Toby Suzuki, Chairman
of the Yokohama Group 87
of the Yokohama Group 87
Overview:
Yokohama Group 87, Kanagawa Council, Scout Association of Japan, locates at Totsuka Ward in Yokohama City, fifty miles South-West of Tokyo, Japan. Our Scout group is the community based group, based in the surroundings of the Totsuka Railway Station and our home ground of the major Scouting activities is around the outskirt of the Totsuka Ward.
Our scouts are consisted by girls and boys, young woman and man from the children in the senior class of kinder garden up to College students. Our aim is to educate youth in our community, based on the value system of Scouting Promise and Law, help transition period from childhood to adulthood to become adult who can contribute to the society with the constructive role.
Majority of our Scouts are students of Higashi Totsuka Elementary School, Totsuka Elementary School, and Kamikurada Elementary School.
History of the establishment of the Group:
Our Group’s history began in April 22, 1973, when Yokohama Group 23 wasgiving a part of the members to newly established groups. The members of Cub Scout Troop 7 of Yokohama Group 23 became the Group 87. During the early days, Yokohama Group 87 was a small group, consisted by only one Cub Scout Troop with only 21 Cub Scouts.
The first Chairman of the Group 87 was Mr. Kazuo Kitahawa (who was th ecub Master of Group 23), and the first Chairman of the IKUSEIKAI (financial support group) was Dr. Takeshi Suzuki, (who was the Rover Scout Advisor of the Group 23), The first member of the Group Leaders was Mr. Takemichi Suzuki (myself). And the first Cub Master was Mr. Akira Sakaguchi.
Establishing the Scout Troop:
In April, 1975, our long-cherished desire; established the Scout Troop,and Mr. Fujino became the first Scout Master of the Scout Troop. However, The membership of the Scout Section declined to 7, we decided to ask our parent group, Yokohama 23, to take out scout in charge for a while.
In April, 1979, the membership grew up to 24, I myself became the Scout Master to look out for the Scouts and started full-scale and high standard Scout activities for the Scout Section. In April, 1982, we were able to recruit Mr. John Mackin as our Scout Master who had long experience of Scouting in the United States of America. As a result of his assistance, the Scout Section of our Group 87 became one oft he most excellent scouts in our council
Giving a part of our membership to Group 129:
In 1983, Mr. Kazuo Kitahara, our Chairman of the Group deceded to retire from his active life and moved to Nagano Prefecture for his oldage. At that time, our total membership grew over 140. Taking that opportunity,we have decided to give a part to the newly established group, Group 129. The Scouts resided north side of the railway transferred to Group 129 and those Scouts resided south side remained in Group 87. I became the Chairman of theGroup 87 of the second generation and Mr. Mutsuo Ariyama, who was a Chairman of Municipal Assembly Council of Yokohama City became the Chairman of IKUSEOKAI.
The Boasting Story of the Group (Part 1):
During over 30 years of the history of the group, special mention should be made . In April 1, 1986, the first Beaver Scout Section (Trial Troop) was officially approved by the NSO (National Scout Organization). At that period, there was no Pre-Cub Section (Age of first grade and second grade of elementary school) existed in Japan. NSO had been researching the Pre-Cub Section and Three groups were nominated astrial groups, namely, Yokohama Group 87, 23 and 93. Group 87 had recruited one dozen of children from first grade and second grade of elementary school and formed a trial group. Lead by Ms. Reiko Suzuki (Current Venture Scout Leader). After three years of trial, Beaver Scouts were formally established in Japan. The uniform, badges, Advancing Programs, Songs, etc of the current Beaver Scouts were developed during the trial in the group 87.
The Boasting Story of the Group (Part 2):
Group 87 has been continuously raised Fuji Scout, the highest rank of the advancement in the Scouting in Japan. Which is equivalent to “Queen’s Scout” in England and “Eagle Scout” in Boy Scout of America. The ultimate goal of the Scouting is to educate youth to the adult who can contribute to the society in the constructive role. All the scouting activities and programs are designed to achieve this goal, which is to become “Fuji Scout”. In reality, it is not easy task to educate “Fuji Scout”. The clear evidence is that there are very few group in Japan who can educate “Fuji Scout” more than two digits. All our leaders are very much proud of these facts.
