Archives: Collections: Community Organizations
Boy Scouts and Cub Scouts:
Sussex-Lisbon Area
compiled and edited by Michael R. Reilly, May 17, 2003
updated 12/27/2005
Early Scouting activity in Waukesha county and Sussex-Lisbon area; see Scouting: Lannon for early scouting in Lannon and a brief early history of Boy Scouts. Potawatomi Area Council: Pre-History, Waukesha County Early Boy Scout History - History as early as March, 1913
Boy Scout Project Moves
Committee
Meets and Pushes Organization'
Field Executive Warne Here
Sixteen Troops in Waukesha County and All are in Good Form
Last Tuesday night C. K. Warne, National Field Executive for
Boy Scouts, came to Waukesha and was present at a meeting of the Waukesha
committee consisting of A. J. Hutton, prest., J. F. Judin, secr'y., R. G. Morsey,
O. O. Larson, Ben A. Dempsey, R. P. Breese and E. R. Estberg.
At this meeting a permanent organization was secured, and
besides members of the committee there were present representatives of organized
Boy Scout troops. It was decided at the general conference to invite Oconomowoc
council to meet with local council next week to fix upon a budget to apportion a
representative on the council and to proceed at once to employ a man as an
executive.
The officers at Oconomowoc are: F. R. Poe, prest, Dr. F. C.
Rogers, commissioner, H. L. Kellogg, 1st V.P., T. T. Cronin, 2nd V.P., J.
Flannigan, sec'y, and W. C. Kessler, treasr.
Waukesha and Oconomowoc will keep their permanent
organizations, but will unite in forming a County council, selecting their
representatives from the local committees.
One or more representatives will asked from Eagle, Dousman,
Mukwonago, Menomonee Falls, Pewaukee, Hartland, *Sussex, Genesee, Merton
and Delafield.
Scouting has organized rapidly this year and now 16 troops in this county are
taking up activities, and scout masters find that is it necessary to get support
from the committees.
The local committee of Waukesha will be increased from seven
to twenty and the County council will have one more representative from each of
the places above mentioned, and representation according to population in
Waukesha and Oconomowoc.
It now appears that working plans have been agreed upon that
will permit of successful activities on the part of all scout organizations in
the county. Waukesha Freeman, Thursday, May 27, 1920, page 1.
*(Editor's note: Here we have the earliest evidence to date of real Scouting activity in the Sussex-Lisbon area. It would seem likely that a "troop" existed prior to May 1920 to have sent a delegate, and to be represented on the newly formed Waukesha council.)
Additional evidence below found 5/18/2005 that Sussex did indeed have a Boy Scout Troop in 1920. With the information below and that above, it would be reasonable to say that the Sussex Boy Scout Troop was created after July 1, 1919 and before May 27, 1920.
Herewith we present a summary of the report
for the fiscal year of the County Y. M. C. A. ending July 1, 1920, submitted by
Secretary O. H. Cooley
(Item) 8. Have organized 7 scout troops in communities outside of Waukesha the
past year. Genesee, Eagle, Merton, Delafield, Menomonee Falls, Sussex,
and Hartland. Waukesha Freeman, Thursday, July 1, 1920, page 5.
Menomonee Falls - A Boy Scout organization is being sponsored by the local Rotary club with the following committee in charge: H. S. Rutherford, chairman; W. S. Goode; Dr. W. G. Domann and Joseph Cooke. Fifty-eight boys from the village and adjacent rural community turned out to the organization meeting at the high school Wednesday evening. Walter Dixon, Waukesha, Scout executive, assisted with the organization. Robert Jacke, a former Scout, will be the local Scout master and A. T. Jacobson will assist him. This organization will be a part of the Potawatomi area. Waukesha Freeman, Feb 4, 1932
Editor's note: In general, it appears that Scouting took an almost complete down-turn between 1921 and 1929 (1932 for the Sussex-Lisbon area). From what I've read about the pre-Potawatomi council history, I don't think it was necessarily a lack of funding or disinterest, but more likely a large degree of self-interests coming in too fierce a conflict for self-control, resulting in the demise of the Waukesha Scout council.
