SCOUTING HISTORY 1910 ~ 1919

1910:
The Boy Scouts of America incorporates in Washington, D.C., on February 8.

1910:
William Howard Taft, President of the United States, becomes Honorary President of the Boy Scouts of America.

1910:
An organizational committee of the Boy Scouts operates an experimental summer camp at Silver Bay, New York, from August 16 to September 1.

1912:
Boys' Life magazine begins publication.

1912:
Two patrols of Boy Scouts are organized at Fairview Moravian Church in Winston-Salem. A local organizational committee begins work to offer the program to boys throughout the city.

1912:
The Winston-Salem Council is formed, reportedly the first local council in North Carolina; Judge Gideon H. Hastings is named the Council's first president.

May 12, 1912: "The leaders of the Boy Scouts of America [in Winston-Salem] are working out plans to provide still better supervision of the boys' play. Plans are being outlined to teach the boys thoroughly many things that they now do in a haphazard sort of way. While the boys in the spirit of fun engage in many activities, those things have a practical value in after life. The aim of the scout leaders is to let the boys have fun but to supervise their play in such a way as to develop the boy's body and mind..."

Winston-Salem Journal, p.4

1913:
More than twenty Boy Scouts distribute thousands of cards inviting the public to motivational speeches by Mr. Ludwig S. Dale of the National Field Staff of the Boy Scouts of America. Dale speaks to groups at the city high school, the Carnegie Library and the Shamrock Mills factory in Winston-Salem.

1915:
The Order of the Arrow, Scouting's National Honor Society, is founded at Treasure Island Boy Scout Camp near Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

1917:
Members of the Woman's Civic Improvement League serve supper to about fifty Boy Scouts who helped with the league's campaign to "clean-up" Winston-Salem.

1918:
Camp "Winsal" opens on the Yadkin River, 38 miles south of Winston-Salem near the village of High Rock and close to the Southbound Railway's tracks. The camp is operated as a cooperative venture of the YMCA and the Boy Scouts, but all boys in Winston-Salem are invited to attend one of the camp's summer sessions.

1918:
Winston-Salem's 200 Boy Scouts volunteer to work with the Epworth League of the West End Methodist Church and with Mr. Alfred Sidney "Mac" Macfarlane, City Probation Officer, to construct a playground for children in the city's West End neighborhood, thus beginning Winston-Salem's parks and recreation program.

1918:
Boy Scouts, Masons, servants and friends march to Salem Cemetery in the funeral procession of Mr. Richard Joshua "R. J" Reynolds, founder of the R. J. Reynolds Tobacco Company, on July 29.

1919:
Roy C. Flannagan arrives in Winston-Salem as the Winston-Salem Council's first paid Boy Scout executive. He helps to obtain local pledges totaling $15,000 to operate the new "first class" council for three years.

1919:
Boy Scouts throughout the nation sell Liberty Loan bonds worth at least $358 million to help the United States finance the winning of World War I. Scouts collect scrap metal and plant vegetable gardens to help the war effort.

October 11, 1919: [Boy Scouts were thanked for their service at the Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Fair.] "A special detail...were with Mr. Vogler's ambulance, ready at all times for any emergency that might arise....More than forty boys were on duty at all times and about 150 Scouts rendered valuable service during the week."

Winston-Salem Journal, p.6

October 26, 1919: "Troop No.9, Col. W. A. Blair, Scoutmaster is taking a hike to Pilot Mountain on Saturday, 25th. They will spend the night and wake up in time to see the sun rise over the Pilot Knob. This will be a strenuous trip for this late in the season, but these scouts are good woodsmen and will make themselves comfortable even on such chilly nights as we are now having."

Winston-Salem Journal, p. 6-x

December 4, 1919: "The members of Troop No. 9 celebrated Thanksgiving by engaging in an old-fashioned 'possum' hunt, and the night's sport resulted in the capture of seven of the 'varmints.' They are pinning for a 'possum' dinner at the Princess cafe' this evening..."

Winston-Salem Journal, p.9