Troop 155 History

      Although not the intention of the American Scouting movement, many early troops sponsored by churches were segregated by religion.  Troop 150, sponsored by Saint Patrick's Catholic Church, began in the 1920's and catered more or less exclusively to boys of that faith.  For protestants living in Whitinsville, early Scout troops were sponsored by the Presbyterian and Episcopal churches.  In the early 1950's Troop 133 was at the Episcopal Church.  Cyril Taylor was the Scoutmaster.  Troop 155 was beginning at the Village Congregational Church.  Early Scoutmasters were Lou Burns, Bob Walker, Ren Yeo, and Herb Andrews.

      As Scouting entered the 1960's both Troops 150 and 155 boasted large memberships.  Still, Catholic boys pretty much attended 150, and protestant boys 155.  Troop 155, the less established troop, struggled with adult leadership, a suitable meeting place (the boys met in the cellar of the Village Church), and with equipment needs.  In contrast, Troop 150 had a long tradition, its own Scout House, and veteran adult leaders.

      A most significant event in the life of Troop 155 occurred when a new 21-year-old leader signed aboard in 1961.  His name was Henry "Skip" Dalton, son of Scouting veteran H. Irving Dalton.  Skip had been a youth member of Troop 155 under Ren Yeo.  Injecting much needed enthusiasm for the program, the troop became much more active - camping every month, rain or shine (mostly rain, it seemed).  Skip believed strongly in a boy-led troop, and training of junior leaders became a priority.  Soon the troop was on the move, and its improved program and "Scout Spirit" was being noticed throughout the town.  Campouts featured spirited campfire programs and rousing games of "Capture the Flag," with Scoutmaster Skip leading the charge.  It's troop numbers began to grow, aided by the absorption of another local troop, 156 (Northbridge Center), as it ended its existence in 1963.

      Another very significant event in Troop 155's history happened in 1963.  Several Catholic Scouts from Troop 150 "crossed over" to join the more active program of Troop 155.  From that point on, Scouting in Whitinsville ceased to be segregated by religion, with boys free to choose their Scout troop on its own merits, rather than on where the troop met.

      The Village Congregational Church recognized the increased quality of the program and the responsibility the youth members were developing, by allowing the troop to begin holding its weekly meetings in the large, recently renovated fellowship hall in the church.  Now the troop had a truly superior meeting place - plenty of room for the nearly 50 boys attending weekly.  Room dividers also allowed for semi-private patrol corners which helped to strengthen the "patrol method" as a way of doing troop business.

      The decade of the 1960's was a strong one for Troop 155.  Under Skip's leadership, an active adult troop committee was formed, aiding in the support of the busy troop.  A week of summer camp was always the highlight of the busy Scouting year, with Treasure Valley Scout Reservation in nearby Paxton, MA, providing the location for many Scouting memories.  Troop members felt the annual trip to Treasure Valley was almost an obligation of membership.  Rarely did any troop member stay at home.

      Skip's love of camping and canoeing led to special week-long high adventure trips to Maine....first to the Rangely Lakes in Western Maine, and then to Moosehead Lake, just south of the fabled Allagash Wilderness area.  Skip skillfully used these camping trips to groom upcoming new leadership for the troop.

      In 1966, the troop had it's first Eagle Court of Honor.  Four Scouts (crossovers from Troop 150 three years earlier), were presented Scouting's highest award.  Their names were Gary Rae, Robert Majeau, Ken Howard, and Ken Peloquin.  This first Court of Honor set the stage for many more to come.  (For a complete list of Troop 155 Eagle Scouts, (click HERE).  Two more Scouts attained the rank of Eagle Scout in the 1960's.  First Jack Thompson in 1967, and then brother Charlie in 1968.

      In 1971, Skip's 10-year tenure as Scoutmaster came to an end as he announced his retirement.  A change in top leadership many times spells disaster for Troops.  Troop 155 was determined to continue its excellence.  A new man, John Bosma, a member of the Village Church and father of a scout-age son, volunteered to take the helm.  The transition proved to be smooth one, bolstered by an active troop committee, headed by newcomers Jim Wheeler, Burnie Miller, and Sid Koopman, with continuity provided by Scouting veterans Jim Shaw and Herb Andrews.

      John's three years as Scoutmaster continued the programs and policies set in place by Skip Dalton.  The troop continued to camp regularly, attend Treasure Valley every summer, and hold weekly meetings year-round.  John also understood the importance of a strong committee.  Soon other dedicated adult leaders: Dick Buma, Merrill McNelly, and Lou Stead joined the team.  Also, the former youth member and Eagle Scout, Charlie Thompson, helped out as an Assistant Scoutmaster as much as possible while he attended college.  Evidence of the continued strong program was provided with the celebration of the troop's seventh Eagle Scout,George Gleason, in 1971, under John Bosma's leadership.

