Detroit Scouting Memories -- Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts

[English]

Enjoying a delicious snack of Girl Scout Cookies never fails to remind me of my days in my troop on the near West Side. I was a Brownie, Junior, and Cadette... should have gone up to Senior, but was in too much of a hurry to grow up. I worked for the Council in the late 90s, and have considered becoming a leader from time to time, but life never seems to slow down enough.

I especially appreciate the Michigan Metro Girl Scout Council's past and continuing commitment to inner-city Scouting. It is because of the Scouts that I was able to camp, earn badges, go places and see things that I wouldn't have been able to otherwise, and gain confidence. I went to my very first concert without parents alongside my Cadette troop sisters at Joe Louis Arena in 1991. We attended a talk show at Madonna University. And I met girls from all over the Metro at Camp Metamora, Camp Innisfree, and Camp Narrin. [[I'll never forget a special Cadette and Senior winter camp at Narrin in the early 1990s. We had a blast!)

The building where our Neighborhood Service Unit's troops were based was the old Calvary Presbyterian Church on Grand River, one of our fabulous ruins. My mom's best friend was our NSU leader, and it was her church. They've long since moved to the outskirts of the city. But less than 20 years ago, on some weekday evenings, you might have seen a tall, skinny, bespectacled brown girl, enjoying herself there.

What are your Detroit-area scouting memories?

[wanderinglady]

I was a Girl Scout too! We kept the boxes of Girl Scout cookies in the unheated den of our house. We would all pile up in our Scout leader's station wagon [[pre-seatbelt law days) to go places, including Camp Metamora one weekend. I went to Camp Innisfree one summer as well. My biggest memory of Camp Innisfree was hearing about Jimmy Hoffa's disappearance on the radio in my tent. One of my tent-mates began crying because Hoffa was a friend of her family.

[lalynch]

Most of my Girl Scout years were in Orchard Park, NY. I went to a summer camp somewhere in NY State west of Buffalo that I hated. Girl Scout camp was not for me!

[grumpyoldlady]

My Girl Scout days were in the very early 60's. I was an "Intermediate" scout in Troop 1465 at Carleton Elementary. The calendars sold for 35 cents each, and cookies I believe were 50 cents a box. There were only a few kinds to choose from...Thin Mints being the biggest seller then and now. We learned to make "sit-upons" out of folded newspapers. I still make them with my grandchildren. Hiking the neighborhood with the troop to identify trees and flowers for one badge which I never did receive. Forming a crossed arm, hand holding circle at the end of each meeting and singing "Day is done, gone the sun......etc. ending with "God is nigh". Sung to the tune of "Taps". Many field trips riding in Mrs. Boyd's early 60's Rambler station wagon...NO seatbelts. Saw "Windjammer" in Cinerama at Music Hall. That's about all I can remember other than a district program for the Girl Scout Anniversary that was held on the Denby stage...I was type cast as the "fat girl". I live in rural Minnesota now, and although I see ads in the papers about Girl Scout cookies, I've yet to see anyone selling them in the grocery store, outside other stores, or door to door. I miss my Thin Mints!!!! Even those have changed. They used to be a light colored cookie on the inside.

[LodgeDodger]

My sisters and I wanted to join Girl Scouts, but we weren't allowed to join. To this day, my sister and I talk wistfully about wanting to be Girl Scouts. All three of her girls were Girl Scouts, and my sister was a leader. My brother was a Cub Scout, Boy Scout, and also was a part of some sort of exploring group.

[DetroitPlanner]

I can remember having big bomb fires in Rouge Park's Scout Hallow. You can't even find Scout Hallow anymore. Its gone the way of the Rouge Park rec center and the Nature Center.

[12468_laing]

I became a Bronze Palm Eagle Scout in 1971 when I was 13 at St. Jude parish on the northeast side - Troop 420. Have many memories of D - A, Charles Howell South Reservation and Rifle River canoe trips. Would love to hear from other scouts from the Detroit Area Council.

[jcole]

I can remember having big bomb fires in Rouge Park's Scout Hallow. You can't even find Scout Hallow anymore. Its gone the way of the Rouge Park rec center and the Nature Center.

Your troop started fires with bombs?? Wow, the kids I knew only had bonfires.

[13074Glenfield]

I was a member of Troop 301 in the early 60s. We met at Holy Cross Lutheran Church on the corner of Hayes and Wade on the east side. It was a wonderful experience and we camped often including a week long camp out each summer. I remember going to Tahquamenan Falls, an international jamboree, and winter camping at Charles Howell. I made it to Star Scout before the pull of growing up took me away from Scouting. I wish I had stayed with it. Some of my fondest and funniest memories of growing up involve Scouting.

[Hermod]

1951-1952, Troop 722 at Immanuel Lutheran Church over by Chandler Park.

1953-1954, Troop 246 at the Methodist Church on Whittier just west of Harper [[torn down for I-94)

I made it to 1st Class, but after we moved to Rochester, didn't feel like continuing.

[Pam]

My sisters and I wanted to join Girl Scouts, but we weren't allowed to join. To this day, my sister and I talk wistfully about wanting to be Girl Scouts. All three of her girls were Girl Scouts, and my sister was a leader. My brother was a Cub Scout, Boy Scout, and also was a part of some sort of exploring group.

Why didn't they allow you to join?

[12468_laing]

any of the scouts remember the klondikes they used to have on belle isle? had to build sleds and go through a series of skill stations. now, that stuff was fun!

[13074Glenfield]

Troop 301 did our big fund raiser each year at the State Fair where we sold pancakes. They were cooked on a huge griddle and we mixed the batter in a cement mixer. We'd get huge crowds to watch the batter get mixed.

[gnome]

I ate a brownie once.

