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1920-1929
1920
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January

 

In January of 1920, a resolution endorsing the Boy Scout movement was unanimously passed by the Kiwanis club at the weekly session held at the Patten Hotel.  The resolution was submitted by Charles Hood after a talk by S. Bartow Straing (Strang) about the Scout Movement. It was seconded by Prof. Robinson, of City High.  

 

February

 

In February, ads were placed in the newspaper asking for help raising $25,000 for the Boy Scout drive.  John Stagmaier was Chairman of the Boy Scout Campaign Committee.
 

March

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In March, annual election occurred, with the following results:

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B.E. Loveman, President

Mercer Reynolds, First Vice President

C.H. Winder, Secretary

D.H. Grisold, Treasurer

W.H. Sears, Scout Engineer

J.F. Finlay, Council Attorney

Champe S. Andrews, Scout Commissioner

S.B. Strang, Executive Committeeman

Morrow Chamberlain, Executive Committeeman

R.C. Jones, Executive Committeeman

C.C. Nottingham, Executive Committeeman

D.A. Landress, Executive Committeeman

John Stagmaier, Executive Committeeman

E.H. Wright, Executive Committeeman

Stephen A. Doughton, Executive Committeeman

Righter A. Cogswell, Executive Committeeman

William Bundschu, Executive Committeeman

Tom L. Landress, Executive Committeeman

Mercer Reynolds, Executive Committeeman

Don C. Peglar, Executive Committeeman

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Deputy Commissioners for the year were named:
 

W.B. Schwartz

J.A. Stith

F.E. Gunn

Ben W. Beck

W.H. Ling

E.H. Andrews

S.J. McCallie

Mercer Reynolds

John Tinker

J.R. Strickland

E.A. Merriam

John Chambliss

F.S. Scaggs

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June

 

In June 1920, with arrangements by Mayor A.W. Chambliss, Scout Howard McCall raised the flag over city hall (the municipal building) one Monday.
 

The June 19, 1920 newspaper reported that Troop 8 had a paper.  Scout Isadore(?) Silverman was the editor of the paper.  Mentioned:  Bob Reeves, Mr. M. Fuller of the Fuller Automobile, C.H. Guedron, W.C. Shook.
 

Richard "Dick" Savery went to Coldwater, Michigan for the summer, and Frank and Paul Bush went to Mexico for the summer.  Their troop - Troop 3 - wanted them to return in the fall because Dick Savery and Paul Bush were the first and only Eagle Scouts so far in Chattanooga.
 

Troop Six mentions:  Scoutmasters Nicklin, Bathman, and Clark; Olen Dietz, Scout Charles Chamberlain.  Charles Chamberlain was expected to be an Eagle Scout by the next assembly because he lacked only seven merit badges, which he expected to have by that time.
 

Troop 5 mentions:  Scoutmaster W.V. Mulligan.
 

Troop 9 mentions:  Scoutmaster H.E. Leach
 

Troop 10 mentions:  M.L. Mulkey
 

Troop 24:  Prof. F.H. Trotter


October

 

In October, Troop 5 boasted having four Eagle Scouts, which was more than any other troop in the city:  Dick Price, Ralph Weatherford, Newman Burns, and Melvin Baldwin.

 

November

 

On November 27, 1920, the Scouts had their "first real Boy Scout field day rally" at Warner Park.  Banners were awarded to troops winning first, second, and third places. 


Scouts mentioned:  Everett Accott, Henry Hinds, Billy McCracken, Stewart Trippe, Scoutmaster J.W. Miller, ASM J.P. Harper, Tulles Crawford, Clarence Philips, Roland Turner, Grady Williams, Edward Long, Richard Croft, Walter Smith, Fred Hobb, Paul Kelly, Clarence Croker, Donivan Poe, Arthur Lee Williams, Colman Williams, Lloyd Ezell, Charlie Haynes, Wayne Wall, Herschell Wood, Carl Baker, Dick Travis, Tom Haynes, Carl Harper, James Oakes, Charles McDowell, Eugene Faith, Leslie Smith, Tommie Adkinson, Richard Courtney, Joe Haskel, Richard Courtney, Dawson Hall, Howard McCall, Sidney Barnes, Charles Dalton, Tony Alsobrook, Paul Murray, Curtis Bartlett, Jack Slaughter, Roy Meyers, Lon Williams, J.O. Carter, Mervin Newton, Clyde Weatherford, Forrest Hillard, Ralph Ward, Stewart Tripp, Carl Carmin, Harry Pass, Ed Silver, Floyd Burton, Paul Murray, Dick Reynolds, Henry Baird, Joseph Fox, Olen Diets (Olen Dietz) from Estelle, Ga., Phillip Kelly who moved to Troop 27 in Atlanta, Gabriel Duhols moved to Ft. Payne, Alabama, Emmett Newton.

 

December

 

Fifteen Eagle Scouts, accompanied by Scoutmasters J.B. Nicklin and R.H. Willard and Scout Executive Roy Bachman spent a week in the Great Smoky Mountains.  They drove by way of Cleveland and Benton to Tellico Plains.  C.F. Herford, manager of the Lake Tellico estate, arranged for the party to occupy a house just abouv ehis mansion house on the Tellico River one night.  From there, they boarded a log train and were taken back 48 miles into the Great Smoky mountans to a lumber camp, where they made their headquarters.  They hiked to Haw Knob.  Some of the scouts took rifles and shotfuns with the permission fo their parents and will go on a hunting trip with some of the mountaineers.  Roster:  Melvin Baldwin, Newman Burns, Charles Chamberlain, Dawson Hall, Joe Haskel, Clyde Weatherford, Ralph Weatherford, Robert Sims, Edward Silver, Harry Pass, Harry Hutson, Sidney Barnes, Fred McDonald, Marcus Holt, and Carter Parham.

1920
Sources

January 1 - Scouting Magazine

January 6 - Chattanooga News

February 4

February 9 (first) - Chattanooga News

February 9 (second) - Chattanooga News

February 10

February 12

February 13

February 16

February 19

February 27

March 1 - Chattanooga News

March 3 - Chattanooga News

1920-03-03 - Boy Scout Drive Has Netted

March 16 - Chattanooga News

March 19 - Chattanooga News

April 6 - Scoutmasters Dine at St. Paul's Church

April 8 - Scouting Magazine

April 10 - Chattanooga News

April 11 - Sea Scouting Planned for Boys of Chattanooga

April 11 - Chattanooga Sea Scouts

April 15 - Boy Scouts Will Help to Clean Up the City

April 17 - Chattanooga News

April 24 - Chattanooga News

April 24 - Sea Scouting Added to Boy Scout Program

May 1 - Boy Scout Assembly Proves Enthusiastic

May 1 - Chattanooga News

May 8 - Chattanooga News (Paul Bush and Dick Savery first Star Scouts)

May 15 - Chattanooga News

May 22 - Chattanooga News

May 29 - Chattanooga News

May 16 - Dr. F.W. Morgan Feeds Big Bunch Boy Scouts

May 17 - Scouts Serve Chicken for Kiwanis Club

May 21 - Pleads for Boy Scouts

May 29 - Boy Scouts Awarded Badges for Merit

May 30 - Boy Scouts in Summer Camp

June 5 - Chattanooga News

June 6 - Rain Fails to Stop Boys at Camp Raccoon

June 12 - Chattanooga News

June 15 - Chattanooga News

June 19 - Chattanooga News

June 26 - Chattanooga News

June 26 - Boy Scouts are Wanted at Golf Tournament

June 30 - High Honor for Scout Haskell

July 2 - Chattanooga News
July 11 - Camp on Raccoon a Splendid Training School (large)

July 12 - Chattanooga News

July 17 - Chattanooga News

July 18 - Thrilling Tale of Kiev Flight

July 24 - Chattanooga News

July 24 - Camp Raccoon Closes After Successful Season

July 26 - Boy Scouts in London En Route to Jamboree

July 31 - Chattanooga News

July 31 - Many Scouts Promoted at Monthly Assembly

August 9 - Chattanooga News
August 14 - Chattanooga News

August 18 - Chattanooga News

August 21 - Chattanooga News

August 24 - Chattanooga News

August 28 - Chattanooga News

September 4 - Chattanooga News

September 11 - Chattanooga News

September 22 - Chattanooga News

September 25 - Chattanooga News

October 2 - Chattanooga News

October 9 - Chattanooga News

October 13 - Chattanooga News

October 14 - Scouting Magazine

October 16 - Chattanooga News

October 19 - Chattanooga News

October 26 - Chattanooga News

October 30 - Chattanooga News

November 6 - Chattanooga News

November 9 - Chattanooga News

November 13 - Chattanooga News

November 20 - Chattanooga News

November 23 - Chattanooga News

November 26 - Chattanooga News

December 4 - Chattanooga News

December 11 - Chattanooga News

December 14 - Chattanooga News

December 18 - Chattanooga News

December 25 - Chattanooga News

December 27 - Chattanooga News

1921
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1921-02-06 - History of Scout Movement and Successful Struggle Here

1921
1922
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By 1922, local scouts and leaders had made such an impact that in an article of the New York Times, highlighting Boy Scouts all over the United States, the Chattanooga Council was praised for their "civic service." Projects mentioned included:

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  • Distributed 300 posters for Red Cross and 300 more for forest fire prevention

  • Gave 7,200 hours of service to the Confederate Reunion in Chattanooga

  • Troops collected food and distributed baskets at Christmas

  • Distributed milk at children’s playgrounds in the area

  • Assisted American Legion in selling poppies for the Soldier’s Memorial Fund

  • Assisted the Baptist Convention, serving as messengers, pages, and ushers

  • Placed posters for the Chinese Famine Fund, and

  • Assisted at the National Cemetery Memorial Day decoration

1922
1923
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In 1923 the National Court of Honor, Boy Scouts of America, acknowledged the heroism of one of Chattanooga’s leading scouts. This boy was E. Dempsey Jones, of Troop 27, Highland Park Christian Church, who on September 1, 1922, rescued a boy from drowning in Dayton, Ohio. Scout Jones, one afternoon with several other boys, went swimming in Shaker’s Creek. One of the other boys, Dan Dilts, became exhausted and would have drowned but for Jones’ quick action. Jones realized that Dilts was struggling when he had gone down once. Jones said Dilts, "grabbed me around the shoulders. I broke his grip and when he came up the second time, took hold of him with one hand and with the other swam to the shore." At the time of the rescue, Jones was 13 years of age and Dilts was 16 and much heavier.

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E. Dempsey Jones received the certificate for heroism at the Chattanooga Council ceremonies concluding the Flag Day parade on June 14, 1923. Scout Jones had made a fine record in local scouting where and at the time of his award was Senior Patrol Leader of the troop and had advanced himself to First Class and earned several Merit Badges. Scout Jones had also been selected as one of the few camp instructors for Camp Raccoon for the summer of 1923.

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Scout Aubrey Dean Angel, of Troop 23, Central Presbyterian Church was one of the first in the nation to make the remarkable record of becoming an Eagle Scout in the shortest possible time. It was said of him that "he stands out a genuine progressive and helpful scout, always on the alert to perform some helpful service, which is the highest aim of a true scout." Young Angel was born September 13, 1907 at Spring City, Rhea County, Tennessee and at the time of his accomplishment, was in his second year at Central High School in Chattanooga.

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Aubrey Angel became a scout in December, 1922, achieving First Class on March 30, 1923, and passed the Eagle Board of Review on October 18, 1923. One point that makes this achievement so remarkable is that his First Aid merit badge required six months service as a First Class scout before the rank of Eagle could be attained.

1923
Sources

1923-02-06 - Boy Scout Executives Enjoy Annual Banquet
April - Scouting Magazine
June - Scouting Magazine

1924
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March - Scouting Magazine (Stanley Harris)

1924
1925
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January -Scouting Magazine

​April 15 - The Chattanooga Scout Trail
May 30 - The Chattanooga Scout Trail

1925
1926
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In 1926, A.C. Gaskin served as Assistant Scout Executive. (Source: Clarion-Ledger, Jackson, Mississippi, Nov. 6, 1926 at 6.

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1926-07-20 - Eagle Scouts Leave on Final Flight (F.E. Gunn, C.K. Peacock, A.C. Gaskin, W.B. Rollins, J.W. Hannum, Jack Nicklin, W.L. Love, C.H. Robinson, George Campbell, DeForest Lowery, Warren Smith, Elmer Farmer, Herman Shewmake, Brantley Watson, Ralph Hetzler, James Wiggs, Clarence Brown, Duff Farrow, Edward Hauer, Arthur Hitchcock, Clarence Gentry, Tim Manson, Ed Brown, Clifton Lawrence, Norton Crane, Joe Strong, Everett Aucott, Rathmell Rollins, Dawson Hall, Milton Thompson, William Jamerson, Horace Humphreys, William Love, David Loveman, Fritz Englehardt, E. Hudiberg, Harold Friedman, J.D. Morton, Robert Kennedy, Burch Cooke, Howard Jones, William Workman, Van Meador, Elmer Farmer, August Cahoon, Benson Kindrick, Henry Etter)

