Logansport Sea
Scouts got their start in 1931 and their ship in 1936. All of these boys were
required to be between the ages of 14 and 18 and to be good swimmers. Most of
them took Red Cross life-saving courses and all were trained in work with
boats.
Local business men
purchased uniforms for the boys. The organization wasn’t a pre-navy training
unit and didn’t encourage its members to become regular navy men, rather it
served as an organization for older boys who continue their Boy Scout training
and principals.
The boys aided in
rescue work during Logansport’s flood seasons and several times they were
called upon to perform special water work service. Once the group was engaged
by a Miami county company to dive to the bottom of a gravel pit and aid in
retrieving valuable machinery that had dropped to the bottom of the pit. Three
of the members, Max Waite, Franklin Rittenhouse and Harry Neal Smith served
regularly as appointed life guards at the local swimming places.
On July 11 of that year the group dedicated their new “ship”,
the SSS Corsair. Erected under the sponsorship of the local Kiwanis Club, the
ship was moored permanently at 804 Michigan Avenue.
July 11, 1936 Logansport Pharos Tribune, page 1:
Sea Scouts Will
Dedicate New “Ship” Tuesday Night
…"The Sea Scouts now have an enrollment of thirty-six active
members, a complete ship’s crew as recognized by the Sea Scout organization
nationally, and three inactive members. Of the present list four were in that
small group of charter members. One of those five, John Kihm, is now chief mate
of the "ship". The other three are Robert Emerson, Harry Neal Smith
and Robert Shaver. Others on the present roster are Roger Briggs, Charles
Bryan, Robert Campbell, George Cart, John Chogas, Salvatore Corso, Carl Daniels,
Gilbert Dodson, Robert Dyer, Robert Eagan, James Eagau, Charles Gerlach,
Kenneth Gibson, George Gilsinger, Barman Graham, John Grubbs. George Gust, Eldon
Helmuth, Harold Hipskind, Richard Jackson, Earl Kantzer, Leroy Luflin, Robert Lumbert, John Marshall,
Melvin Meyers, Francis Moore, James Pursh, John Priestoff, Jack Reed, Franklin
Rittenhouse, D. A. .Shaver, Robert Safford, Phillip Saunders,Carl Slifer, Max
Waite, Willard Walsh and Richard Raber. …
The new ship will not only serve as the boys headquarters
for all their regular and special meetings but will also be used as a site for
special social programs planned by the leaders and sponsors of the Sea Scouts.
Skipper Capen explains that the organization is not a pre-navy training unit
and does not encourage its members to become regular navy men- It serves as an
organization for older boys who continue their Boy Scout training and
principals."
Above: Eel River, Logansport, IN - an arrow points to the "ship".
Other activities for the group included sales of
Christmas trees, Red Cross First Aid courses, hosting Christmas parties for
underprivileged children, and assisting at the Elks Halloween Parade. In 1959
the Red Cross presented the ship's crew certificates for helping with the
flood.
November 30, 1939, Logansport Pharos Tribune:
Santa Aided By Sea
Scouts
Begin Annual Task of
Repairing Toys for Distribution on Christmas
"Logansport Sea Scouts have begun their annual task of
repairing and painting discarded toys for distribution to the needy children of
the city, according to Skipper Gardner P. Capen.
R. J. Migely, Chicago insurance broker, who visited the Sea
Scout ship last year while the toys were being repaired; yesterday kept a
promise which he made at that time, arriving here with the rear of his car
loaded with toys for the Sea Scouts to repair and distribute.
Children of several hundred families In Logansport have been
able to retain their faith in Santa Clause each year as the result of the work
of the Sea Scout ship Corsair.
Since the city health office is a so repairing and painting
toys to distribution to needy children this year, Skipper Capen announced that
the Sea Scouts will take the toys to the city health office after they are
repaired. In this way there will be no possibility of duplication when they are distributed. Sea
Scouts will also aid the health office in the distribution of the toys."
The Logansport ship was the oldest in Region 7 with a
continuous registration. But, in February of 1964 the charter ran out and was
not renewed.
November 16, 1964 Logansport Pharos Tribune:
"The SSS Corsair is moored permanently at 804 Michigan Ave.,
but even an immobile ship needs a crew. And the Boy Scout office is presently
looking for such a crew.
All boys between the ages of 14 and I8 who would like to
become a sea scout and serve aboard the Corsair are invited to a free dinner
meeting at 6 p.m. Wednesday at the ship."
Above: Looking toward the southwest and 6th Street Bridge.
 |
| Marching in front of the Logansport Public Library. |
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Photo dated Feb. 10, 1951 |
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