Troop 7
Troop 7
Council
Some of the merit badges a scout could earn during this time included gardening, stalking, dairying, poultry keeping, craftwork in cement and craftwork in bookbinding. There were weekly inspections of the scout patrols. Some of the things these inspections included were hands, teeth, attire and discipline.
There was a weekly column in both city newspapers. During the 1930’s the scout column totaled 2,000 inches. In the late 30’s there were Scout Circus. They were held at Municipal Auditorium. The scouts sold tickets for 25 cents. It was a fundraiser, but also promoted scouting. The circus demonstrated five or six merit badges, advancement ceremonies and elaborate entrance and exit parades.
1940’s Trivia
Troop 7 was very busy in the early 40’s wit the war effort. They spearheaded rubber, metal and aluminum collection drives. They were invited to participate in parades forte Legion. At the 1942 Camporee the scouts practiced ‘Blackout First Aid”. It was done blindfolded. The U.S. government requested scouts to promote the purchase of war bonds and stamps.
Jayhawk Council camps were held at various lakes in northeast Kansas. Cost for a week at camp was 50 cents per scout if the troop provided their own equipment, tents and food. If the Council provided all of these items it was $8.50 for the week.
There were swimming competitions in the early 40’s. It was also during the early 40’s the troop started to have Sunday hikes. Parental permission was needed to make this change because scout rules forbid Sunday hikes. Today we call them campouts. The “hikes” occurred two weekends a month. Emphasis seemed to be on ability to walk many miles. Boys would decide to do practice hikes on their own. One such outing they walked from a downtown location to Burnett’s Mound and back.
Herbert Souders – Troop 7’s (10th Scoutmaster)
Just a few notes to describe my career as Scoutmaster of Troop 7. I was recruited to be an Assistant Scoutmaster and became the Scoutmaster a month later with no experience. The Scoutmaster was moving out of town. Due to some very good help from Turner Burgess and Joe Garrison I managed to survive.
I was Scoutmaster the last half of 1947 and the year of 1948. We got some things started that led to the up building of Troop 7. The staffing event was the Four State Trip, which included northeast Kansas, northwest Missouri, southwest Iowa and southeast Nebraska. Some of the attractions were storage caves near Kansas City then to camp at Wabunsee State Park in Iowa. We attended church in Shenandoah, Iowa, and visited the Morton home and farms in Nebraska City.
Out of state trips were frowned on by Scout Headquarters, but this one proved so successful that it led to others. This was my career as Scoutmaster, but I stayed with the Troop for several more years in other capacities.
1950’s Trivia
Troop 7 was the oldest continuous Boy Scout unit in Topeka, as well as the second oldest in Jayhawk Council. The first Mother’s Club was started on January 19, 1950. Mrs. Clyde Smetner was elected president.
February 20, 1950, Troop 7 celebrated their 30th anniversary with a dinner as well as a large celebration and open house on November 27, 1951. During the 50’s Troop 7 participated in a nationwide Boy Scout effort to erect a chain of radio stations in Europe to carry the message of democracy behind the Iron curtain. It was called “One Day for Freedom Drive”. They solicited signatures in support of this cause. The scouts throughout the nation also had a three year program “Forward on Liberty Team”, to get citizens out to vote. The Kansas Boy Scouts presented the Statue of Liberty, located on the northwest side of the Statehouse grounds to the State of Kansas.
The Second Annual National Jamboree was in Valley Forge, PA, in 1950. President Truman and General Eisenhower were speakers. Some of Troop 7 activities during the 1950’s include participating in the First Christian Church’s 75-year anniversary, becoming members in the First Order of the Arrow.
There was a five-car motorcade with 18 Boy Scouts and five adult leaders to four states area: Kansas, Missouri, Oklahoma and Arkansas in 1950.
Service projects included helping during the 1951 flood, cachet design on envelopes to celebrate Topeka’s 100 anniversary, carrying mail from Topeka to Burlingame to their 100 anniversary celebration and repairing toys at Christmas from the Salvation Army.