HISTORIAN

Record the Explorer Scouts Rich History!
^{You can help record the history of the Madison Scouts in a variety of ways. For example, if you have information or items from a specific era, you can donate or lend these records to the current Historian, Steve Vickers. You can write historical manuscripts to document your experiences in the corps or help Steve Vickers with displaying the items in the custom-made scrapbooks. We also would appreciate your donations to purchase more scrapbooks to store the history of the Madison Scouts. Volunteers need not be alumni of the Madison Scouts.}

^{The original Historian, Jeanette Mundstock, served from 1938 to the early1960s. Dick  and Margaret (Peg) Ledford served as the organization's Historians for nearly 40 years, starting when their son was a member in the early 1960s.}

^{The Ledfords kept exceptional records and produced by far the drum and bugle corps activity's most complete set of scrapbooks, full of newspaper clippings, rosters, photographs, score sheets, contest program books, itineraries and examples of souvenir items.  The collection is kept in a set of custom-made, oversize books that now number close to 100.  The books, which are shown below by volunteer, Kristen Mathews, are often brought out at banquets and open houses as a reminder everyone that the Madison Scouts' history dates back to before World War II.}  

^{The books are displayed at various alumni occasions or other events, such as the open house or banquets.}

^{Kristen Mathews displaying the History Books.}

Brief History of the Madison Scouts

      ^{The Madison Scouts have a long and storied history, which includes winning many championships, providing a youth activity for community service and development of young men, and providing innovative components of the activity that are now performance standards.}

             ^{In 1937, a group of Madison businessmen watched a performance held at the UW Stock Pavilion by a 10 year old boy scout drum and bugle corps called the Racine Scouts. Impressed by their performance and the possibilities of a highly entertaining youth activity for area young men, they decided that Madison should have a scout drum & bugle corps too.}

            ^{The men, E.J. Hess, Robert Gerry, Thomas Jones, Arthur May, and Robert Hesse, gave life to the Madison Boy Scout Drum & Bugle Corps organization, which soon after held it's first rehearsal on February 8, 1938 in the basement of the Christ Presbyterian Church with equipment borrowed from the Masons.}

         ^{Armed with official Boy Scout uniforms, regulation Army-issue G bugles, a Snare, Tenor, & Bass drum and a broomstick for a drum major's baton, the Scouts were born. E. J. Hess became the first corps director, but shortly after Clarence H. Beebe, Scoutmaster of Troop 20, was appointed quartermaster and executive director of the Madison Scouts Drum & Bugle Corps. "C.H." as he was known to the entire troop became the inspiration and driving force behind the corps for the next thirty years.}

         ^{It was a relatively inauspicious beginning for what was to become one of the premier youth organizations not only in the city of Madison, but also the state of Wisconsin. Over time it would evolve into one of the finest drum and bugle corps in the activity and gain a reputation of excellence both nationally and worldwide.}

^{·         The 2008 season marks the 70th anniversary of the Madison Scouts. With two DCI world championships to their name and over 5000 alumni, the Scouts continue to stay true to their mission of personal development through the rigors of competitive and creative drum corps.}