Scouting, Volume 78, Number 5, October 1990 Page: 37
74 p. : ill. (some col.) ; 28 cm.View a full description of this periodical.
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(Left) Wolf Man heads
for his favorite lair
and a night snack
that looks like a lamb
Halloween
Capers
I
BY SUZANNE WILSON
Photographs by Shelly Katz
T'S A MOONLESS MIDNIGHT, FOUR NIGHTS BE-
fore Halloween. As a group of parents and children make
their way down a dark forest path, they hear strange rus-
tlings and moanings and see glowing spots of green light
back in the trees.
Suddenly, a frantic figure in black rushes from the woods, croak-
ing, "I need someone for my witch's stew!"
Everyone shrieks at the sight of
this green-faced crone. "Here, take
Tiffany," jokes someone in the
group, and a girl is pushed forward.
The girl protests, and the group hur-
ries on to the next attraction on the
Spook Trail.
This trek through the forest is the
highlight of Spook-O-Ree, a camp-
ing weekend for Cub Scouts and
their families in the Butterfield Trail
District of the Westark Area Coun-
cil. For two nights, a total of 1,400
people allow themselves to be star-
tled by curious and alarming charac-
ters in a wooded area of Fort Chaffee
Military Reservation near Fort
Smith, Ark.
"Most people are looking for al-
ternatives to trick or treating," ex-
plains Alma Parish, council vice
president for Cub Scouting. "That's
one reason this is so successful."
But she considers the Spook Trail an added attraction to the
family weekend. "The main thing is to have the families out here for
two days without the TV and the telephone, in this setting."
For most packs, it's their first fall outing, a chance to set up camp
on the shore of Wells Lake, to get acquainted, and to spend Saturday
fishing, hiking, and playing games.
While campers are arriving at the lake Friday evening, the Spook
Trail crew is gathering at a house up the road. Here they'll be
transformed from ordinary Boy Scouts, Explorers, and adult volun-
teers into something to be reckoned with in the dark landscape.
Though most roles are already assigned, many Scouts wait, hoping
to be cast at the last minute.
"How would you like to be lying by the side of the road, torn up
by a coyote?" Evelin Adams earnestly inquires of a Scout. Evelin is
the chairman of the Spook Trail, producer, director, also costumer
and chief make-up artist.
She gives four young Boy Scouts on-the-spot "shadow" training,
telling them they are to be heard more than seen. "I don't want you
all to make noise at the same time. I want twigs breaking here, a
moan over there." To another she says, "You're going to be down on
Blindfolded tent pitching
busies Webelos Scouts.
Scouting October 1990
37
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Boy Scouts of America. Scouting, Volume 78, Number 5, October 1990, periodical, October 1990; Irving, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth353666/m1/37/: accessed April 25, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Boy Scouts of America National Scouting Museum.