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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Exeter Times-Advocate, 1973-06-28, Page 119et ig in is of ;e as - I Tn le ;e w ie I rs if- at iy of Ye 's td a as is •e n-„ et le s. 3. ?.d at, Happy centennial EXETER SPICER'S BAKERY Exeter's Home of Good Baking Verlyn , Ed and Arnie Lindenfield Serving Exeter for the past 38 years. LINDENFIELD HARDWARE MAIN ST. EXETER Section. 1, Page 31 THE' EXETER TIMES-ADVOCATE JUNE 28, 1973 Baden-Powell once Exeter Scout The following account of the history of the Boy Scouts in Exeter was taken from the February 21, 1957 edition of the Times-Advocate, at the time of the golden anniversary of the world-wide Scout movement, We were unable to get anyone to update this history. Baden Powell was once a member of the First Exeter Boy Scout Troop. He wasn't the Baden-Powell, however. Not the Lord Baden- Powell who founded the largest and most respected youth movement history has ever known, Nevertheless, Exeter's Baden Powell did become a celebrity — for a short time at least. Being a Scout with the namesake of the movement's founder, he was featured in Toronto papers in 1921 when he attended a model camp at the Toronto Exhibition. He was one of a patrol of Boy Scouts from Exeter who were complimented as being the neatest and smartest Scouts in the camp. The following account of the history of the Girl Guides and Brownies in Exeter was clipped from a February, 1959 copy of the Times-Advocate. We were not able to get anyone to update it. + By CAPTAIN LUXTON The First Exeter Company of Girl Guides was organized in 1946 under the leadership of Mrs. Douglas Knowles, Mrs. Bob Dinney and Miss Mary Easton. The following year, Mary Easton, Anne (Brock) Rowcliffe and Helen Sweet carried on the leadership of the company. Helen Sweet was the first Guide in Exeter to obtain her first class badge and Bobbie (Kirby) Luxton, after transferring to the Exeter company from Windsor, Exeter's Baden Powell, who is now living in Sarnia, was a member of the troop which received the first Scout charter in Ontario - a distinction prized by former members of the troop, many of whom are now com- munity leaders here and elsewhere in North America. History of the local troop is not recorded in detail but fragments of the story have been collected. Preliminary investigation reveals the first attempt to organize a troop here was in 1915- 16, although some reports in- dicate it was earlier than that. R.G. Seldon, one of the promoters of the first group, recalls the organization at that time was not very successful. Troop Active in 1921 Times-Advocate records show, however, that the troop was quite active by 1921, Thomas Pryde, Huron MPP, was Scoutmaster; J.M. Harvey, was his assistant; and W. Stuart Stanbury, who has since gained eminence in the Canadian Red Cross, was troop was the second Guide in town to earn the first class badge in 1948. During the past five years, four Exeter Guides have received their Gold Cord, Guiding's highest award. Rena Murray, Norma Keller, Alice Carter and Margaret Sanders have brought honor to the company by achieving this goal. Rena Murray became Lieutenant of the company in 1955 and received her Warrant. In January of 1956 Guides moved to the Scout House and changed the meetings to Thursday evenings. When Rena left the company to go to London Alice Carter and Doreen Pearce became, the Lieutenants and will soon receive their Warrants. In the summer of 1957, Margaret Sanders was chosen to attend the first World Camp ever held in Canada at the Ontario Provincial Training Camp at Doe Lake, Ont. Margaret was chosen to attend as a Camper. During the past few years, some of the Guides' activities have been so popular that they have become annual events. Some of the leaders of the Brownies during the years have been Isabel Ganton and Mrs. Own Service. Over the past few years an increasing number of local Guides have attended the area camp Keewaydin. Last year 15 out of 18 girls went to camp, the largest percentage to date. After many years of Guiding in Exeter, we are still striving toward Lord Baden-Powell's definition