A History of the Boy Scouts of Lamoni, Iowa

by Ella Neal Clements, Historian, Lamoni RLDS Church, March 27, 1973
 

Introduction
The early history of the Boy Scout movement in Lamoni is meager. Some of the first records have been lost. My sources of information have been Official Records from the District Office of Boy Scouts of America which were lent to the local church, Business Meeting Minutes of the Lamoni Saints' Church, the Saints' Herald, and Autumn Leaves *. The two magazines were published in Lamoni, Iowa until mid-May, 1921, at which time the Herald Publishing House was moved to Independence, Missouri.

When the Scouting Movement was Young
The earliest reference to scouting in Lamoni (that I have found -- E.C.) was in Autumn Leaves, April, 1912. Callie B. STEBBINS, a department editor of the magazine and a well-known citizen of Lamoni, related an incident in which a young boy refused pay for a service he rendered to two women at the reunion the previous summer. Someone standing near said he belonged to the boy scouts. Mrs. STEBBINS then wrote: "A society of boy scouts was organized in Lamoni last July with some of the leading men of the town and of the church as members of the council."

I have found no other information about the 1911 Lamoni troop. Perhaps it did not last long.

The same issue of Autumn Leaves contained a long article, "The Boy Scouts of America", by Dan Beard, National Scout Commissioner, reprinted from the American Review of Reviews. The official organization of the Boy Scouts of America was effected in 1910. However, Mr. Beard indicated that there had been troops of scouts in various parts of the United States for several years.

By 1917, there was considerable agitation in the Saints' Church for a program for boys. The General Conference of April, 1917, appointed a committee to study the various boys' organizations in the United States. In the meantime, the congregations were urged to start organizing their boys into clubs or groups. During the Conference in 1918, Floyd M. McDOWELL was appointed the general director of the "boy movement" in the church. He urged leaders to get and study the boy scout literature, try out plans and theories, and report their experiences. He himself had found nothing objectionable in the scout literature. McDOWELL also thought the boy movement should be coordinated with one of the auxillary (sic) organizations of the church. It was soon placed under the auspices of the Zion's Religio Literary Society, an organization for church youth.

Lamoni Organized a Troop
Church business meeting minutes of October 8, 1919, report:

Floyd M. McDOWELL stated that provision had been made for the organization of a Boy Scout troop to be under the supervision of the Lamoni Branch. (Note: Branch was a term commonly used to denote the local congregation of the church. -- E.C.) He further stated that the following officers had been provided for:

Scoutmaster -- Orrin MOON; Assistant Scoutmaster -- Forest ROBERTS; Troop Committee -- Oscar ANDERSON, Max CARMICHAEL, Floyd M. McDOWELL.

He further stated that an endorsement of this plan required the branch to provide the following mo,
1. Necessary facilities for meetings of the troop
2. Adequate leadership
3. An opportunity for the members of the troop to spend a week or more in a summer camp
4. To conduct the troop in accordance with the Rules and Regulations of the National Council of the Boy Scouts of America.

He further stated that each church organization had the opportunity of making a voluntary contribution for the general supervision and extension of the Boy Movement in America and asked the branch to make such a donation for the present year as they are willing to make. Five dollars was appropriated to the movement.

The Lamoni new items in the Saints' Herald, January 7, 1920, reported that Boy Scout meetings would be held each Tuesday evening. The January 28 news reported that Forest ROBERTS was teaching a class on Boy Scout work. The March 31 new reported a "boy scouts membership of over 50", but a later report said, "about 40 scouts".

Floyd M. McDOWELL taught at Graceland College. He was given a Special Field Commission by the Boy Scouts of America. The Autumn Leaves of July, 1920, was a special "Boy Scout Number". One article quoted a letter, dated June 7, 1920, from Commissioner McDOWELL to James E. West, Chief Scout Executive, New York, N.Y. Boy Scout Week had been observed in Lamoni with Boy Scout programs and appropriate sermons at the local churches and a special entertainment by the scouts during the week. The latter was attended by more than 500 people and $200 was raised for use by the local troop. McDOWELL said, "At present there is only one troop in Lamoni but plans are under way to organize another immediately. Lamoni citizens are interested in scouting more than ever before."

