Friday, July 2, 2010

A HUNDRED YEARS OF SCOUTING AND ME

A HUNDRED YEARS OF SCOUTING
AND WHAT IT HAS MADE ME

By Kevin V. Hunt

One hundred years of Scouting in America Wow! 1910 to 2010! What a milestone! And even more surprising (or downright shocking) is that I’ve personally experienced almost half of those 100 years myself (and I’m not that old).

I joined the Boy Scouts as a Cub Scout when I was eight years old. That was in 1962 in Mesa, Arizona (the old Tenth Ward). And I’ve been involved and registered as a Scout or Scouter ever since. (Another WOW!) In those 48 years of Scouting, I’ve experienced some grand adventure. It’s been a great life.

As a Cub Scout, I proudly wore the blue and gold uniform – even to school. (In those days, everyone else was a Cub Scout also – and being such was really cool! It’s still cool in 2010, but we’re a bit more reserved about some things). Cub Scouting was, and is, a family-centered experience. It was mostly at home with my mom and my brothers (and my sister being the one tied up) that my first Scouting happened. It was there that we worked on our achievements toward our ranks and our electives for our arrow points.

It was a proud moment indeed when my dad turned me upside down and mom pinned my bobcat pin on my shirt (until I could do a good turn – and rotate the badge properly). That is a tradition that hasn’t changed in fifty years. I earned my Wolf, Bear, and even my Lion badge (and not many people can boast to that!)

As a Cub Scout, I was a part of a den of Cub Scouts. I had great den leaders like Gay Killian, Joyce Duthie, and others. The monthly pack meetings with their creative themes, were a lot of fun. One time I was Santa Claus and others in the pack were the reindeer. Still another time, we dressed as and portrayed famous people. My neighbor put a great beard on me and made me look like Brigham Young. My sisters – and even my brothers, too – were my wives! (They’d love that now!)

As I turned 11, I crossed the bridge as a Webelos (Code: We’ll Be Loyal Scouts) or Arrow of Light – and became a Boy Scout. The immortal Betty Ray was my Blazer Scout Leader. And boy, was I ever proud of that new green uniform (even with those strange knee socks – and garters!). That opened up a whole new world to me. I was able to go camping and earn merit badges. (David Moore took me on my first outing.)

I got to go to Camp Geronimo (located northeast of Payson, Arizona, 80 miles north of Mesa, Arizona) I remember my “Gnube” year (“New-bie”) and a sign at the lake about monsters that could/would eat a “gnube”. At Camp Geronimo, we cooked our own troop food, hiked, camped, and had glorious times together in our own traditional Campsite 3 – Blackfoot. I remember good times with such troop legends as Scott, Chris, Ron, Mark, Richard, Mike, Brent, Howard, my brother, Dean, and many more Scouting brothers. We proudly yelled, “Troop 155 – THE BEST ALIVE!”

I can still remember our rotund Scoutmaster, “Mister [G.K.] Nelson” (also our 7th grade science teacher – and now age 95!) on the final day of camp. He danced around the campsite spreading oatmeal and singing, “Feed the birdies, … here little birdies”. It was Mr. Nelson who taught me “The Horses Run Around” – still one of my favorite camp songs. I remember the breakfast horseback rides, the campfire programs, the Saturday BBQ, the merit badges, the chilly swimming pool (or was it frozen) and learning another favorite song, “Waddleachee” up on the Mongollon Rim. And I still have hair raise on my neck as I recall the scary legend of the Mongollon Monster.

Those were the greatest of times. I went to Camp Geronimo seven summers – until I went on my mission. We also hiked “Four Peaks”, “Sugar Loaf Mountain” and the legendary “Superstition Mountains”. We made two full week treks into the northern Arizona Havasupai Canyon. The waterfalls in the desert canyon were beautiful beyond description.

As a Scout, I advanced from Tenderfoot up to Eagle Scout (and even got four Eagle palms for 20 merit badges above Eagle). I was an Explorer (now called “Venturing”). At age 16, Bishop Max Killian called me as the Webelos leader saying, “I know you’re supposed to be 21 – but you’re it!” My brother, seven years younger, was one of my Webelos Scouts. Then, with “Scoutmaster Jim” Johnson, we took our entire Scout troop from Arizona to Farragut, Idaho and attended the 1973 National Scout Jamboree with some 35,000 other Scouts. I was one of 50 Priests who gave sacrament trays to the 200 Deacons who passed the sacrament to the crowd of LDS Scouts. I still remember the icy cold showers – with water pumped from the bottom of the lake.

