The February 7, 1921, edition of The Atlanta Constitution included an article, “Boys Scouts in Atlanta Celebrate Anniversary,” describing the events to take place in Atlanta the week of February 7 to 13, 1921 to celebrate the Scouts 11th anniversary. The week was given the slogan “National Good Turn Week” where every person, not just Scouts, was invited to join the Scouts in doing a good turn for someone every day of that week.
Many events were planned for Scouts that week, ending with a Boy Scout demonstration on Friday night at the Auditorium. Various Scout activities would be presented, including the entrance march, Scout oath and laws, and awarding of Eagle Scout badges, Skills such as carpentry, camping, cycling, personal health, firemanship, and public health were also presented.
On the 25th anniversary of Boy Scouts in America in 1935, Atlanta’s downtown Rich’s added a Boy Scout merchandise section to the second floor Young Atlantan shop. This made Rich’s the official outfitter of Boy Scouts in Atlanta at the time.
Carlton Renfroe and Jeff Porter grew up in Dunwoody in the 1940’s and they both shared their memories of being part of a Boy Scout troop which met at the Dunwoody Grammar School, located where the Dunwoody Library is today. The troop was started in 1946 by Reverend Reynold Greene of Dunwoody Methodist Church.
This early Boy Scout troop had about twenty boys and included Mr. Bonnie Swancey. Carlton Renfroe recalls that the troop lasted about three years and resurfaced as Troop 266 of Dunwoody Methodist Church. His younger brother, Bogan Renfroe, was also a member of the troop. The charter for Troop 266 is dated November 1951, and the first Scoutmaster was Hugh Spruill.
The first committee chairman of Troop 266 was Glenn Austin. His wife, Nettie Southern Austin, who taught a total of 46 years at the Dunwoody Grammar School, is the namesake of Austin Elementary School on Roberts Drive. Both Mr. and Mrs. Glenn Austin were active leaders in the Dunwoody Methodist Church. Their son, Glenn Austin, Jr., whose picture hangs in the Scout Hut of Troop 266, was the first Eagle Scout of Dunwoody.
The Scout Hut, located behind Dunwoody Methodist Church, was first built by collecting one dollar from contributors for concrete blocks. In 1994, the concrete block Scout Hut was expanded with $78,000 of cash and building materials donated by the community. Assistant Scoutmaster Douglas Scot oversaw the expansion.