 By
Suzanne Wilson
From across seven decades, former members
of a Kansas troop gather to honor a unit tradition that has
produced more than 500 Eagle Scouts.
In 1931, young Charles Colladay became the first Eagle Scout
of Troop 1 in Hutchinson, Kan.
In 1996, Sam Sellers became the 500th Eagle Scout in the same
troop, now called Troop 301.
The milestone passed quickly, because T. J. Williams received
the 501st Eagle Scout Award the same day.
By last March, when the troop gathered many of its Eagle
Scouts for "A Celebration of Eagles," the number was
514 and still counting, with more Scouts reaching for their
Eagle wings.
Pursuit of excellence
There's a tradition in this troop, and Hal Dick, Scoutmaster
from 1992 to 1995, explains it: "More than being an Eagle
Scout, there's a pursuit of excellence. It's not so much the
earning of the Eagle Scout rank but the skills the youth
develops in earning it."
Current Scoutmaster Rick Roberts describes it this way:
"The benefit is the journey to get there. And it's not an
end but hopefully a way of living."
More than 400 persons - Eagle Scouts from seven decades and
their family members - attended the Saturday evening celebration
at the First Presbyterian Church, hosted by the troop's 45
Scouts and their leaders. There was a lot to look forward to - a
speech by Kansas Governor Bill Graves, the chance to talk with
old friends and Scout leaders, and time to share memories.
"It was just a good time for the guys who had been in
the troop," said Paul Dillon, who became an Eagle in 1940
and later served as the troop's Scoutmaster for 25 years.
Lessons learned
Dillon was surprised to see Nigel Fletcher, who traveled from
the western Canada city of Nanaimo, British Columbia. In 1940,
12-year-old Fletcher had been sent from England to Hutchinson to
escape World War II. He lived with the family of Scoutmaster A.
Lewis Oswald and became an Eagle Scout in what was then Troop 1.
His Scouting years have been valuable, Fletcher said.
"You keep the lessons you learn, like being prepared, being
trustworthy, loyal, helpful, etc. I'm very fortunate to have
been in Scouting, particularly in Troop 1, where those ideals
were hammered home."
Six members of Dillon's and Fletcher's Cobra Patrol attended
the reunion. Dillon's son David and grandson Jeff came to the
celebration from Cincinnati. The Dillons are among several
families who have Scouts from three generations on the troop's
Eagle roster.
One generation to another
Hutchinson residents Frank and George Stuckey lingered in the
church's Fellowship Hall, which is also the Scout room, to look
at the hundreds of photo portraits taken of Scouts the year they
received their Eagle awards. Frank earned his Eagle in 1936,
George in 1937.
"We're in the first 100," Frank said. In a
memorabilia display, Frank found a photo of his Pinetree Patrol
and another of a staff meeting with George as senior patrol
leader.
The brothers struck up a conversation with several
12-year-old Scouts.
"Is the troop today a pretty good one?" Frank
asked. The answer was a definite yes.
The young Scouts talked about joining Troop 301 and their
expectations of being among its second 500 Eagles.
"I heard it was a really good troop and it had a bunch
of Eagles in it, and the troop went on a lot of camp-outs and
activities," said Scott Schriener.
Some of the boys, like Cameron Petz, had older brothers in
301. He said, "I wanted to make my grandma and grandpa
proud, because they wanted me to be an Eagle."
They talked enthusiastically about having fun on camp-outs,
always wearing uniforms or field uniforms at Scouting events and
camp, and learning good manners and leadership.
"It's a very traditional troop," said David Little.
'You're going to be an Eagle'
The Eagle tradition began almost 70 years ago. Charles
Colladay, the first Eagle, recalls what Scoutmaster Oswald
always told new Scouts: "If you're going to join Troop 1,
you're going to be an Eagle."
Oswald, who was Scoutmaster from 1930 to 1943, had a plan for
boys to become Eagle Scouts in three years. Today, the objective
is to reach Eagle before entering high school (ninth grade).
Troop 301 leaders believe a Scout has the best chance of
completing his Eagle before he's involved in high school
studies, activities, sports, and dating.
Scouts who transfer into the troop and a few others may need
extra time. "If the young man's trying, we'll make every
effort to get him there," says Scoutmaster Roberts.
The troop offers Eagle-required merit badges in a cycle that
lasts two and a half years, as well as other merit badges from
which Scouts can choose. "We push leadership early and
hard," says Roberts.
Advancement Chairman Loren Frees uses a BSA computer program
to keep track of Scouts' progress.
"We encourage them and show them the way," says
Roberts. "When they come in, they know we want them to
finish. I take it as a personal loss every time one slips
through and doesn't make it. We don't give it to them; they have
to earn it."
After attaining Eagle, boys can become members of the troop's
Eagle Scout unit. And some join crews in Venturing, the BSA
program for young adults.
Staying on the trail
Troop leaders believe the pace toward Eagle is not too fast
and the learning of skills is thorough. The young Scouts agree.
"Merit badges are really fun," says Cameron Petz.
Brady Blevins adds that Scouts work as a group, "and nobody
gets behind." David Little says: "We do every step. We
don't skip stuff."
Dick Beale, a troop committee member who earned his Eagle
Scout Award with another Hutchinson troop, chairs the Mohawk
District advancement committee and its Eagle board of review.
The thoroughness of the Troop 301 program is widely respected,
he says, and when a Scout from the troop appears before the
board, "It's a foregone conclusion that he's ready to get
his Eagle. They do make the boys earn their Eagle awards."
The number of adult leaders has increased since the days of
Scoutmaster Oswald, who usually led the troop by himself, seldom
with an assistant, and saw more than 100 of his Scouts become
Eagles.
