Contributed by Andrew Coe

Harold Julian Schramm, born in 1911 in Camden, NJ, was an Eagle Scout from Troop 6 who earned the award in 1926, and was also a part of the inaugural class of Octoraro Lodge 22 members in the same year. He graduated from West Chester High School in 1928. 

Schramm was part of the initial group that scouted the Horseshoe property in 1927 with members of the CCC executive committee. With that experience, Mr. Schramm was also part of the 1957 planning committee to help plan how funds were to be used for the Explorer Base (later Camp Jubilee then Camp John H. Ware 3rd).

Schramm was part of Schramm Inc., a manufacturer of air compressors, a family business that started in Philadelphia in 1908 and moved to West Chester in 1910.  Harold Schramm joined the company in 1932 after graduating with a degree in mechanical engineering from Haverford College.  The company now manufactures portable deep drill rigs. Schramm was a factory manager and general manager of Schramm Inc. before becoming president in 1959.

Harold Schramm was bestowed the Silver Beaver Award in 1954 for outstanding contributions to Scouting at the council level, but was also active in the community: he was a past president of the West Chester Civic Association, past president of the West Chester Community Chest, and active with the YMCA.

Schramm passed away in 1974. Schramm Lodge was dedicated in his honor in 1982.

2015 – Contributed by Andrew Coe

This letter was received in 2015 from Bill Waxbom regarding Harold Schramm.

Dear Andy,

The following information concerns Harold J. Schramm (1911-1974).

Harold J. Schramm for whom both Schramm Lodge and camp site at Horseshoe are named.  Harold was my Explorer Post adviser for Post #6 of West Chester, PA.  He was the president of Schramm Inc. air compressor manufacture. He was a very early member of Octoraro Lodge #22 and a Eagle Scout (1931). 

About Harold and Horseshoe:  After Charles Heistand located the Reynolds Farm near Rising Sun, MD for a potential new Scout Camp for Chester Council, Heistand decided to bring bring a few Scouts from the council to the Reynolds property and have them give their opinion as to the probability that this land would make a “good camp” for Scouts.  Harold was one of these Scouts.  Since then Harold took an extra interest in the camp property.  I remember as a member of Post #6, Harold would always have a “project” to work on while we were at camp, be it during summer camp or a weekend.  Some of these projects I have listed below:

(1) Cutting a new path to the “new” Dan Beard site.

(2) [illegibile]

(3) Placing wooden flag poles near the top of the parade field.  Today these were replaced by the current retaining wall with the metal flag poles.

(4) Installing the telephone line into camp as a memorial to Explorer Scout Bob Mackey. This telephone line ran from the Lancaster County side of camp (now Camp Ware) to the Chester County side of camp, Horseshoe. This is the reason the camp has a 717 area code, not a 215 or 610 area code.  It was simpler, less costly, and easy to “run” the telephone wire from Camp Ware (old camp Explorer Base) across the Octoraro creek up the hill to HQ at Horseshoe.This work was done one weekend camp in the Spring of 1958.
(5) Building the so-called “Loop Road” from the headquarters at camp past Sherwood, Boonesboro, and Beard camp site to the shower house.

(6) Early (1930s) in the camp history, Harold bulldozed a trail that was parallel to the Octoraro creek from the current boat dock location down stream to the Athletic Field. This path was still usable in the mid-1950s.

As Harold would often tell us (Post #6 members), “It is better to be a giver, rather than a taker”.

On a more somber and sadder note, it was Harold who found the body of our fellow Explorer Bob Mackey in the shallow end.  Harold removed Bob and started what is now called rescue-breathing.  Back then it was called the “Back pressure arm lift method”.  However everyone’s efforts were to no avail.  Bob was dead by drowning.  The next day Harold told me (I was a camper that week) while he was working on Bob, three black birds were in the tree above the area that he and Bob were in. That same night three black birds were on a tree limb.  That tree is located just outside the window in the Leader’s cabin in Boonesboro where Bob had his bed.  Who says that animals do not know what is happening!   (This is the first time that I have told anyone about this part of the story.) The telephone in camp was installed (no phone in camp before this one) in Bob’s memory.

I don’t know if you want to use any of the above information, but it is part of the history of Horseshoe.

Oh yes, thank you for your kind comments about me in the write-up for the Heistand Award.  I just happen to be and lived at the “right” time and place.  

Warm Regards,

Bill.