On my honor, I will do my best
To do my duty to God and my country and to obey the Scout Law;
To help other people at all times;
To keep myself physically strong, mentally awake and morally straight.
Present-day Troop 44, Boy
Scouts of America of Van Alstyne, Texas has served as a beacon of light
for boys looking for the way to become honorable men.In
March of 2003, Troop 44 will celebrated its 90thyear.Few communities have fostered their
love for a scout troop as Van Alstyne has and it’s preservation and
accomplishments have been attained through a collation of city officials,
citizens, churches, the Chamber of Commerce, men and women who have given
their time to lead the troop, and the boys themselves.
Troop 44 was conceived, December of 1912 when three boys (Roland
Barnett, Otis White and Rae Nunnallee), received a Boy Scout storybook.Roland Barnett’s father, W. F. Barnett, was the superintendent of
schools for Van Alstyne at the time and after the reading the books with
the boys, became the first Scoutmaster.The first
meeting was held in the Barnett home and the Troop was formed.The Troop received its first charter on March 1, 1913, and has had
continuous service to the community since.As all early
troops of that era, it was assigned Troop #1.
In 1993, Paul Ernest, Director of Registration and Statistical
Service for the Boy Scouts of America national office, confirmed a
letter to then Van Alstyne Scoutmaster George Echols.
There were two troops in Texas that had more tenure than Troop
44,as of December 31, 1992.You,
therefore, are to be congratulated forbeing among the oldest troops in the
state of Texas.
As of December
31, 1992, there were four troops in the country with more tenure than you
have ~ which makes Troop 44 the fifth oldest troop in the country.
BSA Troop 
