in 1935 changed its name to the Choctaw Area Council (#302).

Organization

 * Bobashela District
 * Seminole District

Order of the Arrow

 * Ashwanchi Kinta Lodge

Istrouma Area Council
The Istrouma Area Council serves Scouts in Louisiana and Mississippi.

Pine Burr Area Council
The Pine Burr Area Council serves youth in 17 counties in southeast and southern Mississippi, from headquarters in Hattiesburg.

History
The Pine Burr-Hattiesburg Area Council (#304) was founded in 1927, changing its name to the Pine Burr Area Council (#304) in 1935.

Organization
Scoutreach Division
 * Singing River District
 * Spanish Trail District
 * Tall Pine District
 * Tung Belt District
 * Twin Rivers District
 * Chickasawhay District

Camps

 * Camp Tiak

Pushmataha Area Council
Pushmataha Area Council serves Calhoun, Chickasaw, Monroe, Webster, Oktibbeha, Clay, Lowndes, Winston, Choctaw and Noxubee counties in north Mississippi. Camp Seminole is the Pushmataha Area Council camp. Pushmataha Area Council merged and is now part of Natchez Trace Council.

Southeast Louisiana Council
The Southeast Louisiana Council serves Scouting in Assumption, Jefferson, Lafourche, Orleans, Plaquemine, Saint John the Baptist, Saint Bernard, Saint Charles, Saint James, Saint Tammany, and Terrebonne Parishes in Louisiana. The 1200 acre camp property known as Salmen Scout Reservation is located in Kiln, Mississippi.

Yocona Area Council
The Yocona Area Council of northeast Mississippi is headquartered in Tupelo. It serves Alcorn, Tishomingo, Prentiss, Itawamba, Lee, Pontotoc, Tippah, Union, Benton, Marshall, Lafayette, and Yalobusha counties. The Chicksa Lodge serves local Arrowmen. Yocona Area Council merged and is now part of Natchez Trace Council.

Girl Scouting in Mississippi
There are two Girl Scout councils in Mississippi.

Girl Scouts of Greater Mississippi
Girl Scouts of Greater Mississippi serves some 10,000 members in 45 counties of south and central Mississippi.

It was formed by the merger of Girl Scouts of Gulf Pines Council and Girl Scout Council of Middle Mississippi in 2009.

 * Headquarters: Jackson, Mississippi
 * Website: http://gsgms.org

 * Service centers
 * Hattiesburg
 * Gulfport
 * Meridian

 * Camps
 * Camp Iti Kana is 339 acre including a 55 acre lake near Wiggins. Its name is from the Choctaw language and means friendship.
 * Camp Wahi is 150 acre in Brandon, MS

Girl Scouts Heart of the South
See Scouting in Tennessee for full information. In Mississippi serves girls in northern counties.

 * Headquarters: Memphis, Tennessee
 * Website: http://www.girlscoutshs.org

 * Mississippi service centers
 * Tupelo, Mississippi

 * Mississippi camps
 * Camp Tik-A-Witha is 310 acre (including a 20 acre lake) of woods and sand dunes near Van Vleet, MS

title: Scouting in Mississippi


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Comedy club

A comedy club is a venue where a variety of comedic acts perform to a live audience. Although the term usually refers to establishments that feature stand-up comedians, it can also feature other forms of comedy such as improvisational comedians, impersonators, impressionists, magicians and ventriloquists.

Some forms of comedy can have distinguished venues such as improvisational theatres, which host improv or sketch comedy, and variety clubs which may also host musical acts along with comedic acts.

Morocco
The documentation of Moroccan comedy spaces traces its roots back to the 17th Century, encompassing rich performance practices like Labsat and Sultan Talba. The origins of comedy clubs can be traced to Labsat, an extravagant performance arts festival, with the noteworthy milestone of the first show staged within the king's, Sultan Mohammed ibn Abd Allah, palace. The evolution continued with Sultan Tabla, a theatrical celebration that served as a precursor to more modern al-halqa. Al-halqa, characterized by storytelling circles infused with elements of humor, played a pivotal role in shaping comedy performance spaces and practices.

The period of French colonization from 1912 to 1956 marked a significant chapter in the history of comedy clubs in Morocco, having heavy influences on artistic practices. Following the decline of French colonial dominance, comic theaters emerged as distinct spaces, gaining prominence in the 80s as a response to the heightened cultural interest in addressing humorous real-life concerns. The theatrical landscape saw a flourishing of comic theater, employing humor and cultural critique to entertain audiences while fostering a connection with real-life experiences.

The spaces theaters and comedy clubs provided created cultural space for a future of comedy in Morocco. Now, Moroccan comedy clubs function as important spaces for humour and cultural commentary.

Japan
The emergence of Japanese comedy clubs can be traced back to the 18th century with the establishment of Yose theatres. These early iterations were constructed for various forms of entertainment, such as Kōdan, Rōkyoku, Rakugo, and other varieties.

