Frank G. Collins – circa 1955
Frank G. Collins was born on February 20, 1938 to parents Forrest Gibson Collins (11/26/1907 – 06/07/1976) and Elizabeth Longley Freeman Collins (08/27/1912 – 05/26/2001). The family lived at 5543 S. Dorchester Ave. on Chicago’s southside. Frank attended the Ray Elementary School and graduated from Hyde Park High School in 1956. As a Cub Scout in his mother’s Den, Frank was ready to hit the Scouting trail in 1949, when he join Troop 512 sponsored by the Hyde Park Methodist Church and led by his father as its Scoutmaster. He served in multiple troop leadership positions including Patrol Leader, Senior Patrol Leader, and Assistant Scoutmaster, and later as the Assistant, then Associate Advisor of Post 2512. His Scouting career culminated in receipt of his Eagle Scout Award on 11/02/1952 and the Silver Award on 05/09/1954.
As a youth, Frank’s participation in Scouting was nothing short of spectacular – he attended the 2nd National Jamboree at Valley Forge in 1950, trained at the Philmont Scout Ranch in Junior Leader Training Troop 29 for 36 days in 1953 (which resulted in his later leading many junior leader training courses for the Lake Shore District of Chicago Council). He was chosen as one of eight Chicago scouts to accompany the U505 submarine on its trip to Chicago in 1954, and selected as one of ten Chicago Scouts to attend the 8th International Jamboree in Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, Canada in 1955. He was chosen to represent Region VII as one of twelve scouts to present the “Report to the Nation” to Congress in February 1956.
Frank attended Camp West at Owasippe as a Scout in 1950 and 1951. Traveling by train from Chicago, they hiked into camp while their gear was transported by truck. In subsequent years, he served on the summer camp staff at Camp Kiwanis from 1954-1956, and at Camp Stuart in 1957. He would frequently devote his weekends to work at Kiwanis as he progressed into his college years. Frank remembers that working at summer camp taught him the valuable lesson of tolerance of all people, irrespective of religion, race, or station in society. These lessons have stayed with him throughout his life.
On May 05, 1951 Frank was inducted into Ordeal membership in Moqua Chapter. He sealed his membership the following year with the Brotherhood Honor on May 03, 1951. Seizing the opportunity for leadership, he became Chief of Moqua Chapter in 1951, then went on to become the Owasippe Lodge #7 Chief from 1955-1957, and the O/A Area Chief in 1957-1958. For his outstanding service, he was inducted into the Vigil Honor on August 12, 1956 at Owasippe. Given the name Wowoatam Chesimus or Skillful Younger Brother, Frank can remember the silence of the evening save only for the scratching sounds in the leaves, that in the morning were found to be caused by beetles enjoying a late night snack.
Engineering proved to be Frank’s calling in life. His career began with co-op experiences at Northwestern University during which time he worked for the Department of Subways and Superhighways of the City of Chicago and then for a small branch of AMF that did work for NASA and the Defense Department. He won a competitive NSF fellowship that was used to attend graduate school at the University of California, Berkeley from which he received his Ph.D in Mechanical Engineering. After graduation he served on the faculty of the University of Texas, Austin and then at the University of Tennessee Space Institute in Tullahoma, Tennessee. Over the years he has supervised many M.S. and Ph.D. candidates and has conducted numerous research projects. Presently, Frank is an Emeritus Professor of Aerospace Engineering at the University of Tennessee Space Institute.
Frank met his future wife Sarah Ruth Knight while in high school. They were married on June 13, 1960. Ruth holds a Ph.D. in education and over the course of her career has taught students from pre-school to graduate school. Frank and Ruth have two children, James (Jamie) and Pamela (Pam), along with four grandchildren and one great grandchild. As an adult Frank rejoined Scouting through the Elk River District of the Middle Tennessee Council when the family moved to Tullahoma, Tennessee. He served as the Webelos Den Leader for his son’s den, and joined the Kiwanis Club (the sponsoring organization). Thereafter he served for many years as the liaison between the troop and the Kiwanis Club. Frank boasts of his attendance at many troop backpacking trips and one 50-mile canoe trip.
Two Scouting stories that have stayed with Frank over the last five decades are a hike from Camp Kiwanis with a Scouting colleague to a quarry in the Palos Park area. The pair found a large (and very heavy fossil) that they carried many miles back to camp. The relic was donated by Frank to a local hands-on-science center for the benefit of local youth. The other story is quite amusing, given the recent events within the Council. In the early 1950’s Frank and some friends decided to hike from Camp Stuart to inspect an old outdoor sports club cabin on property that had recently been purchased by the Chicago Council. With a vague description that the cabin was located next to a beaver’s dam and an eagle’s nest, the group did find the cabin (before the creation of Lake Wolverine and now known colloquially as “the Guest Lodge”). Unfortunately they misjudged their time and had to navigate by the moon to find their way back to camp.
In light of recent events, Frank is very happy that Scouting has returned to its principles of inclusion, rather than exclusion – so that it allows all boys to benefit from the many treasures of Scouting. He does however have ongoing concern for the over-protectiveness and regulation of society that stifles learning the skills of independence and self-reliance. The Vigil Honor stands out to Frank because of the respect he had for the adults that worked with the Order of the Arrow and had received the Vigil Honor. They greatly influenced his outlook on life and helped direct his life’s path.
To view the actual award presentation, click on Presentation of Frank G. Collins, Ph.D. – 11-14-2015
Frank G. Collins, Ph.D. – 11/14/20