Paul Eason's legacy documented in biography by son
Sep. 9—Stories of some lives are told through the written word. Stories of others are told through the legacy of the lives they continue to influence. The story of Tupelo's Paul Eason is told by both, and it's neatly presented in a book by his son Brooks, a retired attorney-turned-author. "The Scoutmaster: Lessons in Service and Leadership from an American Hero," is the fifth book by Brooks Eason. Though Paul's influence appears in his previous works, this is the first written about Paul Eason alone.
When we think of leaders whose achievements helped build a town and a community, thoughts generally turn to titans of industry and wielders of great influence, power and wealth. Paul Eason's life was not that. It was so much more.
Eason worked in the garment manufacturing industry through most of his career, then in similar roles thereafter. His work crafting future pillars of the community made him one of the most critical pillars of all. The pillars he helped build form the bedrock of the Northeast Mississippi community, and they continue to prove their character and strength throughout the world.
Eason lived his life in service to his fellow man, and a major portion of that service was performed through his leadership of Boy Scout Troop 12, headquartered at Tupelo's First United Methodist Church. Eason became the Scoutmaster of Troop 12 when he was 25, single and just home from the Navy after World War II. He was recruited into the role in 1947 by A.P. Bennett, who was then both Troop 12's Scoutmaster and principal of Tupelo High School. Part of Bennett's pitch to Eason was, he was only a few years older than the Scouts, so they'd relate to him, but he was a World War II veteran so the Scouts would look up to him. In the course of the following years, only Eason's age would change. The connection with Scouts who counted on and looked up to him never varied.
Patience personified
Eason served in the role of Scoutmaster for more than 45 years. After he turned 70, he stepped down as Scoutmaster but continued in the role of Assistant Scoutmaster for 16 more, giving extraordinarily of his time and influence to generations of boys from 1947 to 2008.
Eason had earned the rank of Eagle Scout in Troop 12 in 1939, the fifth member of the troop to achieve the rank since the troop had been founded more than 10 years before. More than 350 Scouts attained the rank of Eagle during Eason's tenure as Scoutmaster. He encouraged the boys to learn Scouting's life skills by demonstrating his own willingness to work, and while expending the massive, Job-like patience required to let a Scout do a task he or any adult could take over and accomplish much more quickly.
A written account
Brooks Eason, 66, now of Madison, came to writing after a career as an attorney. He'd learned a love of the outdoors from his dad, and his first book is an account of highlights and anecdotes from hiking and camping with friends. His second book is a detailed look at his own adoption from a New Orleans home for unwed mothers — Brooks is the adopted son of Paul and Margaret Eason. He has a book of conversations with his dog, and a novel set in the Great Depression to his credit as well.
Writing "Scoutmaster" took roughly a year and a half.
"That includes the time for all the interviews I did," Brooks said.
The resulting book is part biography for context, part reminiscence by many of the hundreds of former Scouts Paul Eason influenced. The work is enjoyable and a pleasure to read.
Parental perspective
Sam Agnew, who took over as Scoutmaster when Eason initially stepped down from the role, says learning both Scouting and leadership from Eason was a special honor. Agnew serves Troop 12 as Scoutmaster today.
"Taking over from Paul Eason was like following Bear Bryant," Agnew said with a laugh. "Mr. Eason was my Scoutmaster, so I had the honor of learning leadership from him on a number of levels. Patience was his most obvious trait, and it's one we continue to try to model today.
"Boys today are the same as they were 20, 30, 50 years ago. The world is different but the boys are the same. They need the same things. They need someone to be patient with them, work with them, to encourage them at some times and to give them direction at others. Mr. Eason was all of that to all of us for so long."
Consecutive campouts
Advancing to the rank of Eagle depends on the completion of a number of tasks, many of which either require or are greatly helped by the Scout's participation in campouts. Early in Eason's tenure as Scoutmaster, a commitment was made to offer the boys a campout opportunity every month. The suggestion was adopted and, amazingly, continues to this day. Troop 12 has now camped out once a month for 865 consecutive months and counting. That's more than 72 years, one of many lasting testimonies to Eason's scouting legacy.
The logistical realities for the troop's adult leaders who've had to attend and supervise is not something Scouts can possibly appreciate at the time. Though they see what the adults are doing, they lack the perspective to understand what is required of the adults to do it. That's OK, Agnew says.
"When they're grown and men themselves, they'll appreciate it better," Agnew said.
Thanks to Eason's legacy, that's an appreciation set for another generation to come.
The book is available at Reed's Gum Tree Bookstore in downtown Tupelo.
Kevin is the weekend edition editor for the Daily Journal. Contact him at kevin.tate@journalinc.com.
