Babcock-Hovey Alumni Association

Yolanda Fiorentino Schofield, the wife of Arnold Schofield, was a graphic artist who worked primarily in pen and ink, and focused on historical landmarks. In the Romantic manner of Gianbatista Piranesi, 18th Century Italian Artist and engraver, she strived to create an awareness of and an appreciation for the legacy that these landmarks represent.

Born in 1922 and raised in the Boston area, she and he husband lived most of their married life in Geneva. It was here in the Finger Lakes area that Yolanda was inspired to create the pen and ink drawings of the historic landmarks that she so admired. Yolanda also lived in Verona, Italy, Germany, and Palm Bay Florida. As a young student she studied at the Museum of the Fine Arts in Boston, and later graduated from Boston University. Subsequently she enjoyed a successful career as a display artist and commercial decorator in Boston, Hartford and New York City. In Geneva, from 1975 until 1993, her drawings appeared in the Finger Lakes Times in a series entitled “Landmarks-Our Heritage“, raising public awareness of the historic legacy of the Finger Lakes Region.

Yolanda was a member of the Strawbridge Art League of Melbourne and the Brevard Historical Society. She taught in the Massachusetts and New York School System. Yolanda has exhibited at the Worchester Art Museum, the University of Massachusetts and is represented in private collections and institutions in New York State. She was commissioned to do the pen and ink history of the Erie Canal. Yolanda was released to the Lord on September 19, 2011.

From 1976 until 2008, Yolanda commissioned a series of 12 pen and ink drawings of Camp Babcock-Hovey, plus a rendering of the “New“ Scout Office in Geneva when it opened in 1987. These drawings are some of my the most cherished items of our camps history. Yolanda donated all the original drawings of Camp Babcock-Hovey to the Boy Scouts of America. They are currently housed in the conference room of the Sprague Service Center in Geneva.

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Schofield was born January 12, 1925 and was a native of North Andover, Mass. He was in scouts since he was 12 years old, and had also been a scout master. He earned his eagle scout award in 1943. He was married to Yolanda Schofield. They were often called “Yo and Sco”.

Sco was a professional Scouter for 28 years. He served as the scout executive of Finger Lakes Boy Scout Council for eight years from 1973-1981. In 2005 Sco was awarded “The Daniel Carter Beard Masonic Scouter Award”. Sco passed away on January 9, 2005. A funeral was held at the Babcock Chapel on July 8, 2005.

PDF of Funeral-

Funeral – Cover

Funeral – Page 1

Funeral – Page 2

Funeral – Page 3

In 1971 the Babcock-Hovey helped celebrated the 50^th anniversary of Finger Lakes Council. The council was originally called the Ontario County Council. I think they were actually a year late as the Ontario County Council was formed in 1970. Here is a copy of the original charter.

However, maybe it was the 50^th Anniversary of when Yates and Seneca county joined Ontario county to form Finger Lakes Council. I am not sure entirely on how that happened. Maybe some history buffs out there will let us know how it really happened. However in light of Finger Lakes Council’s 50^th anniversary, a council Camporee was held at Babcock-Hovey.

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As Reported in the Finger Lakes Time May 17,1971

BY BETTY AUTEN

BABCOCK-HOVEY – For those boys who experienced their first time at troop camping at Babcock-Hovey, this weekend’s observance of the Finger Lakes Council’s 50th Anniversary Jamboree was a good way to start. For the older boys and the men who participated it was also a happy experience. Even the weather man did his part and provided the best weather this year.

The jamboree began at 4 p.m. Friday when somewhat over 1,300 boys and men arrived at the camp to set up their tents and get acquainted. By Saturday

morning when the activities got under way, there were 2,000. The large cleared field was set off into four separate camps: Ernest Thompson Seton, Daniel Carter Beard, James E. West and Robert Baden. Powell. The boys began the work of erecting a gateway at the entrance of each of the troop campsites. The gateways varied according to the wants and ambitions of the troops. Some were nothing more than a pole stuck in the ground with a troop flag fastened to it. Others were quite elaborate.

Waterloo’s Troop 81, which later received the grand prize, erected a fire

tower about SO feet high at the entrance to its camping area. David Weidman of Troop 96 in Palmyra won the bugling contest He then had the honor of being the official bugler for the duration of the jamboree. All day Saturday was spent in special events and contests. These ranged from knot being to fire building, from astronomy to lighting a fire with a hand axe.

Saturday night there was a big campfire and fireworks display, two special moments, dear to the heart of every Boy Scout. There were church services, Sunday

morning and then the boys learned what they were expected to do in the special

ecology event. It turned out to be a giant KP assignment, the oh’s and baah’s could be heard clear down to the lake. Many of them probably guessed what it would be beforehand. The theme of the jamboree was “Save Our American Resources”. At the end of the time limit the boys bad filled 376 plastic bags and had gathered up innumerable pieces of trash that wouldn’t fit into the bags.

