It may surprise many to learn that Troop 19 was not the first Boy Scout troop sponsored by Silverbrook United Methodist Church. In 1915 Troop 47 was organized at Silverbrook, with Wilmer F. Whitescarver as Scoutmaster. The charter was issued by the National Council of the Boy Scouts of America, located in New York. J. Howard Gray was the pastor at that time. Mr. Whitescarver was a chemist with the du Pont Company.

This troop served as many as 28 boys, all from the church, from 1915 to 1922. These numbers are estimates because the records are incomplete.

In 1919 Troop 47 went to summer camp at a cost of $0.50 / Scout / day. At that time it cost $0.25 to register a boy in a Scout Troop.

On the 1921 charter renewal, it is noted that 3 Scouts from Troop 47 rescued 2 drowning girls.

Unfortunately, in 1922, the charter was allowed to lapse and Troop 47 ceased to exist.

In 1926 Silverbrook tried Scouting again. A new charter was issued for the operation of Troop 19. Thomas Warren was the first Scoutmaster and the troop started with 12 boys & 1 Asst. Scoutmaster. The minister at that time was Ralph Jones.

In 1927 Robert Altemus became the Scoutmaster, followed by Richard Burke in 1928 & 1929. In 1927 11 Scouts went to summer camp at a cost of $0.88 / Scout / day. During that time the troop grew to 30 Scouts and troop meetings were held on Fridays. In 1930, with Ralph Minker as pastor, Purl Ansel became Scoutmaster.

In 1931 Mr. Minker was still pastor and Walter Deputy became the Scoutmaster. Mr. Deputy was indeed fortunate to persuade Harlan A. Barratt to be his Assistant Scoutmaster. For the next 5 years, the troop remained in the capable hands of Mr. Deputy and Mr. Barratt.

There were 2 changes in 1936. J. Harry Wright became the minister at Silverbrook, and Mr. Barratt became Troop 19's Scoutmaster, a position he would hold for 30 years. In 1938 Troop 19 was so well respected that they were asked to help organize other troops in the Wilmington area.

Under the expert leadership of Mr. Barratt, the troop flourished. By 1940 the troop had 7 Asst. Scoutmasters and 42 Scouts. By 1943 the troop had grown to 62 Scouts.

In 1942 Laurence Wadman, Jr., Bernard Hessler and Van Leer Cannon became Troop 19's first Eagle Scouts.

During the war years of 1942 through 1946, membership remained steady at 60. During this time as many as 5 of Troop 19's Asst. Scoutmasters were on active duty in the United States military.

In 1943 Roy L. Tawes became the church's minister, followed in 1949 by George Sterling. Throughout this period Mr. Barratt remained the troop's Scoutmaster.

For his outstanding work with Troop 19, Mr. Barratt received the Silver Beaver Award from the Del-Mar-Va Council of the Boy Scouts of America in 1945.

By 1950 the Troop had grown to a record size of 116 Scouts and 12 Asst. Scoutmasters.

During 1950 Troop 19 awarded its 23rd, 24th and 25th Eagle Scout awards to Joseph DiMaio, Willard Madsen and David Amos. The troop also traveled as a unit to the National Jamboree at Valley Forge.

In 1951 membership dropped for some reason to 72 boys. But then the Troop's growth began again. The year 1953 brought one of the Troop's darker moments in its history when 3 Scouts were seriously injured on a "Ghost Walk" at Camp Rodney. Also in 1953 Mr. Barratt served as Scoutmaster of a Wilmington-area troop that went to the third Boy Scouts of America National Jamboree in Irvine, California.

By 1954 the Troop had 130 members, and peaked in 1955 with 149 Scouts and 10 Asst. Scoutmasters.

Mr. Barratt was still the Scoutmaster in 1957 when Harris Madsen received his Eagle Scout award. This was significant because his 3 brothers, Willard, Dennis and Johan, had all previously received their Eagle Scout Awards.

Also in 1957 John Patton joined the Troop as an Asst. Scoutmaster. Mr. Patton later served as Institutional Representative and also served on the Troop Committee.

Troop 19's 45th Eagle Scout Award was presented to William P. Black in 1958. Fourteen years later, in 1972, Mr. Black would become the Troop's Scoutmaster.

Richard Stazesky assumed the ministry at Silverbrook in 1959. From that time until 1965, membership ranged from 120 to 145.

During 1961 Troop 19 awarded its 50th, 51st and 52nd Eagle Scout Awards to J. Patrick O'Shea, Robert E. Owens, Jr. and Jack Joslin. Also, Laurence Wadman, Sr., the father of one of the first Eagle Scouts in Troop 19, received the Silver Beaver Award for his work with Troop 19 and other local Scout units.

In 1965 after 5 years as Asst. Scoutmaster and 30 years as Scoutmaster, Mr. Barratt decided it was time to step down. But he remained a member of the Troop Committee. Ten years later in 1975, Harlan & Claire Barratt retired to Florida, ending his 44-year association with Troop 19.

