Scouting in Massachusetts

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Scouting in Massachusetts includes both Girl Scout and Boy Scout organizations. Both were founded in the 1910s in Massachusetts. With a vigorous history, both organizations actively serve thousands of youth in programs that suit the environment in which they live.

Contents

[edit] Early history (1910-1950)

[edit] Recent history (1950-1990)

[edit] Scouting in Massachusetts today

  • Girl Scouts of America has six regional councils in Massachusetts,
  • Boy Scouts of America has ten regional councils in Massachusetts.

Full details for the regional councils are below.

[edit] Girl Scout Regional Councils in Massachusetts

There are six Girl Scout council offices in Massachusetts.

Information on Girl Scout Houses in Eastern Massachusetts: Scout Houses
  • Girl Scouts of Pioneer Valley East Longmeadow, Massachusetts http://gspv.org
  • Girl Scout Council of Southeastern Massachusetts, Incorporated Middleboro, Massachusetts http://www.gscsm.org
  • Girl Scouts of Spar and Spindle Council, Inc. North Andover, Massachusetts http://www.ssgsc.org
  • Girl Scouts of Western Massachusetts, Incorporated Leeds, Massachusetts http://www.gswma.org

[edit] Miscellaneous Girl Scout Camps history

Camp Muriel Flagg is a locale in Williamstown, Massachusetts named for Muriel Flagg, a Girl Scout leader and teacher. Originally a Girl Scout camp, it opened in June 1964 and probably ceased operations in the late 1970s or early 1980s. It is located at an elevation of 1004 feet and is 1.5 miles north of Williamstown in Berkshire County Latitude 42°44′28″N, 073°11′08″W

[edit] Boy Scout Regional Councils in Massachusetts

[edit] Annawon Council

The Annawon Council, Boy Scouts of America is a local council of the Boy Scouts of America headquartered in Norton, Massachusetts. It is one of the few small councils remaining in the area. It is responsible for administrating the Boy Scout programs in its geographic region. Camp Norse is the sole camp of the council.

[edit] Troops

  • Angle Tree District
  • Sachem District

[edit] Boston Minuteman Council

The Council serves the greater Boston area.

[edit] Cape Cod and the Islands Council

  • Lower Cape District
  • Martha's Vineyard District
  • Nantucket District
  • Upper Cape District

[edit] Great Trails Council

The Great Trails Council serves Berkshire County, Massachusetts; Hampshire County, Massachusetts and Franklin County, Massachusetts in the western part of the state. See also: Great Trails Council website.

  • Appalachian Trail District
  • Metacomet District

[edit] Knox Trail Council

  • Liberty District
  • Tri-River District
  • Viking District

[edit] Mohegan Council

  • Quinsigamond District
  • Hassanamisco District
  • Massasoit District

[edit] Nashua Valley Council

North Central Massachusetts

  • Massasoit District - Acton, Ashby, Ayer, Berlin, Bolton, Boxborough, Clinton, Fitchburg, Groton, Harvard, Lancaster, Littleton, Lunenburg, Pepperell, Shirley, Townsend
  • Wachusett District - Ashburnham, Athol, Barre, Gardner, Hardwick, Hubbardston, Leominster, Orange, Petersham, Phillipston, Princeton, Royalston, Sterling, Templeton, Westminster, Winchendon

[edit] Narragansett Council

[edit] Cachalot District

Main article: Cachalot Council

[edit] Massasoit District

The Massasoit District is a subdivision of the Narragansett Council of the Boy Scouts of America.

[edit] History

The Fall River Council rechartered as the Massasoit Council. It was headquartered in Fall River, Massachusetts and served that city and the surrounding communities of Somerset, Swansea, Westport, Tiverton and Little Compton. The Wampanoag District served Somerset and Swansea, Massachusetts. The Council Office was located in the Women's Union Building on Rock Street. The Massasoit Council existed until 1972.

The primary source for Boy Scout uniforms and gear was McWhirr's department store on South Main St in Fall River. Many Council-wide Scouting events were often held at Lincoln Park in Westport, Massachusetts (see Lincoln Park (Massachusetts)). The Firestone Rubber Company, which had a large factory in Fall River, sponsored the Firestone Award for outstanding Boy Scouts in the Massasoit Council in the 1950s and 1960s. These recognition events were held at White's in Westport, Massachusetts.

