The Tribe papers had a very definite place in the Lone Scout program. Competition for literary recognition through the mother publication, Lone Scout, became very keen. Those hundreds of Lone Scouts who had been unable to outwit Lone Scout's "Simon Legree" (as the editor’s wastebasket was known) found Tribe papers eager outlets for their literary work.

Competition among the Tribe papers was keen as well, partly due to the fact that they were out for as many dimes and quarters as they could collect in exchange for their issues. From these early days, the Tribe papers passed into a period of prosperity during the years between 1917 and 1919.

In 1921, the more substantial and stable Tribe papers established a high standard and insisted that current and new editors have sufficient ability and backing to maintain this high standard. This was accomplished through the Tribe Paper Editors' Protective Association.

In addition to local Tribes and local issues, there were Tribes organized around a particular interest such as Boosting. These Booster Tribes were at times provincial in that they promoted a state or region by advocating recruiting more new Lone Scouts and/or subscriptions to Lone Scout magazine than any other state or region.

After the merger with Boy Scouts of America, Armstrong Perry was appointed as the first Director of the Lone Scouts. His expertise was with the farm and business world. He enlisted the Farm Journals to form Tribes or (Wigwams) to reach the farm boys. He also helped form the WLS Radio Tribe, which made broadcasts of Lone Scout messages.

There is no doubt that Tribe papers exerted a great influence on the future lives of the enterprising editors of these interesting journals. They served as an excellent training ground for hundreds of boys who went on to make names for themselves in the printing and publishing world as a direct result of that early training and experience. In addition, the friendships established through Tribe interaction beyond the publishing of Tribe papers lasted a lifetime for most Lone Scouts.