First place winners in the ecology contest was Senior Troop 111, Troops 126 and 82 tied for second. As the time drew near to go back home, the boys gathered in a rectangle around a blue cross to the right of the field. Before the awards were to be

announced, the boys were to see a sky diving act.

After waiting about 15 minutes a plane flew overhead. It passed over but proved to be just that, a plane passing over. Another 30 minutes went by and some of the boys saw someone jump from an airplane, far off to the east Coincidentally, as 100’s of boys waited to see their sky divers, members of the Ovid Parachute Club picked that moment to jump from a plane. Another 10 or 15 minutes passed and then the right plane arrived and began to circle the field. The second time around a yellow streamer floated out of the plane. The divers were checking the wind velocity.

Suddenly four tiny dots separated from the body of the plane and soon the dots took on the appearance of four men suspended from four parachutes. Before the plane’s arrival the boys had been warned to remain standing and not to move around, for their own safety and the safety of the sky divers. The boys obeyed the warning but it proved to be for nothing. Although the sky divers tried desperately to land in the spot reserved for them, the strong breezes carried them elsewhere. One of them nearly made it. He landed in the back field just beyond the perimeter where the boys had gathered. The other three men landed in the woods.

` In addition to Troop 81 who received first prize and grand prize for their gateway other awards went to the following: Gateways —  Ernest Seton Camp: Troop 122, Newark, first; Troop 32, Canandaigua, honorable mention; Robert B. Powell Camp: Troop 10, Honeoye, first; Troop 52, Victor and Troop 126, Ontario, honorable mention; Daniel C. Beard Camp: Troop 59, Clifton Springs first; Troop 109, North Rose, honorable mention. Honorable mention at James E. West Camp at which Troop 81 took first place, went to Troop 33, Canandaigua. Plaques were presented for five troop events. These went to Troop 80 for hammering a nail; Troop 114 for striking a match with a hand axe; Troop 95 for fire building; Troop 59 for measuring and Troop 96 for the log race.

1971.05.17 – FLC 50th camporee

1971.2.12 – Scouts plan 50th anniversary of FLC

Golden Jamboree Text

August 6, 1971 “the Camp Inspection at Camp Babcock-Hovey was interrupted for five minutes for a memorial silence in memory of Rusty Pedersen of Waterloo, who was killed in a boating accident on Seneca Lake. Rusty had been in camp the week prior to his death, and was well known by many of the staff.”

The impact of Rusty’s death did not end there, over the next few years Troop 81 of Waterloo NY raised funds and obtained supplies to build a cabin at Camp Babcock-Hovey in honor of “Rusty” Pedersen. Troop 81 was the first Troop to stay in Pedersen Lodge in 1973.

Pedersen Lodge was officially dedicated in 1974, as reported in the Finger Lakes Times-

“Scout Troop 81 officially opened the “Rusty Pedersen Memorial Lodge” last Friday with a dedication. Mrs.  Dolores Pederson, Rusty’s mother, and many members of the First Presbyterian Church of Waterloo were present at the unveiling of the plaque over the door of the 20 by 40 foot building.’

Rusty, killed in a boat accident with his father, on Seneca Lake about three years ago, was a member of Troop 81. He was scheduled to be at Camp Babcock Hovey the day after he was killed in the boating accident, to work towards his Eagle Scout award. He had received his Life Scout award shortly before he died.

Bob Getz, Scoutmaster of Troop 81, had often dreamed of a building at the camp for winter camping. After Rusty’s death he stopped dreaming and began planning the lodge. The boys of the troop were enthusiastic over the idea. Bob and David Prosser, a committeeman of the troop, approached the members of the Presbyterian Church for help in financing the cost of the building.

The church was more than willing to help, according to Scouts. Many needed items were donated or sold at cost by local lumber yards and hardware stores. Getz, a master carpenter by trade, designed the building. The entire project was made, nail by nail and board by board, by the boys and men of Troop 81.

The 20 by 40 foot building can sleep more than 20 boys and men at a time and has heat and lights. It was built in a grove of trees facing the large field on the south side of the camp, overlooking Seneca Lake.

According to Getz, many deer crossed the field while they were working on the building. The place was tested by the boys last winter and early this spring. Tom Reynolds, Scout administrator, commended the men, young and old, who remembered their friend in a way that can benefit hundreds of boys for many years to come.”

Newspaper articles-

1971.08.06 Moment of silence for Rusty Pedersen

1974.07.24 Pedersen Memorial Lodge Dedicated