Today the troop has seven assistant Scoutmasters and 15 troop
committee members. "I'm surrounded with a group of adults
who are absolutely great," says Scoutmaster Roberts.
Joining with a commitment
"This troop is well known for its organization and
motivation," says Paula Payton, mother of Scout Grady
Payton. "A parent enters knowing the child will most likely
succeed in achieving Eagle Scout rank, and it's nice to know
that they'll reach that goal - and when they do, the boys are so
proud of themselves. Most join the troop with a serious
commitment to complete their Eagle."
Troop 301 is the right place for making such a commitment,
says Scout Brady Blevins, now on his Eagle journey. "We
have great opportunities."
Suzanne Wilson is a Scouting magazine contributing
editor.
Former Troop Members Continue the
Tradition
Two Eagles and longtime Scoutmasters attending the
Troop 301 celebration were Lewis A. Mattingly of
Houston, Tex., and Paul Dillon of Hutchinson, Kan.
In 1943, Mattingly was the troop's 120th Eagle.
"I was 26 years old when I became a
Scoutmaster," he says. "The only thing I knew
was what I learned here."
 In his
seven years as Scoutmaster of Troop 11 at Houston's
First Presbyterian Church, 42 Scouts became Eagles;
during 29 years leading Troop 642 at the Memorial Drive
Presbyterian Church, another 354 Scouts achieved the
rank.
Meanwhile, Paul Dillon was leading Troop 301 in
Hutchinson. The troop's 78th Eagle, he had been senior
patrol leader when Mattingly was a Scout. The
Scoutmaster was A. Lewis Oswald, who began the troop's
effort to help boys achieve Eagle. During Dillon's 25
years as Scoutmaster, from 1955 to 1980, about 240
Scouts became Eagles.
In 1972, Dillon was selected as outstanding
Scoutmaster in the BSA's Central Region. In 1973,
Mattingly received that honor in what was then the South
Central Region.
Finding 'Lost Eagles'
Vince Puyear, assistant Scoutmaster and committee
chairman of the Troop 301 Eagle celebration, said the
toughest part of planning the event was finding current
addresses for the Eagles.
Charles Colladay, Troop 1's first Eagle Scout and a
member of the reunion committee, searched alumni records
at the high school. Other committee members contacted
contemporaries of the "lost" Eagles, in case
they were still in touch, and called people in the phone
book with the same last names as the missing Scouts.
The announcement mailed for the event included a
"Lost Eagle Search" column, asking for
responses by phone, mail, or e-mail.
Scouting Was 'a Full-time Job'
Eagles of past years value their achievements and
experiences in Troop 1. Charles Colladay remembers
traditional activities, like building towers, signaling,
and learning swimming and lifesaving.
An unusual challenge was the "sealed-order"
hike. Scoutmaster A. Lewis Oswald gave Colladay and
another Scout a sealed envelope containing their
destination. They hiked through Hutchinson to "the
old folks home," visited it, and wrote a report.
"Scouting was a full-time job. That's all we
did," says Colladay, noting that there wasn't the
variety of activities now available to young people.
Colladay later helped other Scouts on the Eagle path
when he was Troop 1's Scoutmaster from 1943 to 1946.
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Words of Praise From a Former
Scout (Who Happens To Be the Governor)
"All of you who hold the rank of Eagle Scout,
you have my great admiration and respect," Kansas
Governor Bill Graves said in his keynote speech at Troop
301's Celebration of Eagles.
Saying he admired the Eagles for choosing to pursue
"a personal search for excellence," he also
praised troop leaders, parents, professional Scouters,
the First Presbyterian Church, and the community for
their motivation and support of Scouts.
"The fact that you have impacted over 500 to
reach the top of the Scouting organization to achieve
the rank of Eagle speaks so highly of you, and you have
every reason to be very proud," he said.
He also spoke of the benefits to all young people in
the Scouting program.
'A lasting impression on my life'
In an interview, the Governor described himself as a
"summer Scout" in Troop 21 during his youth in
Salina, Kan., explaining that he most enjoyed outdoor
activities, camping, and high adventure. He became a
Life Scout, senior patrol leader, and member of the
Order of the Arrow. While he regrets not attaining Eagle
rank, he values his leadership experiences.
"My Scouting experience has made a lasting
impression on my life," he said. "I have lots
of friends to this day that I first met and spent time
with in Scouting, and I had great role models in
Scoutmasters and volunteer leaders."
In Topeka, Governor Graves is a member of the Jayhawk
Area Council's executive board; he has been honored by
the council with the Silver Beaver Award, as well as
presented the Silver Antelope region award. Quivira
Council, which includes Hutchinson, honored him with its
1997 Distinguished Citizen Award.
His father, William H. Graves, who has been involved
in Coronado Area Council leadership roles and is
currently a council executive board member, has been
awarded a council Silver Beaver and the Silver Antelope
region award as well. The council service center in
Salina bears the name of the elder Graves.
'My way of being of service'
Because of his early Scouting experiences and his
involvement in the Jayhawk Area Council, the Governor
says, "Scouting has a special place in terms of my
priorities." He sees his participation in Scouting
events as opportunities "to be involved and
emphasize how important Scouting is. It's my way of
being of service."
Elected in 1994, he instituted a practice of sending
out a letter and certificate to each new Eagle Scout in
the state. "I've been impressed by the large number
of letters and certificates I've been issuing over the
last four years," he said.
"I think there's a role for government in
acknowledging young people who rise to the occasion and
make themselves better citizens of our state through
their Scouting and especially through their achievement
of Eagle rank."
- S.W.
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