First Scout Troops in Texas

Organized in 1927

Eagle Palms were added to the list of awards.  The national office was moved to its new enlarged location at 2 Park Avenue, New York, N.Y.  At the end of 9127 the membership was 785,633.
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Cleveland Advocate, July 28, 1927.  This edition of the Advocate reported that steps were taken to organize the Boy Scout program on a permanent basis. A national field executive of the BSA, A.F. Sawyer, outlined the work necessary to conduct the necessary work. A troop committee of H.J. Weeren, S. Wellborn, C.E. McGraw, J.N. Newman and G.M. Coe was appointed to work with the Scoutmaster.

The issue further reported that a Scoutmaster was expected to be selected later in the week and the new troop started, expecting that the existing scouts in the area would join. Sawyer then went on to Livingston to organize a troop there.

The September 15, 1927 Advocate edition chronicled what may have been the troop's first camp out.

Menard Dallas Morning News, March 15, 1927.  "Banquet at Menard Held for Boy Scouts.  San Angelo, Texas, March 14 (Sp). - A banquet at Menard attended by forty-six tenderfoot Boy Scouts and business men launched the Boy Scout movement there.  The Chamber of Commerce is sponsoring one troop and the Parent-Teachers' Association another.  The work is being organized by Brice W. Draper, scout executive for the Concho Valley district, who makes headquarters here."
Leonard
Dallas Morning News, April 3, 1927.  "Leonard, Texas, April 2 (Sp). - The photograph sows a scout knot board and the two Leonard Boy Scouts who constructed it.  They are L. W. Watkins, son of Dr. L. W. Watkins, and Vivian McBride, son of L. W. McBride of Leonard.  the local troop was organized last July and has a membership of forty.  Recently a scout rally was held and several boys took the tests for higher grading.  A reorganization was made by the troop committee, and B. D. Ewing was made chairman and L. M. McBride was elected scoutmaster."
Boerne Dallas Morning News, April 14, 1927. "Scouts to Aid.  Boerne, Kendall Co., Texas, April 13 (AP). - Four automobiles filled with Boy scouts left here Wednesday morning for Rocksprings to aid in storm relief work.  The scouts were in charge of Max Thies, Walter Kuehne and Ben Lampton, scout commanders."
Crystal City Zavala County Sentinel, April 22, 1927.  "Mr. (Sterling H.) Fly selected as Boy Scout Leader.  The following men of our town were present at the men' training course at Carrizo Springs Tuesday night.  A. V. Hendricks, Don V. Moore, H. A. Mercer, R. Donnell, C. D. Stoan, R. S. Crawford, S. H. Fly.
Eagle Pass Eagle Pass Daily Eagle, May 5, 1927.  "Boys Have Meeting Wednesday Evening.  The Scout Executive met Scout Master (C. H.) Garland and fifteen of his boys at the High School Auditorium at 3:30 p.m. Wednesday evening."
Clarendon Dallas Morning News, June 13, 1927.  "Special to The News.  Clarendon, Texas, June 12. - Clarendon is making a number of civic improvements including the painting of all stop signals, putting a new top on the courthouse, offering prizes to Boy Scouts that clean up the most trash from downtown streets and a yard beautiful contest in which prizes will be given to the three homes with the best kept lawn and yards."
Bronte Dallas Morning News, June 21, 1927.  "Special to The News.  Boy scouts in Camp Near San Angelo.  San Angelo, Texas, June 20. - Hiking, swimming and contests of various kinds are being featured this week for more than 100 Boy Scouts form San Angelo, Bronte, Christoval and Menard, who are in their annual camp on the Concho River, seven miles west of San Angelo."
Christoval Dallas Morning News, June 21, 1927.  "Special to The News.  Boy scouts in Camp Near San Angelo.  San Angelo, Texas, June 20. - Hiking, swimming and contests of various kinds are being featured this week for more than 100 Boy Scouts form San Angelo, Bronte, Christoval and Menard, who are in their annual camp on the Concho River, seven miles west of San Angelo."
Marshall Dallas Morning News, July 13, 1927. "Scoutmaster's Course At St. Edward's Ends.  Austin, Texas, July 12 (AP). - the third annual scout master's course at St. Edwards under the auspices of the Boy Scouts of America and the Knights of Columbus, has closed and scout masters certificates have been awarded.

