March 11, 1911 Monroe Advertiser
Col. A.M. Zellner was heading a movement in Forsyth to begin Boy Scouts here. He already had a good size company of scouts. The local company had already made some short hikes over the county and were “enthusiastic”. Cullen Goolsby was elected captain, Tom Mays lieutenant, and patrolmen Oscar Amos and Jeptha Castleberry were also elected.
Rev. R. M. Dixon of the Methodist Church was their Scoutmaster. The Scouts were chartered through the church organization. An article in the Advertiser describes an annual encampment. The scouts wore khaki uniforms and red bandanas. Under the leadership of Rev. R. M. Dixon and C.T. Wolf the scouts attended the Sunday night service at the Methodist Church, slept for a few hours following, then left for High Falls at 2:00 A.M. on their 16 mile hike. They arrived at High Falls at about 6:30 A. M. Monday morning. One wagon went along to carry supplies and tents but the boys, with very few exceptions walked the distance.
Many details of this campout are given in the article. Arriving at the dam, the boys chose a campsite near the powerhouse and close by a spring. Within minutes six tents were erected and the boys were busy making breakfast. Despite the long, dusty walk none seemed worse for wear.
The occupants of each tent did their own cooking with supplies they had carried. All during the week the boys remained at camp “roughing” it and fishing, playing all manner of games and “perfecting themselves in woodcraft”. To progress from their present stage (rank) to second and first class scouts (no star or life rank yet) it was necessary that the boys know how to render first aid to injured and drowning, and be able to kindle fires with so many pieces of wood and just one match, plus all manner of other necessary tests. Many of the boys will attempt on this camp to qualify for a higher grade. “It is expected that the boys will be much benefitted by their week’s camp and exercise in the open air-not to mention the inexpressible amount of fun that will be theirs during these five days. In attendance:
R.M. Dixon -Scoutmaster, C.T.Wolf - Assistant Scoutmaster
Scouts - Lyle Hollis, Ike Maynard, Tom Mays, Oscar Chapman, Jeptha Castleberry, Sewell Dixon, Gilbert Alexander, Charles Maynard, Scott Holland, Karl Ponder, Bob Banks, Exum Murray, Ed Fletcher, Oscar Amos, W. D. Waller, Clifton Jossey, George Pennington, Wallace Tribble, Edgar Hollis.
19 Scouts attended.

(Date? Sept. 4? 1912 ) Vol. 58 Monroe Advertiser
Be ye friends of the boys? Then go to the Motion Picture Show Thursday as the proprietor proposes to give the Boy Scouts a percentage of the profits of Thursday, August 5. The scouts need some little funds and ask the public to go to the show on the day mentioned.
Besides, these same Boy Scouts are to be honored Tuesday, September 10 by the Scouts of Macon who are to hike to Forsyth that day and spend the night using the tents belonging to Troop No. 1 Forsyth, Ga. Mr. Kingsbury is expected to accompany the troops from Macon as he is the Scoutmaster there. Some twenty rollicking Scouts from Macon will join some 25 well trained Scouts of Forsyth, providence not interfering. Go to the show.

There are more than 500,000 Boy Scouts in America. Many of late are inquiring what good it it? What does it mean and many other things. We have agreed that next Sunday night, September 8 the services at the Methodist Church will be given exclusively to the Boy Scout movement. There is not in any community to be found one who will or could give more valuable assistance than our Assistant Scoutmaster Frank Stuart. Prayerfully and carefully he is giving his spare time and attention to the study, work, and training of the boys as scheduled by the world wide movement.
There are three degrees or classes among the scouts here and elsewhere. These classes are termed by the length of time as scout and other things required.
The last hike was made July 4, at which time qualifications were sought, and a few days following found Forsyth with the following:
1st Class Scouts: Tom Mays, Ed Fletcher, Oscar Chapman, Clifton Jossey, Sewell Dixon
2nd Class Scouts: Ike Maynard, Lyle Hollis, James Harper, Oscar Amos, Revere Hollis, Ailbert Alexander, Carl Ponder, Jeptha Castleberry, Exum Murray, Paul Jossey, George Pennington, W.D. Waller, Paul Cater, Cullen Goolsby
Tenderfoot Scouts: Charles Maynard, Bob Banks, Earl Fletcher, Edgar Fletcher, Edgar Hollis, Scott Holland, John Worsham, Wallace Tribble
Several of them have not been scouting long enough to be raised higher than they are. Others have, as yet, failed to qualify for higher class scoutship. Am told that Carl Ponder had qualified for a more exalted position than he held, this being done in the last few days. Go to the Pioneer Show Thursday.
Respectfully,
R.M. Dixon, Scout Master, Forsyth Troop



