Scouting, Volume 65, Number 3, May-June 1977 Page: 26
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as it is in Scouting. After all, it is not a
museum, it is a work place, and only the
crustiest nostalgia freak could carp. The
very ivy that mantles venerable walls will
crumble them if allowed. Schiff was once a
wealthy man's delight put to a nobler use,
but the burden of keeping it worthy is none-
theless. What makes it worthwhile is what
has happened here in the past, as well as
what goes on day after day.
Here is a stone marking where Lord and
Lady Baden-Powell received homage from
Scouts and Scouters on a rare visit to
America. There, the bronze Scout by R.
Tait McKenzie, familiar to millions.
Yonder, the Wood Badge ax-in-log sundial,
gift of British Scouters, among the many
visitors from nearly every nation where
Scouting flourishes. Way up on the hill is
the Wood Badge hut, where the spirit of
Scouting truly dwells. Nearer, the Dan
Beard and James E. West camps where
thousands of boys and men have learned to
accept leadership roles gracefully and
effectively. And, everywhere, mementos of
the prime mission of Schiff—the old Na-
tional Training Schools and the succeeding
National Executive Institutes.
It was this task of preparing professional
Scouters that brought Schiff into being.
Mortimer L. Schiff was an early leader in
the Boy Scouts of America, a member of the
national Executive Board, International
Commissioner, and President at the time of
his death in 1931. He had felt strongly that
there should be a national center for the
training institutes. To further his unfin-
ished work, Mrs. Jacob Schiff gave funds to
establish such a center in memory of her
son. Extensive search found the Richard
Williams estate in Mendham, N.J., and the
magnificent gift was dedicated October 18,
1933. Land acquisitions and many im-
provements have since made it even more
useful.
In this idyllic setting, books have been
written, films produced, theories tested,
programs proven, equipment evaluated,
policies established; and men, women, boys
and girls have served in every facet of Cub
Scouting, Scouting and Exploring. Other
organizations sometimes use these superb
facilities, but mainly Scouting/USA keeps
the place humming.
Schiff, of course, is not the source, as I
had been told, for information flows two
ways there, and immediate feedback is an
invaluable product of the courses. Such is
the case with the volunteer weekend
courses—and "Winter Programming"
proved no exception.
The task was to examine ways to get boys
outdoors in winter, to provide excitement
and adventure, and to ensure comfort and
safety during winter pursuits. Course Di-
rector was Ken Cole, director of volunteer
training at Schiff, incorrigible Maineac and
cold-weather camping expert. Bill Wads-
worth, national director of high-adventure
programs and a wise winter camping vet-
eran, would assist.
Few people are more organized than
Ken—if there are surprises in his courses,
he wants to spring them. So after breakfast
Saturday, he trotted around checking the
trail and his prepared resources while I
chatted with old friends and watched the
course members come in. They were from
Virginia, Ohio, Connecticut, New York and
New Jersey. Other conferences were meet-
ing, and there was a steady stream of Scouts
and leaders hiking the historic Jockey
Hollow Trail that passes through the
reservation.
We lunched at Schiff Hall, had a quick
go-around at the trading post, and moved
to East Hall, the modern educational
facility where indoor sessions would take
place. After introductions and a welcome
to Schiff, Ken moved right in on the
subject—or moved right out, for we soon
were trudging snowy trails, finding animal
tracks and winter edibles. We felt, smelled,
chewed or tasted leaves, roots, bark, nuts
and berries most of us would have over-
looked even if starving. Ken demonstrated
techniques for improvising shelters with
only a knife and pocket saw. We wound up
on Lake Therese to examine the ice and
check safety rules—of great interest to the
tidewater Virginians who had never been
on ice.
Warmed with a coffee break in the rec
room, we trooped upstairs again to follow
up on our guided discoveries with films,
slides and demonstrations on the uses of
edible plants, shelters, ice and snow in
program development as well as survival in
emergencies. Ken used some of his own
slides, some out-of-print Scout movies, and
a more recent film on ice safety and rescue
made on Lake Therese itself. The gang got
a kick out of that. Ken gave his famous droll
exposition on survival. The ever-present
danger of hypothermia was treated in an
excellent film. All these were received with
many observations and questions from the
group—particularly regarding regional
differences in applicability. This is where
Schiff shines—reconciling diversity with
fundamentals.
After dinner Bill Wadsworth joined us.
He introduced the old voyageurs' Shoe
Game which produced as much hilarity
here as in the smoky snowbound cabins of
the Far North. He gave us new scoop on the
national high-adventure bases, then
switched to many possibilities for enliven-
ing troop, district and council winter pro-
gram . . . klondike derbies, operation zero,
survival camps and sports. He stressed
practical and low-cost alternatives in
winter gear for growing boys who don't get
out enough to justify expensive special
equipment. . . things leaders need to know
to get the whole troop out into the fun of
winter. Bill's enthusiasm and savvy reawa-
kened the group to boys' needs for excite-
ment and the unusual.
Ken closed the session with problems for
each cottage group to work on during the
wee hours—to promote fellowship as well
as to stimulate thinking about back-home
application of principles and techniques.
This fireside mingling with Scouters of
various backgrounds is a real bonus.
The Virginians got their skate in before
breakfast, and after religious services (in
town and in the beautiful Memorial Room),
we took our now-familiar seats in East Hall
for the last session. The cottage groups
reported on their projects on putting new
zip in winter activities and effectively
promoting them. There were a couple of
new twists that sounded worth trying.
They'll probably crop up in future Scout
Program Helps.
Ken had made a "contract" with the
gang the day before, listing on the board all
the important aspects of winter program.
Now only a few remained to deal with and,
conscious of the clock, we tore into them.
We examined sleeping bags, apparel and
boots and considered alternatives with new
critical interest. Then the knotty problems
of food for cold weather: energy needs,
menus, packing, utensils and preparation
got everybody in the act. Then suddenly it
was time to go! We had cleaned the board.
It was not enough. It was too much. The
important thing was to get home and put it
to work!
Pale sun streamed over the red carpet of
Schiff Hall as we went into dinner. Portraits
of Scouting greats looked down on us as we
unwound and realized we were in our final
minutes at Schiff. Some were making plans
to meet at the jamboree, a few hoped to see
each other at regional events, but most of us
knew the good-byes were final. Names and
faces might grow dim, but we had been at
Schiff together. A few sported bright new
patches on their jacket pockets already.
The hall was thinning out as groups left.
Through the big picture window I could
see a cluster of red on the ice . . . the
Virginians were having one last picture
taken!
Schiff! The very name is magic to
Scouters who have been there, a shibboleth,
a secret password. The place is a power
center. You don't have to go there to bring
good Scouting to boys. But if anybody asks
you to go, go! You just might bring better
Scouting to boys. ■
26
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Boy Scouts of America. Scouting, Volume 65, Number 3, May-June 1977, periodical, May 1977; New Brunswick, New Jersey. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth353589/m1/26/: accessed April 23, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Boy Scouts of America National Scouting Museum.