History of Troop 9

As told to Scribe Sean Murphy per interviews with former Troop #9 Scout Masters:
Mr. Roger Braff (on July 25th, 2003) and Mr. Dave Sauer (on July 30th, 2003).  
Written August 5, 2003.                 
 
Interview with Mr. Roger Braff: 

Troop #9, one of the largest troops (if not the largest) in the Voyageur Area Council was started in 1918.  When Troop #9 was first started, the Glen Avon Rod and Hunt Club sponsored it.  Troop #9 lasted several years and was then disbanded briefly due to a lack of adult leaders.  In 1922 Troop #9 was re-started under the sponsorship of the Glen Avon Presbyterian Church Men’s Club.  Sometime later, sponsorship went to the Glen Avon Presbyterian Church Deacon’s.

Mr. Roger Braff was the Scout Master from 1960-1973.  He followed Mr. Herald Hopkins, who was Scout Master from 1955-1960.  During the time that Mr. Braff was the Scout Master, there were over 125 scouts in Troop #9.  I asked Mr. Braff if he thought that it was harder to get Eagle now or then?  He replied that it is about the same now as then, and that attaining Eagle mainly depends upon the scout.  It was very special to Mr. Braff that all of his sons became Eagle Scouts.  Note that: William McCool (the astronaut killed in the Columbia shuttle accident of 2002) was a scout in Troop #9 during the time that Mr. Braff was Scout Master.

Mr. Braff says that one of the worst things that ever happened to him, as Scout Master, was when an Eagle Scout named his son after him!  [In other words, Mr. Braff never had anything too serious go wrong while he was Scout Master.]  One of the highlights for Mr. Braff was going to Nippon, Japan in 1971 for the 13th World Jamboree, and camping at the foot of Mt. Fuji.  Interestingly, a typhoon blew through Japan during this world jamboree, and all of the Boy Scouts were evacuated by the Japanese Army and housed in the homes of Japanese citizens until the danger of the storm had passed.  

Troop #9 meetings have always been held in the fellowship hall of Glen Avon Presbyterian Church. [Note: that Glen Avon is pronounced Aah-von.]  At the end of the troop meetings, Taps was played in tandem…like an echo.    Summer camp was held at Camp Laurie on Eagle Lake south of Duluth, until the Troop outgrew this facility.  Camp Laurie no longer exits; the land is private lake property now.  Summer camp was one week in length (just like now) and you could take as many merit badges as you could manage.  Some of the rank patches have changed in appearance over the years, i.e. the Life rank patch had an orange heart with a light orange background, whereas now it is a red heart with a tan background.  However, the Eagle patch has stayed the same.  

During the time that Mr. Braff was the Scout Master, there were several programs for Troop #9 that no longer exists.  One was an exchange program with the scouts of Thunder Bay.  The Thunder Bay Scouts would come to Duluth one year for a campout visit and the Duluth Scouts would go to Thunder Bay the next year.  Another program that no longer exists was a Boy Scout Retreat at the French Club (just north of Duluth) sponsored by the Diocese of Duluth.  During the 1960’s, Troop # 9 also had a Drum & Bugle Corp under the direction of Scout Master Mr. Herald Hopkins, who was at that time a director of the Air Force ROTC at UMD.  

According to Mr. Braff, the Voyageur Area Council offices have not always been in the same place.  The council office used to be located at Lake Avenue and Superior St. in the Savolina building, which burnt down, destroying all of the Boy Scout records.  Then the council office moved across the street to the Bradley building, then several more times…to the Fidelity building, out to the West End upstairs of a bar, to the Ordean building, and then finally out to its present location in Hermantown.  Mr. Braff stated that the adults of Troop #9 have provided much council leadership over the years.  

Interview with Mr. Dave Sauer:

Mr. Dave Sauer was Scout Master from October 1991 to October 1996.  The Scout Master before Mr. Sauer was Mr. Dan Hodnick from 1988-1991 and the Scout Master after him was Mr. Jerry Lassila.  While Mr. Sauer was Scout Master, summer camp was one week long at Camp Tomahawk in northern Wisconsin (the same as it is now).  According to Mr. Sauer, the best part of being the Scout Master was working with and having fun with the scouts.  The worst part of being Scout Master, was that his occupation did not allow him to attend some of the high adventure trips with the scouts and his own sons.  

Some of the special things that Mr. Sauer did while Scout Master were Woodbadge, work at camp, and that Troop #9 had several treks to the national leadership instructor course at Philmont.  Also the troop was active with high adventure treks with groups going to Seabase and to Okpik and to various Jamborees.  Mr. Sauer was never able to attend a national jamboree.  It was very special to Mr. Sauer that both of his sons became Eagle Scouts.  