Sussex-Templeton: Lone Scouts (see below); Anton Stury attended 1932 Scouting Exposition (Jamboree); Boy Scouts of Waukesha and Jefferson counties. Waukesha Freeman, Thursday, March 3, 1932
John Hargrave should be given
first credit for the idea of Lone Scouts. He was serving as a
Commissioner for Woodcraft and Camping in Baden-Powell's Boy Scout Movement when
he wrote his first book, LONECRAFT (based on the work of the Lonecraft
camps, which he started in 1912. Published in 1913, the book was intended to
encourage boys who were too distant from organized scout troops to become
"Lone Scouts."
In 1915, disturbed because farm and country boys were being
left out of Scouting, William D. Boyce organized the Lone Scouts of America,
LSA. In the LSA a boy, by himself, could enjoy Scouting. Because of Boyce's
background in publishing and given the remoteness of the LSA membership, LSA had
a strong program of writing and correspondence as well as traditional
Scoutcraft.
In 1924, the $100,000 yearly drain on Boyce's finances
became too much, so he merged the LSA with the BSA. The program continued
for a period first as the Lone Scout Division (LSD) and then later as the
Lone Scout Service (LSS). Eventually in the mid-1930s the program was
fully integrated into the BSA and the separate LSA advancement program was
discontinued. There still remains a Lone Scout (and Lone Cub Scout) program with
only a few hundred members.
Individuals in an area could form a "Tribe."
Analogous to a patrol it had to have at least five members. If a tribe was
formed and registered with LSA headquarters, the Scouts could elect a Tribe
Chief. If a tribe's membership grew to fifteen or more, it was recommended that
they form a "Wigwam" of two or more tribes. Mail tribes composed of
boys interested in the same hobbies were encouraged where members corresponded,
due to their remoteness, through the mail. The nation was divided into twelve
regions, a thirteenth taking in Alaska, Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands, and Guam.
By its very nature, Lone Scout membership was very limited.
When Lone Scouts of America merged with the Boy Scouts of America in 1924, it
was estimated that there were 45,000 active members compared to over 750,000 Boy
Scouts. Today, Lone Scouts exist as part of the Scouting Movement in several
countries.
Menomonee Falls Scout Troop No. 17, which is sponsored by the Rotary club sponsored an exposition and invited boys from Sussex, Templeton, Merton, and North Lake to attend, and see the work of scouting as it is carried on by the Scout Troops of the Potawatomi Area council. Waukesha Freeman, Thursday, March 10, 1932
Menomonee Falls Scout Troop No. 17, which is sponsored by the
Rotary club, will be presented with their charter, which is one of the features
of the evening's program. The Scout troop has an enrollment of thirty-eight
scouts, and is under the direction of Robert Jacke.
Waukesha Freeman, March 10,
1932
Summer Scout camp was at Wood lake (Camp Oproki on Wood Lake near Mukwonago)
Boy Scouts of Waukesha and Jefferson counties will give a fourth showing of their Annual Scout exposition in Menomonee Falls on Saturday, March 22, 1932, at 8 pm.
Boy Scouts to Be Guests at Game Marquette-Drake football game in Milwaukee,
Saturday, Nov 26, 1932. Free admission.
Anton Stury of Sussex will be in charge of transportation - Enthusiasm
has been aroused in both Lannon and Sussex when it was discussed that a scout
troop be introduced in both towns. Both the parents and the teachers of those
towns have arranged to have some scout demonstrations at their monthly meeting
in December. The local troop under Scout Executive Walter Dixon will be
represented at this meeting. Undoubtedly, scout troops will be soon organized in
these towns since the enthusiasm is so strong.
