PUMC to celebrate 100 years of Scout sponsorship

Peoples United Methodist Church in South Portland to mark 100 years since the first sponsorship of a Boy Scout Troop

On January 24, 1908 the Boy Scout movement became official. A Boer War( South Africa) hero by the name of Robert Baden Powell, who later was knighted had come home to England after that war and was responsible for establishing impromptu Boy Scout Troops there. He was the writer of “Scouting for Boys” and later added “Aids to Scouting”. These were originally written for military use, but Baden-Powell adapted them for adolescent boys.

In this same year Baden-Powell and others set up a Boy Scout office and by the end of the year had records indicating that 60,000 boys were now members of the organization in England alone.

Baden-Powell also organized the Wolf Cubs in 1916. Cub Scouts of America followed shortly thereafter.

William Boyce, on a business trip to England, experienced the guidance of a Boy Scout while in the London fog. He came home to the Chicago area and helped incorporate the Boy Scouts of America on February 8, 1910.

Peoples Methodist Episcopal Church of Ferry Village began sponsoring Boy Scout Troop 3 of the South Portland  District  and  received a charter on May 6, 1918. At some time after this, documents indicate the number became 20 and finally in 1929 it became 23 as a member of the Pine Tree Council which incorporated more towns and cities, perhaps a major reason for the designated number change.

There was a break in the sponsorship by Peoples during World War II from 1943 to 1948 perhaps due to the fact that adult males were committed to the war effort. The other factor is that the church was in the process of moving from the village to a new church building on Broadway.

Since 1948, Troop 23 has continued to operate and hundreds of young men have had the opportunity to experience both Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts through the Troop and Cub Pack.

As Peoples UMC has continued to be the primary sponsor of these Scout organizations we are humbled by the dedication of both the Scouts and their leaders.

To close out the first 100 years of sponsorship a committee consisting of Earle H, Rosemary H , Tom N and Art T with the help of present Troop leadership, are planning a celebration on Sunday afternoon, May 6, 2018 at 2 o’clock in Ellis Hall.

If you were a part of Troop 23’s life in the past and would like to help us celebrate with your presence please let us know when you were a member and any stories of Scout life that you would like to share either at the event or through an e-mail or letter to any of the folks that you see listed above. If you have Scout memorabilia that you are willing to display at this event please get in touch with us. You may respond with comments on this notice.