Camping for the Fall River Council began in 1917 at Camp Stanford in Fall River and provided an outlet for boys for four years. It was decided in 1921 at a Fall River Council Executive Board meeting that the purchase of a 100 acre wooded area would take place, naming it Camp Noquochoke.

Additional acreage was purchased in Camp Noquochoke’s later years covering over 110 acres on the eastern shore of the Westport River in Westport, MA.

Camp site facilities ranged from undeveloped, to tent sites with platforms, to A-frames ("Adirondacks") to cabins with stoves and bunk beds. The physical facilities were significantly improved in the late 1950s with a new dining hall (constructed by the Navy Seabees) and an in-ground pool. Camp legend, the basis for many campfire stories, was a character named "Three-fingered Willie". Camp Noquochoke continued to serve area youth until 1980.

Smaller councils began to be consolidated, which led to Massasoit Council merging with the Cachalot Council (see Cachalot District) to form the Moby Dick Council. In this new council, the two former councils became districts. Moby Dick Council maintained the Cachalot Council's office in New Bedford. Massasoit's Camp Noquochoke was sold, and Cachalot's Camp Cachalot remained with the new council.

Massasoit Council's Noquochoke Lodge 124 of the Order of the Arrow merged with Cachalot Council's Agawam Lodge 509 to form Neemat Lodge 124.

In 2001, another merger was announced. Moby Dick Council, which by contemporary standards at its inception was of decent size, had become archaic. It was considered in their best interest to dissolve and merge with another council, and they did so, merging with Rhode Island's Narragansett Council. The new council, which kept the Narragansett name, kept the Massasoit and Cachalot district designations, and also continues to operate Camp Cachalot.

[edit] Packs

[edit] Troops

[edit] Crews
  • Quequatuck District
  • Shawomet District
  • Skeleton Valley District
  • Thundermist District

Moby Dick Council #245 was a Council of the Boy Scouts of America from 1972 to 2001.

[edit] Formation

The Moby Dick Council (also known as Moby Dick Council of Massachusetts and Rhode Island) was formed in 1972 by a merger of the Cachalot Council of Greater New Bedford and the Massasoit Council of Greater Fall River. The two former councils were small, and fell victim to the BSA's desire to create larger councils. In 2001, Moby Dick Council suffered a similar fate, and merged with the Narragansett Council of Rhode Island, much to the chagrin of many old-timers of both the smaller councils and the larger Moby Dick Council.

[edit] Camps

Moby Dick Council originally had two camps: Camp Cachalot was the camp for Cachalot Council, and Camp Noquochoke was the camp for Massasoit Council. Camp Noquochoke was sold due to its smaller size and fewer prospects, and later became a residential neighborhood. Camp Cachalot still remains as a weekend and summer resident camp owned and operated by the Narragansett Council.

[edit] Order of the Arrow

Moby Dick's OA Lodge was Neemat Lodge #124, which was formed by a combination of Agawam Lodge #509 and Noquochoke Lodge #124 in 1972. Neemat Lodge and Wincheck Lodge #524 merged in 2001 to form Abnaki Lodge.

[edit] Nashua Valley Council

Nashua Valley Council was first organized in 1965 as a result of the merger between the former Wachusett Area Council (Leominster, Massachusetts) and Fitchburg Area Council (Fitchburg, Massachusetts). The Council was further enlarged in 1993 when it was consolidated with the former Monadnock Area Council (Gardner, Massachusetts).

  • Massassoit District
Serves the towns of Acton [1], Ashby, Ayer, Boxbourgh, Clinton, Fitchburg, Groton, Harvard, Lancaster, Littleton, Lunenburg, Pepperell, Shirley, Townsend.
  • Wachusett District
Serves the towns Ashburnham, Athol, Baldwinville, Barre, Gardner, Leomister, Orange, Phillipston, Princeton, Royalston, Sterling, Templeton, Westminster, Winchendon.

The website is http://nashuavalleybsa.org

Old Colony Council's CSP
Enlarge
Old Colony Council's CSP

[edit] Old Colony Council

Old Colony Council #249, BSA, is a council of the Boy Scouts of America based at Canton, Massachusetts. Until recently, Old Colony Council owned two camps: Camp Child and Camp Squanto. Currently, the sole camp of the council is Camp Squanto.

