Boy Scout Troop 17, 100 Years Old

Boy Scout Troop 17, 100 Years Old. . In the Beginning, "Will organize Boy Scouts. , Rev. M. F. Petzold, pastor of the Methodist church, of Williamsport, is arranging to organize a patrol of Boy Scouts in that place. At a preliminary meeting held at the Methodist parsonage on Monday evening, thirty-two boys applied for membership. Rev. Mr. Petzold is enlisting the aid of the other pastors of the town and citizens in the movement.", This is how it all began, quoted from a newspaper article from Hagerstown's Daily Mail on Wednesday, May 6, 1914. At this time, the group did not have a unit number., Troop 17 was established May 6, 1914. It is the oldest continuously registered Troop in the State of Maryland, having never lost its charter., In the beginning the troop met in a two story green house that was located back where the present little league field is now located. The building they occupy now was paid for by troop fundraisers and in-kind donations by community supporters. It is dedicated in 1962 to the memory of William Shipley who was Scout master for 22 years., [Image captions:] , Rev. M. f. Petzold, Every February Troop 17 gathers at Williamsport United Methodist Church for Scout Sunday. The picture above is from February 2014 and includes most of the current Troop and a large number of our leaders., Williamsport, MD , Troop 17, 100 Years of Adventure , 1914-2014.