HAMPTON: A CENTURY OF TOWN AND BEACH, 1888-1988
Chapter 23 -- Part 6

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Saint James Lodge, F&AM

Organized in 1960, this was the first new Masonic lodge in New Hampshire in 53 years. The first Worshipful Master was Robert Danelson. The first lodge meetings were held at Odd Fellows Hall, but in 1966 a new temple was dedicated off Tide Mill Road.

Boy Scouts of America

In August 1911, two Boy Scouts going through Hampton en route to Portland, Maine, from San Francisco were greeted with the Boy Scout salute by 10-year-old Sherley Ware, who told the Union he was the only Boy Scout in town. It is not clear when a formal troop was created, but the scouts were active during World War I, when Reverend Roger Thompson of the Methodist Church was the scoutmaster. Friends and fellow Boy Scouts, later to become educators and authors, Wheaton Lane, Stillman Hobbs, and Larry Thompson, maintained victory gardens during the war, a task the boys regarded as a major cause of the German defeat. The oldest of the two current troops is No. 177, sponsored by the American Legion. One of their important continuing community activities was the scrap-paper drive, an effort that probably originated during World War II but ended June 1989 when the supply of scrap paper exceeded the demand, dropping the price and terminating this valuable service, which had been an important source of funds for the scouts. In 1945, the troop was given the General Eisenhower Award for collecting a Southeastern New Hampshire District record 70,000 pounds of paper. At a unique 1946 Court of Honor, Eagle Scout badges, scouting’s highest award, were given to four Hampton boys: Bernard W. Campbell, Earl Midgley, Gordon Hammond, and Dudley Autio. Recently formed Troop 178 is sponsored by the Hampton Jaycees.

Girl Scouts

The Hampton Girl Scout troop was formed in 1939. Back to previous section -- Forward to next section -- Return to Table of Contents