Note: Thanks to Dr. Darrell Groman for providing The Icon with this piece in the continuing celebration of Bluffton Boy Scouts' and the centennial year of scouting. This historical Bluffton "Scout Stuff" is on display during June at the Bluffton Public Library.
By Darrell Groman, Bluffton Scout Historian
A surprised Tesla "Tubby" Stearns, 1914 Bluffton Scout, was awarded his Tenderfoot and Second Class pins in September, 1989 at an official Troop #256 Court of Honor. When asked, "Tubby" had never received his awards as a Scout seventy five years earlier. He explained that the (unsponsored) troop didn't have any money for the scouts. "We never had any Courts of Honor for formal recognition back then. We just went camping, hiking and had fun as scouts."
Wayne Galhoney's scout handbook. He was a member of the unsponsored Bluffton Troop #4 from 1924 to 1927. He was awarded the rank of Life Scout in 1927. Does anyone know of him?
The original charters of Bluffton Troop #56 and Cub Scout Pack #56 are on display. The troop was chartered and formed on February 28, 1939 by its sponsoring organization, First Mennonite Church. The Troop has maintained a continuous and unbroken charter for 71 years. The Cub Pack was chartered in December 1954 by its sponsor, First United Methodist Church. Both units were re-numbered as # 256 when Bluffton left Shawnee Council ( Lima office and Camp Lakota of rural Deficance ) to join Put-Han-Sen (Putnam-Hancock-Seneca-Hardin) Area Council (Findlay office and Camp Berry of rural Findlay.)
John Schmidt's scout shirt, merit badge sash, neckerchief and woggle (slide,) hatchet and harmonica. John was a 1939 charter member of Scoutmaster Karl Gable's Troop #56 and was awarded Eagle Scout in 1942. The large framed photo of the 1942 troop shows John wearing the same shirt and sash which are on display. (This framed photo was originally on display for a number of years after the opening of the East of Chicago Pizza Company on North Main Street,)
Photo of Richard Basinger in his cub scout uniform and bicycle, ca. late 1940's. The cub pack pre-dates the current pack #56 / #256. Likely, the Bluffton Presbyterian Church had sponsored the Bluffton cub pack during the 1940's. Any information regarding this pack, including the unit's number would be greatly appreciated. Does anyone have an old Bluffton cub scout shirt with the old felt numerals on the shoulder? Also displayed are Richard's boy scout merit badges and his Star rank badge and ID card from 1956.
Photo of the "parallel" Bluffton B.S.A. Troop #82 as the scouts prepare to ride to summer camp at Camp Lakota, rural Defiance in 1943. The scouts stood up the entire route on the Page's Dairy truck's stake bed. Troop #82 was chartered on December 29, 1941, a few brief weeks following the attack on the Pearl Harbor Naval Base. Troop #82 was sponsored by American Legion Post #382 and disbanded around 1947. Since 1990, Legion Post #382 has been sponsoring Troop #256
It should be noted in both photos of Troop #56 (1942) and Troop #82 (1943) that all of the scouts and leaders are wearing full uniforms, complete with shirt, trousers and scout campaign hats. The campaign hat was popularized by Chief Scout Lord Robert Baden - Powell, who began Scouting in England in 1907. These two troops each had supporting institutions, in contrast to the preceding unsponsored Bluffton troops (1912 to 1938.) In personal communication with Darrell Groman, Robert Kreider (a former President of Bluffton College) reported his experience as a Bluffton Scout (troop unit number?) in the 1930's. The scouts, during the Depression, could only afford a neckerchief as their "official" scout uniform.
The family of Don L. Badertscher has kindly loaned his red Philmont Scout Ranch jacket and other memorabilia to the Bluffton Scout Troop. Don attained the rank of Eagle Scout from Troop #56 in 1952. He later served as Scoutmaster and Assistant Scoutmaster in Troop #56 / #256. Other items on display from Don's collection include his Scout and Explorer handbooks, merit badge books, utility pack, hatchet, Order of the Arrow handbooks, Indian "beadwork," several vials of beads, beeswax for the threads and the beadwork's thread loom.
Thomas Brauen's faux deerskin hide displays his rank badges and camp patches from his years as a Bluffton Cub Scout, Boy Scout and Explorer Scout. Tom was awarded the Eagle Scout rank in 1959. His 42 merit badges surround its border. (An Eagle Scout is required to earn a total of 21 merit badges.) The large round golden patch in the middle is from the 1960 National Jamboree which had celebrated BSA's Golden 50th Anniversary (1910 - 1960.) Also, on display is his Brotherhood Order of the Arrow sash.
Darrell Groman's "Scout Stuff" from the mid 1960's as a Bluffton Cub Scout through the early 1970's as a Bluffton Boy Scout. He was awarded the Eagle Scout rank in 1972.
Misha and Christian Groman's four Pinewood Derby Race cars and Misha's cub scout shirt. The cars were raced in 2006, 2007 (2) and 2010.
Also on display are two plaques which list the 78 Eagle Scouts from Bluffton. The first is Donald Fenton who was a Lone Scout, unattached to a formal troop, and the first Eagle Scout from Allen County. The second Eagle was Robert Schaublin who was a member of Bluffton Troop #4. Only one Eagle Scout came from Troop # 82, Maynard Pogue in 1945. The remaining 75 Bluffton Eagle Scouts have been members of Troop #56 / #256.
Special Thanks for the articles in the display go to: Julia Gable for the framed 1942 troop photo, John Schmidt, Richard Basinger, the family of Don L. Badertscher, Thomas Brauen, Darrell, Misha & Christian Groman and Gary Wetherill for Wayne Galhoney's scout handbook.
The Bluffton Scouts are "alive and well" in the B.S.A.'s Centennial Year 2010. Currently, Cub Pack #256 has 45 boys and 10 adult leaders. Troop #256 has 22 boys and 7 leaders. The Cub Scout program is for boys who are in First through Fifth Grades while the Boy Scouts are for boys who are in Sixth through Twelfth Grades. For more information about the Bluffton Cub Scouts, please contact Cubmaster Eric Reneker. For more information about the Bluffton Boy Scouts, please contact Dan Groman.
Tentative plans are being made for a Scout Centennial Celebration to be held on Sunday, September 5. More information regarding this event will be forthcoming soon.