October 25, 1912 Monroe Advertiser Forsyth is always ahead. And this time it is the Boy Scouts who have brought honor upon Forsyth. At the Macon Fair, in competition with the Boy Scouts from all over Georgia, the Forsyth Band, under the leadership of Scoutmaster R.M. Dixon and Assistant Scoutmaster C.F. Stuart, outclassed the other scouts in the maneuvers, winning the prize handily.
In the jumping contests, the running races, the knot tying exhibitions, the other scouts refused to compete with the local scouts, realizing that the boys from the Forsyth band were “on to their job”.
On last Thursday afternoon the scouts went down to the Fair as guests of the Fair Association and until Saturday night they were encamped in the grounds, doing their own cooking and parading meantime. Throughout the encampment the Forsyth boys elicited the highest praise for their excellent appearance and their efficiency.
According to their experience and their proficiency in scout craft the scouts are divided into grades. At present, Forsyth has eight First Class Scouts, Eleven Second Class Scouts, and Sixteen Tenderfoot Scouts.
Besides Scoutmaster Dixon and Assistant Scoutmaster Stuart, the following belong to the local organization:
Patrol leaders: Lyle Hollis, Carl Ponder, Tom Mays, Ike Maynard
Assistant Patrol leaders: Revere Hollis, Paul Cater, Oscar Amos, Jim Harper
Scouts: Sewell Dixon, Paul Jossey, Hugh Jackson, Earl Fletcher, Edgar Hollis, Edgar Fletcher, Franklin Gray

Scout: George Pennington, George Alexander, Exum Murray, W.D. Waller, Carrol James, Dan Smith, Jack Evans, Ed Fletcher, Clifton Jossey, Otis Vining, Walter Floyd, John Worsham, Carl Sutton, Charles Harkness, Gilbert Alexander, Oscar Chapman, Jeptha Castleberry, Cullen Goolsby, Charles Maynard, Scott Holland

October 17, 1913 Monroe Advertiser
The Forsyth Scouts in competition with the Scouts from all over the State took first prize in the drilling contests.


Nov. 8, 1912 Monroe Advertiser
As Woodrow Wilson was elected President of the United States, a local Council is named for the scouts. On October 25, 1912 in the armory of the Quitman Guards was perfected the organization of the Forsyth Local Council of the Boy Scouts of America. It would be like a Board of Directors and composed of:
G.L. Alexander, C.F. Stuart, F.B. Willingham, B.T. Watkins, R.E. Ponder, J.J. Cater, Charles Hardin, A.S. Burton, B.O. Chapman, T.S. Holland, E.D. Rudisill, F.N. Wilder, O.T. McComon, R.L. Williams, J.S. Jossey, G.W. Newton, J.O. Ponder, O.W. Stapleton, A.M. Zellner, C.H.S. Jackson, U.L. Porch, W.C. Hill, A.W. Bramblett, E.C. James, J.W. Mosely, W.D. Hutchinson, R. M. Dixon and O.H.B. Bloodworth Jr.
This is a necessary decision as several of the scouts were entitled to merit badges for their efficiency and so before these could be allowed their needed to be the proper organization. This was rectified on “Tuesday night”. Officers elected:
B.T. Watkins - President
J. O. Ponder - Vice President
C.F. Stuart - Secretary
R.E. Ponder - Treasurer
E.D. Rudisill - Scout Commissioner

As a Court of Honor, the following were chosen:
O.H. Bloodworth Jr., C.F. Stuart, F.B. Willingham, G.L. Alexander, and E.D. Rudisill
As a special committee to advise to the scouts as to their problems and to make suggestions for their betterment were selected:
J.J. Cater, J.S. Jossey and J.O. Ponder
A charter has been asked for for the local organization with the above named applicants. Proud of their achievements at the Macon Fair, Forsyth Boy Scouts are down to work in earnest with a determination to even surpass their record in the coming year.

January 10, 1913 Monroe Advertiser
The Boy Scouts are determined that only those persons shall belong to their organization who are really in sympathy with their work and to this end they have, of their own volition, passed two resolutions which will have the effect of dropping from their rolls those who do not take sufficient interest in the work.