[Homer]

any of the scouts remember the klondikes they used to have on belle isle? had to build sleds and go through a series of skill stations. now, that stuff was fun!

Oh Yes, Belle Isle Klondike day, about 1960. Was with troop 226 out of Holy Redeemer in SW. I led the Beaver Patrol on a compass course and we got totally lost and were the last ones to check in. Still have the patch somewhere.

[jcole]

The Catholic grade school I went to didn't have Girl Scouts; just Campfire Girls and Bluebirds. I think this was common back then.

[Gannon]

Well, THIS Catholic school survivor certainly encountered the scouts, and can remember my sister being involved with at least the Brownies.


I cannot remember the number of our troop, 1270 or so perhaps, maybe LeoB can chime in here if he remembers.


My most vivid memory was the first weekend campout up in Metamora. Being that close to nature was the most exciting thing for this city-dweller...so much that I didn't sleep a WINK in the three-day trip. Not a wink.

The feel of that cotton sleeping bag is coming to the front of my mind now, I can even visualize it. Yellow lining with ducks, tougher brown outside.


Breakfast cooked over a fire, the raw-ness of it all. I am coming alive with these thoughts, and now know why this past year's camping trip across the country was such a deeply enjoyable time. I helped a friend move from the Bronx to San Diego, stopping in places like Dodge City and Sedona [[although that last spot was just after they ended the search for a poor little girl who wandered away from camp).



Funny how the memories return. Much of these have been obscured by pains which my psyche covered and hid, for MOST of my life everything before age 12 was capped by my parent's divorce. Oddly, with the relation I enjoy now, healing has begun again.


I get curious encouragements as well...for instance, I found an old photograph just yesterday of me in that Boy Scout uniform, leaning against the garage on Appoline, with the car Aunt Sally sold to my father that served as the team bus for the St. Alphonsus 5 & 6th grade basketball team's first string...and gumpy, unco-ordinated me. LOL.

Many things I learned in scouting remain with me today. When I open my toolbox in a client's home, oftentimes I can hear 'Be Prepared'. I joke that I am ready for anything NOW, because I'm making up for being such a lousy Boy Scout.


Cheers!

[Gannon]

When my mother volunteered to help with my sister's Brownie troop, I was too young to notice I was surrounded by girls wondering why the hell I was there.

One time they were at Rouge Park or Hines...and while everyone was warned severly about getting too close to the 'river'...one little girl fell in. I remember her being taken away by ambulance...and vaguely remember it was because of the water's toxicity, not from any injury.


Funny how some things stick in the noggin.



BTW, I think the timing of Girl Scout cookie delivery is a conspiracy to have MOST folk deeply into sugar shock while doing their taxes.

[Gannon]

I'm thrown back to that time, still. This really put me in a memory loop.

Driving to Our Lady Gate of Heaven for a game or scrimmage, the Doobie Brother's Oh Black Water on the radio, and me the only one able to hit those low harmonies.

Oh, to be back in 1975 again. Richard Nixon had finally resigned, and the country was fixin' to have a big birthday soon. Perhaps I remember more than I remember.

Damn. Must get back to sleep now...LOL!

[Gannon]

GOT IT!

Troop 1167

I can go to sleep now. I KNEW that was in there somewhere...

[jackie5275]

The Catholic grade school I went to didn't have Girl Scouts; just Campfire Girls and Bluebirds. I think this was common back then.

Same here. I was in Bluebirds for 2 years. I remember selling candy rather than cookies. Are Campfire girls still around?

[Eastburn]

Cub & Boy Scouts at Troop 420 [[St. Jude) in the mid 50s. Made it to Life Scout.

Great memories of camp-outs - even in the winter. Once we were staying in cabins somewhere when a tornado came through. The dads had us hunkered down in a ravine.

I still do a lot of camping on motorcycle trips around the US & Canada. Most of what I learned about outdoor living I learned in the scouts.

Enjoyed being one of the dads when my son was of scouting age.

What a great organization!

[birwood]

I went through both Cub Pack and Boys Scout Troop 408 at St.Brigids while growing up. I made it thru all the Cub ranks, Bobcat, Wolf, Bear Lion and Webleo but only made it to the rank of Star in Scouts. I did advance to hold the title of Jr Asst Scoutmaster, before graduating from High School. We were a close knit unit and had a lot of fun on weekend Campouts, District Camporees, WeekendRetreats, Summer Camps all held at either D bar A Scout ranch in Metamora or Charles Howell Scout Reservation in Brighton, Day Camps at Scout Hollow in Rouge Park, Scout-O-Ramas and Jamborees at the State Fair Grounds. I never made it out west to Philmont. In later years, I served terms as Cub Master and Scout Master as my son went all thru Cub Scouts, Pack 1125, and Boys Scouts, Troop 1104, achieving the rank of Eagle Scout. A lot of Good Times, Good People and Good Memories

[LodgeDodger]

Why didn't they allow you to join?

Unlike St. Jude, Grotto did have Brownie and Girl Scouts. It was a different time--girls in my family were expected to stay home. In an Italian family, boys were free to run as they pleased.

I also wanted to take tap dancing--same answer from Mom. ;-)

[kenp]

Probably not the best thread to tell this story, but the timing is perfect.
I have 2 daughters in the Brownies and they both sell the cookies. On Saturday we sold cookies at Kmart for the 2nd time and and now we are finally sold out. Yesterday I go to Kroger to pick some groceries and I notice a cookie booth. As I walk up I notice nobody around, since its cold I figured they were inside getting warmed up. When I walk in the store I notice some clerks comforting some ladies who are mothers of Girls Scouts. It turns out the Girls Scouts were robbed of their money.
Sad sad sad