History of the Mobile Council & Mobile Area Council Boy Scouts of America 1919 - 2012 Dedicated To All Scouts and Scout Leaders of the Mobile Council & Mobile Area Council Boy Scouts of America Past, Present & Future Special Thanks To Faith Nichols, Sandra Brunton & Roger Druin Researched, Compiled & Written By Robert J. Ware, Jr. Council Commissioner Mobile Area Council, BSA 2000 - 2012 History of the Mobile Area Council, BSA In 1919, soon after the First World War, the Boy Scout movement in the United States was spreading rapidly. This movement spread to Mobile, Alabama where, on January 16, 1919, a group of civic minded men met at the Mobile Chamber of Commerce and decided that Mobile boys should share in a great movement which was then a few years old. Present at the first meeting on January 16, 1919, at the Mobile Chamber of Commerce was Paul Harris, representing this new movement known as the Boy Scouts of America, E. M. Bailey, J. L. Cawthorn, W. M. Clemens, John T. Cochran, H. B. Crocker, George Linning, C. H. Mohr, and S. S. Murphy represented Mobile. Paul Harris described the plans of the Boy Scouts as organized by Sir Baden- Powell in 1910. The ideals of the Boy Scout movement had already caught on in Mobile, and there were troops of from 5 to 30 boys throughout the city. They were not organized or standardized, however, and there was another organization known as the United States Boy Scouts active in Mobile at the time. This organization was comprised of boys under the age of 12, whereas the Boy Scouts of America concentrated it activities on boys in those formative years of ages 12 to 18. The need for a Scout Executive was stressed, and a budget of about $30,000 for a three year period was strongly recommended. A Scout Executive should be employed, and a downtown office with an Assistant Scout Executive and stenographer; some summer camps and equipment for poorer boys was to be covered by the budget. A place for boys under 12 years old was also made with these known as “Wolf Cubs”. Mr. Bailey nominated Mr. John T. Cochran to chair a businessmen’s conference to explore the organization of the new movement, and to raise the necessary finances. The next day, January 17, 1919, several interested citizens in Mobile met with representatives of the Chamber of Commerce to explore the question. The result of their deliberation was a contract entered into by the citizens of Mobile and the Nation Council of the Boy Scouts of America. In this contract, it was agreed that an educational and financial campaign would be carried on in Mobile so that a standardized Boy Scouts of America organization could be formed in the city. On January 18, 1919, the Mayor of Mobile, the Honorable George Crawford, proposed that a committee be formed to accept and put into operation the contract made the previous day. And the campaign was under way. “And if there are men here who cannot see the vision and do the work, then get out of the way of those who can”. Thus the spirit and determination of the Citizens Committee organizing the campaign to raise funds for the establishment of a Boy Scout council in the Mobile area was stated by W. H. Reynalds, president of the Mobile Chamber of Commerce before the Mobile Rotary Club on March 20, 1919. A group of Mobile businessmen requested help from the National Council of the Boy Scouts of America to assist in the organization of a local administrative council to supervise and extend the program of the Boy Scouts of America in the vicinity of Mobile. Scouting had been in formal existence for nine years in America in 1919, and even at the time of organization of the Mobile Council in 1919, the movement had previously made its way to the Gulf Coast. Paul Harris, Deputy National Field Commissioner of the National Council, Boy Scouts of America, was sent to Mobile to guide a volunteer citizens committee in the proper methods of raising funds for, and organizing a council. The first meeting was held on January 19, 1919 at the Chamber of Commerce. The citizens committee elected as it first chairman, Mr. John T. Cochran, and secretary, Mr. W. M. Clemens, general secretary of the Mobile Chamber of Commerce. Serving with the officers were many prominent Mobilians, interested in the objectives of the Boy Scouts of America as embodied in the National Constitution and Bylaws and set forth in the original Certificate of Incorporation under the laws of the District of Columbia, dated February 8, 1910, and restated in Section 3 of the Charter granted by the Congress of the United States of America on June 15, 1916, as follows: “That the purpose of this corporation shall be to promote, through organization, and cooperation with other agencies, the ability of boys to