1970's
The 1970’s saw continued progress by the Troop. The program remained strong, leadership was found, not always without difficulty, and the boys were still enthusiastic.
Camping had largely replaced hiking as a regular activity in scouting. Every year overnight hikes were taken to various nearby places. A clarification of the Troop’s permission to camp on the property near Glen Gray, then owned by Mr. Heidie resulted in a renewal of interest in camping there. They held overnight hikes in 1974, 1975, 1976, a father son overnight, 1978, and 1979. The father son overnighter went to Ramapo Reservation in 1977. The overnight hike scheduled for November 1978 had to be canceled because of the drought in the woods.
Most summer camping was done at Floodwood in the 70’s . An exception was the summer of 1976 when the younger boys went to No-Be-Bo-Sco. Attendance at Summer Camp increased yearly. This was because of the exciting program at Floodwood, with its water skiing and rock climbing, because of the number of fathers who went with the troop, and because of the work of the camp coordinator. After Karl Ludwig filled this latter job. They held special meetings for parents and boys showing movies and slides taken by fathers at camp. A total of 46 merit badges was earned at Floodwood in 1975, and many skill awards and merit badges in subsequent summers.
The most exciting camping ventures in the 70’s were the two trips to the National Scout Camp at Philmont in New Mexico. Howard Avery had led two earlier expeditions to Phillmont in the early expeditions to Phillmont in the early days, but only one Mahwah boy had gone. The more recent trips had been largely Troop 50 ventures. Donald Campbell, Troop Committe Chairman in 1967-70, led the 1971 trip. In his group of 11 boys there were 9 from Troop 50. Keith and Rich Humpris, Dave Jaques, Bryan Ferrick, Glen Cochran, Mike Benson, Steve Jackson, Steve Hopp, and Frank Campbell. The group flew from Newark to Pueblo, Colorado and then by bus to Cimmaron, N.M. where Phillmont is located. They spent 12 days of camping and hiking which Campbell describes as “very enjoyable.” One of his greatest pleasures was, he says, has been in seeing these fine men develop into mature citizens. They held a reunion of the group in 1978. Several of them went on too become Eagles, or hold important in Scouting. Steve Jackson was later to be Scoutmaster of Troop 50 twice. Steve Jackson was co-leader with Willie Fisher, on the 1976 trip. Those who went were Bill Cawthra, Jim Doherty, Ron Dyer, Steve Elich, Timmy Malone, Pat Malone and Tony Wastog. He reported that the activities at Philmont were most exciting, including mountaineering, Indian Lore, mining, survival, rifle shooting, and mountain climbing. It was one of the most exciting summers of his life, Fisher reported. Seven Members of the group went on to become Eagle Scouts.
Familiar activities continued in the 70’s. The troop participated in six Klondyke Derbies, during which teams of scouts drag a large sled full of equipment from one post to another and perform scout skills. Annual appearances at Council Camporees and several at the Cavalcade at Bergen Community College marked the decade. The Troop’s totem pole carved for the 1977 Cavalcade attracted wide attention and was featured in several local newspapers. The annual canoe trips, now always on the Ramapo, became perhaps the groups most popular activity. About 80% of the troops enrollment and fathers attended each year. An innovation during the 1976 trip was the attendance of a group from the local Girl Scout Troop.
Annual Troop dinners and attendance at Scout Sunday were also features of the program. They held a 50th anniversary dinner at the Elk’s Club, in 1971; rather than 1970, for some organizational reason. Service projects of the decade ranged from annual participation in the Woman’s Club Christmas Basket Program, including donations of fruit juices in 1974-77 and helping setting up and distributing the materials in the later years. The troop also donated $60 in honor of the 60th anniversary in 1979. The Troop also participated in environmental projects such as the SOAR (Save Our American Resources) Project in 1970, and cooperated with the Environmental Commision in running the paper drives.The Troop participated in the annual Memorial Day parades as it has every decade. At the Mahwah Bicentennial Parade flags from all the troops attending the Ramapo District Camporee marched. Assistant Scoutmaster Fisher marched them out from the Camporee.
The paper drive continued to be a major service undertaking. The total tonnage was salvaged and substantial contributions made to the Ambulance Corps. William succeeded Bruce Cochrane as drive chairman, and regularized many routes and coordinating the drives among different Troops participating. Al Urbano succeeded in heading the drives which they held the third Sunday every other month. Somehow these dates often seemed to coincide with scouting activity, but the drive came first. The Troop even came home early from summer camp to carry on the July drive.
