The original registrations are dated September 20, 1920, even though the Charter #208 may have been granted sometime later. The Missionary Society of Know Church gave us a handsome Troop Flag in green and gold.

To the village's misfortune Mr. Gibson returned to Tillsonburg in January, 1923. The minutes of January 29, 1923 record the following: In view of the departure of our Scoutmaster, the Scout Troop decided to give him a slight token of their esteem and appreciation of his past services. Dr. Cawthorpe opened his house to the troop for a sociable time. After enjoying a sleigh-ride of several hours, the Scouts and their 'lady' friends repaired to the house of the hospitable doctor. Varius games having been played, Scoutmaster Gibson was presented by the mascot with a Shriner's pin after the reading of the presentation by the Troop Leader. It came as a great surprise to Mr. Gibson but in spite of this he responded and heartily thanked the Troop. The scout yell was given and the evening closed with singing, "For He's A Jolly Good Fellow".

The boys who signed in October or September, 1920 were: Wilfred Miller, Lewis Loth, Gordon Alles, Edward Woelfe, Walter Eifert, Harold Wilker, Wesley Baechler, Lorne Miller, Robert Rudy, Earl Strahm, Carl Seltzer, Carl Eifert, Alfred Steinman, Frederich Arnott, Carman McKay, Morris Turner, Ross Philips, Lennie Lemp, Walter Collins. A few months later Wm. Carruth and Carl Simms were added, along with Fred McKay and Bill Kalbfleisch.

The Scout Hall was the upper room of the South Easthope Fire Insurance building and we paid Mr. Russell $3 per month, raised by a fee of 5 cents per meeting. The old receipts with his signature raise a bit of nostalgia, for as secretary-treasurer it was my duty to pay him each month and to make sure we could stay the next month, for the troop used to disturb the neighourhood, bringing him many complaints.

With the aid of Dr. Cawthorpe the scouts were able to persuade Mr. Clark Hopkinson to act as scoutmaster. Fred Keutsch joined the troop in March 1923. The troop continued to meet until August 27, 1923 after Mr. Richard Hansen had replaced Mr. Hopkinson. Then with the departure of the older members for the further education, the troop disbanded and distributed the properties and funds among the members since there was no Socut Committee. The drum we had acquired from J. F. Krug was finally sold on December 19, 1925 to John Krug, Funeral Director.

When the Men's Club was formed and began to work in January 1938, a committee was chosen to revive the Scout Troop in Tavistock. Mr. Edwin Ballantyne agreed to act as Scoutmaster, with myself as Assistant. This arrangement worked find until Mr. Ballantyne resigned from the Public School Staff to enrol at O.A.C. The full leadership fell back on the Assistant Scoutmaster. On November 25, 1939 these boys took part in the Apple Day with net proceeds of $22.78; Bob Quehl, Ernie Zehr, Dayton Appel, John Millington, Gordon Field, Harry Schmidt, Roy Bricker, Hubert Denstedt, Rudy Martens, John Holley, Bob Vogt, Ken Neeb, John McDermott, Clarence Steinman, Hubert Roth, treasurer.

When war broke out, other duties called the Scoutmaster, but Hubert Roth and his confreres carried on until his enlistment in 1942.

Under the Scout Committees of the Men's Club the Scout Troop has waxed and waned, the trouble always being the securing of leaders. But many scouts have qualified for many proficiency badges; the First Troop had four King Scouts; a later group that went to the Jamboree at Niagara included Gordon Fisher, Gerald Seltzer, James Sommers, Terrence Brown under Ron Knights and Ron Ruby, who had achieved the Queen Scout badge. Men who gave of their time and talents in this field include: Jack Worden, Robert Vogt, the Reverend H.H. Irish, Harry Schmidt, James Axtmann, Peter Erb, Lloyd Jones with the Cubs, who had been formed by Miss Gladys Baechler.

At present the leaders are James Klein as Scout-master, Ken Sommers as Assistant, older scouts David Erb, Bob Routly, Bill Gladding, John Krug turn out to give a hand. The Men's Club Committee for 1968 is: Chairman, C.J. Seltzer secy-tres, Lloyd Erb; members Bill Matthies, Bob Gladding, James Routly.

Cubs

The committee is fortunate to have Mrs. Doris Gladding, Gloria Leis, Karen Erb, and Marlene Dietrich as leaders of a fine cub pack with some nineteen members, meeting each Monday night in the Library Hall. On Tuesdays the Scouts have been meeting in the school gymtorium, the Brownies and Guides on the same night in the Library Hall. Mr. Oliver Brunk had made his block available free of charge to all groups but the matter of heating it made it impractical.

Brownies and Guides

The Brownies and Guides were sponsored originally by the Tavistock Women's Institute, but lately more directly by a Local Association of ladies. Among the commissioned leaders we find: Mrs. Hester Zimmerman, Mrs. Wilma Petsch, Mrs. Jean Gibson., Mrs. C. J. Seltzer. The present association has Mrs. Doreen Patterson as president, Mrs. Carolyn Seltzer as secretary-treasurer, as members: Mrs. Ken Sommers, Mrs. Wm. Ducklow, Mrs. Gilbert Klein, Mrs. Bonnie Makins, Mrs. Jean Elliott, Mrs. Marg Weicker, Mrs. Diane Francis, Mrs. Lana Hilderley. The leaders of the Guide Company are: Mrs. Reta Bell and Mrs. Janet Bleay; of the Brownie Packs, #1, Mrs. Youngblut with Mrs. Untucht as successor; #2 Mrs. Isabel Gimbel.