100 Years of Eagles with Troop 18
In a previous post last month, we announced that Troop 18 is celebrating 100 years of Eagle Scouts in the Crossroads of America Council. In 1916, Troop 18 had the first three Eagle Scouts in the Indianapolis Council (the predecessor to the Crossroads of America Council).
This week we will add more to the story of Troop 18.
In 1917, Louis Fletcher, First Class Scout, age 14, earned bronze honor medal for saving 2 boys from drowning (Boys Life, Sept. 1917.)
Also in 1917, Troop 18 put on a show at the Peter Pan Theater. The net proceeds were to defray expense of the two-week summer camp the troop went on every year “An elaborate moving picture program has been arranged for the performances” (Indianapolis News, May 23, 1917, pg 13.)
In 1924, Hillis Howie worked with Troop 18 and earned gold badge from William Hornaday for service to wildlife. (Mr. Hornaday was instrumental in the BSA’s early conservation program and was the director the New York Zoological Park.) The gold award today requires the equivalent of multiple Eagle Projects dedicated to conservation. While the Bronze and Silver awards are met by requirements. The gold award is by nomination only after 3 years of dedicated service to youth conservation efforts.
In 1926, Hillis Howie, now Scoutmaster of Troop 18, organized Prairie Trek summer camping in American Southwest. Later, Prairie Trek goes under name of Cottonwood Gulch Foundation. Mr. Howie purchased 500 acres near Thoreau, New Mexico for the camp. (see Prairie Trek expeditions records 1926-1982). The center of the treks moved from the Boy Scout Troop to the Indianapolis Children’s Museum. In 1938, Hillis Howie led an expedition with the young Kurt Vonnegut, Jr., an Indianapolis native and graduate of Shortridge High School. Vonnegut thought so highly of Howie that he dedicated his book Galapagos to Howie. Vonnegut’s father, Kurt Vonnegut, Sr., known today for being the architect of the Athaneum and Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Monument on the Circle, showed his appreciation to Mr. Howie by designing the cabins that remain in New Mexico to this day.
In 1929, Howard Young received his Eagle Scout award from the hand of Chief Scout Executive James West (1929 Boys Life).
In 1931, Indiana Department of Conservation (pg 118) lists Troop 18 as having 28 members attend Camp McCormick.
Skipping forward several decades, in 2012, Eagle Scout Ian Kenney awarded honor medal with crossed palms for saving a friend during a house fire.
Help Troop 18 celebrate its and Crossroads of America Council celebrate its century of Eagles together by joining in the fun!
CAC North Star Unofficial Website 