Old Missoula

Scouting Grows During 1920s

Scouting in western Montana began in 1916 with a single Boy Scout troop.

By 1918 the single troop had expanded to five troops and 150 scouts. The troops met at the Roosevelt School in February 1918 to celebrate the eighth anniversary of the Boy Scouts of America. The movement was organized in America by a publisher, William D. Boyce, in 1910. In 1916 when scouting was chartered by Congress, it had taken root in Missoula.

J. B. Varner was the first scout executive in 1921. Other officers were E. C. Hershey, president; G. I. Porter, vice president; Ira B. Fee, commissioner, and Ellsworth G. Smith, treasurer.

To Camp in 1923

By the summer of 1923 a camp was being conducted at the scout cabin on Johnson Creek under the supervision of Varner. The following summer the camp was held at Seeley Lake under his supervision. From 1921 to 1922 the Western Montana Council grew from two troops and 72 boys to 15 troops and 298 boys.

The first unit in Missoula was Troop 1 at the Hawthorne School. E. H. Hall was scoutmaster of the 36 boys. There are no records of the troop, but it is known that Oakley E. Coffee, Theodore Jacobs, Francis Peterson and G. F. Peterson were members.*

The second unit was at the Presbyterian Church with a Forest Service official, Bushnell, as scoutmaster.

Growth is Rapid

In April 1924 Percy Frazier became scout executive and during the next 13 years the city of Missoula and surrounding territory was to grow from 110 troops and about 300 boys to 30 troops with nearly 900 members.

At least two men, active then and still registered as scoutmasters are Clare Conroy, Hamilton, and Lawrence Reed, Whitefish. Conroy has been the registered scoutmaster of Troop 26 since 1930 and active since 1923. Lawrence Reed reports an accurate knowledge of the first members of Troop 17, Whitefish.

When W. W. Waltermire was scout executive of the council, it grew until it exceeded 3,000 boys and Flathead and Lincoln counties were added to Lake, Sanders, Mineral, Ravalli and Missoula counties. Granite County was then also a part of this council, but now belongs to the Butte area. Melita Island was secured from Region XI as a council camp in Waltermire’s tenure as executive.

Lamont Succeeds Smedley

Raleigh Smedley was scout executive from 1953 to February 1957 when Maurice B. Lamont became the area’s fifth scout executive. District executives are E. Thomas Collins of Missoula and George P. Crory of Kalispell.

Recent council presidents have been Morris Hankins, Walter Staves, Syd Kraabel and Les Jourdonnais. G. M. DeJarnette is currently president and James Manix is council commissioner.

The council exceeds nine other councils in size in the Northwest. Membership totals 3,800 boys and 1,250 leaders in 155 packs, troops and explorer posts. If all the youth could be served membership would probably be more than 6,000.

Scouting is celebrating its 50^th anniversary this year. Some 400 to 500 Boy Scouts will celebrate the golden anniversary at an encampment at Melita Island. More than 100 explorers planned explorer treks during the summer. Preceding the fifth National Jamboree at Colorado Springs, Colo., July 17 through Aug. 1, Missoula Boy Scouts participated in spring camporees, explorer field days and Cub Scout pack activities.

To Prepare Boys

The aim of scouting is to prepare boys to perform their full duty as citizens, embodying performance of duty to self, to fellowmen, to country and to God. Its purpose is summarized briefly in the 12 Scout laws, demanding conscientious work; close economy, self-sacrifice, obedience to and respect for law, courtesy toward others, clean living, and a service of helpfulness wherever helpfulness is needed.

*These boys were more likely members of the troop at the Presbyterian Church as these families lived in the University area of Missoula.

I was a member of Troop 7 at Willard School in Missoula beginning in the 1950s and had the great good fortune of attending camps at Melita Island for two years. Troop 7 at that time was headed by two dedicated men, Mr. Dillon Cornelison and Mr. Rolland Karlin, along with a lot of help from several fathers, including Mr. Cook, Mr. Thornburg, and Mr. Richlie.  This was after attending Cub Scouts for a time with Mrs. Freda Spicher who was also a tremendous leader. The owner of a kiln in her basement she introduced many youngsters to the world of pottery. It would be hard to relate to you the benefits of the scouting experience, but I have a great deal of respect for these people who dedicated their time and resources to this troop. As an organization, scouting is hard to beat.