November - Scouting Magazine

1926
1927
1927
1928
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Dan Beard Visits

 

Chattanooga Boy Scouts held "The Spirit of Tsatanugi" Scout-Indian Pageant and Pow-Wow on March 21, 1928 at Memorial Auditorium in honor of Daniel Carter Beard, one of the founders of Scouting in America. It was said to be one of the most colorful events ever presented by the local scout organization and was attended by between 3,000 and 4,000 persons. An article from the Chattanooga Times said, "the program which began at 8 o’clock was replete with stunts dear to the hearts of boys, ‘A Day in Camp’ program, and a minstrel show—one which will long be remembered as an exceptional amateur offering."

During the program, Beard, who held the title of National Commissioner, made the presentation of Eagle Scout badges to a group of scouts who had reached that rank. He was introduced by R.T. Faucette, head of the local council. Then Beard addressed the assemblage by telling the purpose of the Boy Scout organization and his great interest in boys of all ages and his desire for their achievement in scouting. He stated he was delighted with the reception he has received here and said it was his first visit to Chattanooga in thirty-one years. "I have always been deeply interested in Gen. Jackson, Gen. Johnson, David Crockett, and others of picturesque type whom I consider typical of America," he said, "and many of those men were personal friends of my father, who  designed and painted the flag under which the Kentuckians fought for Texas. Therefore my interest in this section is rather personal."

R.T. Faucette, a great admirer of Mr. Beard, in speaking of the work of the commissioner said:  "Boy Scouting came into existence because a Kentucky young man moved to New York City and resented the signs he saw on flats and houses that dogs and children were not desirable tenants. Dan Beard then started to make a place in that city for boys and now there are thousands of Boy Scouts all over the country who are rising up to call his name blessed."

Commissioner Beard in his hunting shirt and breeches had made an impressive figure as he alighted from the Southern Railroad train at the terminal station, where he was met by a reception committee. On the morning of the Pow-Wow, the Commissioner and Mrs. Beard were accompanied on sight-seeing trips to various points around the city. In the afternoon, an informal reception was held at scout headquarters where all Chattanooga Boy Scouts were invited to call and meet the founder of the organization, which at that time, numbered some 10,000 boys in the Chattanooga vicinity.

 

Chattanooga Scout Leaders Earn First Scoutmaster Key Awards

 

Six Chattanooga Council Scoutmasters were awarded the Scoutmaster Key in December, 1928, which were the first given in the South—only seven other Scoutmaster Keys had been earned thus far in the whole United States. The award was developed and made possible by the Boy Scout National Council during 1927, and was based upon five years of active service as a Scoutmaster, completion of the five-year training course that embraces the fundamentals of patrol and troop organization, specialization work in first aid, and required participation as a leader in the local council training.

The six Chattanooga area Scoutmasters that earned this honor were:

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  1. W.H. Bauer first became identified with scouting in 1919 as Scoutmaster of Troop 23, Central Presbyterian Church, and later as Scoutmaster of Troop 31, of Standard-Coosa Thatcher Company.

  2. Robert Y. Faris, upon discharge from WWI military service in 1919, became Assistant Scoutmaster of Troop 25, Highland Park M.E. Church. Shortly afterwards when Scoutmaster Captain Bell died, Robert Faris assumed leadership as Scoutmaster.

  3. J.W. Hannum joined scouting in April 1923, when he organized and became Scoutmaster of Troop 20, St. Elmo M.E. Church. Mr. Hannum attained the rank of Eagle Scout in 1925 and earned over sixty merit badges.

  4. H.F.G. Hinson first became interested in scouting in 1923 through contact with Troop 4 of the First Christian Church where his son was mascot. Soon he became Assistant Scoutmaster and then Troop Committeeman. In 1925, he organized and became Scoutmaster of Troop 33, East Side Junior High. Then in 1926, Mr. Hinson moved to North Chattanooga where he assumed leadership of Troop 42, St. Marks M.E. Church.

  5. Charles K. Peacock, after serving in the Marines during the WWI, became an industrial arts teacher with the city of Chattanooga. His scouting involvement began when he joined the camp staff in 1920 at Camp Raccoon. In 1922, he was commissioned Scoutmaster of Troop 27, Highland Park Christian Church. In 1925, Mr. Peacock became Assistant Scout Executive for the Chattanooga Council while still serving as Scoutmaster, and he directed five summer camps from 1923–27. Mr. Peacock became Scout Executive of the Chattanooga Council in 1928, with the resignation of F.E. Gunn.

