Bio of Joe Davis, Legendary Scouter

[Kahuna 172]

This is excerpted from my draft manuscript. I thought some might be interested.

 

I first met Joe Davis when he was the director at Philmont in 1965. A unique and almost overpowering personality, he had a singular handshake. Everyone who has shaken hands with Joe knew to beware, because when he grasped your hand, he pulled you toward him in a way that totally throws you off balance. Supposedly, that habit and the strength came from his rowing days at Cornell. But many Scouters, especially the old-timers, have some idiosyncratic gimmicks that they throw at you just for fun.

 

Joe began his Scouting career as so many professionals do, as a 12 year-old Boy Scout in 1924. He was at the time working in a butcher shop, cutting up meat with sharp knives. He became an Eagle Scout in 1928. He graduated from high school in the middle of the Great Depression and could find no job, so it was suggested to him that he go to college. Joe went to Cornell and talked to the Dean of Admissions for the forestry school. While he was sitting in the mans office he noted, among all the photos and certificates, a picture of two boys in Scout uniform. The dean informed him that the Fall class was not only full, but over booked. Still, he asked why Joe thought he would like to be a forester . Joe answered that enjoyed the outdoors and had many woods skills developed in Scouting and that he was an Eagle Scout. The dean then responded that one of his sons had just received his Eagle award and that he thought he could find a place for Joe in the class after all. Joe graduated from the Cornell School of Forestry. He then went into the Civilian Conservation Corps, working for several years in the Catoctin Mountains in Maryland, doing reforestation, building roads and a water supply, much of which still exists. The area where he worked and the facilities he built are now well known as Camp David, the presidential retreat. He left in 1943 to become a professional on the staff at Philadelphia. While on the staff of that council, Joe was camp director at Treasure Island Scout Camp, which is the oldest camp used by Scouts in the U.S. (It was not solely a Scout camp when founded.) Treasure Island is the camp mentioned earlier as the spot where the Order of the Arrow was founded. It has recently been closed and sold. He later served in councils at Washington, D.C., Roanoke, VA and Chicago. In Chicago, Joe was Director of Activities, which included overseeing the camping properties. During his tenure there, he served as director of legendary Camp Owassippe, the oldest Scout camp in the U.S. It is still operating. So, in his lifetime, Joe Davis served as director of the two oldest Scout camps in the country in addition to being one of a short list of men to be Director of Camping at Philmont Scout Ranch He became Director in 1965 and served in that capacity until his retirement in 1976, when he moved to Frederick, MD. During his over 20 years in retirement, he continued to serve in Scouting and other community organizations. He was quite active in the Philmont Staff Association right up until his death.

 

Joes first year at Philmont (and mine) is today known as the Year of the Flood. Just prior to the start of the camping season there was a lot of rain in the area for several continuous days. In mountainous country, rain in one part of an area can run down and collect in streams and reservoirs until they all overflow. This happened in June, 1965, at Philmont. At the time, and probably today, the summer staff of Philmont arrives and spends about 5 days at Camping Headquarters getting trained, briefed and equipped for their summer in the hills. The last day is known as Operation Scatter. On that day the staffs of the camps all over the large ranch and their equipment and food are driven to their campsites. These are usually sites with cabins for the staff and some are quite large with a number of buildings for different activities. Late afternoon and early evening, the flood started. All the water that had been building up in the hills for days was unleashed on the ranch. Normally dry streambeds and washes turned into raging rivers. The main bridge between Camping HQ and the southern part of the ranch was knocked out by boulders and trees carried in the raging waters. On the road between HQ and the town of Cimarron, a four or five foot wall of water washed at least one car and its occupant off the road. The occupant spent the night in a tree and the car was found weeks later miles away. Several camps were flooded out and the staffs escaped on foot to make their way to higher ground. It became a rescue operation overnight to save some of the young men. Directing the whole operation was Joe Davis. Always calm and reassuring, driving his four wheeler where it could help, talking on the radio to cut off camps and then, the next day, trying to get the ranch functional again so that when the young campers arrived for the experience of a lifetime, they would get it. Hiking itineraries that had been planned for months had to be changed. Staff members had to get out and hike all the trails on the ranch to see which ones could still be used. It was a monster operation for a new man on the job to oversee. Somehow, Joe made it all work. Campers arrived and went on hikes and the other activities of the ranch continued, maybe not quite as usual, but it all worked.

 

Joe had a great influence on many young men who served as staff members at Philmont during his tenure and after. He truly loved Philmont Scout Ranch attended a staff function in August, 2008. I well recall that after my last summer season at Philmont, I was called to active duty in the Air Force and ended up at MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa, Florida. It was rather a pleasant place to be stationed during the war in Vietnam, but a little lonely in the beginning, and quite different than my college days and Scouting summers. During my first year there, Joe Davis came to Tampa for some Scouting function. I contacted the council office and left my contact information with them in case Joe was inclined to call. In fact, he did call and we had a very pleasant conversation which boosted my morale considerably. I always thought that was a very thoughtful thing for him to do. I saw him again at Philmont in 1968 and at that time was able to tell him how much it meant to me.

 

I had almost forgotten until I saw his memorial service that one of Joes favorite expressions, which was heard several times at the service: Carry on! One of the speakers gave a personal recollection from the last days of Joe Davis life. Joe had been taken to a hospice, where he was unable to eat or drink. He remained in good spirits, however, and having visitors. While cleaning out Joes home, a couple of his friends had found an unopened bottle of 7 year old whiskey. They brought the bottle to the hospice and Joe told them that it had been given to him over 30 years before by another friend, now deceased. They opened the bottle and asked if Joe wanted some. His answer was a definite, yes. Of course, he couldnt drink anything, so after some thought, they got one of the swabs on his bedside table, dipped it in the whiskey and put it in Joes mouth. Joe sucked it dry and asked for another. He did this several times and enjoyed it greatly. Yet another speaker said that Joe was not a glass half full or glass half empty person, but that he was always a his cup runneth over kind of guy.

 

Joe Davis was awarded the Silver Beaver, the Distinguished Eagle Award and the Silver Sage Award of the Philmont Staff Association. Joe passed away peacefully in October on 2008 at the age of 96.

[red feather 10]

thank you

[Buffalo Skipper 13]

Very moving. Yes, thank you.

[Kahuna 172]

You're welcome, guys. Thanks for reading it.