Scouting in Palisades Park

BOY SCOUTS

THE ORGANIZATION of Boy Scout Troop 1, in 1923, marked the beginning of The Boy Scouts Movement in Palisades Park.  The troop began under the leadership of George Muller, and in 1924, divided into two groups, known as Troop 1 and Troop 2.  The first was under the leadership of Muller, and the second had Henry Stoll as Scoutmaster.

It was in the same year, that Ted Wragge became assistant in Troop 2 and later took over as Scoutmaster.  Troop 1 held meetings in the Central Boulevard School, and Troop 2 was quartered in the First Presbyterian Church on Palisades Boulevard. 

A new phase in scouting began when the North Bergen County Council assigned new numbers to all troops in the county.  The two local troops then became Troops 81 and 82, and later, the disbandment of Troop 81 left Troop 82 as the sole Boy Scout Troop in town.

Troop 76, was organized in Morsemere, with Mr. Waite as Scoutmaster and meetings were held in the Morsemere Community Church.  The troop became increasingly active and was only disbanded when its leader moved from town.  Since that time it has been disbanded and reorganized several times, with two of its later leaders being Scoutmasters Fristensky and Kapel.

Later Troop 75 was organized in the Lutheran Church on Homestead Avenue with Nicholas Limburg, Scoutmaster.  With the retirement of Mr. Limburg, Walter Aschoff, Jr., a former scout in Troop 82, took over as leader.  In 1948 this troop also disbanded.  Troop 161 came into existence in 1947 with Mr. Slatkin as Scoutmaster.

Troop 379

Troop 379, sponsored by Grace Lutheran Church was chartered in June, 1972, under the leadership of Scoutmaster Phil Howell, Committee Chairman Jack Arabian, and George Lammers, District Commissioner at that time. 

In 1976, there were 20 scouts in the Troop 379 ranging from age 11 thru 15. Scouting's highest award - was presented to Michael Howell in 1975.

Troop 379 began it's 1976 activities with a below 0 degree camping trip to the Kittatinny Mountains of western New Jersey, visits to New Yorks's Little Italy, Chinatown, Met Path Laboratories in Hackensack, APA Trucking in North Bergen, as well as, seven weekend camping trips to local Scout camps.  The highlight of the Troop's '76 activities was a two-week wilderness camping trip to Floodwood Mountain Reservation in the Adirondack Mountains of New York State.

The Troop's Bicentennial activities included a weekend visit to Boston's Freedom Trail, two hiking trips to New York City visiting various historic landmarks, a 12-mile hike on the Palisades Historic Trail and a visit to the Revolutionary War Museum in Fort Lee.  Troop 379 also participated in Palisades Park's Bicentennial Clelbration with a campsite set-up at which the scouts cooked and served silver dollar pabcakes to benefit Muscular Dystrophy.  The Troop raised money at various times during the year with the highlight being on Labor Day to coincide with the annual Jerry Lewis MD Telethon.  In appreciation for the time and effort the gave to help in the fight against Muscular Dystrophy, the Troop received a number of citations from MD.

At that time, the Troop was under the leadership of Phil Howell - Scoutmaster, Vincent A. Cassidy and Walter Scullion - Assistant Scoutmasters.  The Troop's committee was headed by Thomas Lorentz - Chairman, Maud Nichritz - Recording Secretary, Hazel Scullion - Corresponding Secretary and Kathy Howell - Treasurer.

CUB SCOUTS

Pack 82

Cub Scout Pack 82 was chartered in November 1942 under the sponsorship of the Men's Club of the First Presbyterian Church.  The first 8 cubs were transfers from Pack 81 in Leonia, which disbanded at that time.  The Cubmasters from 1942 through 1960 included Joseph Simon, Albert Dessart, John Johanson and John Kearns.  In November 1960, the Holy Name Society of St. Michael's Church undertook the sponsorship of Pack 82. The Cubmasters included Peter Porkka, Anthony Giannantonio, Artie Occhione, Walter Laemmle and Joseph Cassese.

In 1976, the pack's membership included:

     Den #1 - Phillip Craddock, Christopher Craven, Robert Klag, Michael LoCascio, David Maurer, Howard Schubert and Michael Vanore

     Den #2 - Robert Cassese, Leonard Cottrell, Damien DiPasquale, Christopher Dunich, Thomas Duffy, Nichols Giannantonio, Michael Klarin, Raymond McGuire, Michael Poppo, Michael Schubert, Joseph Marzigliano and Joseph Scalia.

     Den #3 - MIchael Celentano, Matthew Florio, James Johnson, Christopher Nichols and Joseph Patrickio.

     Webelos - Alfred Ballerini, Kenneth Cieslak, Sean Carney, Darvin Klarin, Michael Marzigliano, Joseph Monahan, Patrick Muccio and Joseph Schmelz.  The  Webelos leader was Walter Laemmle.

Pack 379

Cub Scout Pack 379, sponsored by Grace Lutheran Church, was chartered in November, 1970, with a membership of 6 boys - under the leadership of Ruth and Leo Meyer, Jack Arabian, Margo Tengate and George Lammers, District Commissioner at the time.  Through 1976, the Pack's membership had grown to between 50-60 Cubs and Webelos Scouts. Providing a home-centered program of fun and learning for boys 8, 9, and 10 years of age and their families, the pack was under the leadership of Vincent A. Cassidy and John Kowalchuk (Committee Chairmen), Elbe Loftiss and Frank Duffy (Cubmasters), Richard Wikfors and Thomas Moore (Assistant Cubmasters), Holly Surdez (Secretary), Lorraine Lorentz and Diane Kowalchuk (Treasurers), Marion Cassidy (Den Leader Coach), John Egan (Webelos Leader), George Papa, Thomas Lorentz, Walter Ziegler and Al Keller (Assistant Webelos Leaders).

Other Den Leaders in 1976 included Laura Egan, Judy Moore, Diane Kowalchuk, Marion Cassidy, Connie Grimaldi, Phyllis Pantano, Marianne Mackey, Jeanne Rinke, Sharon Paradiso, Ann Cutter and Richard Wikfors.


Reprinted from "Looking Back at Palisades Park - 1668-1976" and the 1999 Centennial Edition update.