do things for themselves and others, to train them in Scoutcraft, and to teach them patriotism, courage, self reliance, and kindred virtues, using the methods which are now in common use by the Boy Scouts,” by placing emphasis upon the Scout Oath and Laws for character development, citizenship training and physical fitness. Other members of the original committee in Mobile were: C. A. Mohr W. O. Lott Mayor G. E. Crawford G. W. Adams E. O. Fowlkes R. P. Roach D. S. Bauer H. P. McDonald W. E. Murphy S. S. Murphy L. D. Dix George D. Linning Judge R. T. Ervin Charles Franklin E. M. Bailey H. T. Hartwell W. D. Bellingrath H. B. Crocker E. C. Grace Russell Houston H. C. McMaster William H. Armbrecht In order to assist the local group with their promotion, the Honorable W. M. Barrow, Assistant Attorney General of Louisiana, spoke to the Mobile Rotary Club on March 27, 1919 to discuss the needs and functions of a Boy Scout Council. His message was well received. GENERAL INFORMATION OF THE FIRST YEAR 1. Membership: The territory contained seven (7) troops with a membership of 110 boys under the leadership of Messrs. Condie, Grove, Allen, and Stapleton. Included in the figures was one troop of boys under twelve years of age affiliated with the United States Boy Scouts headed by a Mr. Daly. This unit was absorbed by the Council and became affiliated with the Boy Scouts of America. Starting with seven (7) troops and 110 boys, the Council reached a total of sixteen (16) troops with a membership of 194 boys by May 1919, and ending the year with fifteen (15) troops and a membership of 247 boys. Considerable fluctuation was apparent as the following twenty (20) troops were listed on the National records as of September 9, 1920. Troop 1 - Mobile - Chester R. Savelle - Scoutmaster Troop 2 - Mobile - Orvel W. Crowder - Scoutmaster Troop 3 - Mobile - W. A. Christian - Scoutmaster Troop 4 - Mobile - F. F. McGlynn - Scoutmaster Troop 5 - Mobile - Rev. V. C. McMaiser - Scoutmaster Troop 6 - Mobile - Edward Montague - Scoutmaster Troop 7 - Mobile - C. H. Barnes - Scoutmaster Troop 8 - Mobile - William J. J. McKinner - Scoutmaster Troop 9 - Mobile - John E. Meredith - Scoutmaster Troop 11 - Mobile - Robert F. Duffy - Scoutmaster Troop 12 - Mobile - John A. McGee - Scoutmaster Troop 13 - Mobile - T. J. McMahon - Scoutmaster Troop 14 - Mobile - J. C. Wacker - Scoutmaster Troop 15 - Mobile - J. E. Bullen - Scoutmaster Troop 16 - Mobile - W. A. Christian - Scoutmaster Troop 17 - Mobile - John H. Miller - Scoutmaster Troop 1 - Bay Minette - Rowe Watson - Scoutmaster Troop 2 - Bon Secour - Marion C. Shutt - Scoutmaster Troop 3 - Daphne - N. O. Scott - Scoutmaster Troop 4 - Grand Bay - Roy L. Langford - Scoutmaster 2. Administration: On January 18, 1919, the committee resolved itself into a Council organization and adopted a written agreement between the citizens of Mobile and the Boy Scouts of America. On March 12, 1919, a permanent chairman, the first President of the Council, although not termed as such, Alex Hancock, a local contractor, assumed his position, and Stanley Harris became Secretary. H. A. Pharr was the first Treasurer of the Council. A Scout Headquarters had been set up and assignments made to civic minded men to carry on the campaign for funds and to organize the official Boy Scout of America program in Mobile. Office facilities were secured on the second floor of the Chamber of Commerce building. On April 17, 1920, Paul Harris tendered his resignation as Scout Executive and the Executive Committee appointed J. E. Meredith of Mobile to fill the position at a salary of $3,000.00 per year. Washington and Baldwin Counties were both added to the council territory. The Council headquarters office was located at this time at the Emanuel Building in Mobile with one secretary as the clerical staff. The first statistical report of record was contained in the Council’s application for charter covering the 1920 year’s activities. 3. Finance: The campaign goal was $30,000.00 for the first three years of operation and would include an executive, assistant, clerical employee, and other operational and promotional items. The goal was not reached, but the Council began operation, concluding the first year of operation with net operating expenditures of $2,868.00. The budget system was adopted and adherence was emphasized. Net operating expenditures for the year were $6,067.34, although the budget was $9,000.00. The first Council operated camp was self supporting, so the Council was able to operate on its income, ending the year without a deficit. 4. Leadership: As the Council got underway, additional community leaders were attracted in order to provide this most desirable program for the boys of the area.