International Jamborees: 1960 Report USA
1960 - Fifth National Boy Scout Jamboree Colorado Springs, Colorado
22 - 28 July / Participants 56 377 / South Africans 8
The 1960 National Jamboree was the fifty-year jubilee of the Boy Scouts of America and the theme was "For God and Country".
The small South African contingent was led by Scoutmaster Brian G.H. "Buddy" Scott from Durban and the members were; Assistant Scoutmaster Ian Mack, and Queen Scouts James Forsyth (Pretoria), Roydon Sacks (Cape Town), Russell Mapp (Ladysmith, Natal) Danny Eatwell (Empangeni), James ? and A N Other.
They left from Johannesburg on the 8th July 1960 on a UAT French Airline's DC6B aeroplane which in those days was still propeller driven. The plane's range was limited and en route they had two refuelling stops before landing in Paris.
They had a short sightseeing tour of Paris taking in the Champs de Elysees, Arc de Triomphe and the Eiffel Tower before flying this time in a Boeing 707 jet to New York's Idlewild Airport (JFK) where they were met by the SA Consular and two Scouters.
As part of their 50th anniversary celebrations the local (Scout) councils were given the opportunity of hosting a Scout from a foreign country and Roydon was assigned as a guest to the Housatonic Council, BSA, in Connecticut.
Home hospitality was spent in and around Astonia, New Haven, Connecticut which is about 100km North East of New York. A week of local sightseeing included trips to the Housatonic Scout Council Camp Siwanoy and many of New York's tourist attractions.
On the 19th they left by train from New Haven for the two day journey to Colorado Springs as part of the Housatonic Jamboree Troop. A stop in Chicago afforded them the opportunity to tour the city.
From the Colorado Springs train station, they were taken by bus to the Campsite where in the sweltering heat they set up camp.
The next day they got their Jamboree scarves and spent some time at the Trading Post. That evening was the grand Opening Ceremony. Seventy-two thousand people were present at the opening ceremony, including 650 scouts from 26 other countries. There were Bands, Folk dancing Sing songs and a spectacular fireworks display. The south African Scouts were in different Troops but did 'get together' on a number of occasions.
During the Jamboree there was no lack of things to do. There was a full-fledged rodeo by the local Pikes Peak or Bust Rodeo crew, with bull riding, bull dogging, saddle bronco riding, calf roping and bareback riding. There were three large Skill-O-Rama areas, where the scouts could exhibit their talents as cook or rope maker, and there were all kinds of folklore.
At one of the many Campfires Lord Baden Powell, the son of the founder spoke to the Scouts and later in the week the SA scouts had tea with him.
President "Ike" Eisenhower honoured the event with his presence on Thursday 27th and drove through the entire camp, widely acclaimed by all.
Another highlight was the Navy's Flight Demonstration Team, the Blue Angels, who flew over the entire campsite and gave a 20-minute demonstration with four Jet airplanes.
The official closing ceremony was on the Thursday evening 28th July. After the Jamboree they visited Seven Falls in the South Cheyenne Canyon and Pikes Peak before boarding the train for the return journey which included stops in St Louis to visit the zoo. Upon arriving in Washington they had a most enjoyable and informative tour of the city before finally returning 'home' to New Haven where Roydon spent some time before returning to South Africa.
Today the entire site of Jamboree is located in the city. A plaque to commemorate the event can be found at the intersection of Voyager and Briargate parkways.
This article is based on documentation received from Roydon Sacks of the 10th GASP
S A Scout Heritage