Scouting, Volume 50, Number 9, November 1962 Page: 15
32 p. : ill. ; 28 cm.View a full description of this periodical.
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By BOB KRAUSS
From the Honolulu Advertiser
#% few weeks ago up in Nuuanu Valley a movie
projectionist announced at the annual blue and gold
dinner of Cub Scout Pack 201 that he was quitting as
Cubmaster.
Such announcements are fairly common in a town
where volunteers for these jobs are usually overworked
and unappreciated.
But this announcement turned out to be a very un-
common one, for the volunteer. Benedict L. Ho, is no
ordinary Cubmaster and Pack 201 is no ordinary pack.
The boys have earned four national awards, including
the President's streamer. More important, the principal
of Maeme School where they meet points out there has
never been a delinquent from Pack 201.
The man mostly responsible is Ho, who became
Cubmaster 11 years ago. At that time his two sons
weren't old enough to be Cub Scouts. It wasn't to be his
only experience as a volunteer.
In 1955 he went to the Volunteer Service Bureau and
became a driver for blind adults and handicapped chil-
dren. One summer, he drove blind and retarded children
to the Diamond Head School twice a week.
He has ferried adults to and from the Hobby Center at
the Bureau of Sight Conservation and has taken patients
for weekly treatments to the Rehabilitation Center and
Maluhia Hospital and the Mental Health Clinic.
Many of his nights off are spent running a movie pro-
jector for the Fun for Fifty Club. Oh, yes, he gave a
twice-a-week course at Oahu Prison in how to run a movie
projector.
This is the man who finally decided that 11 years of
keeping records, answering complaints, and monthly
meetings with 60 Cub Scouts and their parents was
enough. He'd give somebody else a chance.
His announcement came as a shock to the parents as
well as the kids. Most of the Cub Scouts cried on the way
home. So did the Den Mothers. Parents shook their heads
and worried.
They had a meeting and decided to ask Ho if he would
reconsider. All the parents called and pleaded with him
to come back. The kids called. His friends called. Under
all that pressure, Ho capitulated. He agreed to take his
job back.
In gratitude, the kids and their parents arranged a
surprise party for him. The whole thing was planned
with the care of a Brink's holdup. Parents were to bring
their whole families. Community leaders were invited.
Cubmaster Ho, of course, had no idea what was going
to happen. He started off the regular monthly pack meet-
ing by explaining that the movie screen in the school had
been scratched.
"If your name is on there and you didn't do it, I'll
defend you." he told the kids. "If you're guilty, you'll
just have to take your medicine."
Then, at a signal, the kids broke into a cheer. "What's
the matter with Benedict? He's all right! Who's all right?
Benedict! Yea, Benedict!"
They tried it three times before they got it straight.
Cubmaster Ho stood there with his mouth open. When
they began throwing confetti he started to scold, then
scratched his head, then just stood and stared.
A Den Mother presented him with a plaque, and a blue
uniformed youngster gave him a yellow neckerchief on
which each of the Cub Scouts had signed his name.
After that, they all came up to put leis around their
Cubmaster. Within five minutes he looked like Kameha-
meha's statue.
Next, a string of firecrackers exploded in a garbage
can outside. A tiny Cub Scout explained, "They are to
drive away your evil thought of leaving Pack 201."
In this group it is the custom at each meeting for six
kids to get up and make little speeches. It gives them
practice addressing an audience. The theme at each meet-
ing is different. This time each tyke got up and explained
why he wanted Benedict Ho back as Cubmaster.
\\ hen that was over Cubmaster Ho blew his nose a
couple of times and tried to say something. But he
couldn't. So he blew his nose again and sat down.
I left during the next round of speeches by Boy Scout
officials and community leaders.
Cubmaster Ho was still sitting there dazed. Now he's
stuck for another 11 years. But at least he's one volunteer
in Honolulu who knows he's appreciated.
15
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Boy Scouts of America. Scouting, Volume 50, Number 9, November 1962, periodical, November 1962; New Brunswick, New Jersey. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth331736/m1/17/: accessed April 26, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Boy Scouts of America National Scouting Museum.