Waukesha Freeman, Thursday,
November 24, 1932
1933/ June 22 - a group of Boy scouts including Ralph and Bob Owen, Victor Munz, Buddie Ries, Helmuth Thomas, Elmer Mantz, accompanied by Rev. (Anton) Stury, enjoyed an overnight camping trip to Pleasant Lake, near Elkhorn, on Monday night.
1947 - Troop 39 of Lisbon (Sussex now?) formed ?
Sussex Scouts Hold banquet
Sussex - This week being National Boy Scout week, the local
scouts under the leadership of their scoutmaster, Russell Miller, enjoyed a fine
Father and Son banquet at the community Hall. all members of the local group and
their fathers were present. Covers were laid for 48.
At the Court of Honor, the following awards were given out:
Theodore Tetzlaff, 2nd class; James Jones, 1st class; Robert Kramer, 1st class;
Ronald Vavra, fishing and gardening merit badges; James Jones, home repairs
merit badge; Paul Woerle, first aid merit badge; Robert Jones, first aid merit
badge; Kenneth Kersten, first aid merit badge.
Five scouts received the Tenderfoot Investiture ceremony;
Kenneth Woerle, Daniel Steffen, Leon Broman, Glen Everts and Marvin Freyer.
Guests included Clyde Tinder, Menomonee Falls, past president
of the Potawatomi Council, and his three sons, and Dick Gruneman, Waukesha,
camping and activities chairman of the Potawatomi council. Glen Ellsworth,
scoutmaster of Troop 47, Merton, showed colored slides
on the national Jamboree in California in 1953.
Sussex Girl Scout troop 28 served the roast beef
dinner, family style, with the Mesdames Virgil hart, Isadore Piechowski,
Roland, Kufalk, and George Semrow in charge. Waukesha Daily Freeman,
February 11, 1955, page 14 of 16.
Two other active groups include the Boy Scouts and the Girl Scouts. The Boy Scouts, troop 39, Sussex, meets every Monday evening at the community Hall. Russell Miler is their leader. These 20 boys have various activities. Waukesha Daily Freeman, June 16, 1955, page 11 of 28
Troop 39 sponsored by Sussex Lions' Club, Waukesha Daily Freeman, July 8, 1954, page 3 of 24.
Sussex – Ten local boy scouts who left a week ago for Camp Long lake, returned Saturday afternoon from a very enjoyable week of boy scout camping. ? Kersten, Bobbie and Jimmie Van Valin, John Carlson, Kenneth Kersten, Bobbie and Jimmie Jones, Dallas Woerle, Bill Sussens, and Bruce and Gary Miller. Waukesha Daily Freeman, July 20, 1954
Local Scouts Get New Ranks Seventeen Scouts appeared before the east district board of review to advance higher along the scouting trail... Scouts advancing and their new Scout ranks are: Gary Miller, Star Scout of the Sussex Lions club troop 39. Waukesha Daily Freeman, November 19, 1955, page 4 of 10.
February 28, 1977 was 11th birthday of Pack 95; formed February 28, 1966. Source: Sussex Sun, Tuesday, March 15, 1977, page 20.
Troop 95 sponsored by Sussex Jaycees; Scoutmaster Francis Haasch. Sussex Sun, March 2, 1976
Pack 95, Blue & Gold dinner; Cubmaster Clyde Squires, Assistant Cubmaster James de Both. Sussex Sun, March 16, 1976
Pack 39 Cubmaster Tom Bruschke, meeting at St. Alban's. Sussex Sun, March 30, 1976, page 9.
Pack and Troop 31 at Richmond school need new sponsor. Sussex Sun, March 30, 1976, page 9.
Troop 175 Scoutmaster Joe Cibulka, and Assistant Scoutmaster Wolf Magnus meeting at St, James. Sussex Sun, June 1, 1976, page 5.