February 14, 1913 Monroe Advertiser

This has been anniversary week for the Boy Scouts of America and since last Saturday the members of the local camp have appeared daily in their khaki uniforms. Sunday night held a special service at the Methodist Church conducted by Rev. R.M. Dixon.
Rev. Dixon explained to the congregation what the scout movement meant and showed what it was designed to teach and how it was planned that the movement would result in bringing up the right kind of boys and in making of them useful, Christian citizens.
Mr. Dixon showed that the movement was not merely an amusement for the boys, but in reality taught them all manner of useful and necessary things, made them manly, and instilled into them those ideals which make for good citizenship. “The organization”, he explained, “is built around the two words service and brotherhood.”
Mrs. I.S. Maynard will give a feast to the boys in an endeavor to show to the boys that the older people are interested in them and in the things which their organization attempts to teach.
Forsyth prides herself on her excellent and many body of scouts: there are none better in Georgia.

February 21, 1913 Monroe Advertiser (Eagle 1,2,3)
The Anniversary week came to a close with a banquet given by Mrs. I.S. Maynard and members of the local Boy Scout Council and people of the city interested in the movement. C.F. Stuart, Assistant Scoutmaster and Cullen Goolsby both recieved Eagle Badges having successfully passed the necessary 21 examinations.
On Monday, (February 17, 1913) Jeptha Castleberry qualified by passing his 21st examination and is now an Eagle Scout. When it is remembered that there are under twenty Eagle Scouts in the whole United States, this is indeed an honor for the young men and for Forsyth.
After the banquet given by the local Council of Forsyth, Ga., to Troop 1 Boy Scouts U.S.A., the following resolutions were unanimously adopted by the Troop:
Whereas the Local Council of Boy Scouts USA Troop 1 Forsyth, Ga. planned, provided for, and had prepared by Mrs. I.S. Maynard in her home, a most delightful banquet for the scouts:
Be it resolved, that said Troop vote by full salute our earnest, fervent, and sincere thanks and appreciation to Mr. B.T. Watkins, Pres. Of Local Council; the whole council; Mr. R.E. Ponder, Mr. E.D. Rudisill and Mr. G.L Alexander Committee from local council, and especially Mrs. I.S. Maynard and those with her, for the wholesome, well prepared, and delightfully served banquet given in the evening of February 14, 1913.
Be it again resolved that the Troop express its appreciation to all who have shown us kindness and have for us good will.
And further request the public to study Scoutcraft and assist us in reviving ancient knighthood, consisting of chivalry and service, also to aid us in being useful to our fellow beings. Scout Tom L. Mays
Scout James P. Harper
Scout L. Gilbert Alexander
Scout R.Cullen Goolsby, Jr.
Committee

February 28, 1913 Monroe Advertiser Vol. 59
Real Live Scout Trains Local Troop “Montana Dan”

On last Friday the Forsyth Troop hiked out to McGough’s mill to study woodcraft. “Montana Dan” went with them - a real live Western Scout who claimed to be a friend of Buffalo Bill, Sitting Bull, and other notables, who had been lecturing at the Pioneer Theater.
The object was to qualify some of the scouts in some of the matters pertaining to scout craft, to teach them how to cook, how to differentiate between the various trees, the cause and prevention of land washing, and many other useful things.
The camp was pitched near a spring. The tenderfoot scouts had to make a fire using only two matches and cook potatoes and bacon, and the second class scouts cooked bacon and eggs without the use of any kind of cooking utensils.
After removing all traces of the “repast”, Mallory Rumble and Richard Hill were obligated as Tenderfoot Scouts in the original forests: And Montana Dan gave a most interesting and instructive talk on smoke signaling, camping, as practiced by the Indians, knot tying, etc.
It was an interesting and instructive day and if the local camp continues to improve there willl soon be none better in this entire section.

April 13, 1913 Monroe Advertiser
The April number of “Boy’s Life”, the magazine published by the Boy Scouts of America, and devoted to the interests of the scouts, contains the pictures of two of Forsyth’s Scouts, Assistant Scoutmaster C.F. Stuart and Scout Cullen Goolsby. These two boys, with one Scout from Michigan and one from Maryland, were the four who had, since the March issue of the Magazine attained the rank of Eagle Scouts.
Mr’s. Stuart and Goolsby were the 22nd and 23rd in the United States to attain this honor, out of an army of 300,000 scouts; and when it is remembered that before this honor is conferred the scouts must be proficient in 21 out of the 56 prescribed subjects, it is a most credible showing.
Forsyth is proud of her Scouts and justly so.

