Note: Daddy (Curtis C. Duncan) was scoutmaster in Dell for several years during the late 1960s and early 1970s. He often said he was lucky to have such a great group of boys. He involved them in numerous activities, including frequent camp-outs. Born in the Alabama hills, he had a love and respect for nature. I'm sure he passed some of his enthusiasm on to his scouts. In later years, he heard from several boys, thanking him for the good times they had.
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| Alan Hunnicutt, Bob Tusing, Richard Duncan-Copyrt CCDuncanPhotography |
The stories below are taken from some of CC Duncan's memories, as told to me in a series of letters. . .
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| Dell Boy Scout Troop 255-Copyright CCDuncanPhotography |
"Troop 255, Dell Scout Troop was sponsored by the Kiwanis Club of Dell, Arkansas. I had thirteen young boys eager to learn and work for their badges. They all were easy to work with. We had loads of fun camping and being out in Mother Nature's world. I promised the troop if they would work on their badges and be a good scout, I would take them camping. They were. I took them camping each month from spring til school started in the fall. This was their reward for working and being interested in scouting. The first week camp was done at Camp Kai Kima at Hardy, Arkansas. The Memphis troop camp let us join them since the camp we used was sold to Cherokee Village. When we arrived they showed us the side of a hill and we had to use our camping gear. We could eat in the Mess Hall. The boys saw some snakes in the trees and on the ground. they went after those snakes, climbing the trees and running the others down on the ground. They took the snakes up to the camping office and they had a pen to put them in to be released when the week's camping was over. I can still see Allan Hunnicutt up in a tall tree with a black snake. He made it down. We had a good time and did appreciate the Memphis Troops for letting us use the camp."
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| Dell Boy Scout Troop 255 Camp-Copyright CCDuncanPhotography |
"This district always had a camp-out in April each year. This was held in Walcot State Park, and you could always count on rain. We went over there one spring and the Luxora troop came in with new 'government issued gear.' They chose a site next to the Dell troop site. They did not know how to put up a tent or anything else. I told the boys to go over and see if they could help them. No. They didn't need any help. The troop put up their tents with the door facing up hill. This is a no-no. In the spring in Arkansas you are going to get some thunder showers. Especially if you are camping. Well, it rained a flood that night.The open doors of their tents funneled the rain into the tents. They had about a foot of water in the tents the next day. Our boys could not keep from laughing about it."
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| Dell Boy Scout Troop 255-Copyright CCDuncanPhotography |
"The next year, we went to Viola, Arkansas, where Pine Tree Trail was still under construction. They had put some tents up with wood floors. There were snakes there, too. That first night a pack of dogs were running a fox or deer in the distance, and it did sound pretty loud. About 10 PM, one of the boys came over to my tent and said he was sick. I asked him several questions and realized that he was scared. The hound were laying down a good tune, and I told him that the hounds were having a ball chasing a fox. It was ok then and he went on back to his tent and went to sleep.
There was a snake under the floor of my tent. I could hear it's scales scratching the wood as it moved. It didn't last long, so I went on to sleep.
So we both had an adventure that night."
"Ricky (Richard Duncan) and some others had been chosen for the Order of the Arrow. They had to go through a ceremony and then go out in the woods to spend the night. Richard spent his in a tractor track. I was really proud of the boys. I had three that got theirs (Order of the Arrow) the same night. It was a pleasure for me to work with such a fine group of young men. I enjoyed the troop and the troop scouts were always doing the right thing."
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