In his report to the January 4, 1921, church business meeting, the pastor, John F. GARVER, wrote: The Boy Scouts work as directed by the Religio has been reorganized and two troops organized. The boys are in the hands of trained and good men.

To summarize: The official church minutes indicate that a troop had been, or was in the process of being, organized; the scout commissioner notified the national headquarters that a second troop was soon to be organized; and the pastor stated that there were two troops. We may safely conclude that there was at least one properly organized troop in Lamoni in the fall of 1919 and through the year 1920.

The Oldest Charter Application
The oldest Application for Troop Charter in the official papers of the district office was filed in December, 1920, for Troop 1, approved in January, 1921, and expired in October, 1921. Alma Egbert BULLARD was approved as the new Scoutmaster. He was 37 years old, had had 2 years experience as a scoutmaster in Denver, Colorado, and was now Superintendent of Buildings and Grounds at Graceland College. Forest ROBERTS, aged 19 years, reregistered as an assistant scoutmaster; Harry LORANCE, aged 24 years, and Lloyd GREGORY, aged 23 years, were new assistants.

The statistical record gave: Scouts Registered 12, New 5, Dropped 1, Certificates for 18 Scouts. Name of Former Scoutmaster J. O. MOON.

Several of these boys were reregistering; the name of a former scoutmaster is given, also. Obviously, there had been a previous organization. The boys named on this 1921 application were:
Herman ANTHONY Kenneth CASH Lyle CASTER
Walter COLE Raymond CLAIBORN Floyd ENGSTROM
Donald GILLASPEY Max GREEN Harold HILL
Arthur JOHNSON Donald JONES Lorenzo KELLEY
Harley LORANCE Byron ROBERTS Milray RUSSSELL
Jewel SANDAGE Walter SNIVELY Ralph SNIVELY.
 All of these boys had tenderfoot rank except Kenneth CASH, Floyd ENGSTROM, Donald GILLASPEY, Harley LORANCE, and Ralph SNIVELY. Three of the boys were 17 years old and one was 18 years of age. The committee members were: G. W. BLAIR, postmaster, A. Otis WHITE, merchant, Oscar ANDERSON, banker, Floyd McDOWELL, professor, and D. T. WILLIAMS, minister.

A Lamoni news item in the Saint's Herald of February 16, 1921, stated: At the Religio session recently, the pastor of the Methodist Church and the Boy Scouts of his congregation attended. The following Sunday evening, the Scouts of our church and their Religio teachers attended the Methodist church service. (A. E. BULLARD and Eugene CLOSSON taught the Religio classes for boys. -- E.C.)

Another "Boys' Number" of Autumn Leaves
The August, 1921, Autumn Leaves was a special number. It contained several articles by scouts. Floyd ENGSTROM wrote that when he came to Lamoni he expected to join the Boy Scouts. Finding none, he started a tribe of Lone Scouts. "Then", said he, "Mr. MOON went to Iowa City and took up scouting and came back a full-fledged scoutmaster. He asked some other boys and myself to come out to his place that afternoon. I went and soon became very much interested in the Boy Scouts. Tuesday night was set as the meeting night and on that night I became a full-fledged Boy Scout. I worked hard and became a patrol leader." In the list noted above, Floyd was listed as a second class scout, aged 17 years. His own statement identifies him as one of the 1919 scouts.

Harley LORANCE, Patrol Leader, Raccoon Troop, wrote: "On coming to Lamoni, I heard of the troop of Boy Scouts of America. I had always wanted to be a scout... I started attending meetings... I borrowed a handbook and started to study..." Harley's age was given as 14 years in the list above.

Charles F. CHURCH, Jr. contributed a story, an article about his reasons for being a scout, and a description of a 14 mile hike which he and Claire TURNEY took in the spring. He mentioned their camping ground near the river and some experiences shared there the year before.

