Troop 50 was organized on June 11, 1920, as an early project by the Mahwah Woman's Club. There were scouts in Mahwah before that date however, Some Mahwah boys belonged to Troop 2 in Suffern. E.P. Beebe, from Cragmere, was Scoutmaster of that Troop in 1916. These scouts were active in salvage and other projects during the First World War and in helping to maintain the town parks. Also the first Girl Scout Troop was organized in 1918, under the leadership of a group of Cragmere eomr, one of whom as Mrs. E.P. Beebe.

Records of these days are sketchy, but the first meeting seems to have been in Winter Hall, above Schere’s Store near the depot. They also held some early meetings in the home of the Woman's Club President, Mrs. Lea Bugg, on Oweno Road. By July of 1921 they were using the Ramapo Reformed Church. There is some confusion about the exact roster of charter members. Dick Heidgerd listed as “among the original members of Troop 50” John MacDougall, Frank Wortendyke Jr.,Phillip Bugg, Daley Bugg (Senior Patrol Leader), Richard Halman, Clinton Terwilliger, John Glasgo, and Charles Ackerman. John MacDougall, also listed his brother Norman and Andrew Hopper as charter members. The Scoutmaster was Howard (“Shady”) Lane.

Dick Heidgerd recalled that the leaders of the Troop were all veterans of the recently concluded World War 1. Because of this, much emphasis was placed on close order drill, done with long staves. He related that when an early scoutmaster let town he refused to sell his house to anyone who would not replace him as scoutmaster

John MacDougall remembers those early days with great pleasure. As one might expect from a youngster, his memory of organizational details is faint but he recalls Troop activity vividly. “I had gotten a brand new mess kit as one of my first pieces of equipment and was anxious to use it. On the first cookout I was cooking up some bacon and eggs when the bottom melted out from my new aluminum frying pan and the whole meal fell into the fire.” He tells of how the boys used the road from the Church down to Route 202 for practicing their scout pace. Route 2 (17) had not been built then . and it was exactly one half-mile down to 101. To pass the test you had to be able to cover this distance and back in 12 minutes. “The boys soon learned to do it right since if you were off by only a few seconds you had to do it again, and the last half mile was up hill.” 

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Hiking and camping were the favorite activities then as now. Bear Swamp was a frequent goal of hikes, as were various places in the Ramapos north of suffern.The scouts also participated in town activities such as Memorial Day. in the spring of 1921 The Troop had scoutmasters, six assistance and 29 members. The Ramsey Journal reported that “quite a few” of the scouts were ready for their second class test.Strangely, the official troop registration lapsed from July through December, 1921.

This seems to have been an organizational oversight since five troop members but for a week to the Metropolitan Council summer camp in July and the true continue to meet in the fall. When the troupe was retarded in December, 1921, with a new scoutmaster, E. Schumacher,And many of the same members as before, a pencil to note on the council's copy that paper indicated that the troop had decided not to make the recharge retroactive to the preceding July.

 Of the subsequent history of the troop, we are most certain. In 1923 the scouts remodeled the old Boathouse of the cragmere association on Lake Oweno into a scout Clubhouse and met there for 2 years. The Betsy Ross School Playground now occupies this site. A very popular series of Father and Son Banquets began in 1923. Yearly trips to summer campWe're very popular, first to Camp Spartan at Sparta, New Jersey and later to  No-Be-Bo-Sco. John Mack Douglas recalls that the camp was really Spartan in those days. There were little Camp equipment ;The troops provided their own. Everyone washed directly in the lake. Camp costs were considered high at $1 per day. Dick HeidgerdHas pictures of the troop at Camp Spartan in 1922. He spent three weeks at Camp next year along with Harry and William Travis, Evan Smith, Clinton Terwilliger and Harry weinhagen.

The trip raised money for its activities in various ways. One year, the boys sold bird houses for $1.50 each. In 1924 they put a legendary Vaudeville Revue. Ruth Irorloff from Ramesy,A member of the duo Arts Club, was director. The Ramsey Journal reported that an organization has been formed to provide “moral and financial support” for local scouting.The group had an impressive list of patrons and sponsors including R. F. Dater, Mr and Mrs Elliot Reid, Mrs rose Lush. Franck and Edqin Scherer, N. W. Sherow, Arthur McClausland, F.W. Sergent and Elmer J. Snow.The Troop earned $55 in 1921 from the sale of postcards to help the family of scout Lososcocki, whose house had been destroyed in a fire.

Scouts participated in most formal Ceremonies during the period.They were there when the World War 1 Memorial was dedicated on Memorial Day in 1923, at the Defence Day celebration in September 1924, and at most Memorial Day in July 4th ceremonies during this decade. Service projects included Annual tent caterpillar campaigns in 1928, decorating and lighting the community Christmas tree in 1925, and caring for the community garden. Much appreciated service was shoveling the walks in the town park after a heavy snowstorm in 1929. 

The Troop participated in many activities of the newly-formed Bergen County Council. They went to the council summer camps and the annual reunions nights In Hackensack. The Troop also attended Riley days in different communities in 1923, and went on Council sponsor trips Annapolis In 1928 and Gettysburg in 1929.

As any Scout Troop, considerable effort was spent in advancement in rank. When the troop Registered in 1921, they listed all the scouts as tenderfoots. In 1923 six of the boys Advanced to second class: Kenneth Ackerman, Daley Bugg, Dick Heidgerd, Andrew Hoppwe, and John and Norman MacDougall. In 1924 Ackerman and Heidgerd, Andrew Hopper and John and Norman MacDougall. In 1924 Ackerman and Heidgerd had reached first Class, a high rank for the 1920’s. Troop news frequently mentions tests given and passed for cooking, signaling, knot tying and hiking

Scouts enjoy the lighter moments, too. Trolls played a hard-fought football game in November 1924. The beaver Patrol defeated the Otters 20-0 . The new scoutmaster, Ray Brainard Treated the scouts to a hot dog supper after the game. They held holiday parties in Winters Hall in 1923 and 1924 with the Girl Scouts. In later years there were swimming and other sporting events. 

Troop 50 From the Pages of The Ramsey Journal

The Boy Scouts took a long hike to Bear Swamp on Saturday afternoon led by scoutmaster Wilson and guided by assistant scoutmaster hebner. (9/23/20)

Mahwah Has every reason to be proud of her boy and girl scout troop. They made a fine showing Memorial Day.(6/2/21)

The Scouts of Mahwah Took High honors in the recent birdhouse building contest of Bergen County Council by winning three prizes out of eight among 200 entries. The prize houses were made by Senior Patrol Leader D. Bugg and Patrol Leader Heidgerd. (2/23/23)