History related articles

 

Initially, this was produced and shown in 1977 as an introduction for those unaware of the drum corps activity. Featuring the Madison Scouts Drum & Bugle Corps, this program was produced by talented people close to the corps with connections to DCI and PBS (Madison) at the time. There are a few quality issues but it still is entertaining to watch.

1981 Memorial Day Camp

As we pass another Memorial Day, my thoughts are drawn to the cherished memories I hold from the annual Memorial Day camp with the Madison Scouts. The experience marked the beginning of the drum corps season and instilled in me a deep sense of camaraderie and dedication. Allow me to take you on a journey through time, where Friday night arrivals, the unmistakable sound of Scott Stewart's whistle from the William Tell morning song, and the anticipation of showcasing our full show on the field melded together to create an unforgettable experience.

The excitement would bubble within me as I packed my bags for the summer and embarked on the journey to the Memorial Day camp. As the sun dipped below the horizon, we arrived at the school, welcomed by the familiar faces of fellow Scouts. The air was filled with palpable energy, a collective anticipation of what would come. Setting up our sleeping bags in our sleep circles, we exchanged stories and caught up with friends, reminiscing about past seasons and the Madison Scouts' impact on our lives.

CorpsData

corpdatalogo This page contains all members of the Madison Junior Scouts (a.k.a. Madison Boy Scouts before 1973) alumni listed in CorpsData as of 05-06-2023. The main reason we are posting this information now is that we are missing lots of alumni. If you are not seeing yourself here, please update your information on CorpsData.net. If CorpsData access isn't possible, you can click this link to add your information. We will upload data from this form at least a few times monthly.

Also, if you see your name twice or more, we must merge your accounts with the correct information. If your Junior/Boy Scouts years are listed here, they must be moved to the Madison Junior Scouts organization. How? Please delete the item in your profile history area. Then reenter your information by selecting "Madison Junior Scouts" rather than leaving the default "Madison Scouts." Please email us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. if you have any questions so we can clean up our records with everyone's correct information.

We will update this page approximately monthly to move toward a complete database. At first, everyone should focus on their information. Once you have confirmed all of your information is up to date on CorpsData, you can help us with departed alumni if they are not listed or if incorrect information is listed.

You'll never walk alone! Thank you, MSAA Team.

NOTE: a few of you have contacted us regarding your information. In some cases, individuals have a conflict with multiple existing accounts. We are working on it with Wayne at Corpsdata. Please be patient if you are one of those people.

Bins of Scouts history

With 85 years of photos, articles, and artifacts, the Madison Scouts have a rich collection of historical content that needed to be captured and preserved. As a sponsor of Drum Corps International (DCI), WeScanFiles was already familiar with and supportive of the drum corps activity.

bins of history
Bins of History

“We had dozens of plastic tubs filled with content,” said Scouts Executive Director Chris Komnick. “We have had many starts and stops to get it digitized, but we needed a solution to get our history archives professionally scanned and accessible.”

In the spring of 2021, Komnick reached out to Blake Crenshaw of WeScanFiles and discussed the project. Soon thereafter a van-load of bins was delivered to the WeScanFiles warehouse in Fort Worth, Texas to initiate a year-long process.

“I was thrilled to be contacted by the Madison Scouts,” said WeScanFiles’ owner Blake Crenshaw. “As an alumnus of the drum corps activity, I am always seeking ways that I can give back. Helping the Scouts digitize their valuable archives was both a privilege and an exciting historical exploration.”

Read the full article at the MadisonScouts website.

CorpsData

This page contains all of the members of alumni listed in CorpsData as of 05-20-2023. corpdatalogo The main reason we are posting this information now is that we are missing lots of alumni. If you are not seeing yourself here, please update your information on CorpsData.net. If CorpsData access isn't possible, you can click this link to add your information. We will upload data from this form at least a few times monthly.

Also, if you see your name twice or more, we must merge your accounts with the correct information. If your Junior/Boy Scouts years are listed here, they must be moved to the Madison Junior Scouts organization. How? Please delete the item in your profile history area. Then reenter your information by selecting "Madison Junior Scouts" rather than leaving the default Madison Scouts. Please email us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. if you have any questions so we can clean up our records with everyone's correct information.

We will update this page approximately monthly to move toward a complete database. At first, everyone should focus on their information. Once you have confirmed all of your information is up to date on CorpsData, you can help us with departed alumni if they are not listed or incorrect information is listed.

You'll never walk alone! Thank you, MSAA Team

Euro Tour 1988

Note: This is part 1, a 35-year look back – reprinted from the June 17, 1988, DCW, Volume 17, Number 5

[Author’s note: I have interjected some additional memories of setting up the logistics for the Scouts’ tour of Europe and my experiences that will provide additional context.]

For an organization or a business to reach such a significant milestone as a 50th anniversary is quite an achievement today! Being a drum and bugle corps and celebrating five decades in existence is certainly rare. The Madison Scouts are about to do just that, most unusually.

Corpsdata

May 21, 2023: This page is an ongoing project and needs help from all alumni and their families to make this as complete as possible. If you notice any missing names of our departed alumni, please get in touch with us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Your submission must include: 1) their full name, 2) section, 3) marching year(s), and 4) Staff years if applicable. At least one marching year must be included to help with our research. You can include a nickname and other info if you would like for identification. Once verified, we will add their information to Corpsdata and this hallowed webpage.

We will accept Junior Corps/Boy Scouts' information as well. Please specify the person's information for the feeder corps in your message.

Memorabilia

Scouts Memorabilia Records

The MSAA History Committee has been busy for awhile working on inventory and preservation of decades old items, including books, handwritten music scores, clothing, paintings, trophies, and other interesting documents. This process is ongoing with the necessary help of many volunteers.

If you would like to help us, please contact Joe Murray at 608-575-0023 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

The Four Lakes Council Boy Scouts Drum & Bugle Corps, currently known as the Madison Scouts, has a well-documented history of continuous operations since February 3, 1938. However, recent research efforts of historical archives have uncovered evidence that the corps originated on December 3, 1920, under the direction of Lewis Kessler and maintained an active performance schedule through the end of 1925.

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Future Events

11 Jun
MSAA Monthly Meeting
Date Jun 11, 2023 7:00 PM - 8:00 PM

These meetings are open to all alumni of the Madison Scouts. It is held via Zoom once each month typically the third Sunday each month starting at 7 PM Central. Please contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. if you would like to receive a Zoom invitation to attend any meeting. We welcome all alumni to join us.

1 Jul
Drums on Parade Tailgate
Jul 1, 2023 3:30 PM - 7:00 PM

Hosted at the park located west side of the Middleton PAC, on 7400 Lee St.
DOP show tickets information is available here.

Join MSAA today!

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How? Simply sign-up at CorpsData.net. Enter and maintain your corps & contact information on a regular basis

Go to CorpsData

*Minimum requirement: one full year as a marching member of the Madison Scouts D & B Corps

MSAA Newsletter Sign-up

Receive the MSAA monthly newsletter appropriately called "The Fleur-de-lis" directly in your inbox. First, verify your info at CorpsData. See Join MSAA Today! Next, add your full name and email, and then click the Subscribe button to complete the process.

IMPORTANT: Please add the email address newsletter@madisonscoutsalumni.org to your address book to prevent our emails from going to your SPAM folder.