From The Mulberry Reporter February 25, 1960 Front Page
Recount History of Scouting in Mulberry at Jubilee Dinner
A brief history of Scouting in Mulberry was recounted Tuesday evening at the Boy Scout Golden Jubilee dinner held at the Methodist church. At the same time the annual Blue and Gold dinner was incorporated with the jubilee dinner. Among the special guest at the affair was Mrs. Leola Hoch, whose husband, Dana Hoch, was the first Scoutmaster in Mulberry when the first troop was organized around 1912. Another special guest was George W. Wolf of West Lafayette, who served as Scoutmaster in the early 1920’s when he was pastor of the Trinity Reformed church.
Recognized for his 16 years of Boy Scout leadership was Ora Hawkins. Dr. Herbert Richman, acting Cubmaster, introduced former Scoutmasters, leaders, Scouts and others who had influenced the Scouting program in Mulberry.
The flag ceremony was led by Bobby Davis and Den 5 of the Cub Scouts. Members of the four Cub Scout dens presented skits portraying the history of Scouting, with Mrs. John Westermeyer acting as narrator.
Dean Wright, Advancement chairman, then presented the following awards:
Bobby Davis, Lion badge, Silver Arrow and 1 Year pin; Mark Simmons, Wolf badge; Lloyd Pelfree, Gold Arrow; Ronnie Wright, Tommy Weidner and John Glick, Bear badge.
David Judge, son of Mr. and Mrs. J. C. Judge and grandson of James Bailey, who was one of the first Boy Scouts in Mulberry, was inducted into the Cub Scouts.
Each boy present then contributed 10 cents to help build a Commemorative tribute to the Boy Scouts of America in Washington, D. C. Each boy’s name will be inscribed on the memorial when it is completed.
Songs were led by the Rev. John E. Westermeyer.
First Scouts
In preparing a history of Boy Scouting in Mulberry, there were no records to be consulted and it was recalled mostly from memory. It is agreed that Dana Hoch was the first Scoutmaster, who served in that capacity for four or five years beginning in 1912.
Some of the Scouts in his troop were Lee Moore, Paul Wetzel, Clarence Peters, Roy Peters, James Bailey, Rowe Fickle, Morris Fickle, James Kent, Norvel Miller, Wallace Mertz and Floyd Cripe.
Succeeding Dana Hoch was L. Fay Hopper, who served for a short time. Dr. John S. Ketcham, now living in Rossville, became Scoutmaster next, while he was teaching at Mulberry; at that time he had not studied for his medical degree.
Apparently, after he ceased to be Scoutmaster, the Boy Scouts were dormant until the Rev. George W. Wolf came here as pastor of the Trinity Reformed church in the early 1920’s. During this period the Tippecanoe Council, of which Mulberry was a part them, acquired Camp Cary on the Wild Cat creek northwest of Monitor for a Scout camp. The land was donated by Frank Levering Cary, a noted Lafayette philanthropist. Many of the Mulberry Boy Scouts helped build the road from the highway back to the campsite.
During the 1920’s and 1930’s every Boy Scout in this area was acquainted with E. L. “Pop” Wheeler, popular executive of the Tippecanoe Council of the Boy Scouts of America.
The next Scoutmaster was Floyd Miller, son of Mr. and Mrs. William E. Miller, who served from the summer of 1925 to the spring of 1926. He was succeeded for a short time by Dana Hoch. Boy Scout meetings up to that time had been held for several years in the basement of the Reformed church. Then they were transferred to the Ladies Aid auxiliary building which stood on the school playgrounds between the school building the present home of Mr. and Mrs. Howard Rothenberger.
Mr. Hoch was succeeded by Raymond Hause, Mulberry high school teacher and basketball coach. During his period of leadership the first Court of Awards was held. The next Scoutmaster was the Rev. Robert L. Hegnauer, then pastor of the Trinity Evangelical and Reformed church. He was succeeded by Ora Hawkins, who served as leader in a number of capacities for 16 years. While he was Scoutmaster, several Mulberry boys attended the Jamborees at Valley Forge and in California.
Other Scoutmasters have been Eugene Martin, Clayton Bass, Clyde Beaver Jr. and Ray Williams. The Scouts died out for a couple of years and recently were revived with Robert Waters at Scoutmaster and Jay Lynn Gascho as his assistant.
Scouts 1926-1929
Boys registered as Boy Scouts from 1925-1929 were Lewis Davis, Samuel Lehr, Frederick Myers, Gustavus Peters, William Ramsay, Harold Troxel, Paul Wolf, Donald Lecklitner, Troy Moore, Leland Smith, Russell Purner, Earl Fickle, Owen Klingman, Herschell Bennett, Robert L. Clark, John J. Clendenning, Ernest Doyle, Raymond Fickle, George Graves, Brice Slaybaugh, Ardath Smith, Eugene Sweet, Orville Yeager, Donald Reppert, Martin Harshman, Joseph Mann, Kenneth Engler, Donald Martin, Orval Loveless, William Jacoby, Paul Bricker, Bernard Johnson, Herbert Bolyard, Mark Wolf, Ralph Haag, Robert Seager and Glen Davis.
Eagle Scouts
Orville Yeager was the first Mulberry Scout to become an Eagle Scout, Next was Eugene Lowman and then came Gene Hawkins, Donald Culbertson, James Oliver, Kenneth Grice, John W. Peters, Nelson Combs Charles Walker, David Weaver, Robert Beaver, Joe Neal Ferry, David Gascho and Jerry Seager.
Hubert Glick received the God and Country Award, one of Scouting’s high honors given for service to the church.
As far as can be learned Mr. and Mrs. Noah Gascho have had the most boys active in the Boy Scouts, All four of their sons, Jay Lynn, David, Robert and Phillip were Scouts and two of them, Jay and David, became Eagle Scouts. Jay is now assisting Scoutmaster.
Cub Scouts
Cub Scouting in Mulberry was introduced by the Rev. Robert I. Hegnauer in 1939. The Mother’s club was the first to sponsor the Cubs and the first Den Mothers were Mrs. Lloyd Neher and Mrs. Noel Mays. Other Cub Scoutmasters have been Rev. Arthur Wulf, 1941; Rev. P. J. Hamilton, 1942; Rev. Ralph Gwin, 1941; Russell Bobb, 1950; Melvin Felix, 1952; Paul McCormick, 1953; Gerald Wainscott, 1954; James Oliver, 1955; William H. Davis, 1956; Paul Weflen 1959; and Dr. Herbert Richman, 1960.