O. M. Thompson was one of the first chairmen of the newly-integrated Capitol District. Thompson is white and has been very prominent in Scouting on the local, regional and national levels. "It was a difficult job," remembers Thompson of his tenure as chairman. "Any time you have a change or a governmental mandate, it depends on where you happen to stand as to your opinion on how the work is progressing under the new rules." Thompson was aware that some people did not like him, but he maintains that he grew very fond of many blacks, such as H. H. Southall, General J. Johnson and J. C. and Esther Browne. These Scouters, in Thompson's view, are individuals who have transcended the issue of race. "They were in a very small minority. Unfortunately, many people have little objectivity as to what's good for mankind." Thompson portrays Dr. Esther Browne as an example of a Scouter capable of "understanding where you've been, where you are and the opportunity you have to go ahead."
J. C. and Esther Browne operated as a husband-and-wife team in their dedication to Scouting. Besides their Scouting ability per se, the Brownes served as a bridge between blacks and whites amid the controversies that arose during racial integration. "Esther Browne was one of the most magnificent people I've ever known," praises O. M. Thompson. "She was poised, intelligent and extremely helpful to everybody. She was concerned for all subordinates, and exhibited zero selfishness. Her words of wisdom were given to all children, black and white alike." While Dr. Esther Browne worked chiefly with Cub Scouts, John "J.C." Browne volunteered primarily with Boy Scouts. "J. C.'s heart and soul were in the Boy Scout movement," Thompson recalls. "He could hold his own in the outdoors. J. C. was articulate and revered, a very fine man."
It is hard to separate the two Brownes in their contributions to Scouting, because their efforts were so well tied together. The wife, a special education professor at Virginia State University, was taller than the husband, a medical technologist at the Medical College of Virginia. J. C. Browne was a distinguished-looking gentleman with gray hair -- studious, quiet and hard-working. He liked people and enjoyed leading the boys. "Esther was not a handsome woman, but radiated love from every pore of her body," Thompson points out. "Some blacks and whites didn't see beyond the skin color. She would sometimes genuinely try to assist some blacks in correct enunciation and pronunciation of words. This was not always appreciated and she was misunderstood," continues Thompson. "She received a lot of flak from both the black and white communities. There were some politics against her. That was unfortunate. Esther was so understanding, so strong, that it all fell away from her like chaff," Thompson esteems. Both J. C. and Esther Browne won recognition as Silver Beavers.
Another white Scouter who found Esther Browne as a vital link in the integration process is Harold V. Tate, Jr. Currently the director of field service for the Robert E. Lee Council, Tate says, "One of the most outstanding individuals in Richmond-area Scouting has been Dr. Esther Romaine Browne. She mastered the art of making Scouting fun for both boys and adults, and got across Scouting lessons." Tate recalls that when he first came to the Council as a professional Scouter in 1972, he felt comfortable with Dr. Browne. "She was an easy person to talk to. Dr. Browne worked hard in bridging racial biases in indirect ways. She taught by example. She talked in a quiet questioning manner, and was very open. She knew how to accomplish common ground." Tate describes Dr. Browne as intellectual in orientation and insightful. She was also known for her subtle use of the English language. Tate says, "She had an extremely dry wit. Sometimes she'd cut you to ribbons and you might not realize it until the next day." Harold Tate says he thinks of Dr. Browne as a friend and a "neat" lady.
Tate reports that as Area One Cub Scouting chairman, Dr. Esther Romaine Browne was highly regarded by Cubbers in Virginia, Maryland, Delaware and the District of Columbia. "Council-wide, she portrayed a black leader who had her stuff together. She would listen to people and say, 'I hear everything you say. Now what will you do?'" Tate participated with Dr. Browne in leadership training at Virginia State University. "She was creative and innovative. Having a special education background, she placed a high value on lessons like the ones Scouting imparts -- simplistic, but deep. She could communicate in a quiet fashion that she understood what adults were dealing with. In training, Dr. Browne took on responsibilities throughout the city. It's a thankless job because lots of people make excuses not to train. She was persistent in working on the challenge of getting leaders to take training," Harold Tate commends.
Dr. William R. Johnson, Jr., illustrates the best qualities of Scouting leadership through the example of Dr. Esther Romaine Browne. "Dr. Browne was incredibly effective and devoted to Scouting. She was all business when she started something. She didn't wait for it to happen, she caused it to happen," says Johnson. Esther Browne excelled in directing group efforts. "In guiding the activities of a group, she was at her best. Through her leadership, everyone in a group would in some way become a contributor," Johnson observes.
Johnson also extols the highly-focused nature of Dr. Esther Romaine Browne's efforts: "In dealing with Scouting, she was single-minded. She had a knack for dealing with the business at hand, and would not stray from her purpose. When business was over, it was over." Dr. Browne's leadership motivated others to give top performances. "When you're around someone like Esther, the one thing you don't want to do is fail. Observing how she was utilizing her time, you realized you would have to roll up your sleeves, cut all nonsense and get the job done," remembers Randy Johnson.
Click image for large version