A Scout’s Honor

January 28, 2025
• Scoutmaster James Murphy received the Good Person Award Monday night for his longtime leadership with Troop 13.

James Murphy likes to keep a low profile. Outside of his scoutmaster duties with Troop 13, the Needham resident woodworks out of his garage and stays out of the spotlight — sort of like Needham’s version of Ron Swanson.

Receiving accolades from a crowded room at Town Hall isn’t his ideal scenario. But unfortunately for him, Murphy wasn’t so lucky Monday night.

Needham Youth and Family Services invited Murphy’s scouts, friends and neighbors to present him with the Patrick and Patricia Forde Good Person Memorial Award in recognition of his 14 years leading the local scout troop. The award, established in 2006, honors community members who have bettered the community with their positive impacts on Needham children or families.

Rows of attendees at Powers Hall wore their khaki uniforms and red neckerchiefs to celebrate the scoutmaster, but also in preparation for their weekly meeting after the ceremony, which Murphy insisted they would not miss.

An electrical engineer by day, Murphy leads a group of about 20 scouts on expeditions in Needham and beyond, helping them develop real-life skills, including how to start fires and administer first-aid, as well as the less tangible skills, like how to lead by example and be a good friend. During their yearly Paul Bunyan camping trip in the Needham Town Forest, Murphy teaches the kids how to safely use tools and conserve the natural environment.

James Murphy smiles during the Good Person Award ceremony at Town Hall Jan. 27, 2025. (Cameron Morsberger)

Since first joining the troop as an assistant scoutmaster in 2011, Murphy has mentored hundreds of kids and has personally guided more than 20 scouts — including his two sons — to Eagle status, which is the highest rank in Scouting America, formerly Boy Scouts of America.

Few scouts make Eagle, but that’s not the case in Needham, Assistant Scoutmaster Jim Cullison said. Thanks to Murphy, the program and its youth have flourished, Cullison said.

“Jim has driven this for a decade and a half almost, and it’s just really good for our community and the leadership skills that the kids learn,” he said. “And it really helps them advance in life going forward.”

Murphy’s leadership within the group, however, hasn’t made him anymore comfortable with the attention.

“As many of you know, I have no issue standing up in front of a bunch of scouts and parents at a court of honor and talking about the troop’s achievement and recent activities… but I’m not comfortable at all when it’s about me,” Murphy said.

In completing their required community projects, soon-to-be Eagle scouts seek out Murphy’s garage, where they tinker with tools and begin their crafting. The new benches and shed at Pollard Middle School, as well as the picnic benches and outdoor classroom at Newman Elementary are the result of Eagle scouts’ work, Murphy said.

James Murphy holds the Good Person Award he received at Town Hall Jan. 28, 2025. (Cameron Morsberger)

Troop 13 takes monthly camping trips or activities, which Murphy helps coordinate. Scouting exposes its participants to kids of different age groups, he said, which is fun but also important. Once they graduate from the program at 18, scouts take those fundamental skills with them, Murphy said.

“Whatever their job or career is, we hope they use those skills that we helped a little bit,” he said in an interview.

Murphy’s award came as “no surprise” to scout Malcolm Howell, 15. Whenever he’s asked who he looks up to, Howell’s mind always turns to Mr. Murphy, he said.

Howell described his scoutmaster as a stern leader with high expectations, which helps he and other scouts stay focused, he said. Recalling a trip to Mt. Chocorua in New Hampshire, Howell remembered how quickly Murphy set up camp for the troop.

“He’s so reliable,” Howell said, “but he does a great job of not leading, of not doing all the work but still keeping us productive and moving along.”

Scoutmaster James Murphy teaches Troop 13 how to safely use different tools during the troop’s annual camping trip to Needham Town Forest on Nov. 13, 2021. (Courtesy Matt Howell)

Scout Gavin Bagg, 15, echoed that sentiment.

“He’s really one of our greatest community members,” Bagg said. “He’s always there for us, and he’s a great person.”

For Troop 13 alum Mark Massa, scouting with Murphy became more than just an after-school activity — it was an opportunity to fail, and in turn, to grow.

With Murphy as scoutmaster, “there were no shortcuts” in achieving a requirement, Massa said, but finally doing so meant the world.

“If you take a look around this audience, you’ll see the results of Jim’s work,” he said during the ceremony. “The proof is in the pudding.”

Murphy accompanied about a dozen scouts and adults on an 11-day trip to New Mexico, where they hiked 70 miles and summited Mt. Baldy. But the smaller moments also stick out in his mind, like watching an older scout pass on their wisdom to a younger member of the troop — that part of his job is “pretty neat,” he said.

For Matt Howell — Malcolm’s dad and an assistant scoutmaster — the award does more than praise Murphy’s work.

“I think part of honoring Jim tonight is not just recognizing the amazing good person that Jim is, but also showing to the rest of the scouts that, as they get older, this is a mark that they could achieve as well,” he said.

Previous post Celebrating the Year of the Snake
Next post Auchincloss on Housing: ‘It’s Not Going to Happen Organically’