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East side Boy Scout leader looks back on troop’s 75 year legacy

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Troop 199 said its final farewell in fall 2024.  

The Boy Scout troop mainly served African American boys on the east side of Indianapolis throughout its 75-year run. The Indianapolis Recorder sat down with scout leader James Campbell as he reflected on decades of camaraderie, community service and unforgettable adventures. 

For 48 years, Campbell was one of the troopā€™s scout leaders. He said he could not have done it for so long without the help of his wife, Delorise. She was as dedicated as he was to the young men who joined the troop. During his tenure, he saw at least 500 young men participate.  

Campbell was a boy scout growing up in Muncie. As a child, he only cared about having fun, but as a troop leader, he had a much greater mission. The main thing the troop leaders wanted to let the boys know was they had a choice; their current lifestyle was not the only way to live. 

James Campbell
Troop 199 Boy Scout leader James Campbell. (Photo provided/James Campbell)

ā€œWeā€™re preparing these young boys for manhood,ā€ Campbell said. ā€œTherefore, we do have a bar that we set, and we bring these young men up to our bar and they come willingly. They change and grow (from being) shown how to be men.ā€ 

He never wanted their troop to be looked at as ā€œpoor little Black boys that need help.ā€ Their goal was always to motivate the boys to use their abilities to take on any challenges they would face in scouting and in life. 

But just as Campbellā€™s leaders did years ago, he and the other leaders made sure the troop had fun. Some of his favorite memories were of their camping trips ā€” watching the boys learn how to deal with each other, look out for animals after dark in the woods and face their fears. Everything changes when the sun goes down, Campbell said. 

ā€œThese are young boys (from) 11 to 12 years old, first-time campers in most cases, and theyā€™ve never been in that kind of environment before, so itā€™s funny,ā€ Campbell said. 

Troop 199 commemorated 75 years of scouting with a banquet in November 2024.  

70th Anniversary Banquet for Troop 199 at Camp Belzer in 2019. (Photo provided/Troop 199)

They had a lot to be proud of, Campbell said. Their troop earned a reputation over the years for having high standards, being prepared and being ready to present when called upon by the council. On top of that, they will add four Eagle Scouts to their ranks in the troopā€™s final year. 

ā€œEagle rank simply opens doors for them as they prepare for life or going to college,ā€ Campbell said. ā€œWe push them because we know what it means to them and in time they will know too.ā€ 

The troop will honor Elijah Elliott, Leander Nicholson, Lendon Nicholson and Nathaniel Wilks for achieving the rank of Eagle Scout at the upcoming Eagle Court of Honor on Feb. 8.   

Check out more photos below to see some of the troopā€™s most memorable adventures. 

A photo of Troop 199’s first scouts in 1977-78. (Photo provided/Troop 199)
Troop 199 climbed Mt. Philips at the Philmont Boy Scout Ranch in New Mexico. This was the first group of scouts from the troop to participate in the two week long outdoor experience at Philmont. (Photo provided/Troop 199)

Troop 199 took their scouts on a two week long camping trip at the Philmont Boy Scout Ranch in New Mexico in 1983. The boys needed all their scouting skills to survive outdoors for two weeks. They each carried 50 lb. bags full of supplies including food, cookware and tents. The boys had to read maps, build fires, cook and sanitize their own water for drinking.

Four boys from this group became Eagle Scouts. James Perdue (back row, center) started as a boy scout and later became a scout leader for Troop 199. (Photo provided/Troop 199)
Pictured: The second group of scouts to journey through Philmont Boy Scout Ranch in New Mexico in 1994. (Photo provided/Troop 199)
Troop 199 hosted its first summer camp at Daniel Boone National Forest near Lexington, Ky. in 2003. (Photo provided/Troop 199)

Camike Jones
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