History
On Tuesday, May 4, 1915 a meeting was held at the home of Percy Johnson at 312 Chestnut Street, Kearny, New Jersey. Present were James Boyle, Arthur Blake, Wesley Girgan, Richard Kaye, Archie Lyon, and Percy Johnson. Mr. James Boyle was elected Chairman at this meeting. The club that was formed was to encourage cycling and hiking. Weekly meetings were held at homes of members and at Lincoln and Washington Schools. Outings and overnight hikes were made to Maplewood, Summit, Pompton Lakes, and Greenwood Lake.
One day, one of the boys brought an empty Kellogg’s Cornflakes box to Mr. Johnson, which pictured a Boy Scout signalling from a mountain top. Inquires were made by Mr. Johnson regarding the formation of a Boy Scout Troop. Troop 2 was formed September 1915 (Troop 1 having been disbanded in 1919). The first Scoutmaster of Troop 2 was Percy Johnson.
Among the activities Troop 2 included were a large Drum and Bugle Corps. and radio and semephore signalling. Toward the end of World War I, Mr. Johnson was sent by the U.S. Government to Chile to assist in the mining of nitrates and copper ore. Johnson was impressed by the native’s various uses of a kerchief worn around their necks. It served as a warning flag, bandage, sling, and in many other practical ways. Upon his return home, Johnson returned as Scoutmaster of Troop 2 and decided to use neckerchiefs for the troop. Up to this point, the Scout uniform was modeled after that worn by the US Army soldier, absent the neckerchief so familiar to us today. Mr. Johnson requested of Mrs. Scott, the mother of one of the Scouts, to make a neckerchief modeled after the ones he had seen in Chile. The first neckerchief was made from a piece of red cloth, 30 inches square, and was placed upon the shoulders of George Bull, the first scout to wear the now ubiquitous neckerchief recognized as a symbol of the Boy Scouts
Troop 2 was to be the foundation of Scouting in West Hudson. The Troop was involved in athletic, civic, musical, as well as “typical” Scouting endeavors and activities.
Following Mr. Johnson’s death in 1923, Mr. George Bull, the second Scoutmaster of the Troop, kept the organization going. Continuing traditional camp outings at Greenwood Lake, assisting to form other local Troops including Troop 4. In 1930, Mr. George Loriot became the third Scoutmaster of Troop 2 and the establishment of Troop 2 as a record breaking Troop in Scout rallies was seen. In 1931, the Johnson Memorial Patrol was founded by Scoutmaster Loriot to serve as an honor patrol. The members of the Johnson Memorial Patrol wear replicas of the original neckerchief designed by Percy Johnson.
In 1958, a meeting of about 100 past members of Troop 2 was gathered at the Kearny Elks and the Troop 2 Booster Club was founded. The first objective of the Booster Club was to sponsor an outdoor program through the acquisition of a camp. A 6 acre plot of land was purchased in 1961 in Marcella, New Jersey. This was to become Camp Johnson. Mr. Sam Bono was appointed the first Camp Ranger, a post held by him through 1992. The establishment of the Camp Johnson Award took place in 1962. Camp Johnson’s facilities currently consist of a main cabin, four lean to’s, an activity pavilion, an outhouse, a well, fireplaces at each patrol site, and at the pavilion, a council fire ring. All of the evergreen trees at the site have been planted over the years by Scouts and Scouters to enhance the year round appearance of Camp Johnson.
A more detailed history of the Troop, authored by George Loriot, is available for review.