The Turtle Scouts

(𝘌𝘹𝘤𝘦𝘳𝘱𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘙𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥 𝘉𝘢𝘳𝘯, 𝘝𝘰𝘭 3, 𝘣𝘺 𝘑𝘢𝘤𝘲𝘶𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘦 𝘋𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘢𝘯 𝘑𝘢𝘤𝘬𝘴𝘰𝘯)

When Ron returns from France in 1924, he and Vera live downtown at Aunt Idas while Ron takes his senior year at Beloit College. He stays in close touch with the farm, however, with the neighbors, with Turtle Township.

He hears that one of the Turtle boys, Murel Holmbeck, wrote to the Boy Scouts and asked how a country boy could get into scouting. They sent him information and a booklet for a correspondence program. He has been working away on his own, a Lone Scout.

In Chateau Thierry, one of Ron's duties was to lead a Boy Scout troop. Now he sees a need in his own township. He sends out word that he's ready to lead a boys' group. He invites any boys interested to meet at the Big House.

On the appointed date a dozen boys show up. Murel Holmbeck along with two brothers and a cousin; Bub Wehler; Jimmy Anderson; Ralph and Vernon Howland; John Holmes; Bob Maxworthy; a few others. Not all who come are old enough to be scouts, but they come with their big brothers. They talk about their organization, they play games, they have refreshments. Each boy drinks a quart of chocolate milk. The troop is launched.

The boys meet weekly, rotating houses. They conduct Boy Scout business, progress on merit badges, have a program, and finish with games and refreshments.

The favorite game is called Hot Hand. One boy leans his head into a pillow against a wall, exposing his elevated rump. The group figures out the longest run in the room, a run where speed can be built up. Then one of the boys runs at the leaning boy and whacks him with as much force as he can muster. "It" has to guess who hit him. If he doesn't guess correctly, he buries his head again for another boy to deliver a blow. Some of the blows are delivered with such force that "It" is practically lifted off his feet. Some of the blows really hurt. Phil Holmes is one of the little brothers; he's too small to play. If he sees his brother John having a hard time of it, he will dart in and give him just a little tap. Then John will turn around and guess that it is Phil. The other boys cry out, "No fair!" But Phil is too soft hearted to let John's punishment, or anyone else's, go on and on.

Sometimes Vera makes waffles for the group when they meet at the Little House. Sometimes it's doughnuts at Sally Holmes's, or cookies at Maxworthys', or other treats at other members' houses.

The program is usually a speaker on some interesting topic, not necessarily connected with scouting. Sometimes the group has a day activity: Ronald once leads the group on a hike from Zilley School to Bergen, seven miles away, where they visit a phone company and a creamery. Or the program a night activity: a rope hike in the dark, or a snipe hunt for an unsuspecting new member. One night they spear suckers in the crick behind Gundersons. It's an activity they've done before. When Ron hears of it he wants to learn how. The boys have sticks with fish spears on the ends. They light flares on the banks by a shallow rapids. When the foot-long suckers swim up the rapids, they make easy prey. Ron joins in the melee. After a bit he abandons his spear and gets right in the water. He catches suckers with his bare hands.

Ron is the leader of the scout troop for several years. But his work presses him, and he is getting his own children faster than a dog gets fleas. He suggests to a new employee (Ray Veihman) that he take over. At the same time Chet Welch of the County Y suggests that the scout troop become a rural YMCA group.