      In 1974, John Bosma decided to retire as Scoutmaster, and then 23-year-old Charlie Thompson was tapped to replace him.  Charlie came to the job with lots of enthusiasm and an approach to the job that in many ways emulated his former Scoutmaster, Skip Dalton.  Strongly committed to a boy-led troop, Charlie invested much time in junior leader training, monthly campouts, annual summer camp weeks, and even the summer canoe trips to Maine.  The troop continued to grow in prosper.  While the average age of boys leaving Scouting nationwide was barely 13, the active program at Troop 155 kept most of its members well into high school.  With an emphasis on advancement and a program which could provide the advancement opportunities to the boys, Eagle Scouts began appearing on a regular basis.  Starting with two Eagles in 1975, the troop has had at least one Eagle Scout each year from that point to the year 2015, with the exception of three years, going from a total of 7 Eagle Scouts prior to 1975 to 94 Eagle Scouts by the year 2015.

      Starting in 1977, the troop began experimenting with the idea of alternating summer camp experiences for its boys.  Although Treasure Valley was indisputably a high-quality camp, because boys stayed in Scouting in Troop 155 for six or seven years, it was felt that taking boys to other BSA camps every other year instead of "T.V." would help to sustain interest in Scouting.  Also, it would be an opportunity for boys to see other camps, meet scouts from other councils, and to sightsee before and after the week of camp.

      The first of these out-of-council summer camp trips happened in 1977 when the troop went to Camp Greenough in South Yarmouth, Mass.  This most enjoyable camping experience featured a canoe trip on the Bass River which began in a cranberry bog and ended in the ocean.

      In 1979, a new concept was tried.  A local Camp Fire Girls camp in Sutton, MA was rented by the troop for one week in August.  The troop recruited a doctor, a merit badge staff, cooks, and a waterfront staff, and put on its own summer camp for the week.  The week that ensued was one of the most memorable in troop history.  Former Scoutmaster Skip Dalton, now serving as troop committee chairman, helped to organize the week, and served as the head of the aquatics staff.

      Trip to Ottawa, Canada for a week of camping at the Scouts/Canada Camp Opimekon.  The troop also toured Ottawa and Montreal.

      Trip to J.E. Mack Scout Reservation, Lancaster, Pennsylvania.  The troop also toured Gettysburg, the Penn Dutch Country, and visited Hershey Park.

      Trip to Camp Bedford, in the Adirondack Mountains of New York State.  The troop also spent the weekend in nearby Montreal.

      Two week trip, beginning at Camp Brady Saunders, in Goochland County, Virginia.  The troop spent week #2 in Virginia Washington D.C.  One highlight of this trip was the honor of participating in a wreath laying ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Arlington Cemetery.

      Trip to Camp Yargoo in Hope Valley, Rhode Island.  (This trip was a short one, and close to home...because many troop members were attending the Boy Scout National Jamboree later in the summer.)

      Probably the most ambitious trip every undertaken by Troop 155.  The troop flew to San Francisco and motored up the coast 60 miles to Camp Royaneh.  After one week of camp, the troop toured California, with stays in San Francisco, Yosemite National Park, Monterey, and Los Angeles, before flying home from L.A.

      J.E. Mack Scout Reservation in PA was revisited.  This trip included tours of Philadelphia and a visit to Six Flags Great Adventure Park in New Jersey.

      The troop changed its "Odd Summer" out of council trips to "Even Years" with a great trip to Wyoming.  Flying in to Salt Lake City, the troop journeyed two days to northern Wyoming to stay at Camp Buffalo Bill.  After camp, the troop toured Cody, Yellowstone National Park, and Jackson Hole, finishing up again in Salt Lake City before flying home.

      Buffalo is really a beautiful place, the troop discovered, on its trip to western New York State.  First stop was a week of summer camp at Camp Merz on the shores of beautiful Lake Chatauqua.  After camp, the troop visited the Rock'n Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, and toured Buffalo, Niagara Falls, and Toronto.

      The troop flew down to sunny FLA to Camp La-No-Che near Orlando, Florida.  While there, the troop visited Daytona Beach, Kennedy Space Center, Blizzard Beach Water Park, and some out of the way place called Walt Disney World.

      Camp Mack Morris, 100 miles west of Nashville, Tennessee was the 2002 destination.  The tour highlights included the Grand Ol' Opry, Shiloh Civil War Battlefield, and Memphis - home of ribs, the blues, and, of course, Elvis!

      November 1993.  Over 35 Troop 155 past Eagles converged to honor the occasion of the troop reaching the 50-Eagle mark.  Andrew Myers was the actual Eagle #50, but Eagle #51, Justin Fortin, also received his badge on that night.