of Guiding and Scouting: "A game, an education, a fellowship and a faith". Exeter Times-Advocate April 6, 1933 Loses eye Friends of Mr. Harvey Pollen will sympathize with him in the loss of 1.13 left eye which was removed by an operation in Victoria Hospital on Saturday last. Mr. Pollen was struck in the eye with a puck while tending goal at a hockey game in the local rink on Feb. 10th, Since that time he has been in the hospital un- dergoing treatment. He returned to his home on Friday, March 24th. He went to London on Saturday for examination and the doctor advised immediate removal of the eye. Miss Margaret Johns R.N. was in attendance. leader. The group appeared to be sponsored by Caven Presbyterian Church. In July, 10 Boy Scouts enjoyed an overnight camp at Kippen under Troop Leader Stanbury, and in August, 14 members of the troop held a 10-day camp at Bayfield, where they were visited by a Strathroy troop. It was in September of the same year that the Exeter patrol was among the contingent at the Exhibition. Reg. Beavers, of Beavers Hardware, Exeter, was bugler of the troop and he recalls that among the members were his brother George, Ted Taman, Derry Boyle, and Harold Whyte (who later became a Scout- master himself). Other names are mentioned in an account of a banquet in Sep- tember 1926. They included Bob Gambrill, who was presented with a life-saving certificate; Herman Gower and Kenneth Stanbury. At the same banquet, Stuart Stanbury received his King Scout cord, the highest badge ob- tainable. Bob Gambrill received a gilt cross for saving Clifford Lamport from drowning in the river above the town dam, Rev. James Foote, minister of Caven church, appeared to be active in the troop. Leaders Prominent Leaders of the Exeter troop were prominent among the Scouting activities of the district' Scoutmaster Tom Pryde was in charge of a district Scout camp in Bayfield in 1922. In 1924, Stuart Stanbury led a provincial camp in Muskoka. It was sometime during the 1922-24 period that Exeter received the first charter in Ontario. Boy Scout headquarters in Toronto reveal that Stuart Stanbury was instrumental in obtaining this charter since his troop was known at the time as being one of the most active in the province. J.M. Southcott succeeded Mr. Pryde as Scoutmaster but it is not known who took over after the former resigned. After a lapse of several years, Scouting in Exeter was revived in 1939 by Harold Whyte. Mr. Whyte led the troop until 1946, when he moved to Lucan, and during that time he had one of the better troops in the province. Mr. Whyte is respected as one of the outstanding Scout leaders in the province. Since Mr. Whyte's departure, there have been a number of men in charge of the troop, These have included Ted Buswell Alf Andrus, Owen Atkinson, Harvey Pfaff, Don Traquair, and Rene Van der Neut. Among the Cub leaders in the past have been Dr. H.H. Cowen, H.L. Sturgis, Margaret Melville and Barbara Dinney, now both married; Eric Sutherland, Douglas Pryde, Mrs. Don South- cott and Bill Batten. Brownies start in '47 By COMMISSIONER L.G. SIEGN ER The First Exeter Brownie Pack was organized in Exeter in December 1947 with Mrs. Dave Sanderson, the former Lillian Hunter-Duvar and Mrs. Robert Luxton, the former Roberta Kirkby in charge. For some years the meetings were held in the Legion Hall with the Legion Ladies Auxiliary acting as sponsors. In 1957 it was found necessary to form a second pack. Elly Bakker was the First Brown Owl, For a time Mrs. Gordon McTavish assisted with the Second Pack. As Packies, Carol Gibbons, Diane Delbridge, Donna Wells and Margaret Sanders have helped with the Brownies in Exeter. At present the leaders are First Pack, Brown Owl, Mrs. Thomas Kerr; Tawny Owl, Mrs. Joseph Wooden; Second Pack Brown Owl, Mrs. Jas. Wilson, Tawny •, Owl, Mrs. Elmer Jones. Highlights of the Brownies last year were: church parade in February; mother and daughter banquet in May; Brownie Revel in Hensall in June. Brownies who successfully flew up to Guides last year were: Marion Bentley, Helen Campbell, Sandra Hunter, Sharon Sanders and Linda Hunter-Duvar, Three local ladies started Guide group