Hello! New Guy Here

[wchormicle]

Hello,

 

Just wanted to introduce myself. I am 56 years old and have been registered in Scouting since 1960 when I was 8. Wow, next year I can get my 50 year pin.... All of a sudden I feel very old.

 

I grew up in Boy Scout Troop 1 in Santa Barbara, CA. I spent several years as one of about 5-6 Assistant Scoutmasters (the Troop had over 50 active boys).

 

I later served in different districts as part of the District Advancement committees, and later as District Advancement Chair.

 

Many many years ago I married a nice young lady (Kathy Butterfield) who was a District Executive in the Ventura County Council. Over the years we have lived in several states as Kathy's career moved forward. Ventura, CA; Santa Maria, CA; Los Angeles, CA; Saint George, UT; and now Keller, TX.

 

Kathy is now with the National Council, Center for Professional Development. Any Scouting Professionals that read this, if they have attended any national training in the past couple of years, will probably know her.

 

We have four children, only one son... He turns 15 in a week and is just finishing up his Eagle which he should have by the first of the year. I'd like to share something I wrote the week before my son was born:

 

MY SCOUTMASTER DIED TODAY

August 1994

I just got the phone call. My Scoutmaster, Roscoe Masonheimer, has

just passed away. Roscoe was Scoutmaster of BSA Troop #1 in Santa

Barbara, Calif. for over 50 years. To say that he loved Scouting

would be a gross understatement. Roscoe WAS Scouting, in the truest

sense of the word.

 

In the turbulent 1960's, while I was in Scouting, Troop 1, Mission

Council, Santa Barbara, Calif. was a haven for all that was wrong

in the world. At that time troop 1 had about 50 boys, many of whom

I still know to this day. Roscoe had that unique ability to really

know and to love every boy in his unit. Roscoe wasn't only

Scoutmaster, he was father, counselor, mediator, and hero. I didn't

know a boy in the Troop that didn't want to be just like Roscoe.

Yes, Roscoe taught us knots and lashings and first aid. But in a

larger sense, he taught us to be men, not just men, but honorable

men. When we learned a requirement, it wasn't just to pass a

test, it was to grow in our life's purpose. Roscoe wanted us

all to succeed, not just for him, but for our own self respect. To

this day, 28 years after passing my pioneering merit badge, I can

still splice a rope, and this is not something I use in my office

everyday.

 

In a time period when drugs were becoming a major problem, I can

still remember the only problem we had in my 7 years as a Scout. On

a 5 day spring trip, one of the Scouts threw away a sandwich.

Roscoe privately asked each Scout if he had thrown it away, each in

turn denied any knowledge of it. I still remember the hurt in

Roscoe's eyes. It was the first time, and only time that I know of

that one of his boys had lied to him, it crushed him.

In the late 60's and early 70's Troop 1 was an interesting

dichotomy, we had boys from the wealthiest families in town, and

boys from the poorest parts of town. But when you entered that

door, we were all Scouts. If your family couldn't afford a uniform,

Roscoe made sure you got one. We were a camping troop, and if you

didn't have the equipment, a way was always found for you to earn

it or borrow it.

 

Roscoe was not a wealthy man in dollars, yet every year, he spent

his vacation time leading us on a high sierra trip, a canoe trip,

or the most exciting thing possible, attending a national jamboree

as a unit. Every year Troop 1 had (and still does) a Christmas tree

lot. Every boy was expected to work the lot to earn points toward

going on the BIG summer trip. The funny thing was, you couldn't

keep us away from the lot.

Roscoe was a carpenter by trade. He was a product of the CCC camps

of the 1930's. Roscoe was one of those people that never quit until

the job was done, and he instilled that in his boys. Much of what

I am today, I owe to Roscoe. Several times in the past couple of

years, my wife told me I should write him and tell him how much he

had given me. Unfortunately, I was just getting to it this week,

and now it is too late.

 

The funeral is Wednesday at 11:00 am, just about the time my wife

is due to deliver our first son. If my son turns out to be half the

man that Roscoe wanted his boys to be, I will be a proud father.

 

Wes Chormicle

BSA Troop 1

1965-1973

 

Thanks for letting me share!

 

 

 

[mbrownkc7]

Terrific post and hope to hear alot from you. Welcome aboard!!

 

Your letter made me well up as I thought of the men who had that affect on me. These men included my father, scout leaders, and teachers.

 

I also had something similar happen to me years ago. When my first son was born I named him after my favorite uncle. Although he lived very far and I only saw him once a year, I was always impressed by him. One day I got news that he had been diognosed with cancer and was given a few months to live. I immediately sat down and wrote out a letter telling him why I named my son. I mailed it the same day but I received even worse news two days later. He died and never got my letter.

 

I hope writing your letter made you feel good and I hope you shared it with his family. It was a beautiful letter and I am glad you posted here for me to read.

 

Regards,

 

Mike Brown

[desertrat77]

wchormicle, welcome and thanks for the wonderful post.

[tjspears]

Rosco was truly one of a kind.

 

James Spears

Troop 1, 1972-76

 

[JFF]

Indeed he was.

 

His moral and ethical compass pointed straight north. A terrific role model for all of us.

 

Nicely put Corky.

 

And Jamie, I remember you too!

 

John Feldsted

BSA Troop 1

Santa Barbara

1966-1973

[nighttime]

Hello and welcome!

[davedrum1970]

Hello Wes. I am from Troop 1 also. In the 80's. I would like to say that it was a very sad day to find out about Roscoe's passing. He made me the man I am today as being a Cubmaster and becoming a Scoutmaster next year. I am only sorry I didn't get to say by to him as it seems you didn't get to either. When I was in the Troop Roscoe encouraged me to go for my Eagle. Unfortunately the Scoutmaster who took over cheated me out of my Eagle. Roscoe taught me to go for all I can in scouts. That is why I am in the process of finishing my wood badge. Either way I thank Roscoe for being the leader he was. I can only hope I am half the leader he was.

[smithrene42]

Hello Wes. I am from Troop 1 also. In the 90's I would like to say that it was a very sad day when my mother got the phone call about Roscoe's passing. He made me the man I am today as being a Roundtable and a unit commissioner. I was able to say by to him. When I was in the Troop Roscoe encouraged me to go for my Eagle. I was the last one he put through to get my eagle in troop 1 i was also in charge of his color guard.. I thank Roscoe for being the leader he was. I can only hope I am half the leader he was..

 

Rene Smith

BSA troop 1

Santa Barbara

1990 to 1998