Troop 266 75th Anniversary! 
Troop 266 celebrated the 75th anniversary of its charter at West University United Methodist Church (WUUMC) during Scout Sunday Service on February 11th and at its annual Baden Powell Dinner on February 20th.
A weathered and taped cover of the 1943 West University United Methodist Church magazine showing the church chapel, the home of many Troop 266 Courts of Honor.
WUUMC was chartered in 1936 and Troop 266 was chartered by the church 7 years later in March 1943. When the Troop was formed, West University was near the outer boundary of the greater Houston area! Houston has changed rapidly over the last 75 years. The population grew from approximately 400,000 in 1943 to more than 2,300,000. The skyline is now filled with tall buildings. The town has spread many miles in all directions and the outer boundary is more than 30 miles away. Houston has become a huge diverse international city.
West University Place was incorporated in 1917. The population of West University grew rapidly in the 1930s and 1940s. The population peaked in 1950 at 17,000 and slowly declined to 12,000 in 1980. The population has since rebounded to more than 15,000. Like the town population, the size of Troop 266 contracted in the 1960’s and 1970’s. This was also a period during which nationwide scouting was less popular. The Troop rebounded in the 1980’s and has typically had 50 to 70 scouts during the last 40 years.
WUUMC’s strengths include active, successful programs for children and youth, a beautiful sanctuary, and gracious welcoming members. It has the warmth of a small community church combined with the strong worship, music, and program ministries of a large church. The congregation includes more than 900 adult and 300 younger Christians baptized in 14 denominations who come from 11 different countries. Their broad inclusive understanding of the Christian faith allows them to worship, learn, grow, serve, and have fun together. The troop is an active part of the church and has a diverse population which represents the diversity of Houston people and faiths. Both the church and the troop have evolved and thrived over the years.
Hundreds of boys have been scouts in the troop. They learned the basics of scout skills on the way to the rank of First Class. As they advanced, they learned how to teach scout skills. They learned teamwork and leadership. They grew to be confident and responsible citizens. They pursued adventure on many campouts in many parts of Texas. A few of the adventures were biking, sailing, canoeing, spelunking, climbing, water skiing, hiking, and horseback riding. The troop went on long term camps in many states and has sent many crews to the BSA high adventure camps Philmont, Florida Sea Base and Northern Tier. 241 scouts earned the rank of Eagle by the end of 2017.
An important part of scouting is community service. Over the years the troop has participated in a wide variety of service projects such as; the Houston Foodbank, Flags on the Memorial Day at Houston National Cemetery, building bikes for the unprivileged, serving the poor, helping the elderly, and hurricane recovery. Summaries about recent Eagle service projects are on this website on the EAGLE FLIGHT page. America, Texas, Houston and
1943 Troop 266 Scouts and Scoutmasters - the Originals.
West U have changed greatly during the past 75 years, but the principles and methods of scouting and Troop 266 remain unchanged and are based on the Scout Law and Scout Oath. Troop 266 is robust, has momentum, and will continue to help our youth grow into responsible citizens.
