Girl Scouts

Miss Catherine Seitz organized Troop #4 in 1933 and was its first Captain. There were two districts in this area at this time, the North and South Central, continuing the tradition inaugurated by Miss Seitz.

From the BETHPAGE TRIBUNE, July 1, 1976

Below information from Anne Merin in the CPHS Newsletter, April, 2007

The two co-leaders, called Lieutenants, were Miss Marjorie Van Clief 1933 - 1934 and Miss Lusceda Damm 1935. The other leaders over the years were: Miss Marie Mazzara - 1936, Miss Mary Simone - 1937, Miss Ethel Nelson- 1938, Mrs. Paul Wilson - 1939, Miss Audrey Maggi - 1943, Mrs. Ruth Luttge and Mrs. Anna Barton - 1944, Mrs. Elsie King - 1948 - 49, Miss Jeanette Michaels, Mrs. Dorothy Guelpe -1947 - 1950, Mrs. Edyth Scals 1950 - 1952, Mrs. Lorraine Carter - 1952, Miss Barbara Velda 1952 - 1953, Mrs. Ethel Nelson Surprise 1952 - 1953, Mrs. John (Catherine) Mazzio was leader from 1955 - 1959 with Mrs. Mae Glazer co-leader from 1956 - 1959, Mrs. Louis (Mae) Sisia co-leader from 1955 - 1956. Mrs. Robert (Edna) Burn was leader from 1959 - 1963 with Mrs. John (Mary) Slomkowaski co-leader, Mrs. Roy (Katherine) Meyer - 1959, Mrs. Alan (Anne) Kawaters leader from 1963 -65, Mrs. Arnold (Barbara) Trachman co-leader 1956 - 64 with Mrs. Walter (Rosemary) Gross, Mrs. James (Mary) Day 1964 - 65 and Mrs. Francis (Elaine) Toomey, Miss Carol Lindeman, Mrs. Kenneth (Ethel) Lindeman and Mrs. Roy (Alice) Burgin 1965 - 1969.

Meetings were held in the of Parish Hall of St. Martin of Tours Church (the building is now occupied by the St. Vincent dePaul Society). Some of those first scouts were Irene Spindler (now Mosca), Marie Mazzara and Mary Simone. Through the years there were many women who volunteered to help the troop with its business and the girls to earn badges. The latter included everything from camping to folk dancing. My involvement with the troop began when Mrs. Doran took the troop camping in my backyard in 1958. We then owned a piece of land off the end of Powell Avenue.

On a Friday twenty girls came with bags, baggage and tents. Parents dropped them off from Powell Avenue. They even borrowed a huge boy scout tent from troop 118. Leaders had their own tent!!! We named the event Camp Merin Gulch! One small tent was reserved as a private bathroom equipped with blue toilet paper. Otherwise all activities took place outdoors. Only one scout got poison ivy.

Boy Scout, Roy Merin built an alter oven for the girls on which all meals were cooked. Chopped meat was the only food that we kept in my freezer. On Sunday evening, Miss Catherine Seitz was invited to dinner. She was impressed with the Blueberry Cake that the girls baked in a reflector oven. On Monday the scouts and leaders hiked up to Parkview Circle via the Old Motor Parkway. There Mrs. Doran tested the girls out in her pool to earn swimming badges. Numerous other badges were earned that weekend.

Submitted by Anne Merin - 2007 (appeared in the May, 2007 CPHS Newsletter)