Old Colony Council serves the following cities and towns in Massachusetts: Abington; Avon; Braintree; Bellingham; Bridgewater; Brockton; Canton; Cohasset; East Bridgewater; Easton; Foxboro; Franklin; Hanover; Hingham; Holbrook; Hull; Kingston; Marshfield; Medfield; Medway; Millis; Norfolk; Norwood; Plainville; Pembroke; Plymouth; Randolph; Rockland; Sharon; Stoughton; Walpole; West Bridgewater; Weymouth; Whitman; and Wrentham.

[edit] Districts

Old Colony Council is split into the following districts:

  • Cranberry Harbors District
  • Great Ponds District
  • Seven Rivers District
  • Squanto District

[edit] Order of the Arrow

Old Colony's Order of the Arrow Lodge is Tisquantum #164, which was formed when Tisquantum Lodge #518 and Manomet Lodge #164 merged in 1969. There was a bit of confusion when the National Order of the Arrow Council declared that Lodges no longer needed numbers, incorrectly dubbing the lodge "Tisquantum Lodge #249" (which was first seen on the infamous "Mario Patch", Tisquantum's NOAC flap from 2004) - this misunderstanding persists to this day on Tisquantum's lodge flaps. The proper name for the lodge is now "Tisquantum Lodge, Old Colony Council #249").

[edit] Pioneer Valley Council

  • Connecticut River District
  • Knox Trail District
  • Post Road District
  • Springfield District

[edit] Yankee Clipper Council

On January 1, 1993 the North Essex Council, the North Bay Council and the Lone Tree Council were merged together to form the Yankee Clipper Council. In December 1999 the Greater Lowell Council was also merged into the Yankee Clipper Council. Today the council has five districts, serving a large corner of northern Massachusetts and southern New Hampshire. With six or seven towns located in the Lone Tree District, Yankee Clipper Council is the smaller of the two Boy Scout councils in New Hampshire.

The council's website is located at http://www.yccbsa.org

[edit] Districts

  • Aquila District - serves the Massachusetts communities of: Cliftondale (in Saugus), East Lynn, Lynn, Lynnfield, Lynnfield Center, Nahant, Peabody, Saugus, South Lynnfield, Swampscott, West Lynn, West Peabody, and Winthrop.
  • Greater Lowell District - serves the Massachusetts communities of: Ayers Village (in Lowell), Belvidere Village (in Lowell), Billerica, Centralville (in Lowell), Chapel Hill (in Lowell), Chelmsford, Collinsville (in Dracut), Dracut, Dunstable, East Billerica, East Chelmsford, Forge Village (in Westford), Graniteville (in Westford), Highlands (in Lowell), Kearney Square (in Lowell), Lowell, Nabnasset (in Westford), Nutting Lake (in Billerica), North Billerica, North Chelmsford, North Wilmington, Pawtucketville (in Lowell), Pinehurst (in Billerica), Riverdale (in Dracut), South Chelmsford, South Lowell, Spaghettiville (in Lowell), Tewksbury], Tyngsborough, Wamesit (in Tewksbury), West Chelmsford, Westford, and Wilmington.
  • Lone Tree District - serves the Massachusetts communities of: Amesbury, Bradford (in Haverhill), Byfield (in Newbury), East Haverhill, Georgetown Groveland, Haverhill, Merrimac, Merrimacport, Merrimack College, Newbury, Newburyport, Plum Island, Rowley, Salisbury, Salisbury Beach, South Byfield (in Newbury), South Groveland, Ward Hill (in Haverhill) and West Newbury. Also serves the New Hampshire communities of: Atkinson, Atkinson Depot, East Kingston, Hampstead, Kingston, Newton, Newton Junction, Plaistow, Seabrook, Smithtown, and South Hampton.
  • North Essex District - serves the Massachusetts communities of: Andover, Ballardvale (in Andover), Lawrence, Methuen, North Andover, and Shawsheen Village (in Andover).
  • North Shore District - serves the Massachusetts communities of: Annisquam (in Gloucester), Asburygrove (in Hamilton), Bakers Island (in Salem Harbor), Beverly, Beverly Farms, Boxford, Carltonville (in Salem), Clifton (in Marblehead), Danvers, East Boxford, East Gloucester, Essex, Gloucester, Hamilton, Hathorne Station (in Danvers), Ipswich, Lanesville (in Gloucester), Littleneck (in Ipswich), Magnolia (in Gloucester), Manchester-by-the-Sea, Marblehead, Middleton, Pigeon Cove (in Rockport), Prides Crossing (in Beverly), Riverdale (in Gloucester), Rockport, Salem, Salem State College, South Essex, South Hamilton, Topsfield, Wenham, Massachusetts|Wenham]], West Boxford, and West Gloucester.

