BSA Troop 343, Athens, TX

The scouting movement originated in England in 1909 and was first organized in the United States in 1910. Just 3 years later, Henderson County saw its first known troop organized by W.C. Ferguson, pastor of the First Christian church and a teacher in the public school here.

1913 According to onetime scoutmaster and former scout, Joe H. Owen, the troop was very much enjoyed by the boys who took part. While Joe was a bit too young to be a real scout at the time, his brothers were active and he was eventually admitted as the troop mascot. As Joe related, each scout made and carried with them on campouts half of a “pup tent”. Each scout was to have a half, all made in opposite matching halves, so when buttoned together and properly stretched they made a tent to crawl into for protection from rain and elements.

The first troop campout and hike was at the Davis pasture 12 miles south of Athens on the Mill Run Road. Since this campout was a success it was decided to camp along the Nechez River for the summer of 1914. The Murchison boys were very supportive of scouting from the start, supplying a wagon and team to haul all boxes and supplies, tents and two canoes. Boys who had not passed their tests rode in the wagon. The others were allowed to ride with the scoutmaster in an automobile. The day after they set camp it began to rain and did not stop. The river rose and became too muddy to swim or fish in, even for a scout. It also became very popular with snakes and an occasional gator. But the worst was the mosquitoes which were reportedly as thick as clouds. By the third day the scouts voted to break camp and return home. Later, many of the scouts contracted malaria fever. Due to these illnesses and that Rev Ferguson left Athens later in 1914, scouting took several months.

It soon started up again under new Scoutmaster Adrian .S. Ford in 1915 as the first officially registered troop. There were 32 boys in the troop at this time. Meetings were held in a room adjacent to the Sheriff’s office on the second floor of the courthouse.

One significant contribution of that early troop was the planting and care of the beautiful elm trees that adorn the courthouse lawn. “The boys went to the woods, selected and dug up the trees and brought them to town. They planted them and carried water in buckets to keep them alive.” On a Sunday in February of 1917, the scouts attended services at the Methodist Church and heard a special sermon – the first known Scout Sunday to be observed in the county. The troop was active until a few months after Scoutmaster Adrian Ford left Athens that same year to join the service of his country [in WW I].

1928 There are no further records available of any further Scout activity in Athens until the summer of 1928 when a scoutmaster’s training course was held. At the completion of this course, three troops were organized. Troop 1, sponsored by the First Presbyterian Church with Joel Lusk as scoutmaster. Troop 2, sponsored by the first Methodist church, with Jimmie Kitts as scoutmaster and Troop 3, sponsored by the First Baptist Church, with S.B. Jeffrey as scoutmaster. The troops all met on different evenings each week at the LaRue Hall.

The August 16, 1928 issue of Athens Weekly Review, records the story of an early campout to Caldwell Springs, on the old Murchison Road.

“Each scout was asked to take along four tow sacks with which a dam was to be constructed across a small stream, making for themselves a swimming hole.

Although the sun was rather hot, the boys worked religiously for about two hours, filling the sacks with sand and putting them in place. They were progressing nicely, until Thomas Matthews IV was bitten by a copperhead snake, and of course the boys were anxious to do all they could, consequently the dam was not finished, but enough water was impounded to make the hole waist deep. They expect to finish the job on their next hike.

First Aid was given Thomas by Scouts Hawkins and Hubbard, after which he was brought to town. The first aid was so thoroughly accomplished that nothing remained for the doctor to do, so Thomas returned to camp and spent the night.

The four patrols selected suitable sites for the camp and each one proceeded to prepare his meal. After the meal was cooked on the open fire, all the boys of each patrol gathered around their fire for supper. Each patrol then set about beautifying their camp site, such as brushing the leaves away, cutting out the underbrush and preparing a place for their beds. Nearly every scout had a large mosquito bar which was stretched in tent fashion.

About 8:30 the troop was called together and engaged in a sing-song and story telling feast. Every boy answered to roll call with a good turn done during the week. Each scout was called on to give the scout oath, which was in the way of a review. When the boys returned to the individual cap site, some went to bed, others had another feed, while others drilled and studied on their second class work. Many of the boys took part of the second class test, such as fire building, cooking, etc.

Lieutenant Gaston Wood, who is in charge of the military training of the boys, came out to the camp and gave them some valuable information concerning camping. Phil Boozman came along with Lieutenant Wood and would have spent the night, but his dad would not let him.

After several watermelon fights, the boys finally got a few winds of sleep. The falling stars after midnight gave some of the scouts a thrill.

Promptly at five, the boys arose and at six were on their way back home.”

1930 The Sea Scout program was introduced to Henderson County with a ship charter granted to the First Baptist Church. This was Troop 3A.

The first three Eagle Scouts in the county after scouting was recognized in 1928, were Edwin Low, James Spencer and D.B. Pierce. Mr. Pierce continued to support scouting in Athens during his later years, attending various activities. He said his scout training were still important to him and that he still tried to live by the mottos, “Be Prepared” and “Do a Good Turn Daily.” When he passed away in 2006, scouts from Troop 343 took part in the funeral service, leading the flag ceremony and showing honor to this gentle man.

1935 Joe H. Owen returned to Athens and became Scoutmaster of Troop 2. Eventually this troop was merged with Troop 1 and Circle 10 Council later changed to troop number to 343.

