Brownsea 1980

Brownsea has existed on the reservation for quite some time, but it has taken different forms. This particular photos is mostly likely from 1980, though we aren’t entirely certain. Nevertheless, if you are familiar with Brownsea at all, this is a lot of adults!

As Russ Parham (far left) explains, “In 1971 with the introduction at camp of the Commissioner System also came some wide sweeping changes in the Scouting Program… {B}y the time Camp Craig was ready to open, in 1974, the overall membership in Scouting had dropped such that we could not maintain two camps, let alone attempt to open Camp Craig. As I recall, the emphasis had shifted from ‘Scout Skills’ to ‘Leadership Skills’ and I remember that Mr. Akers wanted to make ‘every scout a leader’…

“By 1976 through 1977 the National BSA introduced the ‘All Out For Scouting’ and returned Scouting to a Scout Skills emphasis. But by this time most adults had to be re-taught this approach. There were multiple events, Train the Trainer, Hit the Goal council Jamboree but the big emphasis was Brownsea Double II (I was told they knew better than to abbreviate this program as B.S.). Well in fall of 1977 there were enough scouts to have 3 separate troops participate in the Brownsea program. After that year, they reverted to just Brownsea and I would say the enthusiam was great enough that adults, such as myself, Steve Eubank, Perry Bruce, eventually Jerry Barnett and others) [wanted to participate]. As you can imagine, the newness wore off after 3 or 4 years and they found the only/best recruits for staff were older scouts, which is still the case today.”

Pictured here is Russ Parham on the far left, then Jerry Barnett, an unknown, Lee Preston, and Perry Bruce at the far right.

There was a lot of adult leadership at Brownsea in 1980!