Eugene E. CLOSSON, Scoutmaster of Troop 2, Lamoni, wrote:

"Troop 2, of Lamoni, Iowa, was organized in November, 1920, with 12 boys, all being tenderfoot scouts at that time. These boys were hustlers, and by the first of January, 1921, the troop membership had increased to 25 boys. Every week brought new recruits to the troop, until on June 1, 1921, we numbered 38 boys, 1 scoutmaster, and 3 assistant scoutmasters, making a total of 42... The greatest advancement was shown by Scouts Kelley ANDERSON, Sam BROWN, and Herman BUCY... The troop is now working under the leadership of Francis MUCEUS, one of the assistant scoutmasters. "

In another article, Mr. CLOSSON wrote:

"This year the men in the recreational leadership class of Graceland College were organized into a troop of scouts. Every one of the scouts was over the regular scout age. Our object was to learn something about scouting from the boy's side of it. We are registered in New York as Troop 3, Lamoni, Iowa. There were 24 who advanced to first class, 5 to second class, and 1 to tenderfoot. These men are now able to organize and control troops of boys in any part of the United States... This year we will have another troop of these college men..."

One of the young men was Lloyd GREGORY, who returned to his home in Canada as a special commissioner for the Boy Scouts of Canada.

The preceding accounts indicate that there were at least two troops of boys and one of young men at that time, though we now have official papers for only one troop.

An Application for Reregistration
This application asked for the Reregistration of Troop 1 from October, 1921, to October, 1922. The statistics were: Scouts -- Transferred, 2 Reregistered 19+2, New 11, Dropped 5. ASSISTANTS -- Reregistered 1, New 2. Certificates for 32 Scouts Written; Commissions for Scoutmaster and 3 Assistants were written.

Alma E. BULLARD was approved as scoutmaster and Claire TURNEY, aged 18 years, Malcolm BARROWS, aged 18 years, and Forest ROBERTS, aged 19 years, were named as assistants. The record further showed that Forest entered scouting in 1918, and Claire and Malcolm entered in 1920.

A list of 32 names was given. All of the boys on the previous list except Walter COLE, Arthur JOHNSON, Donald JONES, and M. RUSSELL reregistered. The new names were:
Stanley BARROWS Harold BROWN Ralph CLAIBORN
Charles CHURCH DeVere CASH Roy ELLSWORTH
Dale GILLASPEY Edmond HEIDE Almon KAESTNER
Russell PENDERGRAFT Russell CASH Elbert RUSH
Everett STEMM Leo SCOTT Shellis SCOTT
Ivan SNETHEN Smith LYSINGER Alma TURNEY
 A note says Ivan SNETHEN and Smith LYSINGER transferred from troop 2 to troop 1.

Transferred to Troop #4 was written beside these names: Raymond CLAIBORN, Roy ELLSWORTH, Donald GILLASPEY, Dale GILLASPEY, Max GREEN, Edmond HEIDE, Almon KAESTNER, Russell CASH, and Elbert RUSH. DeVere CASH was dropped 4/19/23 -- became a Pioneer.

I have found no other reference to Troop 4; apparently, it is another whose records have been lost.

The pastor's report to the church business meeting, January 30, 1922, stated: 80 boys have been enrolled in the scout troops. One of the scoutmasters spent, during the year, on one feature alone, that of conducting tests for honors, 200 hours.

A Late Registration
Though the previous charter expired in October, 1922, an application for reregistration was not made until April 1923. It was for Troop 1 and was signed by A. Max CARMICHAEL, Director of Religious Education for the local church. A. E. BULLARD was named Scoutmaster and Malcolm BARROWS was named Assistant. The committee members were Wilber PRALL, banker, A. Otis WHITE, funeral director, W. H. BLAIR, publisher, F. M. McDOWELL, college professor, and a Mr. NICHOLSON, banking.

Troop meetings were being held at the high school building on Tuesdays, 7 to 9 p.m. Membership in the troop was not limited to boys connected with the sponsoring church. The statistics were: SCOUTS -- Reregistered 6+11, Transferred 11, Dropped,-- Reregistered 4, New 5, Dropped 16. ASSISTANTS -- Reregistered 1, Dropped 2.

Charter Lapse -- New One Applied For
Among the official papers I found no further application for a charter until a church business meeting, June 6, 1925, authorized the move. This was signed by Wilber PRALL, pastor. It was an Application for Charter for New Troop C.

George MESLEY, a 24 year old Graceland student from Australia, was recommended for Scoutmaster. He had had 2 years experience as a scoutmaster in Australia. No assistants had yet been selected.

The committee included Wilber PRALL and A. Otis WHITE.

Other information given was as follows:

Is This a New Troop? NO.
Or An Old One Being Revived? YES.
If Old, Give Name Of Former SM: A. E. BULLARD
Why Did He Resign? Lack of sufficient time to devote to troop.

The troop would meet at the church on Thursday at 7:30 p.m. 16 boys were named. None of the names given were found on the previous lists. This charter was to expire July, 1926.

Charter Renewals
The next application was dated July 17, 1926, and was to expire July 31, 1927. The committee members were Wilber PRALL, pastor, Lonzo JONES, teacher, and Oscar ANDERSON, banker.

The date of the original registration was given as October, 1919. This would indicate that the troops of 1919 and 1920 were registered, though the original papers are not now available. 21 scouts reregistered, there were 2 new ones, and 8 dropped. Some significant activities during the past year had been:

Father and son church parade
Anniversary program
10 boys attended the Kansas City Baden-Powell rally
Troop served as waiters at the Mother-Daughter banquet
Assisted Community and Booster clubs.

The next application for charter renewal was dated November 22, 1927, and was to expire July 31, 1928. The troop is still identified as No. 1 , but in pencil was written 116. George MESLEY was to be Scoutmaster, with Raymond TROYER

Again, there seems to have been negligence in renewing the charter on time. The next one was approved September 18, 1929, and was to expire July 31, 1930.

A notation said: VETERAN RANK 7 years. The date of expiration of the previous charter was given as July 31, 1928.

There was also the information that the previous scoutmaster had moved from the community. This was probably the reason the charter was not renewed on time.

On a Sound Footing
From 1930 until the present, the charter has been renewed regularly. Nevertheless, there were high and low periods of interest and activity. Sufficient trained leadership was often a problem. Greater interest and support from community and church were needed.

In the spring of 1930, the "Elvin Cottage" was rented by the church for use by some of the children's departments. The scouts were assigned one room for their headquarters and they took the project of equipping it. During that summer an attempt was made to coordinate and organize the boy scout and cub scout work with the rest of the religious education work.

The Brick Church of Lamoni burned January 29, 1931. One wonders whether some of the local records of the boy scouts were lost at that time.

"In the report of the Church School Director, Roy CHEVILLE, to the church business meeting, December 30, 1931, he said:

Scouting is now a fairly good basis. Progress in the boys' scouting has been due chiefly to the work of Harry LORANCE, Scoutmaster, and the scout committee -- Lee KELLEY, Fred CONDIT, J. C. BERGMAN, and Roy DERRY. "Scouting has passed the experimental stage. The coming year should see some effective work. Certain needs are apparent. Some program for boys of senior high school age should be developed. Scouting should be linked more definitely with the general program of religious education of the church."

January 28, 1938, the Directory of Religious Education, Roy CHEVILLE, reported to the church business meeting:

In many ways scouting has progressed in Lamoni. In January, the following committee was named: E.T. HIGDON, E. E. CLOSSON, Ed DOWNEY, Verne DESKIN, and Lee KELLEY. Last fall Harry LORANCE resigned as scoutmaster and was placed on the committee. Roy MORTIMORE accepted the position of scoutmaster. A wider community appreciation and closer cooperation with other activities are needed for effective scouting."

September 12, 1951, the Boy Scout report to the church business meeting said, "We have had a good year of scouting with very good leadership."

The September 30, 1953, report to the business meeting stated that the Boy Scout troop was awarded national recognition for progress, manpower, and increased enrollment. They also received a plaque for 100% Boys' Life subscriptions. There were 53 Scouts and Explorers and 43 Cubs registered.

