GENERAL HISTORY

A history book explores Boy Scout Troop 11 in Houston.

Boy Scout Troop 11 was first established in 1914; its inaugural scoutmaster was John Dixie Smith. The First Presbyterian Church began its sponsorship of the troop in 1920. This sprawling history of the troop commemorates a century of its association with the church. The troop is now the oldest continuously operating one in Houston, and its proud history parallels the last 100 years of the nation. Davis furnishes a remarkably detailed account. The book is structured like a combination of a scrapbook—there are historical photographs and news clippings scattered throughout—and a meticulous chronological record that clearly aims to present a comprehensive account rather than a thematically unified narrative. There is no bit of minutiae too small to warrant the author’s attention—individual awards and citations, scoutmaster profiles, meetings and luncheons, relay races and deaths are all documented with punctilious scrupulousness. Davis escorts readers through a century of these events, all the way to the disruptions recently caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. (The work does not address the recent sex abuse claims filed against the Boy Scouts of America.) From this bundle of facts emerges a sense of the philosophy fundamental to Boy Scout life, including its religious commitments: “Religious liberty is essential to a free people. Scouthood is not worthwhile unless it continues to struggle for religious liberty. It’s not much of a religion that does not allow you to follow your conscience worshipping God. The only requirement for scouts is that they worship God.”

At its best, Davis’ account provides a parallel commentary on American history writ large. For example, Boy Scouts suffered a “heavy toll” of casualties during the nation’s participation in the major wars of the 20th century: “During both World War II and the Korean War,” Troop 11 “served in many types of semi‐military auxiliary work while its graduates fought all over the globe. Quite a few former scouts who went into service became professional military officers and are still stationed abroad.” Readers will truly become immersed in Boy Scout culture, including a taste of its admirably lofty ideals as well as its quotidian affairs. But the price to be paid for this microscopic thoroughness is the history’s readability—this is a massive data compilation rather than a story. Even the most enthusiastic readers are likely to feel interred under a mountain of miscellany. Only the most ardent student of the troop will want to read about the importance of keeping purple neckerchiefs clean or a trip to England in 1929. Davis’ overriding aspiration seems to be the creation of an encyclopedic record, a reference book that can be consulted in posterity, either for administrative or nostalgic purposes. But it doesn’t seem to be intended to be read in the way one typically peruses a book—all at once, from start to finish. For those who have some personal connection to the troop, this could be a source of happy remembrance, and for those who work for the Boy Scouts, it’s a potentially valuable resource. But it’s hard to imagine this granular volume will appeal to a readership beyond those two groups.

A thorough but idiosyncratically narrow Boy Scout history with a limited appeal.