By David Cochran | Posted July 13, 2023
There is much to celebrate in Troop 46—Montgomery Township’s oldest Boy Scout troop.
There are currently about 75 boys in Troop 46. Over its many years, the troop has had an outstanding record of helping scouts attain the rank of Eagle, the highest rank in scouting. On September 24,1966, Larry May became the first Eagle Scout in the troop, and since then, 217 boys have followed his lead. The troop expects five or six scouts to reach Eagle this year.
Boy Scout Lee Van Cleef wearing the scout uniform in 1936.
While scouts are continually trying to move through the requirements of the ranks—Scout, Tenderfoot, Second Class, First Class, Star, Life and Eagle—scouting is about more than achieving ranks. Its core values outlined in the Oath and Law are really what scouting is about.
These principles are woven into everything the scouts do—earning merit badges, camping, leading, and living everyday life. To be a scout means to live your life with purpose, to conduct yourself in a wholesome manner, and to be concerned about others and how you work with them. These are worthy goals for all of us.
They recently learned that their new charter from the Boy Scouts of America recognized a revision in their startup date. It was believed that the troop began in 1936, but a search of the troop archives told a different story.
It seems that the troop, which has been sponsored by Blawenburg Reformed Church for all these years, was first chartered as Troop #1 in Blawenburg in 1933. For unknown reasons, the troop changed its number to 46 in 1936 and has been chartered as such ever since.
A cake sporting the Troop 46 logo.
The new charter recognizes the true startup date, so now they are officially 90 years old.
According to Troop Committee Chairperson Kathy Lawler, “A troop committee manages the administrative function of the troop, while the scoutmaster and assistant scoutmasters oversee the program activities and provide guidance to the scouts.”
The troop committee consists of Chairperson Lawler, Rev. Jeff Knol of Blawenburg Reformed Church, representing the sponsoring organization, and Scoutmaster Mike Babler. Beyond this adult leadership, the troop is run by the scouts themselves. They take pride in being a youth-led organization. The belief is that to become leaders, scouts need to experience leading.
The troop is divided into patrols, which are smaller groups that do activities together and competitively with other patrols. By keeping these units small, it increases the opportunities for interaction and leadership among the boys.
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The Library of Congress reports that “the primary goals of the American (Boy Scout) movement (are) to help boys develop the skills, the knowledge, and the character required to better serve themselves and their country.” The most recent charter adds leadership and mental and physical fitness to these attributes.
These goals are outlined in the Scout Oath and Law. The oath says, “On my honor I will do my best to do my duty to God and my country and to obey the Scout Law; to help other people at all times; to keep myself physically strong, mentally awake, and morally straight.”
The Scout Law expands the oath to reflect the 12 core values of scouting. “A Scout is trustworthy, loyal, helpful, friendly, courteous, kind, obedient, cheerful, thrifty, brave, clean, and reverent.” Scouts recite the oath and law at meetings and events as a reminder of their scouting and personal goals. ■
Troop 46 meets at the Princeton Elks Lodge on Route 518 in Montgomery Township each Monday night from 7 pm to 8:30 pm during the school year. Boys ages 11 to 17 are welcome to join the troop. Visit www.troop46.org or contact Scoutmaster Mike Babler at scoutmaster@troop46.org.
Read more about the history and activities of Troop 46 at Blog 91, www.BlawenburgTales.com.
