History of Boy Scouts in Rowan County

A History Piece by Cindy Leach

Early Boy Scouts

February is widely recognized as Boy Scouts of America Month, honoring the organization's founding on February 8, 1910.

1950’s Boy Scouts

The National Boy Scouts of America was founded in 1910, and shortly after, in 1913, two Morehead boys registered with the National Association as Lone Scouts. Earl Young and Bernard Johnson carried out many scouting activities as outline in the Lone Scouting publication.

1980’s Boy Scouts

In 1914, Professor James Harris, who was the Principal of the first Morehead Public School, served as Scoutmaster of Troop 1 in Morehead. Others who joined were Harley Boyd and John Allen. Activities included hiking, boating, camping and swimming.

Reverend E.C. Watts of the Morehead Methodist Church reactivated the troop in 1922. After his death in 1924, interest diminished in scouting.

The Bluegrass Council was created in 1921 to serve Kentucky. Troop 2 was organized in 1925 and was the first troop to become a registered unit in the Council, and under the sponsorship of American Legion Post 126. Charles E. Jennings, later County Judge and Circuit Clerk, was the Scoutmaster of this troop and Lionel Fannin was the assistant Scoutmaster.

William B. Elder was an Eagle Scout from Cincinnati, Ohio visiting his grandmother, Mary Jane Tippett, and was able to interest many boys in organizing scouting and the highlight was a log cabin the boys built near the Little Brushy area on land that was donated by Bert Tolliver. It was a one-room cabin with an attic built entirely by the scout troop. The boys cut the trees themselves and the flooring was donated by local lumber companies. Money for additional building supplies and furniture was raised by showing a movie called “Girl of the Limber Lost” for 25 cents. The troop met in various places such as schoolrooms and yards, courthouse and their yard.

Early community leaders who assisted the scouts in these years included Drew Evans, Ed Maggard, Noah Kennard, Bob Young, Watt Prichard, James Clay, Sr., and Allie Young, Sr. Later years troop leaders included Professor Marvin George, Dr. J.G. Black, Honie and Virginia Rice, C.O. and Clyde Leach, Linus and Jessie Fair, John Will and Dorothy Holbrook, Dr. William and Ruth Vaughn, Professor Tom Young and John Palmer. Many of the sons of troop leaders participated in scouting including Lucien Rice, son of Honie and Virginia, who had a 37-year-long career as a professional scouter with the Boy Scouts of America.

Some of the members of the early troops, many who became prominent Morehead citizens included Robert Bishop, Allie Young Jr, J.C. Wells, Ted and Harold Crosthwaite, Fred, Roy and Archie Cassity, Herbert Elam, Earl Barber, William Caudill, Walter Adkins, Arthur Adkins, Austin Riddle, and Eldon Evans. Dixon Shouse, Gilbert Bradley, Jake Day, John Sidney Riley, Oval Robinson, Jimmy Clay II, Hendrix Tolliver, Clay Trumbo, Drew Evans, Jr., and Edgar Holbrook.

Interest in scouting dropped in the 1930’s but was revived in 1937 by the American Legion Post with Lionel Fannin and Mahlon Hall. During World War II, the nation was totally dedicated to the war effort and the Boy Scouts did their part by collecting scrap metal, assisted local firefighters and were prepared to direct traffic and other services in case of emergencies.

A Cub Scout pack was organized in 1941, which was one of the first groups in the United States and the third in Kentucky. The first recognized troop was known as Troop 76 and was a carryover from Troop 2. In 1943, Reverend Charles Cooper of the Methodist Church took over as Scoutmaster and sponsor. This troop was later sponsored by the First Christian Church, which continued for many years.

After World War II, interest in scouting was revitalized, as many returning soldiers had been Boy Scouts. In 1955 there were five troops: Explorer Troop of 14-17 year olds with 20 members, a troop sponsored by the Methodist Church of twenty 11-13 year olds and twelve 14-17 year olds, College Club Pack of 8-12 year olds with 62 members, Clearfield Church of God troop with 19 members in both Cub and Boy Scouts, and Farmers PTA sponsored troop of 20.

In January 1971, due to the lack of ambulance service in Rowan County, Explorer Troop 142 of the Methodist Church led by Don Young and Civil Defense Director Jerry Caudill, undertook a project for their community service. The Troop of 14-17 year olds completed a 12-hour prescribed course in first aid and enrolled in an advances 15-hour first aid study. They worked in the emergency room at St. Claire Medical Center for practical experience, learned rescue procedures from the Morehead Fire Department and took a week of instruction at Buckhorn Dam Park under the Kentucky Rescue Squad Associates. With Cave Run Recreation area newly opened, the need for rescue knowledge in drowning, lost persons and other accidents was anticipated. On June 10, 1971, Morehead City Council and Rowan County Fiscal Court agreed to jointly fund an ambulance service.

Boy Scouts are still going strong in Morehead and Rowan County with troops including Cub Scout Pack 58, Cub Scout Pack 66, and Boy Scout Pack 85.

Sources

History of the Boy Scouts by Virginia Rice, 1976

Mountain Scorcher January 15, 1927, February 19, 1927

Rowan County News September 13, 1951, February 19, 1953

Morehead Independent October 22, 1942

Morehead News February 4, 1986

Jack Ellis Files

Photos courtesy Jack Ellis Files