Boy Scouts in the 60's and 70's

[jmpokc1957]

Anyone have memories of being a Boy Scout in the 60's and 70's? I was a member of troop 551 in the early 70's. We met at the Prince of Peace Lutheran Church near NW 35(?) and Meridian. Mr. Thompson was the scoutmaster.

If you were in scouts then you would remember selling Scout-O-Rama tickets and being able to get prizes according to the number you sold.

Great times and great memories!

[kevinpate]

Late 60's & early 70's for me as a youth in se OK. Our council office at the time was, if I recall what I've read, in Hugo (and subsequently merged with Indian Nations, based in Tulsa, sometime after my time ended. Several camping locations on and near Short Mountain on Kerr lake, s of sallisaw, summer camp at Camp Tom Hale (now Hale Scout Reservation.) We had a blast in Pack and Troop 30. Fast forward a bunch of years to 94 and the next 14 years included many nights and weekends as an adult serving youth and working with adults in both GSUSA and BSA. These days I moderate an active list for Cub leaders, participate in some other offerings online, patiently waiting for my the grandbabies to get older.

[sgt. pepper]

Scout-o-rama's at the fairgrounds!

[kevinpate]

Scout-o-rama's at the fairgrounds!

My lads enjoyed the ones they went to. Not recalling when it ended but it seems like it was before my eldest son moved to a troop in 2000.

[Bill Robertson]

Oh yeah! Troop 10 met in a small building, really a house with most of the interior walls removed to make open space, on NW 32nd, 33rd or 34th just east of Villa. Pinewood derbys were a blast. So was Scout-A-Rama. Gave myself a major gash in my left thumb at Scout-A-Rama once building a lashed-together tower. Wrapped it up and kept right on going. Got stitches later.

[ctchandler]

Is there a need for a 50's thread? I attended Troop 47 at the Southminster Presbyterian Church in the 50's, both Boy Scouts and Explorer Scouts. I went to the Boy Scout Jamboree in 1957. I participated in the Order of the Arrow as well. My last badge was Life. I should have completed a few more merit badges and the requirements for Eagle but I got hung up on cars and had to work to do that, so I left scouting.
C. T.

[Bill Robertson]

Is there a need for a 50's thread? I attended Troop 47 at the Southminster Presbyterian Church in the 50's, both Boy Scouts and Explorer Scouts. I went to the Boy Scout Jamboree in 1957. I participated in the Order of the Arrow as well. My last badge was Life. I should have completed a few more merit badges and the requirements for Eagle but I got hung up on cars and had to work to do that, so I left scouting.
C. T.

Sounds very familiar. I was in the Order Of The Arrow too. Funny how hearing about initiation night turned out to be way worse than reality. I also was only a couple of merit badges, the service project and going before the council away from Eagle. Then I found cars and girls. The rest is history.

[kevinpate]

Sounds very familiar. I was in the Order Of The Arrow too. Funny how hearing about initiation night turned out to be way worse than reality.

Never a part of OA. But in my early 30's, quite apart from Scouting, I was inducted into the AABOOTRRR. Another initiation night that turned out to be more hype than fright. I guess somethings involving guys never really change, no matter the actual setting.

[OKCisOK4me]

And let's jump into the 80s and 90s...with all this boy scout hoopla going on, I just gotta say, there were no issues whatsoever in any groups or troops that I was ever in. Cub scouts, Webelos, Boy Scouts...nada. I was part of Troop 77 in Edmond and had tons of fun camping at Kickapoo, Slippery Falls and Philmont.

[YO MUDA]

Troop 140 in Elk City back in the 60s and 70s. I remember Scout-O-Rama at the fairgrounds and lots of campouts at Sasakawa and Black Kettle near Cheyanne. Great times.

[OKCisOK4me]

My dad was a boy scout in Tulsa back in the mid 50's. He said they'd camp out at the lake where LaFortune Park is now (51st & Yale). Back then, that was the boondocks, lol!

[ChaseDweller]

I was in Troop 77 - Eagle Scout in 1978. Bob Jenni was our scoutmaster. Not many troops had alligators and snakes at their meetings on a regular basis.

[jmpokc1957]

Is there a need for a 50's thread? I attended Troop 47 at the Southminster Presbyterian Church in the 50's, both Boy Scouts and Explorer Scouts. I went to the Boy Scout Jamboree in 1957. I participated in the Order of the Arrow as well. My last badge was Life. I should have completed a few more merit badges and the requirements for Eagle but I got hung up on cars and had to work to do that, so I left scouting.
C. T.

Go ahead with a 50's thread, it would be interesting. I just said 60's and 70's as that was my time period.

[jmpokc1957]

I was in Troop 77 - Eagle Scout in 1978. Bob Jenni was our scoutmaster. Not many troops had alligators and snakes at their meetings on a regular basis.

I remember Bob Jenni, he did a lot of shows for groups like scouts. I remember another guy who did fantastic shows for scouts and other groups and that was Lt. Dan Combs of the Oklahoma Highway patrol. His fast draw shows were incredible!

[jmpokc1957]

Troop 140 in Elk City back in the 60s and 70s. I remember Scout-O-Rama at the fairgrounds and lots of campouts at Sasakawa and Black Kettle near Cheyanne. Great times.

I remember summer camp at Sasakwa. It was a great camp. I read that all the buildings had been razed and the pool filled. It is now a primitive camp. A shame as it was a really nice camp.

[capt_john_97]

I was a Cub Scout in the 70's I couldn't tell you what pack but we met at Coronado Heights Elementary. I remember in 1976 making time capsules. Something we wrote and put in a glass coke bottle that was sealed with tar then put it in with a red bud tree that we planted at the fairgrounds. I know we were told that years later we could get the trees or some such nonsense and i know at the time I figured out I would be 40 or so...well I'm 50 now and the Last Frontier Council never contacted me to come get a tree or a time capsule LOL

[Jeepnokc]

I grew up in scouting but was active here when we moved here in 1982. Been to Sasakwa, Kickapoo, Slippery Falls, and Hale. Went to Philmont with my old troop in Ft Lewis. Worked at Camp Garland in Locust Grove for two years as a counselor. During college, I worked at Camp Nash for a summer also in outside of KC and also spent some time down at H. Roe Bartle Scout Reservation. After I graduated college and before law school, I worked for BSA (Indian Nations Council) as a professional (District Executive). I made Eagle (Barely before 18th birthday) and was OA also. Here's an interesting one for you....anyone on here a member (or ever heard of it) of the Tribe of Mic-O-Say? I am an Honorable Warrior with the Tribe.

Scouting is a great program for kids. I am not active now and my 11 year old has not expressed any interest in it nor have I pushed him that direction. If he does, I don't think I will take a leadership role as now that I have seen the business side of scouting, my view can be a little jaded on certain subjects like popcorn sales, membership drives, etc.

[OKCretro]

In the 1980's went to camp Kickapoo several times. Is it still open ?

[kevinpate]

In the 1980's went to camp Kickapoo several times. Is it still open ?

Still there, undergoing improvements the last few years. It is now called the John Nichols Scout Ranch
(Scout Ranch being the next step up the BSA nomenclature ladder from Camp)

It's been a few years since I was on the property. The youth always had fun when we were there.

[kevinpate]

Jeep, I've seen references to Mic-O-say over the years when I was more active in Scouting discussions online. I used to participate in a few online groups with membership across the nation and beyond. I'm down to two groups now due to time constraints, one Cub centric and one training centric.

[Edmond_Outsider]

Scouting is a great activity. I was active as a scout from cubs through right before my eagle when my troop went dormant for several years. My sons have followed and my oldest two are completing their eagle with my entire family joining in to help them through. My brother and I have brought our family's boys through and I'm not sure there are any other groups which offer the same passage from child to adult experience as BSA does.

[GaryOKC6]

I belonged to Troop 12. We met at John Carroll School / Our Lady's Cathedral. My best memories were at Slippery Falls for summer camp. We always had monthly camp outs but the week long summer camps were the best. I loved floating down the stream from cap to the falls and swimming for hours. Then it was back to the lake for fishing at night.

[jerrywall]

Course, now slippery is "Kerry Scout Ranch". My son, who was on staff this year, refuses to call it anything but Slipper Falls. He feels the same about Kickapoo.

[kevinpate]

Is Kerr a new name beginning this year? I hadn't realized that went into effect until I saw your post.

on edit: seems I am a full year out of touch. Also seems from their FB page they have really upgraded the place in the last year or three. Nice to see that level of improvement going in for the youth.