Boy Scouts in Memphis

From the beginning of the 20th century to present day there have been active and thriving Boy Scout troops all throughout the Memphis and surrounding area. In this episode we’ll talk about Kamp Kia Kima, Camp Daniels and the day to day of a Scout in the early 1900’s. We’ll also discuss the integration of the Scouts and the future of the Scouting. 

Joining Mark & Joe are (l-r) Barry Moore, Duane Klink, Ed Provine, Elzie Rosebud, Andrew Schrack, Chuck Schadrack, Wayne Dowdy, Fred Morton.

We’re honored to be joined by a who’s who of Memphis Scouts including:

Barry W. Moore

Barry was born in Memphis and raised in South Memphis and Whitehaven. He spent 30 years working in the Bureau of Environmental Health at the Memphis & Shelby County Health Department where he served in various capacities ranging from urban sanitation, food safety, and groundwater protection. In 1995 he was assigned to steer the health department into the public health emergency preparedness arena partnering with local hospitals, emergency management and first response agencies to develop response plans for acts of biological terrorism. In 2002, Barry was honored by the Tennessee Public Health Association as the “Public Health Worker of the Year” for his contributions to bioterrorism and all hazards preparedness planning for public health. 

Barry is a member of the National Environmental Health Association and served as the organization’s national chairman of the Bioterrorism and All Hazards Preparedness Section from 2000 to 2004. In 2007, Barry was appointed to serve on the West Tennessee Seismic Safety Commission as a representative of public health, where he continues his active participation.  

In 2009, Barry began to help coach student athletes on the Collierville High School Trap Team. He was Head Coach for the school’s 2012-2015 Scholastic Clay Target Program seasons. He has been a member of the Boy Scouts of America, Chickasaw Council since 1965. He earned his Eagle rank in 1973 and has served as an adult leader in positions including Scoutmaster for 13 years and presently as a District Commissioner.

Barry and his wife, Donna, live in Collierville where they raised their two children.

Chuck Schadrack – Chuck served as Scoutmaster of Troop 341 for 10 years and helped form Venture Crew 341. He is a Vigil member of the Order of the Arrow and a Silver Beaver recipient. He completed Woodbadge training as has served on staff for multiple Woodbadge Courses. In 2012 he was the director of the council’s National Youth Leadership Training course. Chuck and Duane Klink co-authored 100 years of Scouting, A Brief History of the Chickasaw Council, BSA. They both recently completed the initial National Scouting Historian Summit at Philmont. Chuck is a Product Application Engineer at ThyssenKrupp Elevator.

Fred Morton – Fred is a graduate of Princeton University and Duke Divinity School. He is an ordained minister of the United Methodist Church having served as the campus minister and director of counseling ministries at Christ United Methodist Church. Fred is the author of From Memphis to Danang, A Tribute to Major James Edward Morton, about Fred’s brother (OKK Staff of 1954), a fatality of the Vietnam war. In retirement Fred is serving the community and urban ministries in Memphis and most recently as an activist in the Tennessee Poor People’s March. He served as Director of the Old Kia Kima Preservation Association, Inc. from 2011-2017. 

Ed Provine – Ed joined Troop 48 as a boy in 1950. He served three different periods as Scoutmaster of Troop 48 for a total of 18 years between 1964 – 2008. Ed graduated from Southside High School like many other boys of his generation who were members of Troop 48. He retired as an Engineer from ThyssenKrupp Elevator. 

Elzie Rosebud – Elzie Rosebud is the Scoutmaster of Troop 144, a position he has served in since 1994. His Troop is sponsored by the Mississippi Boulevard Christian Church in Memphis. He is the proud father of two Eagle Scouts. Elzie is employed by the University of Tennessee Health Science Center. 

Duane Klink – Duane is an Eagle Scout from Memphis. He and Chuck Shadrack co-authored 100 years of Scouting, A Brief History of the Chickasaw Council, BSA. He recently completed the initial National Scouting Historian Summit at Philmont. Duane retired from FedEx as a process project advisor in disaster recovery. 

Andrew Schrack – Andrew is an Eagle Scout from Memphis and has been involved in Scouting most of his life. He served on staff at Kia Kima Scout Reservation for eight years and was active in the Order of the Arrow. Andrew successfully nominated Old Kia Kima to the Arkansas Registry of Historic Places and helped start the Kia Kima Alumni Association. His current project is digitizing local Scouting documents and photos and building an online archive. Outside of Scouting Andrew is a recent graduate of the University of Tennessee College of Law. 

Sorry about some of the background noise and table thumping!  – recorded in one of our favorite locations, the Memphis Room at the library.

1933 Troop 48 Cabin with Scouts
1934-07 Choctaw District Summer Camp @ Camp Currier
List of Scouts in the 1934-07 Choctaw District Summer Camp @ Camp Currier

Moderators: Joe Lowry, Mark White
Research Team: Joe Lowry, Barry Moore
Editor: Trish Gully
Producer: Mark White

4 thoughts on “Boy Scouts in Memphis

  1. I was a member of Boy Scout Troop 344 (1959-63) sponsored by Longstreet UMC on S. Airways Blvd in Whitehaven, TN. I was also an Explorer Scout in Post 346 (1963-66) in Whitehaven but don’t remember the sponsoring church’s name. AS an Adult Scouter I served on the Southwest District Activities committee (1971-77). I earned my Wood Badge Adult Scout Training in Class SE-29 in 1974. I have many more experiences as an Adult Scout Leader with both of my sons (1978 -2004).

    1. David, It’s great to hear from you and your Scouting experience! Whitehaven was full of Boy Scout Troops in the sixty’s and seventy’s! My Troop was 48 at Covenant Presbyterian on Hwy 51/EPB between Timothy and Dolan streets. We were part of the Southwest District until the mid 80’s when the church moved to Hickory Hill. Troop 48 moved one more time to its present location in Germantown. My coach counselor in Woodbadge SE-301 was John Echols, who at the time was SM at T-344 at Longstreet in the early 80s. Like you, I had many great experiences during my time as a Scout and an adult leader and observed as my son worked his way to Eagle in 2013. I presently serve as a District Commissioner in the Eastern District.

  2. I was a scout in Memphis in the 60’s. Our troop was from the Beth Shalom synagogue on Mendenhall Rd. Our scoutmaster was Hertzel Shankman, very nice guy, great leader. My dad was an assistant scoutmaster.

    I have mostly fond memories of scouting; Camp Kia Kima, Camp Courier, Shiloh and many other places we visited, camped, learned a bit and enjoyed nature.

    Our troop collected trash during the garbage strikes. One of my scarier memories was the day we crossed the picket lines to pick up trash at the mayor’s house during some pretty tense days in Memphis.

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