May 19, 1913 Monroe Advertiser Vol. 59 No. 22
Two more members of the Forsyth Troop of Boy Scouts have attained the high rank among the Scouts of America. Mr’s. Jeptha Castleberry and Oscar Chapman, by obtaining merit badges in a required number of subjects have now become Eagle Scouts, and their pictures as such, appear in the present issue of the Scout’s magazine, Boy’s Life. They are the 26th and 27th respectively to attain this rank in the United States out of all the Scouts in the entire union. This gives the Forsyth Troop four Eagle Scouts, a fine record for the local troop and for the four lucky scouts.

May 19, 1913 Monroe Advertiser
Forsyth Boy Scout beat Griffin Boy Scouts in a baseball game 30 - 16. Joe Wilson pitched and Frank Lancaster received. Others who played were Scott Holland, Hugh McKay, Ike Maynard, Dan Smith, Oscar Chapman, Walter Floyd, Charles Maynard.

Cullen Goolsby (manager now) Wednesday, May 7th opened the Picture Show. It is renamed “The Forsyth” and the building is remodeled. No Vaudeville, only high class pictures shown.

May 30, 1913 Monroe Advertiser
Boy Scouts to camp in July

Site was chosen for the annual summer encampment at Goggans Old Ferry about 2 miles from Juliette. It’s located where the Towaliga River empties into the Ocmulgee about 11 miles from Forsyth and is an ideal place for the encampment. The probability is that the boys will go to camp there about July 7th.

June 6, 1913 Monroe Advertiser
Forsyth ball team beats Jackson 20 - 19. The game was scheduled to be played by the Jackson and Forsyth Boy Scouts, but Jackson showed up with a trained team of men without any scouts in their number so the manager of the Forsyth team got together as strong a team as was possible on short notice. In the eighth inning Forsyth got eight runs tying the score. In the ninth Jackson failed to score. Frank Lancaster struck out 3. For the Forsyth teams assistance, with two outs Forsyth managed a run to win the game.

July 4, 1913 Monroe Advertiser
Will leave for annual summer camp this year at Goggan’s Ferry about 10 miles from Forsyth where the Ocmulgee feeds into the Towaliga . (Good description of camp day follows). Five patrols in the troop will camp- Beaver, Buffalo, Hawk, Eagle, Tiger. Cullen Goolsby will act as Adjutant and Gilbert Alexander as Quartermaster. Scoutmaster R.M. Dixon, Assistant Scoutmaster C.F. Stuart and 30 scouts will camp. Application for Sewell Dixon last Saturday (June 30, 1913) as 5th Troop 1 Eagle Scout made. He is the 5th Eagle Scout in Georgia so far. At present: New York has 9, New Jersey has 9, Michigan has 5, and Georgia has 5. (So he would be the 28th in the Nation).

July 11, 1913 Monroe Advertiser
Patrol leaders - Jim Harper, Gilbert Alexander, Cullen Goolsby, Tom Mays
Assis. Patrol Leaders - Revere Hollis, Paul Walraven, Clifton Jossey, Oscar Chapman
Color Bearers - Sewell Dixon, Paul Jossey
Scouts - Jeptha Castleberry, Karl Ponder, Charles Maynard, Carlton Sutton, Edgar Fletcher, John Worsham, Edgar Hollis, Mallory Rumble, Exum Murray, George Alexander, Lyle Hollis, Oscar Amos, W.D. Waller, Walter Floyd, Franklin Gray, Paul Cater, Scot Holland, Jack Evans, Edward Maddox, George Pennington, Addis Scroggins, George Amerson
32 attended.

July 18, 1913 Monroe Advertiser Camp Results/ First Hero?
During camp three learned to swim, George Pennington and Paul Walraven qualified as 1st Class Scouts. Ed Maddox qualified for 2nd Class and were obligated at the camp.
Paul Walraven also won the standing prize of one dollar for the scout who could make a fire without using any matches. McDonough Scoutmaster Col. Frank Reagan visited and was highly pleased.
James Harper showed heroism in rescuing Willie Jossey, commonly known as “Dr. Dewberry Deafy” - due to his presence of mind (?) (!). They were crossing the high railroad trestle with “Deafy” in the rear - the train started coming, whistle blew, the boys ran to safety but “Deafy” didn’t, being deaf he couldn’t hear the train. James left his place of security and jerked “Deafy” onto one of the stone abutements just as the train with a deafening roar, whizzed by. Had it not been for the thoughtfulness and presence of mind of this scout, “Deafy” would almost certainly have been instantly killed, and Forsyth would have lost one of her characters.