Well now, a lot of water has gone over (or under) the bridge … A few things have changed, but much is still the same. We have a new “Scout Handbook” (the 12th Edition) but the Scouting skills are much the same as in the beginning. The Scout Oath and Law have become engrained in my mind and heart as I continue to strive to live each point daily in my life. I still proudly wear the Scout uniform and love all that it stands for. I also love my Bill Burch neckerchief slides – which have become my trademark (even when not in uniform).

I’ve since grown up and have enjoyed wonderful moments and great outings with yet another generation of Scouts. My own three sons have made their own treks from Tenderfoot to Eagle Scout and beyond. And my oldest grandson is almost six years old and I can’t wait to do Scouting with him.

I’ve had the great opportunity to be or serve in almost every adult Scouting position as I’ve strived “to give back to Scouting more than it has given to me”. (I’m still hoping someday to fulfill the dream to attend the Philmont Scout Ranch as a participant or instructor at the LDS Relationships Conference …) Even today (though I’m also the Ward Clerk), I’m the Advancement Chairman of our three Scouting units within the ward. I’m a “3-Bead Woodbadger” (the ultimate in Scout leader training) and can sing, “I used to be a Wood Badger (or Antelope)” with the best of the red-coat (experienced) Scouters. My own son and his wife recently attended the Cub leader’s equivalent and are on staff for a coming course.

In 1985, I attended a special Church broadcast in commemoration of the 75th Anniversary of Scouting – under direction of General Young Men President, Robert L. Backman. In that celebration, we witnessed columns of Eagle Scouts marching with flags through the Tabernacle. I had my own very special vision of Scouting as I saw those same Scouts transformed and marching in white shirts, ties and black nametags as the missionaries they would become.

It was a wonderful privilege to have been a summer camp director. And I’m proud that I’ve been recognized as a Silver Beaver in recognition for years of volunteer service. I treasure my newly completed collection of all past “Scout Handbook” editions.

Recently I had occasion to serve as a volunteer camp commissioner (like a home teacher to the troops) for a week at good old Camp Geronimo. (And it is still as wonderful!) I found myself on the road and down the hill from our old campsite 3. I stood there – walking stick (half-carved) in hand and for several moments, I thought back and remembered the good old days with Troop 155. Boy, were those great memories!

I also found myself alone in a quiet spot on a picnic table bench at the new health lodge. I there had full view of the camp, the multitude of majestic pine trees and the Mongollon rim high above me. I marveled and expressed gratitude to the Lord for His beautiful creations. It was indeed, a glorious time for reflection of many of the experiences I’d had in Scouting in the 43 years since that first “Gnube” summer.

I noted that I’ve sat around a hundred or more campfire circles, seen the same skits a thousand times each (at least), hiked many beautiful and even some ugly mountains, been to a hundred or more court of honor programs … and its has all been grand and wonderful. I have felt the Lord’s spirit through it all .. And I’m a better man for it!

Then I cried openly (glad no one saw me) as I then saw a long line of what seemed a hundred or two Scouts in full “Class A” uniforms – marching with their own troops against the background of the setting sun and proudly waving their own troop and patrol flags as they snaked down from their campsites to the central flag pole for the nightly flag retreat gathering. It was a pretty awesome sight! WOW!

It really hit me … a DOUBLE WOW! Traditions, uniforms, advancement, the influence of the Scout Oath and Law, doing a good turn daily, the character development, citizenship training, physical and mental fitness, the brotherhood of Scouting, and growing from boy to man – and now Grandpa … from a timid Gnube to confident missionary, husband, father, Scouting leader, and Priesthood holder. That’s what Scouting is really all about. Wow! What a great blessing Scouting has been – from my own Grandfather Ray V. Hunt (a Scout in rural Enterprise, Utah in 1914) to me, my brothers, sons and soon to my grandson. What a legacy! What a heritage! What a great program – truly inspired of God! A hundred years and five (or more) generations in the best of the Scouting tradition. Now that’s something to celebrate!