Over the years, a notable convergence occurred between Yose and Rakugo, with the two becoming increasingly intertwined. In contemporary times, the majority of Yose theatres exclusively feature Rakugo performances, underscoring the prevalent association between Yose theatres and this particular form of comedic storytelling.

Rakugo is a traditional Japanese storytelling art where a hanashika enacts stories by embodying characters through distinct voices, gestures, and wordplay. The narratives typically conclude with a punch line, referred to as "ochi," akin to the structure observed in contemporary stand-up comedy, which often utilizes punchlines and wordplay for comedic effect. In this way, Yose were the first comedy clubs hosting stand-up comedians (hanashikas) through the art of Rakugo.

The first Yose theatre was organized in 1798 by Karaku Sanshotei 1st at the Shitaya-jinja Shrine in Shitaya, Tokyo. The stone monument commemorating the birthplace of Yose is located in this shrine, initially referred to as yoseba before later adopting the term "yose." Towards the end of the Edo period, multiple Yose theatres emerged, providing a primary source of entertainment in towns where options were limited.

The subsequent Meiji and Taisho eras witnessed the appearance of large-scale Yose theatres. However, with the advent of various entertainments like television, the number of visitors to Yose establishments significantly declined, leading to closures. In recent years, the dwindling interest in performance arts within Yose has resulted in the survival of only a few Yose theatres. Consequently, the overall Yose industry faces challenging business conditions as it contends with changing entertainment preferences.

Contemporary American-style clubs
Since the late 1960s and 70s, hundreds of comedy clubs have adopted a similar formula.

The first of these pioneers were The Improv and Dangerfield's.

The Improv opened as a coffee house in 1963, within the Hell's Kitchen neighborhood of New York City. While it hosted its first comedian in 1964, 5 years before Dangerfield's opening in 1969, it only shifted into a comedy club after hours. The Improv became exclusively a comedy club over the years, before its closing in 1992.

Dangerfield's was built ground-up as a comedy club in the Upper East Side of Manhattan. It closed due to the pandemic in 2020.

Design
Comedy clubs advantageously use their space to cater to their audience and create an optimal experience. Most clubs adjust their lighting to darker tones with the aim of creating anonymity in the crowd. Anonymity has the effect of producing more genuine responses in individuals, while also decreasing amount of external stress produced by being seen. The darkness factor is a key element to get the crowd feeling more relaxed in their space, especially for more controversial jokes which most comedians often make use of.

Comedy clubs use low ceilings and small interior spaces to create fuller looking crowds. Low ceilings are especially important for most comedy clubs since laughter is an important part of their ambience. Laughter is proven to be contagious in humans, and low ceilings allow for the sound of laughter to bounce back from the ceilings and be heard throughout the space. In higher ceilings and bigger spaces the sound of people’s laughter vanishes almost instantly. Lower ceilings contribute to a more joyful space. The bare redbrick wall of The Improv in New York, a result of the venue not having the budget to cover it with drywall, would go on to become a common design feature of comedy clubs.

Comedy clubs opt for colder temperatures for multiple reasons. A main reason for colder temperature is that the comedian does not get too flushed and tired under the hot spotlights and cold room. The second and more influential effect is on the psychology of the audience; audiences become more alert and evidently more focused on the performance which usually elicits more laughter as a result.

Where a venue has multiple stages, an "A Room" is typically the largest and best room, used for popular acts, while a "B Room" is for local, lesser-known performers.

North America

 * Comedy Clubs
 * Bananas Comedy Club
 * Carolines on Broadway
 * Cobb's Comedy Club
 * Comedy Cellar
 * The Comedy Store
 * The Comic Strip Live
 * Comedy Works
 * Dangerfields
 * Gotham Comedy Club
 * Governors Comedy Club
 * Mark Ridley's Comedy Castle
 * The Laff Stop
 * The Punchline
 * Comedy Club Chains
 * Catch a Rising Star chain
 * Coconuts Comedy Club
 * The Funny Bone
 * The Improv
 * The Laugh Factory
 * The Stress Factory
 * Yuk Yuk's
 * Improv groups
 * ComedySportz
 * Dad's Garage Theatre Company
 * The Groundlings
 * iO Theater
 * The Second City
 * Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre

Europe

 * Comedy T.V Show
 * Comedy Club Russia
 * The Stand Comedy Club in Glasgow, Edinburgh and Newcastle upon Tyne
 * Comedy Clubs
 * The Comedy Store (London)
 * The Empire in Belfast
 * Comedy Club Chains
 * The Glee Club
 * Jongleurs

Asia

 * Comedy Clubs
 * Off the Wall Comedy Empire, Jerusalem, Israel
 * The TakeOut Comedy Club Hong Kong

In popular culture
Comedy clubs often serve as the venue for stand-up comedy specials, where comedians are filmed at comedy clubs and theaters as they perform. These humorous spaces are also featured heavily in the show Seinfeld, where a staged comedy club serves as a vital place where the lead character, Jerry Seinfeld, performs and socializes.

title: Comedy club