[edit] Camps

Yankee Clipper also operates two Cub Scout day camps; one in Chelmsford, Massachusetts and Camp Nihan, Saugus, Massachusetts.

[edit] George W. Magee Memorial Trust Fund

The George W. Magee Memorial Trust Fund is a Massachusetts-based trust whose proceeds are used to support the purchase and improvement of the camps operated by Boy Scout Councils in Massachusetts.

[edit] History

George W. P. Magee was a theatrical agent and manager who most notably managed Boston's Grand Opera House from the 1890s through 1916. Being very involved in the community, he saw Scouting as a program making significant positive impact on the lives of young men. He turned this belief into a permanent commitment to Scouting, by establishing a trust upon his death. His will reads, in part:

"They shall pay the amounts, during their respective lives, to the individuals mentioned above, and they shall distribute the balance of the net income of the said Trust Fund to such of the councils of the BOY SCOUTS OF AMERICA as are located in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and as, in the opinion of said Trustees, are performing the most efficient service, the said net income to be used, so far as possible, for the purchase and maintenance of summer camps or training camps in New England for the use of Boy Scouts. These payments shall be made by said Trustees after consultation with the officials of the Boy Scouts of America.

It is my desire that the said Councils to whom this Fund is distributed, shall, during the week of August sixth, which date is my birthday have such competitive games, drills and/or exhibitions as may, in the opinion of said Councils, be for the greatest benefit of the said boys and will also tend to permanently impress upon them the nature of the Fund, and, for such purpose, they may award such cups, badges or other recognition of merit as to them may seem proper.

In disbursing the said income, the Trustees have the right to erect in any Boy Scout camp or training field conducted under the auspices of Councils of the Boy Scouts located in Massachusetts, a lodge or general meeting place with a proper inscription showing that the said structure is erected and dedicated by this Fund."

George Magee died in 1939, with France Cornell and Frederick W. Cook becoming the original Trustees of the fund. It took nearly 5 years, until 1944, for the fund to reach the minimum level for income to be distributed ($500,000). In 1944, the fund distributed $11,000. Upon the death of Mr. Cornell in 1961, the Old Colony Trust Company became the sole corporate trustee of the fund.

[edit] Today

As of 1994, the fund had a market value of approximately $5.3 million, with an annual distribution of $172,900. Over its lifetime, the fund has contributed over $3.75 million to hundreds of projects, impacting over a million youth, at various Boy Scout camps. Funds are held by the Private Bank at Bank of America, the current successor of the Old Colony Trust Company, and they are advised by a committee composed of local Scouting professionals and volunteers. Many Massachusetts camps conduct a "Magee Night" competition or other similar event to celebrate Mr. Magee's contribution, and it is quite easy to find buildings named after Mr. Magee or with plaques bearing his name.

Councils requesting money typically make proposals to the advisory committee, stating the purpose of the project, the amount being requested, and any moneys being provided through other sources. Only Councils located in Massachusetts are eligible, although as the will reads the camps that benefit may be located elsewhere in New England.

[edit] Scouting museums

[edit] See also

[edit] External links and references

Scouting in the United States of America

Alabama | Alaska | Arizona | Arkansas | California | Colorado | Connecticut | Delaware | Florida | Georgia | Hawaii | Idaho | Illinois | Indiana | Iowa | Kansas | Kentucky | Louisiana | Maine | Maryland | Massachusetts | Michigan | Minnesota | Mississippi | Missouri | Montana | Nebraska | Nevada | New Hampshire | New Jersey | New Mexico | New York | North Carolina | North Dakota | Ohio | Oklahoma | Oregon | Pennsylvania | Rhode Island | South Carolina | South Dakota | Tennessee | Texas | Utah | Vermont | Virginia | Washington | West Virginia | Wisconsin | Wyoming
Federal District: District of Columbia
Insular areas and councils overseas: American Samoa | Guam | Northern Mariana Islands | Puerto Rico | U.S. Virgin Islands | American Scouting overseas