1941- Boy Scouts stage rally

The following article highlights the Boy Scouts parade for the Mecklenburg Independence day.

The Charlotte Observer 5/21/1941, pp. 1-2A

Mecklenburg Independence Day Breaks With Tradition Highlights-Scouts Parade and Garden Party  

SCOUTS STAGE STADIUM RALLY

Youth Takes Over Mecklenburg’s May 20 Celebration For Jamboreer

  Youth held the spotlight as Mecklenburg county observed the 166th anniversary of its Declaration of Independence yesterday with a Scout-studded day.  The county’s 1,000 Boy Scouts staged an impressive parade through the city yesterday afternoon and wound up the day with a resplendent display of Scoutcraft at the Legion Memorial stadium last night.

    Approximately 2,500 persons witnessed the Scout circus and all appeared impressed with the scope and comprehensiveness of the Scouting program for the county.  The program moved with precision and dispatch as the various Scout groups moved on and off the field to demonstrate their Scout lore.

    The program had both serious and comic aspects.  Such practical Scoutcraft as semaphore signaling, first aid, rope-spinning and knot-tying were demonstrated, while Scout clowns from Troop 11 dashed on and off at intervals to provide comic relief.  Scout games were presented and  other demonstrations included all branches of Scouting in the county.

    Cub packs, for boys under the Scout age, were presented and gave a brief demonstration.  Scouts from three Negro troops put on a chariot race.  Sea Scouting was demonstrated by Senior Scouts, who rigged a boat on the field.  Camping scenes and pioneering also were presenting.

  BICYCLE DRILL.

 One of the most spectacular demonstrations was the bicycle drill by Scouts of Troops 3 and 28, who made numerous formations and wound up with a drill in which they crisis-crossed.  Another highlight was the presentation of Julio Cezar Berrizbeitis, Venezuelan Scout who stopped here en route to Washington by foot from South America.  Julio spoke briefly in broken English and then delighted the audience by singing in a pleasing Spanish fashion.  Accompanying himself on his guitar, which he is carrying with him on his hike, he sang “Amapola” and “South of the Border” in Spanish and made  a big hit with the group. He finished his appearance by saying good-night Ito the crowd in five languages-English, Spanish, French, Italian, and Portuguese.

    As the climax and finale of the program, Troop 19 of Huntersville erected a Scout tower and ran up the American flag as one of the city school bands played the Star Spangler Banner.

    The circus committee was composed of the following:  Judge W. H. Bobbitt, general chairman; L. W. Slye, general director; H. H. Baxter, program chairman; R. L. Price, circus director; Guy A. Burns, properties chairman; Neil McGill, publicity chairman; J. R. Bryant, finance chairman; Charles E. Lambeth, parade chairman; Tom Bird, arrangements chairman; R. C. Smith, music; Dewey Drum, announcer; L. R. Mobley, president of Scouters’ club which sponsored the circus; and W. H. Halliburton, president of the Mecklenburg Boy Scout Council, Charles H. Safley, Scout executive, also was active in putting on the circus.

PARADE IN AFTERNOON.

     The circus was preceded by the parade in the afternoon in which the Scouts and eight bands of the city and county took part.  Following the parade, the Scouts went to the stadium where they were served supper.  Outside of the Scout activities, there was little activity here yesterday to mark Mecklenburg’s most historic day.

    The little log courthouse up at the crossing of the two red roads that were deep in mud in winter and dust in summer had long ago disappeared, and across the site of the little courthouse marched the Boy Scouts, many of them descendants of those old pioneers whose challenging document of May 19-20 is the pride of this county.

    But there was more activity and excitement on that May day 166 years ago up at the little log courthouse than there was yesterday at the two-million dollar courthouse out Trade street-a long way out in the country in those days-for the country’s governmental machinery had stopped for the day and only the sheriff’s office and the county police were open.

ALL QUIET AT CITY HALL.

     The same thing was true of the city hall across Alexander street from the courthouse - a street named for the family whose six signers, including the convention chairman and secretary, lead the list.  The city hall workers had gone home for the day and only the police and firemen remained on duty.

    Up town-along the street named for the most despised Governor in North Carolina’s history, along the street over which Cornwallis’ Redcoats swarmed five years after the declaration-the banks were observing the holiday.  Flags here and there along the street proclaimed the patriotic aspect of the day-Mecklenburg July 4-and at the city hall and courthouse other flags linked the walks.

    But the day was not one of enthusiastic celebration.  Rather was it marked by seriousness and lack of festivity, for once again Mecklenburgers were thinking ahead of days that may again bring an invader to American shores, even to the red hills of this historic community.