Sakal's Scouting Page

When the question arises, what is the top predator or most feared animal, you will get answers like lions and tigers and bears oh! my! Some people might even answer: man. To narrow down the search: what about in North America? Is it the wolf, the bear or man? There was a time when the bear was the strongest and by that right, occupied the top of the food chain. However, the wolf while in a pack, can overpower the great bear. Man not as strong and not as fast as the wolf or bear had the advantage of intellect and with that potential, could rule the woodlands and forests of North America.

Many thousands of moons ago in a tribe called the Webelo, there was an indian brave called Akela. Akela observed that the wolf hunts in a pack where the eldest was leader and respected by all members of the pack. As Akela grew he learned and followed the way of the wolfpack. He noticed that the wolf was afraid of fire and man, for he knew that if he were to attack man, man would return as a pack and hunt them down. Akela grew to be a great sachem (leader) of the Webelo tribe. At the council fire Akela taught the tribe the way of the wolf, to live and work together as a tribe just as the wolfpack does.

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As many moons have passed, Akela joined the way of the great spirits. Akela was then transformed from man to legend, from legend into a term for a great leader of the tribe. The path to become a great leader is known as "the trail to Akela". In our technological culture we still have a structure where young boys (braves) will learn the way of Akela (to become a great leader). The program is called Cub Scouts. At the age of eight a boy may join a pack and advance from Bobcat to Wolf. I did this when I joined Pack 468 of Trumbull, Connecticut in 1967 and became a member of Den Three.

The bear once ruled North America until he was conquered by the wolfpack and man. At the age of nine if still interested, the boy may follow the way of the bear in the Cub Scout Program. I was awarded the Bear Award on February 27th, 1969 from Pack 468.

At age ten a boy may join the Webelos. Each Webelo Scout then works toward the Arrow of Light. This is the highest rank in Cub Scouts and the lowest rank in Boy Scouts. Cub Scouts concludes at an Arrow of Light Ceremony. This is where a Cub Scout can become a Boy Scout after attaining the age of eleven. This ceremony for me took palce at Edison School in Trumbull on December 17th, 1970. Each member of our den walked up on stage with a candle and lit an arrow with a candle representing a ray of light for each member of the Den.

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After the Arrow of Light Ceremony, I left Cub Scout Pack 468 and Joined Boy Scout Troop 161. Scouting follows the concepts setup by Lord Baden-Powell (1857-1941). As a soldier in the British Army Baden-Powell felt that boys needed more physical training and experience in outdoor life. He then was prompted to organize the Boy Scouts in England (1907). This organization then moved to different countries. William Boyce, an American businessman introduced scouting to America after a trip to London. On February 8th, 1910 the Boy Scouts of America was organized.

In April of 1971, I was awarded the rank of Tenderfoot Scout. Not at a school gym, but at a ceremonial campfire as Akela once conducted. The location was an actual Indian ceremonial location called "Big Den", a natural rock stadium built at the end of the last ice age with powerful glacial bulldozers. Today this area is located in Twin Brooks Park on property that now belongs to the Boy Scouts. It was there that I had to affirm the Scout Oath and Law, then I made my decision to become an Eagle Scout. As taps were sounded at the close of the campfire, I followed a path leading from the ceremonal grounds to the parking lot, but this time I was not just following a path, but following the trail of Akela.

The next rank in scouting is called Second Class. I became a Second Class Scout in April of 1972 in Troop 161 sponsored by the Trumbull Long Hill Volunteer Fire Department. After I made Second Class the troop dissolved. We were unable to find a meeting place and adult leaders at that time. I guess you could say I was "troopless" and inorder to make First Class I would need to find an new troop.

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A few of my friends: Craig Golde and Richard Thompson joined a new troop and encouraged me to join this troop. In the Winter of 1973 I joined Troop 64. This new troop did a camping trip every month with a week of summer camp. Every summer Troop 64 would go to Camp Pomperaug in Stafford Springs, Connecticut. That week in the Summer of 1973, I finished the requirements for First Class. At that time the scouting program was switching over to a new program. The old program as it was called was being phased out, so if you were in the old program, you had to achieve your rank in the old program by December 31st, 1973 or you would have to start at Tenderfoot again. The old program was much more demanding and it was rumored that most scouts would not make First Class because of the requirement to learn Morse Code. I took the challenge and learnded Morse Code to reach First Class.

One opportunity offered at camp was the Mile Swim Award. Most members of my troop said that I could not do a mile swim. The requirements were to swim a full mile under safe conditions, which meant two scouts had to follow you in a rowboat. I got two volunteers: Richard Thompson and Jim Palumberi to row the boat. I followed the course on July 13th, 1973 and received the award. I became a First Class Scout after that week of summer camp on July 27th, 1973.

The next ranks were Star and Life which require merit badges, service projects, active service and leadership. In the summer of 1974 our troop went to Camp Pomperaug for the last time. The camp was then closed. The summer of 1975 we went to a new summer camp called Camp Mauwehu. The camp just was not the same nor did it have the traditions and rituals that Pomperaug had for us. At that time I was in the Leadership Corps and Assistant Senior Patrol Leader. With the closing of Pomperaug and the members not wanting Mauwehu, I had to search for a summer event in 1976. The idea that came to mind was to bring back our wilderness canoe hike to Canada.

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On February 24th, 1976 took part in Scouts in Government Day with Chuck MacMath. I was the town Tax Assessor for the day while Chuck was Superintendent of Schools for the day. Had lunch at the Hillendale Country Club. Had our names in the paper and best part was we got a day off from school.

• What: Clean up of 15.6 acres of woodland to be transformed into a town park. The area is to be kept in natural state. Removal of trash and litter. Nature trails will be added.
  
• When: February 19th, 1976 to July 12th, 1976
  
• Where: Mischebrook Park, Town of Trumbull, Connecticut
  
• Why: Area was overgrown with brush that prevented the park from usage of picnickers and hikers.
  
• Who: Michael Carpenter, Paul Fenick, Joseph Firgeleski, Greg McStravick, Richard Thompson, Charles Waldo, Thomas Waldo.
  
• How: You will have to read the report to find out.
  

I became an Eagle Scout on September 8th, 1976.

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In the summer of 1977, the troop went on a canoe trip to Maine while Paul Fenick and myself went to the National Scout Jamboree. A total change from wilderness camping, the jamboree brings a fellowship of scouts from all over the globe together. This was my last camping trip as a scout. The National Jamboree had a closing ceremony. At that campfire each scout lighted a candle and held it up. The hillside was aglow with 28,637 candles all burning in world brotherhood as the visionary Akela once told his followers would come to be. I have had the chance to follow the trail of Akela from the eight candles of the Arrow of Light Ceremony to the 28,637 candles of light when I ended this phase in my life.

"out, out brief candle, life's but a walking shadow, a poor player that struts and frets his hour upon the stage and then is heard no more. It is a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing"