| Front Row (L to R):
1. Fred Horner' 5. Jerry Coleman
Second Row (L to R): 1. George Tucker, 4. Ken Carpenter, 10. Teed Boyd Third Row (L to R): 2. Danny Wipff, 3. Billy Williams, 5. Eddie Glen, 6. Jackie Jones, 7. Tom Meader, 8. Marvin Ratliff Fourth Row (L to R): 1. Bob McNeal, 5. Knox Nunally, 6. Marlin Morrison, 7 Gary Huffman, 8. Jerry Kirchgraber, 10. Owen Kirchner Back Row (L to R): A. C. Rollins |
| Seventy-four Scouts from
the Concho Valley Council made the trip to the 1957 National Jamboree.
Some of the Scouts made a collection of arrowheads, rattlesnake rattlers
and cactus plants to trade with Scouts from other areas of the country
at the Jamboree. Horned toads were bringing from $2 to $3 at the Jamboree.
They traveled by special train to the event. Prior to boarding the train
they took their parents to the Girl Scout Little House, 304 W. Ave. A,
for refreshments. They took a 30-minute break to seve punch and cookies
and say goodbys to their families.
Special coaches and baggage car on the train accommodated the Scouts. Jackie Jones relates that he went by car from Del Rio to San Angelo to the train station. He remembers there bing an engine and two passenger cars. The Scouts loaded up and headed for Ft. Worth. In Brownwood they joined a delegation from that area. The special train which made the trip to Valley Forge was organized in Fort Worth. While in Ft. Worth they toured the Purina dog food factory. Houston-Galveston coaches were added the train and more cars were added at St. Louis. Enroute to the Jamboree they stopped in Chicago and Washinton, D. C. for sighseeing tours. The San Angelo Scouts also went on sight-seeing tours of New York, and a walking tour of Philadelphia. While in Washington, D. C, they saw the Smithsonian Institution, Jefferson Memorial, the Treasury Department and statues of men like Robert E. Lee and Sam houston. They also watched the changing of the guard at the tomb of the unknown soldier. Highlights of their tour of New York was seeing the Statue of Liberty and the United Natioins Building. Scouts saw Greenwich Village, the Bowery, Times Square, Broadway and the whole of New York from the top of the Empire State Building. They arrived in Valley Forge and set up their camp tents on a Tuesday. The flaps of the tents were painted by J. T. Henderson, Scoutmaster of Troop1, San Angelo, to resemble animals native to West Texas. On the back side flap of each tent Henderson painted "Texas" in graduated letters in a star-shape. The gateway to the Concho Valley Councils' camping site was made of plywood in the shape of prickly pear cactus. The gateway was suggested by Gene Thompson, Troop 10 Scoutmaster of San Angelo. The Scouts did their own cooking with hot dogs measured by the mile, and 7,448 cows were required to provide milk for the 53,000 Scouts at the Jamboree. Five hundred and sixty of those Scouts were from Texas. At the opening show, George Washington and his army marches through Valley Forge before an audience of more than 50,000 Boy Scouts. The pageant was a portrayal of Valley Forge's history. Vice President Richard Nixon gave the address following a roll call of regions. Finale to the program was a brilliant display of fireworks. Eight Scouts from the troop attended the Philadelphia Phillies - Chicago Cub baseball game in Philadelphia. They were John Simpson, Stan Alford, David Warrner, Bob Wyatt, Kenny Haspel, Bob Haspel, John Treadwell and Jimmy Fowler. One of the requirements for the Jamboree Achievement Award was to acquiring the names and addresses of 12 other Scouts, and playing host in their tents. On the way home, the Troop made trips to Niagara Falls, Canada and Detroit. While in Detroit they visited Dearborn Village before heading back to Chicago, St. Louis and back to San Angelo. |
Roster of Troops 10 & 11
| J. T. Henderson,
San Angelo, Scoutmaster, Troop 10
A. C. Rollins, Rankin, Scoutmaster, Troop 11 Bob McNeal, Junction, ASM, Troop 11 Gene Thompson, Assistant Scoutmaster, Troop 10 Ballinger
Big Lake
Blewett
Bronte
Carrizo Springs
Crystal City
Crane
Del Rio
Eldorado
Junction
McCamey
|
Rankin
A. C. Rollins Robert Lee
Sabinal
Texon
San Angelo
Sonora
Uvalde
|
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Information for the story on the troops' trip to the Jamboree came from various stories in the San Angelo Standard from July 2 to July 23, 1957. We want to thank Joe Jones of Austin for sending up the information on Troop 11 from his brother Jackie (Jack B., Jr.) Jones who went with that troop to the Jamboree. Return to Jamboree Concho Valley Return to Home Page |