Explorer Scouts; God and Country Program
The September 12, 1951, report stated that the Explorer Scouts "were organized this year with a membership of 10". The September 30, 1953, report stated that William Gould and Harold Condit were Explorer advisors.

September 1, 1954, the pastor's report to the church business meeting stated:

Robert FLOWERS was appointed during the last year to direct the God and Country Award program. This is one of the finest programs to be offered by the church and is appealing to Junior High boys.

Cubs -- The First Pack
The March 11, 1925 issue of the Saints' Herald carried this Lamoni news item:

Through the efforts of Brother George MESLEY, of Australia, who is a student at Graceland, a Wolf Cub Pack has been organized among the boys from 8 to 12 years of age. The Wolf Cubs is an organization whose work is preliminary to the Boy Scouts. Through story-telling and games they are taught the principles of teamwork, unselfishness, service, and other ideals which are later required as a part of the Boy Scout ritual. The organization is national in England but has not yet been introduced in America, though such action is contemplated by the nation scout organization of this country. Our pack will be enrolled in England for the present. Thirty-seven boys of the local Religio are organized in a Wolf Cub Pack, which is divided into six groups known as sixes, under a leader known as a sixer. They meet regularly on Wednesday evening preceding the prayer meeting. Brother MESLEY is assisted by Brother Leonard BISH of Des Moines, another Gracelander.

The Saints' Herald of July 15, 1925, had this news item:

One of the leading events in Lamoni this week was a meeting held on the church lawn Friday evening when 40 parents answered invitations sent out by Scoutmaster George MESLEY to meet him and his Scouts and Wolf Cubs in an effort to establish a better understanding of the work he has undertaken and encourage a closer cooperation between these organizations and the home. Each group of boys put on a demonstration of the work they are doing, after which Mr. MESLEY explained the object and benefits of the work in detail. "Scouting", he said, "is making real men out of real boys by a real program. It is a game with high stakes - the development of good citizenship."

The Wolf Cubs is an organization of boys from 8 to 12 years, the work of which is preliminary to scouting. It is not a national organization as yet, but is of European origin, organized out of a definite realization on the part of Boy Scout originators that group training should start before a boy reaches Scout age. Lamoni had the first Wolf Cub organization in America, started last winter. Since that time two others have been organized, one in Oklahoma, the other in California. The Cubs will be in camp during the stake reunion and the Scouts will go into camp for 10 days following the [church] reunion. They hope to have their uniforms by that time. Brother MESLEY has had thorough training for his work and is accomplished much with the young boys of Lamoni.

This Cub organization must have continued for some years. A Saints' Herald news item of May 8, 1929, mentions that the work of the Cubs will be included in the Junior Department of the congregation.

Then, I have not found reference to the Cubs again until Director of Religious Education, Roy CHEVILLE, reported to the business meeting of January 10, 1940, that one of the programs of merit the past year was inauguration of the Cub movement.

Application for Cub Charter
The oldest application for a Cub Pack charter among the official papers now available was approved by the sponsoring church, July 22, 1938. Daniel M. SORDEN was pastor. The Pack was designated No. 3. On some of the papers it is difficult to determine which man was the Cubmaster and which was chairman of the Pack Committee. In this instance, I believe Rollin S. WHITE was Cubmaster and Roy CHEVILLE was chairman of the committee which also included M. A. MacALLISTER, Ralph E. SILVER, and William MARSH.

The 26 names seem to have been listed at two different times. One group of names was typed and the other was handwritten.

