The 1st Marshfield Boy Scout Troop, Wolf Cub Pack and Beaver Colony

group committee led by Chairman Claude Lewis, Secretary Marjorie Boswell and Treasurer Ethel MacCallum took on the responsibility for recruiting leaders, financing, assisting with facilities and ensuring the continuity of the program. Group Chaplain was Rev. G.A. Elliot of York. The Group was officially organized on Oct. 6, 1960. Scouts, Cubs and later Beavers held regular weekly meetings at the Marshfield Women’s Institute Hall.3 This location was used until the new L.M. Montgomery School in East Royalty became available. The Beavers moved to the new school in 1985 and the Cubs followed in 1990.

Inaugural members of The 1St Marshfield Scout 'h'oop were:

Hugh Lowry, Scoutmaster

Gordon Stetson, Asst. Scoutmaster

Kent Stetson David MacCallum David Wood David Foster Stewart MacCallum Jimmie MacCallum Allison Swan Richard MacCallum Roland Vessey Eddie Boswall

Ross Lewis Daniel Hemphill Ricky Johnson

Inaugural members of The 1St Marshfield Wolf Cub Pack were:

Doris MacBeath, Cubmaster

Edith Foster, Asst. Cubmaster

Alex MacBeath Brian Stewart

Paul Saunders Gordon Dennis

Wayne Scott Garth Thompson Owen Lowry Ivan Boswell Donald MacCallum Carl Boswell Ralph Stewart Gary Boswell

A few years after the initial startup, the Group Committee felt that membership could be increased if recruiting was extended to the neighbouring communities. After the Group Committee had re— organized and registrations were completed in the fall of 1963, the total numbers had grown from 34 to 58.3 The decision proved to be a good one and the broader membership base resulted in a more successful scouting program for many years.

A new dimension was added to the international Scouting movement in 1972 when a new division called Beavers was introduced for boys five years of age. Their simple mandate and Promise (“I

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promise to love God and take care of the world”) was an instant hit. The first PEI Beaver Colony was started in Wilmot Valley in 1972.2 In 1979 the need was felt to add a Beaver Colony of young boys to the Marshfield organization. The colony’s first year was quite successful with registrations totalling 24. Leaders for the first year of the Beaver Colony were Janet Miller, Linda MacCallum and Barbara Wood.3

In addition to the regular weekly meetings held during the fall—to-spring seasons, Scouts, Cubs and Beavers were active in a number of areas. All groups would try to get away for at least one camping experience each year to on-Island locations such as Camp Buchan, Camp Riverdale and other individually organized trips. Provincial Jamborees were often held at Camp Buchan, which provided an opportunity to share scouting experiences with troops, packs, and colonies from other groups in the Province. However, the groups were always on the lookout for opportunities to venture farther afield to jamborees in other provinces or other parts of the world. Contingents were usually sent from the Scout Troop to Canadian Jamborees (known as “CJ’s”) that were usually held somewhere in the country every four years. Prince Edward Island did its share of hosting the jamborees every 12 years. When the jamborees were held in this province, the opportunity existed to send larger contingents and to allow Cubs and Beavers to visit the site. Some additional trips were undertaken such as the ones in 1965 when 18 Scouts went on a camping trip to Newfoundland; 1967, 20 Scouts visited Expo 67 in Montreal; and 1970, the whole Scout Troop went on a trip to Cape Breton. In 1969, Irwin Jewell of York attended the World Jamboree in Athol, Scotland. The year 1993 saw Glen Kelly and John MacInnis take a Scouting contingent to the National Jamboree in Kananaskis, Alberta.4

Other activities supported community needs and were a source of fund raising. Events such as the annual Bottle Blitz, Trees for Canada, Apple Day, Christmas Tree and Craft Sales all played a part in developing a sense of social responsibility in the young boys. In 1966, funds were raised and donated to assist in the building of the new Provincial Scout Headquarters building at 100 Upper Prince St. in Charlottetown. The site was built on land donated by Senator George Barbour