The importance of leadership in any organization cannot be overstated. Troop 50 was blessed with many outstanding leaders during this decade. Greg Price continued his work with the Troop during this time. It was his enthusiasm that got the Troop involved in the New York-New Jersey Trail Conference, for whom we do a hike annually. He came to us from Allendale and served Troop 50 both as Scoutmaster and Assistant. On the district level he developed the first computer merit badge counselor list. He was always active in the Order of the Arrow, a service organization for older scouts. Greg not only acted as an advisor to the group, but he went on many of their activities and provided moral leadership in reminding the scouts of the seriousness of their commitment to service. When he moved from Mahwah to Virginia, he served as Scoutmaster of the Troop in his new community.
Another person prominent in Troop 50 affairs was Bill Jackson. He worked closely with Greg Price on outdoor activities. He was the backpacking enthusiast and equipment expert who accompanied the boys on many of their activities. He was active in the Order of the Arrow, always being willing to commit himself and his boys to a worthy project. He was particularly good at keeping a program going after the first flush of enthusiasm was over.
His son Steve shared his enthusiasm for the outdoors and has been active in camping, canoeing, and conservation matters during his service as Scoutmaster and Assistant Scoutmaster.
Bill Doherty was a commanding figure in Troop affairs for most of the decade. He served as Committee Member, Committee Chairman, and as Scoutmaster. He devoted much of his free time to Troop affairs, attending round-table meetings, and Troop committee meetings and directing the work of the boys. A pattern begun in the 60’s, of emphasizing the need for several Assistant Scoutmasters, resulted in the opportunity for him to show his leadership ability by delegating various tasks among several assistant leaders, committee members, and mothers and fathers of scouts.
Scouting in Mahwah became stronger during the 70’s. Troop 50 was virtually alone at the beginning of the decade. Other Troops in town joined it. Troop 258, in the western part of town, was founded in 1974, and plays an increasingly important role in scouting here. Troop 391, sponsored by the Mormon Church started in 1975. Troop 197 in Fardale was founded in 1970 and flourished for several years under the leadership of Thomas Whittle. It ceased to meet in 1979, and some members joined Troop 50, along with Tom Whittle, who became an Assistant Scoutmaster particularly concerned with camping affairs. He had a major role in organizing the program for the 60th Anniversary Camporee. Explorer Ship 258 of the Sea Scouts was founded in 1970, and sponsored by the Elk’s Club. It ended as a search and rescue post before it went out of existence in the mid 1970’s. William Connel was its skipper and Wille Fisher was its First Mate.
The 1970’s saw another burst of high achievement among Troop 50’s scouts. Ten scouts reached Eagle rank during the decade, mostly during the early years, with two in 1970 and three in 1971.
Sponsoring Organization:
Parent-Teacher Association, Mahwah High School
Walter La Barre, President
Commitee Chairman:
Leonard Frost
Committee Members:
Howard Avery, Donald Campbell, Bruce Cochran, William L. Fisher, Joseph Fron, George W. Hopp, William S. Jackson, Stanley Jaworski, Edwin Johanson, John Kaufman, John T. Krupinski, James Minter, Arthur Mueller, George G. Price, Ernst W. Smith, Robert V. Verry, Roland H. Wilson
Scoutmaster:
George G. Price
Assistant Scoutmasters:
Leonard Frost
Roland H. Wilson
Robert R. Verry
Scouts:
James Allen (T), Joseph Angel (T), Robert Beggs (T), John Benz (F), Larry Benz (F), John Bush (F), Frank Campbell (Life), Glenn Cochran (Life), Todd Cochran (T), Anthony Colletta (F), Scott Connell (F), Phillip Domenici (S), Brian Ellis (S), Richard Fron (T), Kenneth Frost (T), Leonard Frost (S), Brian Goodyear (S), Ned Hearty (T), Stephen Hoppe (Life), Dennis Jackson (T), Steven Jackson (T), William Jackson (T), Stanley Jaworski, Jr. (T), Douglas Johanson (ST), Lee Kaufmann, Jr. (T), Joseph Kelly (T), Kenneth Kettell (F), Dennis J. Krupinski (T), John Lansing (T), Patrick T. Malone (T), Peter Marciniak (S), Mark Maxwell (S), James Minter (Expl), David Morrison (T), Thomas Morrison (T), Karl Mueller (S), Edward Sinclair (T), Michael Smith (S), Donald Stricker (T), Benjamin Taylor (F), Joseph Turano (S), George Van Nostran (F), John Verdon (T), Richard Verry (ST), Tony Warguska (ST), Jeffrey Wilson (F)
Sponsoring Institutions:
Parent-Teachers Association, Mahwah High School 1972-77
Mahwah Police Benevolent Association 1977-80
Meeting Place:
Betsy Ross School 1960-80
Committee Chairmen:
Donald Campbell 1969-70
Ernest W. Smith, Jr. 1971-74
Patrick Malone 1975
William H. Dohert 1975-80
William Cawthra 1978
David Baur 1979
Robert Miller 1980
Institutional Representatives:
Leonard Frost 1970
John J. Krupinski 1970-75
William Fisher 1975-78
Thomas Mulvey 1978
William Koyak 1979
Anthony Aldorisio 1980
Committee Members:
William Allen 1972-73
Chris D. Anzoloni 1978-79
Howard S. Avery 1939-77
David Baur 1977-80
William Cawthra 1975-79
John A. Coleman 1978
Carol J. Deluca 1978-80
William Doherty 1973-80
Dennis Doyle 1976; 1978
Jack Dyer 1976
John Elich 1977-79
William H. Fisher 1972-77
William L. Fisher 1962-72
George W. Hoppe 1970-72
William S. Jackson 1970-79
Stanley Jaworski 1970
Douglas Johanson 1974
James Kaufman 1970
William Koyak 1979
John Krupinski 1971-1975
Carl Ludwig 1978-80
Patrick Malone 1972-76
Fred Maltzan 1971-78
James Minter 1970
Thomas Mull 1978
Ralph Ohlbach 1973
Herb Ratsack 1973-75
Norman Russo 1973-74
Ernest W. Smith, Jr.1970-74
Al Urbano 1979-80
Donald P. Vilmar 1973-75
Lee Vold 1978
Anthony Wastog 1977-79
Edwin Wiley 1975
Jasper Zarcone, Jr.1974-77
Scoutmasters:
George C. Price 1968-72
Willam S. Jackson 1973-75
Patrick Malone 1976-77
Stephen W. Jackson 1978-79
William J. Doherty 1979-80
Assistant Scoutmasters:
Leonard Frost 1970-71
Robert R. Verry 1970-71
Richard F. Rouault 1971-72
George G. Price 1973-75
Francis McCleaver 1973-75
Stephen W. Jackson 1973-77; 1979-80
George J. Murphy 1974-76
Thomas Ulrichs 1974-76
Patrick Malone 1978
William H. Fisher 1978-80
David Baur 1979-80
Jerry Williamson 1979-80
Thomas Whittle 1979-80
James Doherty 1980
Anthony Wastog, Jr. 1980
John Handel 1980
Star Scouts:
Frank Campbell 1970
Glen Cochran 1970
Stephen Hopper 1970
Michael Smith 1970
Richard Verry 1970
Tony Wargusta1970
Stephen Jackson 1971
Jim Deoreo 1971
Richard S. Binko 1972
Leonard Frost 1972
David Hodges 1972
Dennis Jackson 1972
Ken Kettell 1973
William Jackson 1974
Patrick T. Malone 1974
William Cawthra 1976
Anthony Wastog 1976
James Doherty 1977
Timothy Malone 1977
Steve Elich 1978
Andreas M. Ludwig 1978
Kirch Baur 1978
Robert DeLuca 1980
Life Scouts:
Frank Campbell 1970
Glen Cochran 1970
Stephen Hoppe 1970
Patrick J. Malone 1974
William Cawthra 1976
Anthony Wastog 1977
Kirk Baur 1979
James Doherty 1979
Steve Elich 1979
Timothy Wittle1980
Eagle Scouts:
James Minter 1970
Douglas Johanson 1970
Glenn Cochran 1971
Frank Campbell 1971
Stephen Hoppe 1971
Michael Smith 1972
Patrick T. Malone 1976
William Cawthra 1977
Anthony Wastog 1978
James Doherty 1980