The first 13 names were:
William ARKLE James W. BRABY Herman HAUSHEER
Harry HICKOK Dorman LEWIS Raymond LORANCE
Kenneth OMSTEAD Dennis Ray MIDGORDON Paul SCOTT
Raymond J. SILVER Everett WALDEN James W. WHITE
Victor Herbert WHITE
These boys ranged in age from 9 years to 11 years and 2 months. The dates of enrollment show that the other 13 boys were enrolled during a period extending from August 11, 1938, to April 29, 1939. Their names were:
Jack MacALLISTER Dwight WAUGH Rex KNEEDLER
Keith ONSTEAD Francis SPRAGUE William R. MARSH
Barton JUDSON Donald GIBSON David B. RICKER
Lyndon WALLER William T. HIGDON George F. RICKER
Eugene D. HARP

Cub Charter Renewals
The church approved the application for renewal of the Cub charter June, 1939. The date of original registration was given as July, 1938. Meetings were regularly held the first Monday of each month. The Den Chiefs were Bob SILVER, Bob STUCK, and Ed SCOTT. Four boys-- Herman HAUSHEER, Jack MacALLISTER, Dwight WAUGH, and Donald GIBSON -- did not reregister. The other 22 were as named on the previous list. These new ones were added later:
Wayne BARRETT Edward E. CLOSSON Leighton LEWIS
Neil W. REW Max E. DUNBAR Ward H. KAESTNER
 The Cub charter was renewed in September, 1940. The date of original registration was again given as July 30, 1938. The meetings were held in the church school rooms the first Tuesday of each month.

William GOULD was Cubmaster. The committeemen were Leon STECKEL, R. S. WHITE, R. A. CHEVILLE, W. A. MARSH, and Ralph E. SILVER.

14 boys reregistered and there were 2 new ones-- Maurice SILVER and Kenneth WALDEN. There names were added later:
Edmund KELLEY Lewis GILLILAND Bobby Hugh MEEK
John LYSINGER Hollis R. YARRINGTON Charles WHITE

Cub Pack 116
The renewal of July, 1941, is the first one on which the pack number was given as 116. 12 boys reregistered, there were 3 new ones, and 1 was dropped. Further renewals were figured from this July 21, 1941 date. In 1942, the meetings were held in the Scout Rooms on the last Thursday of each month.

January 13, 1943, the Director of Religious Education, William GOULD, reported to the church business meeting: "The Lamoni Scout Troop and Cub Pack are both in a healthy condition and have been active throughout the year."

The 1945-46 sheet was the first one on which I found Den Mothers listed. They were: Mrs. Tom FRANCE, Mrs. Ralph SILVER, and Mrs. Don MONROE.

The charter was renewed regularly until 1946. I found no record for the period July, 1946, to February, 1948.

February 11, 1948, an application for a NEW Pack charter was filed. It would expire February, 1949. The names of 25 boys, all new, were given. The Pack met at the Scout Rooms the third Thursday of each month.

At the church business meeting, May 12, 1948, the pastor, Robert S. FARNHAM, stated that it was necessary to revise the budget to provide financial support for the scouting program. Ed DOWNEY, Rollin S. WHITE, and T. S. WILLAMS were asked to speak in behalf of the scouting program. Appropriations to various departments of the local church were cut so that $222 was made available for the scouts. (I believe this included Girl Scouts, which the church was also sponsoring. -- E.C.)

From 1948 to the present, the charter has been renewed yearly. Through the years many men gave dedicated service as cubmasters, assistants, and committeemen. Equally important has been the contribution of the den mothers.

An Ongoing Program
The Scout report to the August 30, 1961, church business meeting stated:

Thirty-four Scouts were enrolled. Over 100 merit badges were earned in this past year. The Scout troop helped with the Heart Fund drive. Nine boys were enrolled in the God and Country program.

In spite of a late start, over 50% of the Cubs qualified for the Special 50th Anniversary of Scouting Award. Pack 116 was one of three Cub units in the five-county district to be awarded the President's Streamer for achievement. The Pack participated in the national "Get Out The Vote" campaign. They cleaned up Central Park as another service project. During the year 51 boys were Cubs.

The Scout report to the August 28, 1963, said 26 Cubs and 28 Scouts were registered during this church year. In the past few years 8 boys had achieved Eagle rank. The need for leadership was stressed. The need for leadership contributions from the sponsoring institution was even more important than the financial contributions were.

Advancement was noted in both the Scout and Cub programs in 1964. Parent participation in cub work was good. There was need for former scouts and former leaders to assist with the cubs.

