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.

Leadership changes in the Council combined with flagging participation in Scouting resulted in the corps activity being paused in the fall of 1925. Attempts were made in 1928 and 1930 to restart the corps but to no avail, likely hampered by the Great Depression. A revitalization of the Council began in 1935, which saw the return of Lewis Kessler’s involvement.

In October 1937, the Four Lakes Council began to actively recruit members to restart the corps. 1938 redux would have E.J. Hess as its director and C.H. Beebe as its executive director and the advisory committee to guide the musical unit included none other than Lewis Kessler, the original corps director. Read more at MadisonScouts.org