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We Gu a r d Tomorrow Today The story of the Brotherhood of the Jungle Cock Te frst 75 years of passing along a fshing tradition Page 1 We Guard Tomorrow Today We Guard Tomorrow Today Page 2 Presidents of the Brotherhood of the Jungle Cock About this history ... his, like every narrative of past events, is incomplete. 1938-2015 Some details have been lost to time, others such as the fnancial accounting of the 50th anniversary cel- 1938-39 Committee of 25 1976-77 Robert Abraham Sr. Tebration, which ran a defcit of roughly $5,000, are not of 1939-40 Committee of 42 1977-78 Nat T.R. Burgwyn general interest. Similarly, there have been plenty of debates 1940-41 Van Campen Heilner 1978-79 Jack Wrona and discussions at board meetings, and other gatherings of 1941-42 Lawrence Richey 1979-80 B. Joseph Tibolla members, that, for one reason or another, are not included in 1942-43 George Landis 1980-81 Martin A. Kircher this rendering. Such details, including minutes of meetings, 1943-44 Paul Kelly 1981-82 Fred Wright lists of ofcers and trustees, copies of letters and documents, all can be found in the archives of the organization. Much 1944-45 J. Hammond Brown 1982-83 E.S. Moore of this information is entrusted these days to long time sec- 1945-46 Prew Savoy 1983-84 Martin Vulgamore retary Ed Little, who is more than happy to show them to 1946-47 Frederick C. Walcott 1984-85 Will Webster anyone who is interested. 1947-48 William J. Storey 1985-86 Paul Helm Tis particular history, compiled for the 75th an- 1948-49 William Ackerman 1986-87 Joseph M. Zimmer niversary, seeks to shed light on the period that led up to 1949-50 Henry P. Davis 1987-88 William A. Hampt the founding of the Brotherhood of the Jungle Cock. While 1950-51 A.C. White Jr. 1988-89 Gene Higdon the era was well known to the founding generation, and the 1951-52 Jim Miller 1989-90 Frank Burt Smoot oral tradition dutifully passed on to the second generation, 1952-53 Kenneth E. Crawford 1990-91 Ken Greenfeld the particulars are increasingly fading from living memory. 1953-54 Arnold J. Stewart 1991-92 Larry Belcher Tese feelings, sentiments and circumstances, however, are important because they are what motivated the founding 1954-55 John Mock 1992-93 Gary Webster generation to establish the Brotherhood. Much of the histo- A moment in 2010 captured at Camp Airy by pho- 1955-56 Clarence Carty 1993-94 Don McCue ry of the period during which the Brotherhood was formed tographer Evan Zimmer illustrates the degree to 1956-57 William Graham 1994-95 Ron Moser is derived from the scholarly work of Barbara Kirkconnell, which the Jungle Cock ideal has taken root. 1957-58 Michael Hudoba 1995-96 John C. Moore who compiled a history of the Catoctin Mountain National 1958-59 J. Henry Ayres 1996-97 W. Jerome Ofutt Park for a degree project. Tat history has been incorporated undated; Letter of Clark Venable to Prew Savoy, May 7, 1953; 1959-60 J. Kenneth Manning 1997-98 M. Hanford “Gus” Day into the story of the National Park Service and the full text Creed signed by Clark Venable, undated; letter and history 1960-61 R.F. Jennings 1998-99 Tony Dabo can be found at http://www.nps.gov/cato/historyculture/in- by Gurney Godfrey to Prew Savoy, May 6, 1953; History by 1961-62 William H. Triplett 1999-00 Bosley Wright dex.htm. Paul Ault, 1954; History by Gurney Godfrey, 1956; History 1962-63 Serge Benson 2000-01 Ed Freed In addition, information on Camp Airy and bi- by Gurney Godfrey, 1960 Article by George Wireman, 1963; ographical details of Aaron and Lily Straus comes from the Article by C.W. Victory Richards, MD, entitled “Te Broth- 1963-64 Frank Bentz Jr. 2001-02 Bill Simms Aaron and Lily Straus Foundation website. 1964-65 Tomas McNallya 2002-03 Stan Zitosky erhood of the Jungle Cock,” undated. Tis history also builds on those previously com- Information on the early days of the formal educa- 1965-66 Leroy Manning 2003-04 Carl Miller piled frst by Kenneth E. Crawford for the 40th anniversary tion program was provided by Ed “Top Hat” Freed Sr. Ed- 1966-67 Alfred Snider 2004-05 Carl Marshall Campfre and later updated by Tom Cooney with help from ward W. Little provided updates regarding the people who 1967-68 Donald Lewis 2005-06 Jefery Andrews Frank Bentz Jr. and others. Anyone who has read the pre- have held key ofces. Robert Abraham Jr. and Robert Abra- 1968-69 Mel C. Balke 2006-07 Edward Little vious histories will recognize large chunks lifed word for ham Sr., Bosley Wright and John Zimmer provided substan- 1969-70 John Hunter 2007-08 Bill Pearsall word from them and inserted into this one. Other histori- tial help in refning the narrative. 