"Certificates were awarded to Frank A. Konczak of Abilene; John A. Christie, Irene; Arthur O'Connor, Marshall; Otto J. Blazi, Fort Worth; Francisco Ramirez, El Paso; Joseph H. Campbell, Tyler; William O. Parr, Fort Worth; Thomas J. Steele, El Paso...The course was conducted by W. P. Knox of Beaumont."

Irene Dallas Morning News, July 13, 1927. "Scoutmaster's Course At St. Edward's Ends.  Austin, Texas, July 12 (AP). - the third annual scout master's course at St. Edwards under the auspices of the Boy Scouts of America and the Knights of Columbus, has closed and scout masters certificates have been awarded.
"Certificates were awarded to Frank A. Konczak of Abilene; John A. Christie, Irene; Arthur O'Connor, Marshall; Otto J. Blazi, Fort Worth; Francisco Ramirez, El Paso; Joseph H. Campbell, Tyler; William O. Parr, Fort Worth; Thomas J. Steele, El Paso...The course was conducted by W. P. Knox of Beaumont."
Quitaque Dallas Morning News, July 28, 1927.  "Special to The News.  Quitaque, Brisco Co., Texas, July 27. - W. A. Palmer, a citizen of near Quitaque, escorted eight prospective Boy Scouts to Toro (sp) Canyon some forty miles west of Quitaque Monday to spend three days camping.  They were to meet Edward Knittle, scout executive with a crowd of scout boys from Clarendon.  It was announced that a troup form Turkey was to attend.  A troup will be organized here.
Turkey Dallas Morning News, July 28, 1927.  "Special to The News.  Quitaque, Brisco Co., Texas, July 27. - W. A. Palmer, a citizen of near Quitaque, escorted eight prospective Boy Scouts to Toro (sp) Canyon some forty miles west of Quitaque Monday to spend three days camping.  They were to meet Edward Knittle, scout executive with a crowd of scout boys from Clarendon.  It was announced that a troup from Turkey was to attend.  A troup will be organized here.
Anson Dallas Morning News, August 16, 1927. "Special to The News.  Anson, Jones Co., Texas, Aug. 15 - Nineteen automobiles and two trucks loaded with 130 Ansonites left here Monday morning for a three-day trip to the Carlsbad Cavern under the direction of Rigdon Edwards, sponsor.  Twenty-five Boy scouts and twenty members of the Anson Fire Band and eighty-five citizens composed the personnel of the motorcade."
Vernon Dallas Morning News, August 22, 1927. "Special to The News. Vernon, Texas, Aug. 21. - The Vernon Boy Scouts made good showings at the Diversion Lake camp, from which they have returned.  Individual honors were won by several of the scouts."
Dalhart Dallas Morning News, September 9, 1927.  "Special to The News. Dalhart, Texas, Sept. 8. - Fourteen Boy Scouts of the Dalhart council are spending a two-day camping and outing at the Collins ranch, twenty-four miles south of here, this week.  Dan Roberts, field executive of the north main Panhandle district, is in charge of the boys."
Lamesa Dallas Morning News, September 13, 1927.  "Special to The News.  Lamesa, Dawson Co., Texas, Sept. 12. - Four children between the ages of 6 and 11 were found twenty-four miles south of here at 10 o'clock Thursday morning after they had been lost for more than fifteen hours, spending the night in the pastures and fields to the south of this city...The community formed a searching posse an hunted the pastures in Martin and Dawson County Sunday night and until the middle of the morning Monday, when the youngsters were found.  Word reached Lamesa Monday morning for help and as an organized group was being formed of the business men and Boy Scouts for the searching word came that the boys and wandered back to the Stanton and Lamesa highway and were identified by passers-by."
Devine The Devine News, Sept. 15, 1927.  "Boy Scout Troop Organized Here.  Men interested in Boy Scout work met Secretary Frank C. Hemphill his boys and a number of interested people were one night this week and organized a troop with twelve boys."
