Watchung's first Scout Troop 1 was founded in 1914 with Kenneth Schmidt as one of the first Scout members.

Ken Schmidt later became Mayor of Watchung, and at one time was the longest-serving Mayor in New Jersey, serving from 1961-1992.

By 1937, Troop 1 had disbanded and the trustees of Wilson Memorial Church organized Watchung Troop 32 that same year.

Troop 32 has continued to be sponsored by Wilson Memorial Church. Common to Troop 1 and the new Troop 32 was Ken Schmidt, who was one of the Church Trustees at the time of the organization of Troop 32.

For nearly 45 years, Troop 32 supported itself by conducting 4 paper drives a year, typically one each season, collecting and recycling newspapers and magazines from local residents.

The paper drives first began in 1942 after Japan attached Pearl Harbor, to support the war effort, to support our boys.

The papers were either picked up from residents' homes by scouts and their fathers or dropped off to trucks provided by different vendors. Trucks were located behind Valley View School and the abandoned Watchung swim club parking lot, now the Watchung Village Green.

Once the trucks were tightly packed by scouts, they were emptied at local paper mills.

The work was hard, but well supported by the town. It was an activity that connected scouting to not only the outdoors, but to the enhancement of the environment!

Once the trucks were tightly packed by scouts, they were emptied at local paper mills.

The work was hard, but well supported by the town. It was an activity that connected scouting to not only the outdoors, but to the enhancement of the environment!

These drives continued until Somerset County took over all recycling operations.

Troop 32 has since turned to their Annual Holiday Greens Sale as a source o funding, selling wreaths and other holiday greens to neighbors and residents at both St. Mary's Church and Wilson Memorial Union Cl

Boy Scouts