Michelle Seeber
Woodward News
— If you talk about the Boy Scouts with David Sauls or Don Degand, both will share endless amounts of information.
The two, who have been involved in Scouts for years -- Degand, 61, since he was eight years old, and Sauls who began as a Cub Scout -- noted recently that this month marks the organization’s 100th birthday.
Both are scout leaders and had much to share about the organization, its 100-year history and the rewards it brings to participants.
According to Sauls, the “real starter” of Boy Scouts in the United States was journalist William Boyce, who got lost in the fog during a trip to England in the early 1900s.
“A Boy Scout helped him, and he did research on (the organization),” Sauls said.
Boyce’s research led him to the founder, Lord Baden Powell, who helped him with information, and Boyce brought the organization to the United States.
The Boy Scouts of America in 1910 and began spreading throughout the nation.
“In 1923 was when we began to see scouting in Oklahoma,” Sauls said.
The organization teaches 12 scout laws: Being trustworthy, loyal, helpful, friendly, courteous, kind, obedient, cheerful, thrifty, brave, clean and reverent.
These characteristics have helped many scouts to go on to lead successful lives, Sauls said, noting that many scouts serve in the military and a lot of ministers have been scouts as well.
A number of famous men in our nation's history were once scouts, Sauls said.
“Thirteen of the first 26 astronauts were Eagle Scouts," he said, explaining that "Eagle Scout is the highest rank you can attain in scouting.”
Before a Boy Scout can attain the rank of Eagle Scout, they must first earn merit badges to achieve lower ranks such as the Star and Life ranks. After attaining the Life rank, a boy scout must earn 10 more badges and complete a service project to achieve Eagle status.
An Eagle Scout service project has to be something they plan, develop and carry out, and has to be something that benefits others in the community. Some projects organized by local scouts working toward the Eagle rank have included Bart Ralston, of Sharon, who repaired public storm shelters in Fort Supply and Buffalo; Jeff Weidemann, of Woodward, who helped upgrade playground equipment at the First Christian Church in Woodward;and Patrick Shaw, of Woodward, who completed GPS mapping of all the storm shelters in Harper County.
This ranking is separate from the rankings of Cub Scouts, Boy Scouts, Venture and Explorer Scouts, which are all based on age.
Cub Scouts is for youngsters 6 to 10-years-old; Boy Scouts is for youths 11 to 18-years-old; and Venture Scouts and Explorer Scouts are for youths 14- to 20-years-old.
During their involvement in scouts, members learn first aid, lifeguard training, how to debate without getting personal about it, and many other things, Sauls said.
Degand, a registered adult leader and a member of the scouts’ District Advancement Committee, said scouts also learn survival skills through camping trips and other activities, such as fishing, canoeing and hunting.
“I’ve always told parents that scouting is one tool in the road to manhood,” he said, noting scouts learn life skills and education through earning badges.
Fathers play an active role in scouts as well, he said. They accompany their children on camping trips and many other scouts activities.
Degand, who himself has been on many camping trips, said he has numerous “memorable experiences.”
One is of the peanut butter and jelly sandwiches that fed a group of scouts on a canoe trip.
“That was called canoe food,” he said. “When you’re out canoeing on the river trip, that’s what you eat is peanut butter and jelly. Peanut butter and jelly was all over the bottom of the canoes.”
There are two Boy Scout troops in Woodward and one in Mooreland and two packs of Cub Scouts in Woodward.
“The Cimarron Council, which is our group, services 6,500 youths in a 19-county area,” Degand said, noting the area covers "from Stillwater north and back to Woods County.”
As for some of the things local scouts do, Woodward Boy Scouts Troop 251 just came back from a trip to Black Mesa, where they put some benches in. The troop has also worked with several projects on the hiking trails at Boiling Springs, he said.
Cub Scouts do a lot of crafts, Degand said, noting, “they’re big on that. The Cub Scouts also incorporates family into its program."
For example, he said a Cub Scout can earn a badge for “going to the grocery store with (his) mother and helping her out,” he said.
“The Cub Scouts was set up by teachers, so it has a lot of learning things,” Degand said. “ Our books on arts and crafts have been used for Sunday school and everything else.”
For more information about the scouts or how to join, Degand can be reached by calling 256-2216. Sauls can be reached at 256-1771. Or you can contact the Cimarron Council of Boy Scouts at council@cimarronbsa.org.
