Dodgeball

Extra-curricular games in the afternoon have been part of Boxwell’s program since its earliest incarnations. The games have changed, but the idea of intra-camp competitions, either between troops or against staff or just pick up games against random other Scouts is part of what makes Boxwell NOT school.

The games have changed of course. At the “new” Boxwell on Old Hickory Lake, baseball and volleyball were enormously popular for decades. By the early 2000s though, dodgeball had become the game of choice.

Courts were built at Stahlman and Craig, eventually becoming permanent fixtures. Seen here is a game at Camp Craig in July 2009. We don’t know who won, but the Scouts seem pretty into it!

Collection of Aaron Patten

A dodgeball game at the Camp Craig court, 2009

The Pennant Pincher

This is a National Camp School pennant. At the start of every summer, a group of inspectors come to Boxwell and inspect the camp to insure the facility is following national guidelines as prescribed by the BSA. Today we call these National Camp Accreditation Program (NCAP) Standards. Camps still get a pennant when they pass the inspection.

This particular pennant is important because until just recently it was generally believed to be lost.

As it turns out, Pearl Schleicher, the camp cook from 1962 through 1995, liked to take the pennants. Mrs. Schleicher believed that the kitchen was the most important part of camp and even though these were not health inspections (that was a separate thing), she would often snag the pennant if she had the opportunity. Her kitchen director, a young Russ Parham, watched several such flags disappear in the early 1970s. Somehow, this particular flag ended up in the hands of District Executive Joe Keathley and with his passing, the flag has resurfaced. Just another twist in a camp personality!

Collection of Joe Keathley

National Camp Inspection Pennant from 1970