While Mr. Sauer was the Scout Master, Troop #9 celebrated its 75th anniversary at Glen Avon Church.  Many former Scouts and Scout Masters came for the 75th anniversary celebration ceremony.  Mr. Sauer stated that for many years, Troop #9 has sent one of the largest groups to Camp Tomahawk.  Mr. Sauer also stated similar thoughts to Mr. Braff…that Troop #9 is one of the largest Troops in the Council and District…and that throughout the years Troop #9 has provided adult leadership in the Council and District.  

What Is Boy Scouting?

Mission Statement

The mission of the Boy Scouts of America is to prepare young people to make ethical and moral choices over their lifetimes by instilling in them the values of the Scout Oath and Law.

  Scout Oath & Law

A Scout is:

On my honor I will do my best
To do my duty to God and my country
and to obey the Scout Law;
To help other people at all times;
To keep myself physically strong,
mentally awake, and morally straight.

Trustworthy
Loyal
Helpful
Friendly
Courteous
KindObedient
Cheerful
Thrifty
Brave
Clean
Reverent

Vision Statement

The Boy Scouts of America is the nation's foremost youth program of character development and values-based leadership training.

In the future Scouting will continue to

• Offer young people responsible fun and adventure;

• Instill in young people lifetime values and develop in them ethical character as expressed in the Scout Oath and Law;

• Train young people in citizenship, service, and leadership;

• Serve America's communities and families with its quality, values-based program.

Purpose of the BSA

The Boy Scouts of America was incorporated to provide a program for community organizations that offers effective character, citizenship, and personal fitness training for youth.

Specifically, the BSA endeavors to develop American citizens who are physically, mentally, and emotionally fit; have a high degree of self-reliance as evidenced in such qualities as initiative, courage, and resourcefulness; have personal values based on religious concepts; have the desire and skills to help others; understand the principles of the American social, economic, and governmental systems; are knowledgeable about and take pride in their American heritage and understand our nation's role in the world; have a keen respect for the basic rights of all people; and are prepared to participate in and give leadership to American society.

Boy Scout Program Membership

Boy Scouting, one of the traditional membership divisions of the BSA, is available to boys who have earned the Arrow of Light Award or have completed the fifth grade, or who are 11 through 17 years old . The program achieves the BSA's objectives of developing character, citizenship, and personal fitness qualities among youth by focusing on a vigorous program of outdoor activities.

Volunteer Scouters

Thousands of volunteer leaders, both men and women, are involved in the Boy Scouting program. They serve in a variety of jobs—everything from unit leaders to chairmen of troop committees, committee members, merit badge counselors, and chartered organization representatives.

Like other phases of the program, Boy Scouting is made available to community organizations having similar interests and goals. Chartered organizations include professional organizations; governmental bodies; and religious, educational, civic, fraternal, business, labor, and citizens' groups. Each organization appoints one of its members as the chartered organization representative. The organization is responsible for leadership, the meeting place, and support for troop activities.

Who Pays for It?

Several groups are responsible for supporting Boy Scouting: the boy and his parents, the troop, the chartered organization, and the community. Boys are encouraged to earn money whenever possible to pay their own expenses, and they also contribute dues to their troop treasuries to pay for budgeted items. Troops obtain additional income by working on approved money-earning projects. The community, including parents, supports Scouting through the United Way, Friends of Scouting campaigns, bequests, and special contributions to the BSA local council. This income provides leadership training, outdoor programs, council service centers and other facilities, and professional service for units.

Aims and Methods of the Scouting Program

The Scouting program has three specific objectives, commonly referred to as the "Aims of Scouting." They are character development, citizenship training, and personal fitness.

The methods by which the aims are achieved are listed below in random order to emphasize the equal importance of each.

Ideals 
The ideals of Boy Scouting are spelled out in the Scout Oath, the Scout Law, the Scout motto, and the Scout slogan. The Boy Scout measures himself against these ideals and continually tries to improve. The goals are high, and as he reaches for them, he has some control over what and who he becomes.

Patrols 
The patrol method gives Boy Scouts an experience in group living and participating citizenship. It places responsibility on young shoulders and teaches boys how to accept it. The patrol method allows Scouts to interact in small groups where members can easily relate to each other. These small groups determine troop activities through elected representatives.

Outdoor Programs
Boy Scouting is designed to take place outdoors. It is in the outdoor setting that Scouts share responsibilities and learn to live with one another. In the outdoors the skills and activities practiced at troop meetings come alive with purpose. Being close to nature helps Boy Scouts gain an appreciation for the beauty of the world around us. The outdoors is the laboratory in which Boy Scouts learn ecology and practice conservation of nature's resources.

Advancement 
Boy Scouting provides a series of surmountable obstacles and steps in overcoming them through the advancement method. The Boy Scout plans his advancement and progresses at his own pace as he meets each challenge. The Boy Scout is rewarded for each achievement, which helps him gain self-confidence. The steps in the advancement system help a Boy Scout grow in self-reliance and in the ability to help others.