Melvin Collins became Scoutmaster in 1966 and was faced with the unenviable task of following in Mr. Barratt's footsteps. Anytime a Troop changes leadership, a drop in membership is expected. Likewise, with the change in leadership, membership dropped from 130 Scouts in 1965 to 75 Scouts in 1966.

Most Scouts who ever camped at Camp Rodney are well aware that the banks along the North East River are quite dangerous. In 1966 several Scouts were seriously hurt after ignoring their leaders' warnings and playing on the banks.

Robert Wilson became Scoutmaster in 1968 and the Troop grew to 102 Scouts. This was the last year that more than 100 Scouts were registered in Troop 19. Howard Gordy had also become the pastor at Silverbrook. Marion Berkley became the troop's Scoutmaster in 1970, with a troop membership of 64. By 1971 the troop had increased membership to 69.

In 1972 Mr. Barratt, as Institutional Representative, was successful in persuading Bill Black, the 45th Eagle Scout, to become Scoutmaster. Mr. Black would remain the Scoutmaster until 1982 when he accepted a position in Virginia. During those 11 years, the Troop's roster ranged from 44 to 70 Scouts. William Hitchens became Silverbrook's pastor in 1976, followed by Robert Wallace in 1980.

In 1976 Troop 19 reached yet another significant milestone, the presentation of its 75th Eagle Scout Award. During 1976 the Troop's 73rd, 74th and 75th Eagle Awards were awarded to John Austin, Albert Prosceno and David Wilderman.

During 1978 a third member of Troop 19 received the Silver Beaver Award. John Patton received the award first for his work with other Scout units, and later with Troop 19.

Troop 19's 82nd Eagle Scout Award was presented to Rudy Schock in 1982. In 1990 Mr. Schock assumed the role of Scoutmaster for the Troop.

From 1983 to 1990, Troop 19 had many problems. There was a lack of consistent leadership and there was dissension among the Troop's leaders. Nick Lombardo was Scoutmaster in 1983, followed by Jim Quackenbush in 1984. Ron Caldwell, Sr. became Scoutmaster in 1985 and remained in that role until 1988 when his son, Ron Caldwell, Jr. took over. Soon thereafter, with no leadership in place, Ken McCourt served as interim Scoutmaster. For the first few months of 1990, Pete Quackenbush was the Scoutmaster. From 1983 to 1990, membership declined steadily, from near 50 to about 20. During this period of decline, 2 more men with Troop 19 connections received the Silver Beaver Award. Van Leer Cannon, one of the Troop's first Eagle Scouts, received his award from the Atlanta Area Council. In 1986 George McDowell, who had previously served on the Troop Committee during Bill Black's term as Scoutmaster, received his award.

By the spring of 1990, the Troop's situation was a disaster. Regular meetings were not being held, there were only a handful of members and the Troop did not go to summer camp. Troop 19, once one of the largest and best units in the Council, was in serious danger of losing its charter and passing into history. Amid the turmoil and bleak prospects for the Troop, there was a bright spot. Alex Durnan became the 87th Scout in Troop 19 to receive his Eagle Scout Award.

Fortunately, in the fall of 1990, new leadership appeared. Carl Riegel, a Scout from the 1950's, became aware of the desparate situation with the Troop. He joined the Troop Committee and was elected chairman. Rudy Schock, the Troop's 82nd Eagle Scout, was recruited to become the Scoutmaster. While the charter renewal, in February, 1990, listed 22 Scouts, only 6 or 7 were regularly attending troop meetings.

By rechartering time in 1991, there were 16 active Scouts. This included only 2 from the previous year. A few more boys were recruited, and 14 went to summer camp. There were 34 registered Scouts, and the Troop expected to recharter in February, 1992 with 30 Scouts and Mr. Schock as the Scoutmaster. Plans were made for about 22 Scouts to go to Camp Rodney during the summer of 1992.

In 1955, Troop 19 had 149 Scouts and was the largest troop in the Wilmington District. In 1990 the Wilmington District had only about 300 Scouts in all Scout Troops combined. With a roster of 34 Scouts, Troop 19 was the largest in the Wilmington District. Through 1990, Troop 19's first 65 years of operation provided good Scouting to approximately 2,500 Scouts, 87 of which achieved the rank of Eagle, and provided 17 Scoutmasters and numerous Asst. Scoutmasters through which to provide the Scouting program. Also notable was the awarding of 5 Silver Beaver Awards to adults associated with Troop 19.
[end of text excerpted from the pamphlet prepared for Troop 19's 65th Anniversary Reunion Dinner
held on January 25, 1992 @ John M. Clayton Hall, University of Delaware, Newark, DE.]

Rudy hopes to put together some of the history from when he was Scoutmaster. Managing his new ownership of the 150-acre Hemlock Acres Campground, near State College, PA, keeps him plenty busy. If you're ever in the north-central PA neck of the woods, I'm sure Rudy would love for you to stop in and visit.

Beginning at about Spring, 2004, Tom Dugan stepped into the Scoutmaster role, to pick up where Rudy left off. More details to be published here when Tom gets a chance to put pen to paper.