1936 The first Cub Scout program started with S.B. Jeffreys as Cubmaster.

1940 Floyd Blount became Scoutmaster. Meetings were held in the youth center at Henderson County Junior College (HCJC.)

1943 Paul Allen became Scoutmaster.

1950 B.L. McLauchlin became Scoutmaster. There were approximately 600 boys in Henderson county being served by 21 separate scout units this year.

1965 The Methodist Church moved into their new building (the current location) on Lover’s Lane. At this time, the scouts began to meet in what is now the Owen Building.

1975 Garrett Smith was a ranger at Clements Scout ranch. He was invited to come to Athens to become Scoutmaster of Troop 343. Mr. Smith had previously started a troop in Cayuga, and he accepted this position on the condition that the two troops would camp together. There were only 5 boys in Troop 343 at this time.

The first time the Athens troop went camping, Garrett was the only adult present. This was before the ‘2-deep’ leadership policy now in effect with Boy Scouts. He told the boys to put their tents up well, but a big storm came up during the night. The first thing he heard was, “Mr. Smith, we’re getting wet!” “Did you put your tent up tight?” “No, sir. It blew down.” “Put it up!” Then Garrett put on his rain gear and helped them put their tents back up.

About that time a couple of fathers drove up to pick up their boys because the weather was so bad. Garrett said, “You take your boys and you’re taking the whole troop, and I won’t be back. You gave me these boys to teach them Boy Scouting, to be responsible for each other…They’re learning tonight. You can either get in your car and go home, and don’t worry about it, or you can take the whole troop with you.” The fathers told Garrett that they trusted him and left. The boys had a ball that weekend.

The current troop bugle was one that was donated to Garrett Smith by the last U.S. Army Cavalry unit in Texas. The bugle is on display in the Scout Lodge and is still used by the troop bugler during ceremonies.

1977 Charles Luna became Scoutmaster. His note for our history search says he was Troop Committee Chair when Garrett Smith asked him to assume the Scoutmaster role. Bob Hawkins became Troop Committee Chairman. “There were 10-12 Scouts in the troop when I became Scoutmaster, when I left, there were over 30 boys on the troop’s roll. This mainly was a result of providing Den Chiefs for the Cub Scouts. The Troop had camping experiences on a regular basis throughout the year including winter campouts, Cherokee summer camp, participation in National Jamborees and numerous Circle Ten events. When I left, Bob Hawkins assumed the role of SM until someone was found…”

1981 Ray Rogers became Scoutmaster. Ray has worked with the scout troop for many, many years on local and district levels. Maybe our current troop historian could interview him for stories to contribute to this history.

1985 Scott Forney became Scoutmaster. One special memory he recorded was a triple Eagle ceremony for Dylan Forney, Chris Hardy and Tracy Rogers.   Assistant scoutmaster, Dan Rogers, stepped into to keep the troop running until a new Scoutmaster was found.

1989 Terry Teems became Scoutmaster. The troop at this time built some extremely close friendships among both boys and adults. A highlight of Terry’s years was a trip to Philmont Scout Reservation in New Mexico in 1993. Every boy who went on that trip made Eagle Scout while they were still in the troop.

Terry and assistant scoutmaster, Robert Patrick, also acquired a couple of sailboats and the troop spent several summers sailing, especially at summer camp at Camp Constantine. Since the boys (and the leaders) always enjoyed water sports, the troop started annual canoe trips, as well.

The troop returned to Philmont in summer 1996. After a warm-up climb up Wheeler Peak, the highest mountain in New Mexico, they had a short trek at Philmont. Between the two, they all earned their 50-miler patches. Again, every boy scout who went to Philmont that year earned his Eagle rank before turning 18.

1996 Willy Robson became Scoutmaster.

199? Bruce Hinds became Scoutmaster.

2000 Ted Mettetal became Scoutmaster.

2002 Two major camping expeditions this year. A troop crew flew to Boundary Waters Reservation for two weeks of paddling, slogging through mud and fighting off mosquitoes that actually put Texas mosquitoes to shame! Another group went to summer camp at Camp Tom Hale in Oklahoma, where some earned merit badges in snow skiing!

2003 Greg Ryan became Scoutmaster. Two teams went back to Philmont Scout Reservation for two weeks of wilderness backpacking. They each earned their 50-miler patches in the process. A third group went to Camp Cherokee summer camp at Clements Scout Reservation.

The troop returned to Philmont in 2007.

2009  Robert Kaufman became Scoutmaster.   With Robert’s encouragement, the troop has set a goal of earning the scouting Triple Crown:  every boy who wants to go should have an opportunity, at some point, to attend each of the three high-adventure camps in North America.   These will include the trip this year (2010)  to Northern Tier – a deep-woods canoeing trip in the boundary waters between the US and Canada, Philmont – a backpacking trip in the mountains of northern New Mexico, and Sea Base – a sailing and diving program in Florida.   The next trip to Philmont has been set for June, 2011.    These are strenuous trips and require a good deal of physical preparation as well as training.

We also continue to work consistently on completing requirements for rank advancements and merit badges.

2010 This year is the centennial celebration for Scouting in the United States.   A special Council-wide jamboree will be held this year for Circle Ten council and our troop will be selecting special activities to commemorate the event.

Help us make corrections, add pictures or stories to our history.  Just type it into the ‘comments’ box below or send e-mail to:  troop343@gmail.com.   Please include your name and the approximate dates you were involved with the troop.