From the Archives, March 26, 2023

High Five

CubWorld has its own set of traditions, separate and unique from the Scouts BSA camps. Many of these traditions are rooted in a central philosophy: give Cubs a good experience and they’ll keep coming back. That means its important for the Cubs to have fun and feel welcome.

Campfires are a great example of this philosophy at work. As Scouts and their parents enter the campfire area, the staff line the path. But instead of standing solemnly with signs up to ensure quiet, staff high five every Scout and parents that comes down the trail. This sets a completely different tone as all enter the campfire area with the fire already lit and ready to go.

Here is the start of a CubWorld campfire in 2019. Camp Program Director Garrett Ladd welcomes Scouts and parents as they follow the winding path down to the campfire area. Camp Director Max Briscoe waits at the other end where the fire is already burning.

CubWorld High Five Welcome, 2019
CubWorld Program Director Garrett Ladd welcomes a Cub Scout and a parent to the campfire, June 2019.

From the Archives, March 19, 2023

Parnell Kitchen, 1996

Kitchen staff rarely gets the love they deserve. While one of the hardest work and most essential jobs on staff, the kitchen staff is often made of first year staff members. As we all know, a poor first year experience in the kitchen can taint a person for years.

Yet despite how critical these jobs are, Kitchen staff are often forgotten. There are few staff photos of just the kitchen staff. And again, because so many are first year staff, sometimes whole groups just disappear. The accepted wisdom is, if the staff member is any good, he will move out to a program area. Conversely, to be program staff and sent back as a director was a duty no one wanted.

In our archives, we only have a handful of Kitchen staff photos. Here is one: the 1996 Parnell Kitchen Staff. While they didn’t know it, they were one of the last Parnell Kitchen staffs. L-R Front row: Jimmy Nichols, Ross White, James Littlefield; Back Row: Jason Pedersen (Director), David Lavender, Jamil Matthews, and Robert Worden.

Parnell Kitchen staff, 1996
Camp Parnell Kitchen Staff, 1996. L-R Front row: Jimmy Nichols, Ross White, James Littlefield; Back Row: Jason Pedersen (Director), David Lavender, Jamil Matthews, and Robert Worden.

From the Archives, March 12, 2023

Testing the Water

The move to Rock Island was fairly abrupt. The Council announced the move on April 11, 1949. Camp was set to open June 26. Docks and the Crib had to be build, a kitchen erected, and so much more. Imagine building a camp from scratch in approximately 9 weeks.

Camp would run for nine weeks that summer with each week holding approximately 125 to 150 Scouts. Scouts camped “bivouac” style that first summer–individual two and four man tents around the property, but campsites by troop would be introduced the following summer. 1949 was the last time Ward Akers would serve as Camp Director.

It was a lot of work. Here are some of the adult leaders taking a break to test out the first purified water from the Caney Fork River. Some were professionals and some were volunteers. From left to right were Floyd “Q-ball” Pearce, Field Executive Talmadge Miller, Everett Hertenstein, Field Executive Floyd Laney, Field Executive Craig Ayers, Council Executive Ward Akers, and local Scoutmaster Wayman Hillis.

Testing the Water at Rock Island, 1949
Leaders test the water at Rock Island, 1949. From left to right were Floyd “Q-ball” Pearce, Field Executive Talmadge Miller, Everett Hertenstein, Field Executive Floyd Laney, Field Executive Craig Ayers, Council Executive Ward Akers, and local Scoutmaster Wayman Hillis.

From the Archives, March 5, 2023

Stahlman Assembly

As a group of early 2000s Stahlman staff continue to ponder how to say good-bye to the Stahlman dining hall, we thought we might give a nod to those years. Seen here is Camp Stahlman at an assembly. It is a familiar sight with staff to the left and Scouts to the right.

In the center is the Camp Commissioner, Chris Hubbard. Hubbard had been part of the Stahlman staff since 1997, spending his years in the Con-Yard. Indeed, he had finally made it to Con-Yard Director in 2000 before being plucked for this single year appointment as Commissioner. Andy Verble was Program Director and the Camp Director was Chris Daughtrey, a professional Scouter.

No real story here, just a nod to early 21st century Stahlman staff as they plan a mini-reunion for June 23 and 24. Good luck ladies and gentlemen.

Commissioner Chris Hubbard, 2001
Stahlman Camp Commissioner Chris Hubbard, 2001

From the Archives, February 26, 2023

“Indian Tells Story of Custer”

You probably haven’t heard this story before! In July of 1926, the Sioux chief Red Fox came to Camp Boxwell at Linton. The Oglala Lakota spoke on Custer’s Battle at Little Big Horn and the lives of Native Americans. Speakers were regular nightly events at the Linton Boxwell.

Interestingly, Red Fox was in the Nashville area for about two weeks, promoting a film titled “The Vanishing American.” The Tennessean promoted the film with a drawing contest of a Native American, the winner getting a silver cup. Born in 1870 on the Pine Ridge reservation, Red Fox was an actor in several silent films of the time, getting his start in show business with Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show in 1893. Controversy surrounded the veracity of much of Red Fox’s accounts of the old West, but he never seemed much bothered the brouhaha.

Red Fox’s talk at Linton was one of literally dozens he made while in the Nashville area. One article states he made as many as three lectures as day. He continued to be active for years, publishing his memoirs in 1972, just a few years before he died at the age of 105 in 1976.

“Indian Tells Story of Custer,” The Nashville Tennessean, July 20, 1926, pg. 5

Chief Red Fox at the Linton Boxwell, July 1926
Chief Red Fox at the Linton Boxwell, July 1926; _Nashville Tennessean_, July 20, 1926, pg 5