Orange Boy Scouts Winning the Great War (1917-1918)

[rayezell_2000]

During the United States’ involvement in the Great War (World War I) from 1917-1918, Boy Scouts fulfilled a variety of vital service functions deemed important by the Federal government (and even some local and state governments). These included: serving as lookouts along US coastlines; locating unlawful radio stations; providing assistance during the flu epidemic of 1918; conducting a nationwide census of and planting Black Walnut trees; collecting peach pits for use in the manufacture of gas masks; planting of War Gardens and War Farms; selling subscriptions to the five loan campaigns during the War (the fifth campaign was initiated after the Armistice and sold Victory Bonds) for a total of nearly $355 million; selling subscriptions for War Savings Stamps (WSS) which totaled $52 million; and serving as official government dispatch bearers (BSA 1941). Boy Scouts in Orange Troop No. 1 (now known as Troop 14) participated in several of these initiatives. Read More at my blog here...

What Boy Scout WWI support activities took place in your hometowns??

[RememberSchiff]

Well done. Nicely researched post in your blog.

From local newspaper archives, we learn scouts advertised the Liberty Loan (stamps, war bonds to fund war).  

Edited September 15, 2019 by RememberSchiff

[The Latin Scot]

My council (Orange County Council, CA) was formed in 1920, just after the war ended. But I'm sure there would have been local involvement in the war effort by individuals connected with Scouting. I need to do some digging at the local library!

[rayezell_2000]

@RememberSchiff

nice photo of the scout troop you posted in your reply...funny you picked that one because I'm planning an upcoming blog essay on early Boy Scout bands and drum/bugle corps in Virginia in the near future....

[TAHAWK]

On 9/15/2019 at 4:11 PM, The Latin Scot said:

My council (Orange County Council, CA) was formed in 1920, just after the war ended. But I'm sure there would have been local involvement in the war effort by individuals connected with Scouting. I need to do some digging at the local library!

Orange County Council cites no source for its claim to date from 1920.  "Headline History, Orange County 1910 to 1929" sets 1921 as the date for formation of the Council.   occording to newspaper clippings in my old troop's "log book," the Council office closed for financial reasons on occasion until  reopening for good in 1926, necessitating ordering literature and award patches from new York City.  The Council then ceased to exist in 1943 and two new councils were formed in 1944: Northern Orange County Council and Orange Empire Council.  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_defunct_councils_(Boy_Scouts_of_America)  The present Council was formed in 1972, with the merger of the two councils formed in 1944,  so its forty-fifth anniversary approaches. 

The "Santa Ana Council" was formed in 1912, primarily by YMCA folk,  and was defunct in less than a year.

HEADLINE HISTORY Orange County 1910 to 1929

, the Orange County Council formed in 1921 and split into two councils in 

[The Latin Scot]

Well, regardless of all those details, we're celebrating our 100th anniversary next year. 

https://www.ocbsa.org/celebrate100/

[TAHAWK]

 Timeless values.