Some 100 Scouts from Hamilton, Dublin, DeLeon, Comanche, Brownwood, Thurber and Tolar joined Stephenville Scouts at the Stephenville County Club Lake for a water carnival followed by a Court of Honor in June of 1932.

They had canoe races, swimming and diving contests, water polo and other events.  Later that evening supper was served to the Scouts and a Court of Honor was held along with troop stunts.

The following year another water carnival was held at the same place, again in June,  and was the third annual carnival to be held.  This year a silver loving cup was presented to the winning group which happened to be Stephenville.  Joseph Young and Tommy Gordon, both of Stephenville, were presented gold medals by the council as the highest point winners of the swimming events.  Again, a Court of Honor was held following supper that night for some 75 Scouts.

Swim events included a 25-yard backstroke, 50-yard free style, 100-year relay, free style, 100-yard free style, 200-yard relay, a 200 yard canoe race,  25-yard breast stroke, 75-yard medley, and diving from a seven-foot board and a fifteen-foot tower.

Over a hundred Boy Scouts participated in water contests on July 2, 1938, at a local pool in Brownwood.  In addition to the regular swimming events, they had water polo competition.  Troop 16 defeated Troop 43 two goals to one, Troop 5 defeated Troop 2 by one goal to nothing.  Troops 16 and 5 were to play the next night.

These aquatic events continued through 1941 that we know of.  For on May 30, 1941, fifty percent of the proceeds from one such event, being held at Hot Wells Swimming Pool in Brownwood, was to go to the local Bundles for Britain committee.

They had three classes of competition:  one for junior age Scouts, ages 12 to 13; one on intermediate Scouts, ages 14 to 15; and a senior division for Scouts 16 to 17.  Awards of bronze medals for top winners in each group and ribbons for first, second and third place winners in each event were presented.   A large pennant was the grand prize.

Swim meets remained popular through the 1960’s,  In 1960, swim meets were held in Ranger, Stephenville, Goldthwaite and Brownwood with thrity-two Troops and Posts participating with 249 Scouts and Explorers.   They continued to move the meets around, and in 1961 they were held in Stephenville, Lampasas, Brownwood and Eastland. That year some twenty-four Troops and Post participated with a total of 195 Scouts and Explorers. In 1962, meets were scheduled for Stephenville, San Saba, Brownwood and Breckenridge.  In 1964, three district swim meets were held. Swim meets were still being scheduled in 1983, including one for Cub Scouts in August.

Swim meets were being held at the Tarleton University pool in February as part of the celebration of Boy Scout Week.  One such meet was call the “Mid-Winter Swim Meet” open to  Scouts and Explorers on February 8, 1986.  They were being run by Dick Johnson, Donald Smith and Larry Smith.

Last Updated:  January 10, 2003
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