On Tuesday, November 1, 1921, a conference of the Scout councils in Region 12 convened at the Hotel Virginia in downtown Long Beach. Dr. George J. Fisher, Deputy Chief Scout Executive of the National Council, BSA, attended the conference representing Chief Scout Executive James E. West. Executives and delegations from councils all over the Western United States were on hand, over 200 people in all.
Although the Long Beach Council was relatively new, not quite three years old as a first class council, it had already established itself as a leader among the councils of the Western U.S. The regional conference being held here recognized that fact.
One announcement that came out of the conference concerning Long Beach was the decision to establish a Sea Scout “troop” in the city. It was divulged that council executives had been working quietly on the plan for some time. Edwin Hooker, a prominent local realtor, was announced as the ship’s master, equivalent to scoutmaster. The Sea Scouts were to be based on Alamitos Bay.
Admiral James Wilder of Honolulu, Chief Sea Scout, announced that the United States government was ready to give a boat, fully equipped, to any troop of sea scouts who can pass the necessary examinations on seamanship and swimming. Admiral Wilder noted that the Sea Scout program was created in part to keep the interest of older boys in Scouting, those who frequently drop out as they approach their 17th birthday. The program was adopted by the National Council as part of its program in 1918.
Notwithstanding the announcement of intentions in November 1921, nothing more appears to have transpired locally until nearly two years later.
The Executive Committee meeting of the Council on August 7, 1923 produced some notable decisions. First, the committee adopted a plan to start up a Sea Scout program in Long Beach beginning in September.
An important selection made in connection with the decision, was the appointment of Will J. Reid as Chairman of the Sea Scout Shipping Board. The board he chaired later gave him the title of Commodore. There was considerable interest among older Scouts in the Council in the Sea Scout program. Nevertheless, it was noted that a minimum of six months would be required for preparations and training before the first Sea Scouts would be able to set sail.
Minimum requirements were established for membership. A boy had to be at least 15 years old, weigh 112 pounds, and be a First Class Scout. Between 50 and 60 boys were expected to sign up for the program. The Council would apply to the Navy Department for donation of a suitable small craft. Activities were expected to take place on Alamitos Bay.
The first week in October it was announced that four men had been appointed as Sea Scout leaders: Albert Unmack as Senior Skipper, with Gilbert Merritt, Leon Emley (the camp cook the prior summer), and Hugh Etzell as Junior Skippers. All were former Navy men and had experience in Scouting.
The first unit organized was the ship Ticonderoga. It was divided into four “boats,” also referred to in some articles as crews (equivalent to patrols in a Scout troop). The boats or crews were numbered one to four, but were also named: Premier, Pride, Eagle, and Enterprise. Each boat was comprised of nine Sea Scouts. The first meeting of the new ship was held November 7, 1923. Regular meetings were scheduled at 7:00 p.m. Wednesday nights at the Belmont Place boat house on Alamitos Bay.
A competition of some sort was established between the boats with a special prize to be awarded at the end of the year. The Premier ultimately took the prize, which was an all day cruise to Catalina aboard John Farnham’s yacht, the “Idler.” They sailed out of San Pedro and returned by 6:00 p.m. During the cruise the Scouts practiced raising and lowering the sails, although due to a lack of wind the ship was under power most of the day. A pod of whales was glimpsed off the north coast of Catalina. It was noted that nobody suffered seasickness.
It was announced at the March Court of Honor that the Sea Scout Shipping Board of the Long Beach Council had purchased four cutters at a total value of $6,000. The boats were 24 feet long and fully equipped, including sails, and had a capacity of 18 Sea Scouts. Apparently the boats offered by the Federal Government were no longer available.
