Sir Robert Baden-Powell founded the Boy Scouts in England around 1907. In 1910, Boy Scouting came to the United States when the Boy Scouts of America were formed.
Just four years later, on Jan. 12, 1914, Troop 31 was chartered in State College. The troop’s 100th anniversary will be celebrated at a special campout beginning on Aug. 23 at the Seven Mountains Boy Scout Camp in Potter Township.
Troop 31 was first chartered by St. Paul’s United Methodist Church in State College, and has been continuously chartered by St. Paul’s since 1914. The troop was originally called “Troop 1.” A designation it held until 1930 when the Juniata Valley Council was reorganized into three districts.
The State College area troops were located in the Nittany Mountain District number 3, so a “3” was placed in front of the troop number and it became Troop 31. All former troop members, leaders and families are invited to attend the special campout and activities.
“We expect about 100 to 150 people, so it will be a big event,” said event organizer Craig Colwell, an alumnus of Troop 31.
Troop 31 has a long and interesting history. The troop’s first Scoutmaster was Penn State professor, Milton W. Eddy, who, when asked on the charter application if he was an American citizen, wrote “Yes, 10 generations ago Samuel Eddy landed at Plymouth, Massachusetts on Oct. 29, 1630.”
The troop’s first Eagle Scout was MacLean Babcock who earned the rank in 1934. As of July 2013, Troop 31 has awarded the Eagle Scout rank to 170 Boy Scouts.
From 1914 to today, Troop 31 has actively camped outdoors. Early campouts were held at the Forestry Camp in Stone Valley and in Spring Mills where the troop traveled by train from Lemont before hiking to Penns Cave. Since those days, Troop 31 has traveled across North America to Canada, New Mexico, Alaska, Minnesota, Florida, New York and Washington, D.C., among other locations.
Troop 31 has served its youth through two World Wars, the Korean Conflict, Vietnam and every national crisis since 1914. Troop members sold Liberty Bonds during World War II, marched in patriotic parades, held countless flag ceremonies, grown victory gardens, collected scrap metal and prepared numerous young men to serve in America’s military services.
The troop has been led by 30 Scoutmasters during the past 100 years, including John W. Long, who later became President of Lycoming College. The current Scoutmaster is Frank Savino.
Working through 170 Eagle Scout Leadership Projects and hundreds of community service projects, Troop 31 has served Centre County well. Scouting for Food, building picnic tables and chuck boxes at Seven Mountains Scout Camp, helping with the Arts Festival trash crew, parking cars at the 4th Fest and many more service projects have been taken on by Troop 31.
As it begins to celebrate its 100th year of scouting, Troop 31 is alive and well. It consists of 59 scouts, one scoutmaster, 14 assistant scoutmasters, 18 committee members and one chartered organization representative, Ed Strause serves as a liaison between Saint Paul’s Men’s Brotherhood Class and the Troop.
“It’s very unusual to have the same church chartering a troop for 100 years. Saint Paul’s has been great to work with through all that time,” Colwell said.
Many activities are planned for the anniversary campout according to Colwell, including archery, shooting BB guns, scout skills, fire building, first aid, a dinner, a formal flag ceremony and a campfire after dinner.
Local politicians Scott Conklin and Glenn Thompson, both avid scout supporters, plan to attend and speak at the anniversary event. Troop 31 alumni include a long list of local businessmen, doctors, attorneys and many other prominent citizens of the Centre Region.
For more information about the event, call Colwell at (814) 777-2999.