Cub Pack 95 meeting at Sussex Community Center. Sussex Sun, July 28, 1976
Thomas "Tom" Tradewell, Pack 39 Cub Master abt 1975-78, then Scoutmaster Troop 39, abt 1979-81, the Assistant Scoutmaster 1981-85.
Alan Key, Scoutmaster Troop 87 in 1985. Troop 87 based in Pewaukee had boys from Pewaukee and town of Lisbon.
So how do people in the Sussex-Lisbon area find out about scouting's earliest local history?
For the Boy Scouts, the earliest information we have dates to 1913 newspaper articles. The first one below was originally printed in the Oconomowoc Enterprise, and reprinted in the Waukesha Freeman.
For starters, if early issues, 1910 thru 1931 (and later), of the Oconomowoc Enterprise exist on microfilm, they might provide insight into county happenings. The Waukesha Freeman early editions can be found on microfilm at the Waukesha County Public Library; or, if one has an Ancestry.com account with access to certain digitized newspapers , like the Waukesha Freeman, and a high speed link (makes it much easier to research because of dial-up slow download speeds), some records can be accessed.
Many of the first scout troops were organized and sustained by church groups. Church council records or similar documents could provide information, check St. Alban's, the Lisbon Presbyterian, and others. Local newspapers which don't exist today, may have existence yet on microfilm at local libraries.
Additional information could be found in the Menomonee Falls News microfilm files at the Maude Shunk Public Library in Menomonee Falls. Starting in 1976, the Sussex Sun, available in bound volumes at the Pauline Haass Public Library in Sussex, has scouting information.
Don't discount the importance of neighboring community newspapers - Janesville, for instance; Waukesha country scout troops probably conducted programs at Watertown (Jefferson and Dodge counties) and other communities outside of Waukesha area - Milwaukee, Appleton, Green Bay, Madison, and Chicago are all areas whose newspapers or scouting histories may provide additional clues and information about our own local troops.
Family local histories and photos of grandfathers, fathers, and other male relatives (for Girl Scouts and Camp fire Girls - your grandmothers, and mothers, etc.) could shed light. Do any uniforms, scouting materials - uniforms, books, knives, medals, badges, exist in someone's dresser drawers or trunk? Some of the earliest uniforms worn were old military clothing - take another look at those WWI uniforms you have stored away for traces of scouting insignias.
The Waukesha Y. M. C. A. supported early scouting, perhaps records exist? The local municipal and school board records of the village or town from the time period 1910 - 1940 could be treasure. Local historical societies and/or local historians may have information. School P. T. A. minutes and student published papers and yearbooks may have information.
The Menomonee Falls Troop 17 was sponsored by the Menomonee Falls Rotary Club founded in 1928; additional information might be found in the records/minutes of those early sponsoring groups. Might an early Sussex civic group have sponsored Scouting?
Lastly, but maybe most important, would be the Boy Scout National records and those possibly found in the Districts, later Regional office archives (if they exist). A Chicago Field Executive often traveled to Waukesha County, providing assistance. Region Seven included the states of Michigan, Indiana, Wisconsin, and Illinois.
Potawatomi Council records
at the Harkrider Service Center are accessible, if you have the Troop number,
unlike the Milwaukee Council that I could call and access my personal 1960's
records of scouting activities. Plus, troop numbers may have been used by more
than locale, or used more than once for a village or town, in the case where a
troop was resurrected after a lapse in membership, and temporary dissolution of
the troop occurred. So don't be misled if you're looking for a Troop 10 Lannon,
and at first find records for a Troop 10 of Watertown.
Mike Reilly
Links
Troop 39 - meeting at
Sussex Park Lions Building - every Thursday (call first)
Randolph Behm (262) 246-8802
The Glacier Hills
District serves youth in the school districts of Menomonee Falls,
Germantown, Sussex/Hamilton, Arrowhead, and Richfield
Potawatomi Area Council, Boy Scouts of America