by Timothy Rutt
The longest continuously-chartered Boy Scout troop in the San Gabriel Valley, Troop 4 will celebrate with a troop dinner and Court of Honor, where their decades-old flag wil be retired and a new one initiated. The troop was founded by Westminster Presbyterian Church's minister, Clarence Spaulding, in 1913.
According to a release from Troop 4, "Some of the thousands of scouts who have passed through the troop will also be returning for a visit to our Scout Room, where weekly meetings have been held over the years. They will be looking among the images, artifacts and trophies for reminders of their formative times with the troop."
It's not just any room: at the troop’s 50th anniversary, former scout and San Gabriel Valley Council Exec Tallman Trask said “One of the real memories that Troop 4 has to me was the old cave……you go down that entrance on a ladder and underneath the corner of the old church there was the most beautiful troop room that you ever saw. It was all down underground and underneath the church…it was known as 'the cave'....although I’m 76, I hope to be here for your 100th.”
At the court of honor, scouts past and present will drip wax on the new flag to invest it with Scout “spirit” as outlined in the BSA’s Scout Oath and Law. Other scouts who have earned their advancements will also be honored. Troop 4 has seen 41 adult Scoutmasters and over 2.400 young men pass through its ranks. It has also produced 203 Eagle Scouts, winners of scouting's highest honor.
Festivities start at 3:30 PM, with scouts practicing their climbing and rappelling skills on a rock climbing wall, and including a display of scouting skills (including how much camping equipment has changed over the decades). The formal ceremonies will begin at 6:30 PM.
Westminster Church is at 1757 N. Lake Avenue.