Associations With Adults
Boys learn a great deal by watching how adults conduct themselves. Scout leaders can be positive role models for the members of the troop. In many cases a Scoutmaster who is willing to listen to boys, encourage them, and take a sincere interest in them can make a profound difference in their lives.

Personal Growth 
As Boy Scouts plan their activities and progress toward their goals, they experience personal growth. The Good Turn concept is a major part of the personal growth method of Boy Scouting. Boys grow as they participate in community service projects and do Good Turns for others. Probably no device is as successful in developing a basis for personal growth as the daily Good Turn. The religious emblems program also is a large part of the personal growth method. Frequent personal conferences with his Scoutmaster help each Boy Scout to determine his growth toward Scouting's aims.

Leadership Development
The Boy Scout program encourages boys to learn and practice leadership skills. Every Boy Scout has the opportunity to participate in both shared and total leadership situations. Understanding the concepts of leadership helps a boy accept the leadership role of others and guides him toward the citizenship aim of Scouting.

Uniform
The uniform makes the Boy Scout troop visible as a force for good and creates a positive youth image in the community. Boy Scouting is an action program, and wearing the uniform is an action that shows each Boy Scout's commitment to the aims and purposes of Scouting. The uniform gives the Boy Scout identity in a world brotherhood of youth who believe in the same ideals. The uniform is practical attire for Boy Scout activities and provides a way for Boy Scouts to wear the badges that show what they have accomplished.

Outdoor Activities

Local councils operate and maintain Scout camps. The National Council operates high-adventure areas at Philmont Scout Ranch in New Mexico, the Northern Tier National High Adventure Program in Minnesota and Canada, and the Florida National High Adventure Sea Base in the Florida Keys . About 70 councils also operate high-adventure programs.

The BSA conducts a national Scout jamboree every four years and participates in world Scout jamborees (also held at four-year intervals). Fort A.P. Hill, Virginia, was the site of the 2001 National Scout Jamboree.

The Beginning of Scouting

Scouting, as known to millions of youth and adults, evolved during the early 1900s through the efforts of several men dedicated to bettering youth. These pioneers of the program conceived outdoor activities that developed skills in young boys and gave them a sense of enjoyment, fellowship, and a code of conduct for everyday living.

In this country and abroad at the turn of the century, it was thought that children needed certain kinds of education that the schools couldn't or didn't provide. This led to the formation of a variety of youth groups, many with the word "Scout" in their names. For example, Ernest Thompson Seton, an American naturalist, artist, writer, and lecturer, originated a group called the Woodcraft Indians and in 1902 wrote a guidebook for boys in his organization called the Birch Bark Roll. Meanwhile in Britain, Robert Baden-Powell, after returning to his country a hero following military service in Africa, found boys reading the manual he had written for his regiment on stalking and survival in the wild. Gathering ideas from Seton, America 's Daniel Carter Beard, and other Scoutcraft experts, Baden-Powell rewrote his manual as a nonmilitary skill book, which he titled Scouting for Boys. The book rapidly gained a wide readership in England and soon became popular in the United States . In 1907, when Baden-Powell held the first campout for Scouts on Brownsea Island off the coast of England, troops were spontaneously springing up in America .

William D. Boyce, a Chicago publisher, incorporated the Boy Scouts of America in 1910 after meeting with Baden-Powell. (Boyce was inspired to meet with the British founder by an unknown Scout who led him out of a dense London fog and refused to take a tip for doing a Good Turn.) Immediately after its incorporation, the BSA was assisted by officers of the YMCA in organizing a task force to help community organizations start and maintain a high-quality Scouting program. Those efforts climaxed in the organization of the nation's first Scout camp at Lake George, New York, directed by Ernest Thompson Seton. Beard, who had established another youth group, the Sons of Daniel Boone (which he later merged with the BSA), provided assistance. Also on hand for this historic event was James E. West, a lawyer and an advocate of children's rights, who later would become the first professional Chief Scout Executive of the Boy Scouts of America. Seton became the first volunteer national Chief Scout, and Beard, the first national Scout Commissioner.

Publications

The BSA publishes the Boy Scout Handbook (more than 37 million copies of which have been printed); the Patrol Leader Handbook, which offers information relevant to boy leadership; the Scoutmaster Handbook;more than 100 merit badge pamphlets dealing with hobbies, vocations, and advanced Scoutcraft; and program features and various kinds of training, administrative, and organizational manuals for adult volunteer leaders and Boy Scouts. In addition, the BSA publishes Boys' Life magazine, the national magazine for all boys (magazine circulation is more than 1.3 million) and Scouting magazine for volunteers, which has a circulation of 900,000.

Conservation

Conservation activities supplement the program of Boy Scout advancement, summer camp, and outdoor activities and teaches young people to better understand their interdependence with the environment.