  6. Carl D. Scheibe was the only one of the group who began his scouting career as a scout.  He enrolled in Troop 10 in Minneapolis in 1915. As an adult Scouter, he directed camps in Minnesota and Wisconsin, and was Assistant Scoutmaster in Harrodsburg, Kentucky for two years. Upon coming to Chattanooga as director of education of the First Presbyterian Church, he immediately took leadership roles in Troop 2 of that church. Mr. Scheibe was Camp Director of Tsatanugi for several years beginning in the summer of 1928.

1928
Sources

1928 - March 21 - The Spirit of Tsatanugi Pageant and Pow Wow Program

1929
1929
1929 WHITES CREEK FLOOD
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A new record of Boy Scout heroism and of Scoutmaster James Tarwater Wright of Rockwood, Tennessee who gave his own life in an effort to save his troop, were included in a report of conditions of the flood that devastated areas in Tennessee and Alabama in 1929. The report was made to Chief Scout Executive James E. West by Fred C. Mills, Director of Swimming and Water Safety of the Department of Camping of the Boy Scout of America, after he returned from a tour of the region. Seven other Rockwood Scouts lost their lives in the floods—Charles Fred Burnett, James Edward Burnett, Roy Paul Green, James Clarence Hill, Woodrow Wilson Kerr, Lawrence Nedra Montgomery, and Jack Acuff Shamhart.

Scoutmaster Wright drowned while trying to save one of his scouts when Whites Creek overflowed and catapulted their Boy Scout cabin into forty feet of flood waters. He worked for hours bring scouts to safety, and then, when his strength was exhausted, lost his own life in trying to save a scout that had fallen into the swiftly moving waters. The flood waters rose so suddenly that the scout cabin, 500 feet off the Dixie Highway on the banks of the stream, was submerged, broken up and carried away. Twenty boys and two leaders were asleep in the cabin when the flood waters rose. They became stranded on the roof until the cabin broke up from the force of the current. The other scouts were only saved from death through the heroic work of their leaders and good judgment of their Scoutmaster, who until his death, kept the scouts from panic and instructed the older boys in keeping their younger companions from being submerged in the flood waters.

It was later reported that the flood of 1929 was one of the most severe to ever hit the Tennessee Valley. The Emory River rose 22 feet in three and a half hours and currents raged at 100 mph. Hundreds of businesses and homes were destroyed; twenty lives were lost in addition to the seven boy scouts and their leader at Whites Creek. Three of the scouts, Willie Evans, Ted Derrick, and J.C. Acuff were awarded the Boy Scout Gold Honor Medal for bravery. A posthumous award was made to Scoutmaster James T. Wright who made the supreme sacrifice. 

Today a monument sits in memoriam of the Scoutmaster and seven scouts of Troop 45, Rockwood, Tennessee who lost their lives in the flood. The monument is made with a Latin cross setting on top of a stone base about 15 to 18 feet tall and has the Boy Scout emblem in the center. The cross can be seen from the northbound of U.S. Highway 27 at Whites Creek Bridge. The monument is on the east side of U.S. Highway 27 and on the south side of Whites Creek, which is the boundary between Rhea and Roane Counties, Tennessee. A more detailed account of the tragedy and heroism that occurred that day is written in the book, DANIEL CARTER BEARD, BOY HEROES OF TODAY (Brewer, Warren & Putnam 1932).

 

In 1995, Knoxville's WBIR station ran a story on the flood and one of its survivors. Because of the response on Facebook to the Heartland Series story years later, WBIR news decided to retell the story with a slight change in angle to talk about the scouts' efforts to maintain the monument. Reporter Jim Matheny interviewed Don Miller, vice president of district operations for the Great Smoky Mountain Council.  The new story ran on March 23, 2015. Here is a link to the PDF of the 2015 story and here is a direct link the 2015 story with video

 

Another article was published on June 24, 2016 by WATE.com about Great Smoky Mountain Council Troop 101 restoring the memorial.  Here is a PDF of the 2016 story and here is a direct link to the 2016 story with video.

 

A 2017 article about Scouts restoring the monument is available at this link.

1929 Whites Creek Flood
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