Boy Scouts of America History

Scouting was founded by Lord Robert Baden-Powell who was a British General in Africa. In fact, if you go to Kenya, you can visit his grave.While in Africa he designed a series of outdoor game activities to"toughen" the men sent to him from England. The men enjoyed these stunts and took them back to England, and thus, Baden-Powell had to rewrite his Stunts program for boys.

In 1907 he took a group of boys to Brownsea Island off the coast of England and tried out his new program. He gave them shorts, a shirt, and a neckerchief and divided them into Patrols. As a result of this experience, he published a book in 1908 called "Scouting for Boys", the first Boy Scout handbook.

Scouting was brought to the United States by an American businessman, William Boyce, who had been helped by a British Boy Scout when Boyce became lost in fog on the streets of London. In 1910 on February 8 the Boy Scouts of America was incorporated. A permanent organization was established and President William Howard Taft became the Honorary President of the Boy Scouts of America. Scouting flourished, and soon after its introduction here, it was an important part of the lives of thousands of boys, not just in America but throughout the world.

Troop 430 History

Skipping ahead 50 years from the founding of the Boy Scouts, we come to another significant date in the history of Scouting. The year was 1957. Although many important events occurred that year, for many of us here today, the most significant event of 1957 was the founding of Troop # 430. In this year, Reformation Lutheran Church received a Charter from Boy Scouts of America to be the sponsor of Troop # 430.

Troop 430 had its first meeting here in Reformation Lutheran Church under the leadership of its first Scoutmaster, Arthur "Bucky" Spaide. Since than for 50 continuous years, Troop 430 has provided a scouting opportunity for the youth of this community and the surrounding areas.  The troop has had 16 Scoutmasters and has enjoyed and is enjoying the behind the scenes leadership of 10 Troop Committee Chairmen. Since 1957, Troop 430's membership roles have contained the names of over 700 Scouts. A large percentage of the Scouts have risen to the rank of Life Scouts and as of December 2004, exactly 50 Scouts have risen to the rank of Eagle Scout.

Troop 430 is an active troop and historically, we have tried to promote individual advancement in rank. We also have tried hard to win awards for the troop throughout the years. We do this because, as stated in the Scoutmaster's Handbook, "Scouting is education that is fun". The adult leaders of Troop 430 have always viewed personal achievement and competitive success as a Troop as one indication that learning is indeed occurring among our Scouts. The troop has recently returned to Philmont Scout Reservation for the third time and this passed summer has completed a High Adventure trek. In July 2010, Troop 430 sent five of its scouts to the National Jamboree at Fort A.P Hill Virginia.