BOY SCOUT'S BADGE COMES 70 YEARS LATE.Byline: DENNIS McCARTHY Dennis McCarthy may refer to:
Larry Monson sat at home Wednesday afternoon working on a short speech he would give that night about what a great kid Riley Alexander is, and how much the 17-year-old deserves the Eagle Scout Ea·gle Scout n. One who has achieved the highest rank in the Boy Scouts. Noun 1. Eagle Scout - a Boy Scout who has earned many merit badges Boy Scout - a boy who is a member of the Boy Scouts badge he has earned. "You know what they say -- the best speakers are the ones who don't say too much," the 90-year-old assistant Boy Scout master said, smiling. True, and the best surprises are the ones you never see coming. And Larry Monson never saw this one coming. The Court of Honor a court or tribunal to investigate and decide questions relating to points of honor; as a court of chivalry, or a military court to investigate acts or omissions which are unofficerlike or ungentlemanly in their nature. See also: Honor Eagle Scout ceremony for Riley, a member of Boy Scout Troop464 in Woodland Hills, would have to wait until next month. It was Monson who was being honored at court Wednesday night -- 70 years late. He became a Boy Scout in 1930 and earned his Eagle Scout badge in 1937, a time when the country was coming out of a depression and headed into a war. Ceremonies like the one for his badge often were delayed, overlooked or forgotten completely as young men such as Monson went into the service and came home with marriage and careers on their minds, not missed Eagle Scout ceremonies. "To tell you the truth, I was just glad to earn my badge because there weren't many pools in Los Angeles Los Angeles (lôs ăn`jələs, lŏs, ăn`jəlēz'), city (1990 pop. 3,485,398), seat of Los Angeles co., S Calif.; inc. 1850. back in the 1930s to learn to swim in," Monson said, laughing. "I had a heck of a time finding a place to earn my merit badge in lifesaving. To be an Eagle Scout, you have to be able to save a person your size. "I finally did it in the pool at the old Elks building on Wilshire Boulevard Wilshire Boulevard is one of the principal east-west arterial roads in Los Angeles, California, United States. It was named for H. Gaylord Wilshire (1861-1927), an Ohio native who made and lost fortunes in real estate, farming, and gold mining. ," Monson said. A couple of years after pulling that kid of out the Elks pool to earn his badge, Monson was walking down the aisle with Eleanor, whom he has been married to for 68 years. They have two children. "When I got out of the Army, I went into the food business, opening my own market -- the Circle M -- over on Victory and Coldwater boulevards where the movie theater is now," Monson said. "I stayed with Scouting scouting: see Boy Scouts; Girl Scouts. scouting Activities of various national and worldwide organizations for youth aimed at developing character, citizenship, and individual skills. Scouting began when Robert S. on and off through the years with my own kids and started a troop in Tarzana. I still go to Scout camp every summer -- for the last 35 years. "The boys like listening to my stories. I've got a million of them." And after Wednesday night, he is going to have one more. "The boys love Larry, and treat him like a grandfather," said Corky cork·y adj. cork·i·er, cork·i·est 1. Of or resembling cork. 2. Informal Lively; buoyant. cork Straus, an assistant Scoutmaster for Troop464. "He likes to teach them how to whittle, carve carve v. carved, carv·ing, carves v.tr. 1. a. To divide into pieces by cutting; slice: carved a roast. b. pieces of wood into interesting things. "They love it. Larry's just a sweetheart of a guy." Whether it's 1937 or 2007, becoming an Eagle Scout really hasn't changed that much, Monson said, finishing up his short written introduction on Riley. "It was all about camaraderie ca·ma·ra·der·ie n. Goodwill and lighthearted rapport between or among friends; comradeship. [French, from camarade, comrade, from Old French, roommate; see comrade. and enjoying the outdoors when I was a kid, and it's still about that now with Riley and other boys," he said. "I'm proud of them all and flattered that they've invited me tonight." Yeah, the best surprises are the ones you never see coming. dennis.mccarthy(at)dailynews.com (818) 713-3749 CAPTION(S): photo Photo: Larry Monson, 90, admires a photograph signed by Scouts after receiving his Eagle Award during a Scout meeting at the American Legion American Legion, national association of male and female war veterans, founded (1919) in Paris. Membership is open to veterans of World Wars I and II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War. Hall in Woodland Hills on Wednesday evening. Alex Collins/Special to the Daily News |
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