Thurber Troop 21 registered for first time in September 1927.  In their application for Troop Charter Renewal, July 1928, J. A. LaGrone was registering as Scoutmaster, sixteen Scouts, and they had thirteen over-night hikes with an average attendance of fifteen Scouts.  85% of the Scouts had uniforms. Five Scouts had Star rank.
Crockett Dallas Morning News, September 18, 1927. "Special to The News.  Crockett, Houston Co., Texas, Sept. 17. - If the shads of the heroes of early Texas history should hover over this town, named after one of them, and in this county, named for another, they would see three groups of boys well trained in times vitally necessary in pioneering days.  For Crockett boasts of three troops of Boy Scouts, and of the seventy troops along the Missouri Pacific lines, the Crockett lads rank second in effcienty....Claude Brown is scoutmaster of Troop No. 1, which has nineteen members; George L. Keene, Troop No. 2, with thirty-two members, and John B. King of Troop No. 3, with twenty-two members."
Batesville The Devine News, Oct. 27, 1927.  "The Scouts welcome another troop into the fold this week.  It is located at Batesville, county seat of Zavala County.  Prof. Erskine, principal of the high school there, is Scoutmaster.  This fine group of boys did not wait for everything to be fixed for them; they approached representative citizens and asked them if they would serve as a troop committee, and select Mr. Erskine as Scoutmaster."
Colorado Dallas Morning News, October 30, 1927.  "Special to The News. Colorado, Texas, Oct. 29, - Boy Scouts of Colorado have been given a clubhouse site at the end of Chestnut...The Scouts plan on give a series of entertainments this winter to obtain money to build the club house and swimming pool.
Utopia The Uvalde Leader, November 4, 1927 "Boy Scouts Are Welcoming Troop 21.  At Utopia, quiet little city in the hill country in the northwest corner of Uvalde county, a meeting was called at the high school auditorium last week, at which a number of fathers and boys were present.  Formal action was taken for the organization of a troop of Boy scouts.  James D. Emerson, superintendent of the high school, was selected as Scoutmaster."  From the scrapbook of E. K. Fawcett, President of Southwest Texas Council.
Kaufman Dallas Morning News, November 11, 1929.  The Boy Scouts of Troop 2, Kaufman, plan will celebrate their second anniversay Thursday night with a birthday party...The troop was organized by the Rev. J. Roby Ward, at that time minister of the First Baptist Church in November 1927, with about twenty boys.  At the present, the troop boarst of twenty-eight on its rolls, with a large percentage raning first class and higher.  The present leaders of the troop are Nimmo Goldston, minister of the Christian Church, scoutmaster, and E. E. Robinson, City Secretary, assistant scoutmaster."
Tioga Dallas Morning News, December 4 1927.  "Special to The News. Tioga, Grayson Co., Texas, Dec. 3. - Several progressive movements are under way in Tioga.  The Boy Scouts, under the direction of Scout Master A. K. Bradley, have inaugurated a pecan-tree planting campaign."
Pampa Dallas Morning News, December 25, 1927.  "Special to The News.  Pampa, Gray Co.,Texas, Dec. 24. - The Pampa Lions' Club will play Santa Claus to the poor kiddies of the city, and the Boy Scouts are assisting.  Broken toys have been gathered and are being reconditioned by repair man employed by the Lions.  Members of the club will distribute the toys, together with fruits and candies."
Carbon Application for Charter for New Troop, Troop 12, Carbon, Eastland County, December 8, 1927, twenty Scouts, Hurshel H. Nance, minister, Scoutmaster, Carbon Citizens.
Knippa Knippa was organized in 1927 with Zane Gray as Scoutmaster. The whole town of Knippa attends Scout meeting there.   Information taken from E. K. Fawcett's Scrapbook, President of the Southwest Texas Council.
Last updated: September 22, 2014

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