Edward DOWNEY and Philip BECKMAN are the only men of the Lamoni area to have received the Silver Beaver Award for outstanding service. Mr. DOWNEY was active in scouting for 35 years. Mr. BECKMAN has been active in scouting most of his life.

Victor NEAL served the longest tenure as Scoutmaster. He was Scoutmaster for 9 consecutive years, plus several shorter periods with Cubs and Scouts. He has been active in scouting since shortly after his return from World War II service in November, 1945.

As before stated, many people have given years of service to scouting. I shall not attempt to name all of the scoutmasters, cubmasters, committeemen, den mothers, and others, who have contributed.

I have no official information in regard to the first recipients of the Eagle Scout Award, the first God and Country Awards, or the achievements of the Explorer Scouts.

Many of the early Scouts and Cubs moved away from this community. Other names one recognizes as those of sold citizens of community and church today. Among the 1938 Cubs was William T. HIGDON, now president of Graceland College.

Today
At present [at this writing in 1973], Walter BALDWIN is the Scoutmaster and is assisted by William BALDWIN. Eighteen boys are registered.

John EDWARDS directs the God and Country program. Lamoni has no Explorer organization at present.

Nicholas HARTWIG is Cubmaster. Thirty-five cubs are enrolled.

Ella Neal Clements, Historian
Lamoni Saints' Church
March 27, 1973

* Autumn Leaves, published by Saints Herald Publishing Company in Lamoni, Iowa, was a magazine for youth.
 
The Lamoni Chronicle
Lamoni, Decatur County, Iowa
February 25, 1999

Lamoni Scouts to Observe 75th Anniversary

This Sunday, at 6:30 p.m. the public is invited to attend a Court of Honor for Boy Scout Troop 116 at the Lamoni RLDS Church, in recognition of Troop 116's 75 year history.

Actually, Lamoni's Scout history is greater than 75 years. It begins in 1911, one year after the Boy Scouts of America (BSA) was established. Interest grew and by 1922 several Lamoni Scout troops had been formed with a total of 80 boys enrolled. Long time resident Don Gillaspey was a member of Troop 4 in 1923. After a brief lapse in charter and organizational changes 75 years ago, what was formerly known as Troop 1 became Troop 116 [at that time a district structure for the area was established and scout troops were renumbered]. Then a 24-year-old Graceland student, George MESLEY, stepped in to become scoutmaster and it is here that Lamoni's Cub Scout history also begins.

In the summer of 1924 George MESLEY attended the Empire Scout Jamboree in England as an Australian scoutmaster with his troop. There he had many visits with Lord Badden-Powell, the founder of scouting, who also knew Mr. MESLEY'S father from the Boer Wars. Badden-Powell offered George an executive position in scouting, but he declined, having decided to come to Graceland in Lamoni. MESLEY also intended to earn his Cubmaster Woodbadge Bead and he told Badden-Powell that to accomplish this he would start Cub Scouting in the USA, if necessary. Badden-Powell encouraged him by placing his own Woodbadge necklace around George's neck to take with him. In 1925 George attempted to charter a Cub Pack through the BSA, but Chief Scout James West wrote back saying that no such program existed with BSA and since this was the first such attempt he recommended contacting the Boy Scout office in Toronto, Canada, where the uniforms and badges would be available and the Pack enrolled in England. So, in March, 1925, Lamoni chartered the first Cub Pack in the USA, 5 years before BSA Cub Scouting was official.

The first Explorer Post was chartered in 1951 and it continued for several years, but lapsed until several years ago when Post 116 was chartered.

Today the Lamoni Boy Scout Troop 116 has 21 scouts and 12 adult leaders with Dan BOSWELL as Scoutmaster, Cub Scout Pack 116 has 39 cub scouts and 9 leaders with Laura JEANES as Cubmaster, and Explorer Post 116 has 15 explorers (male and female) and 6 leaders with Ron ELLIS as Post Advisor.

Transcriptions by Sharon R. Becker, August of 2013
 
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