Scouts look to join Clack Museum

The Boy Scouts of America soon may be joining a Hill County museum to preserve and present history.

The board of the H. Earl Clack Memorial Museum Monday approved a proposal by board member Thomas Huether, also the Boy Scouts of America Hi-Line district executive, to start the process of the museum sponsoring a Venture Troop.

Huether told the board that Venture Troops are for young men and women, age 14-21 or 13 if they have graduated eighth grade. The troops were established in 1998 as a youth development program.

“It allows outdoor activities where they can specialize in hunting, sports, or, in this case, living history,” said Huether, who also participates in a Civil War-era history re-enactment group focusing on a military unit that ended up stationed in Montana including at Fort Benton.

He said the Havre troop would look at 19th-century Montana history, both military and civilian with a focus on pioneering and homesteading and could work closely with the museum.

Huether said the unit could present at and participate in events locally and throughout the state.

“They would learn more about Montana history while living Montana history,” he said.

He said a museum board member would be the head of the charter group, acting as the institutional head and a board member would also be an adult member of the unit itself.

At least two adults, one male and one female, have to be present at all troop activities, Huether said.

The first step would be recruiting adult members, who must apply for the position and pass a background check. The troop would have to have at least five adult members.

Huether said the next step would be working with the high school to do some recruiting for the youths in the troop.

Before the vote approving Huether moving forward, several at the meeting said they supported working on the proposal, including board Chair Judi Dritshulas, board member Alison Hecker and H. Earl and Margaret Turner Clack Memorial Museum Foundation President Elaine Morse.

“I think this is really interesting,” Morse said.

“I do think it is something that would be very worthwhile,” Dritshulas added.