1970-71 Fred E. Morr 2008-09 Larry Carte cal information herein comes from the following sources, as Tere are many other stories worth telling and 1971-72 Tomas Cooney 2009-10 John Waldron identifed by Frank Bentz Jr. when he helped compile a his- listening to that are associated with the Brotherhood, its tory in 1999: 60th anniversary brochure, fles from Gurney founding, its growth and its future. If you have one, write 1972-73 Edward Koch 2010-11 John Hoke Godfrey and Ken Crawford, 1940-1988; Minutes of BOJC, 1973-74 Edward T. Little 2011-12 Billy Noland it down and send it in to be published in the annual BOJC 1953 to 1999; Letter of Hammond Brown to Prew Savoy, News. Such refections that aren’t necessarily included in a 1974-75 William A. Kirkpatrick 2012-13 Henry Krotee May 20, 1945; Letter of Clark Venable to Gurney Godfrey, particular history narrative by this generation may well end 1975-76 Lloyd Hoke 2013-14 Craig Simms up being prominently featured by those who come later and 2014-15 Robert Abraham Jr. ON THE COVER: Photo by Christian Heurich from end up taking a look at some of what will then be old stories. 2009. —Jim Kennedy Page 3 We Guard Tomorrow Today We Guard Tomorrow Today Page 4 Te idea behind the Brotherhood ver the generations, the story of exactly how and were prominent outdoors writers, as well as Frank L. Bentz when the idea of an organization that passes along Sr., public relations director of the Maryland Game and In- the traditions of fy fshing to future generations land Fish Commission (now the Maryland Department of Ocame about has become as tangled as a beginner’s fshing Natural Resources). Te legend is Bentz, Brooks and Brown line. got together for a weekend of fshing one April and ended up Tere are at least three storylines that seem to over- being socked in because of an unseasonable late season snow lap and sometimes borrow from each other, ofen merging storm. National Weather Services records for Frostburg re- into a single tale. A late season snowstorm in the Catoctin fect measurable snow was recorded in April the area in 1931, Mountains is an important backdrop, and, indeed, there was when 6 inches fell; 1932, 3 inches; 1935, 11.5 inches; 1937, a snow storm associated with a well-documented gathering half an inch and, of course, in 1940 when the Creed-writing of founding members. meeting was held in April. Tere was no April snow recorded Clark Venable, a prominent outdoors writer of the in the region in 1933, 1934, 1938 and 1939, according to the era who also wrote children’s adventure novels under the Weather Service. Te weather in Frostburg (where National name Covington Clarke, gives a full account of the time and Weather Service records are tracked) can be a good deal cold- place of a foundational gathering that took place in a snow er, and the Garrett County community does receive a good storm. Years later, he would write a letter to a fellow Jungle deal more snow than the Turmont area. In other words, just Cock member stating: “Te frst meeting where there was because there was snow in Frostburg doesn’t mean there was any semblance of an efort at organization was at a rustic snow in Turmont; by the same token, if there was no snow lodge, Camp No. 1, in the Catoctin Recreational Area, about in Frostburg, there’s a good chance (but no guarantee) there ½ mile north of Big Hunting Creek, to the lef of the Park was no snow in Turmont. road where it turns north at the present Park Headquarters Te storm is an important part of the story because building. All, or much, of the preliminary work was done the three would-be anglers ended up stuck in a cabin where by Frank Bentz and Mike Williams. I know. I was there. Te they had time to ponder and discuss some of life’s greater date was April 12, 13, and 14, 1940.” National Weather Ser- questions. Te three, according to the most important part of vice records indicate there was, indeed, a substantial amount the legend, came to the conclusion that they enjoyed fshing of snow at a recording station many miles to the west and a so much they wanted to be able to continue doing so forever, good deal higher in elevation at Frostburg in April of that even afer they had lef this life. Tey came to the conclusion year.