A group of Boy Scouts from Harvard Troop 1 takes a break from clearing wood in the town forest in the 1930s. (Photo courtesty of the Harvard Historical Society)

The Boy Scouts of America (BSA) are celebrating their 100th anniversary this year. They have had a presence in Harvard since 1914 and have become an important part of the community.

You can find the mark of the BSA all over town, in the form of Eagle Scout projects like the play set and benches at Bare Hill pond, exercise stations at the track, signage and benches at the community garden, the repaved driveway at the Historical Society, and the many bridges on conservation land and at Fruitlands Museum. The scouts also participate in group events like the Senior Men's Breakfast, the Memorial Day Parade, and the Good Friday Walk.

The Boy Scout movement got its start in Harvard through the efforts of Reverend Henry B. Mason, who held a meeting June 23, 1914, at the Hapgood room of the town library to organize a Boy Scout troop, thus creating Troop 1, which still exists today.

The original troop consisted of eight members and two scout leaders. At their first meeting as scouts, the boys heard a lecture on bandaging by local physician H.B. Royal. They met every Wednesday at the Hapgood "for instruction." By April 1915 they had organized a ball team, and in the summer of 1915, accompanied by Reverend Charles Bodwell, "they hiked to Ayer, took a trolley to Mount Wachusett, camped at the foot overnight, climbed to the top Wednesday and returned that night," according to Historical Society notes.

Troop 1 and the Boy Scouts of America have grown since those early days. The troop now has more than 50 members, and there is now a Cub Scout pack in town with about 80 members. Activities in which the scouts are involved have changed as well. In early scouting days, there were no drives or fundraisers. The boys earned money by performing plays and selling popcorn at movies shown at the Town Hall. According to an account related to the Historical Society in 1940 by original troop member Stanley H. Turner, "They planted four acres of beans on a piece of land which was very kindly given to them by Mrs. Charles B. Bigelow. In that venture they cleared over $100." The boys used their earnings to buy uniforms and pay for summer camp.

Today it takes a team of scouts, leaders, and parents to coordinate the logistics of the many scout activities. There are monthly den meetings, bowling parties, hikes, snow tubing, public service outings, and overnight campouts. There are also individual activities for boys to earn badges. The money they earn is still used to purchase items the boys need and to offset activity fees. However, fundraising now takes place in the form of bottle and can redemption and Christmas wreath sales, and community service is at the forefront of the organization.

Troop 1 Scoutmaster and Eagle Scout Richard Flokos views scouting as "a great opportunity for boys to learn and develop as good citizens and leaders. It offers them opportunities to take part in activities that are not otherwise available to them, while at the same time allowing them to give back by providing opportunities for the boys to learn to be good leaders and responsible citizens."

Cub Scout 10 Packmaster, Jon Schoenberg, concurs. "We run a program that promotes positive character development while having fun," he says. "Our Cub Scouts perform a town cleanup around Earth Day, march in the Memorial Day and 4th of July parades, and lend good cheer in an annual tree trimming at the Hildreth House. They also learn to work as a team during camp-outs and at the Pinewood Derby. Scouting is something you take with you through life. As a Boy Scout, I learned leadership skills that have served me well throughout my professional career. And I believe earning the Eagle Scout rank opened up some college scholarship opportunities."

Both leaders have sons who are following in their father's footsteps. Richard's son, Matthew, is 15; Jon's sons, Kyle and Zachary, are 10 and 6, respectively. All are enthusiastic scouts and love the camaraderie and variety of experiences. Matthew Flokos, who made the transition from Cub Scout to Boy Scout is already planning his Eagle Scout project. "I am planning to do something at the town beach. It's such an important place to our community," he says.

The Harvard Boy Scouts are part of the Nashua Council in the Massasoit District, which also serves the communities of Acton, Ashby, Ayer, Berlin, Bolton, Boxborough, Clinton, Fitchburg, Groton, Lancaster, Littleton, Lunenburg, Pepperell, Shirley, and Townsend.

For more information about the BSA program in Harvard contact Packmaster Jon Schoenberg, at 978-772-2313, for boys in grades 1 through 5, and Scoutmaster Richard Flokos, at 978-456-9105, for boys in grades 6 to 12.