The Millennium staff of 2000 had a lot going on! Joe Long was now Council Executive and Ron Turpin was Reservation Director. Because of the 1994 Capital Development Campaign, the Boat Harbor was now back in full force and Murrey had been transformed into CubWorld. Parnell however was closed and would never again see the light of day as a resident camp.

Stahlman was led by Program Director Andy Verble and Camp Director David Williams. Camp Craig was led by Program Director Michael Salazar and Camp Director Carl Denton. COPE was led by Lance Ussery and Bill Freeman was the head ranger. Both the leadership of the Boat Harbor and CubWorld have, unfortunately, been lost to history.

Shown here is a full Boxwell staff (entire reservation) photo as well as a Stahlman Staff Photo and a Craig Staff photo. All taken by John Kasper (we think).

Thirty years ago brings us to the year of 1990. In 1990 Scouting dropped Skill Awards and moved back to rank requirements. Hershel Tolbert was still Council Executive and Tom Willhite was still Reservation Director.

Stahlman’s Program Director in 1990 was Brent Limbaugh with Larry Green as his Camp Director. At Camp Craig was Jerry Barnett as Program Director with Greg King as Camp Director. Parnell was closed for the next two summers. The Boat Harbor was still closed, but COPE now existed and John Hickman was its Director. Camp Murrey was still alive and run by Christy Willhite. And yes, Pearl Schleicher was still running the kitchen!

We have staff photos for Stahlman and Craig for 1990, both taken by Business Manager Russ Parham.

Forty years ago was the summer of 1980. Hershel Tolbert was Council Executive and Tom Willhite was now in his 5th year at Reservation Director. The red staff hat was now part of Staff life. Everyone was happy to get back to normal in 1980 as Stahlman was closed for the first and only time in 1979.

Ernie Ragsdale moved to Stahlman as Program Director after having spent the previous year at Camp Craig. At Parnell, Perry Bruce served as the Program Director. Camp Directors was professionals Doug Clevinger (Stahlman) and Buff Groth (Parnell). Craig was built, but closed. The two year rotation with Parnell had begun. The Boat Harbor was closed, COPE had not yet been built, and Camp Murrey still existed, run by Gladys Roberts.

Seen here are both the Stahlman and Parnell Staff photos for 1980. Both taken by Russ Parham.

We continue our look at the Boxwell Staffs through the decades. 50 years ago was the 1970 staff. The 1972 Capital Campaign was being quietly developed. The growth over the preceding years were strong enough to seriously consider a third resident camp.

In 1970, Ward Akers was still Council Executive. Ed Human came on as Reservation Director during Staff Week because the previous director Bruce Atkins had accepted a position for his own council. Jimmy Joe Jackson was entering his last year as Program Director at Parnell and Ted Naylor was serving his single year as Program Director at Stahlman. Kerry Parker ran the Boat Harbor and Bobby Smith was the ranger. Elizabeth Jackson ran Camp Murrey.

There are no staff photos for any of these years. The best we can do is this Stahlman Kitchen staff photo from 1970. Pearl Schleicher still ran the kitchen. Jerry Barnett was Stahlman Kitchen Director. And the photo belongs to the collection of first year staff member Russ Parham.

With Boxwell operating the Merit Badge Weekend program this month, this is as close to a 2020 summer camp staff we’re going to get! So, with that in mind, we return to our yearly Remember the Staff series.

1960 was the first year the Reservation at Old Hickory Lake was open. James “Foxy” Johnson was the Reservation director. Chester LaFever ran Stahlman and and Charlie Thompson ran Parnell. We say “ran” because both men were the Camp Directors. Robert Nicholson was the Program Director at Parnell and we’re not even sure that Stahlman had a program director! Things were already beginning to change from Rock Island… Harold Hitt ran the Ski Dock and Coleman Wright was the ranger.

There are no staff photos from that year. Here then is a photo of the dedication ceremonies at Stahlman on July 9, 1960.