Wilderness Grace

The Wilderness Grace, also known as the "Worth Ranch Grace" and the "Philmont Grace", is the common name of a simple prayer recited before meals by many boy and girl members of the Boy Scouts of America. The original version, the "Worth Ranch Grace", was written in 1929 by A. J. "Jerry" Fulkerson, Camp Director at Worth Ranch Scout Camp in Palo Pinto County, Texas, part of the Longhorn Council in the Fort Worth Area. Fulkerson was also the Scout executive of the Fort Worth Area Council, Boy Scouts of America. The Wilderness Grace in its most commonly used form is as follows:

For food, for raiment,
For life, for opportunities,
For friendship and fellowship,
We thank Thee, O Lord. Amen.

James P. Fitch was Region Scout Executive for Region Nine (Texas, Oklahoma and New Mexico) from 1920 to 1945 when he became General Manager of Philmont Scout Ranch, Cimarron, New Mexico, and Phillips Properties for the B. S. A. Fitch was the man who encouraged Waite Phillips generosity to Region Nine throughout the 1930s, and accepted the gift of Philturn Rocky Mountain Scout Camp in 1938, and later the larger gift of land in December 1941 that became Philmont Scout Ranch. If it were not for Jim Fitch's interest in recording The Worth Ranch Grace as it was used in the 1930s, we would not have this earliest version.

The origin of The Worth Ranch Grace was corroborated by Minor S. Huffman, Sr., the first General Manager of Philmont Scout Ranch in his book High Adventure Among the Magic Mountains: Philmont, the First 50 Years. In that book, Huffman wrote, "Worth Ranch was definitely the earliest camp to use the Grace." Huffman recalls hearing The Worth Ranch Grace on a visit to Worth Ranch in 1930 with Dr. James E. West (Scouting), Chief Scout Executive from 1911 to 1943; James P. Fitch, Region Scout Executive; and Frank Wozencraft, Region Chairman of Region Nine. (This may have been the visit by Fitch when he made his handwritten copy of "The Worth Ranch Grace.") This visit in 1930 was the occasion of the official dedication of Worth Ranch, although the Ranch had been in operation for over a year. That dedication ceremony is recorded on film, and may be the only visit to the Ranch by the renowned Dr. West.

In his book, Huffman recalled that at the time of their 1930 visit to Worth Ranch they thought The Worth Ranch Grace was written by Faust Nobles, a member of the Worth Ranch Camp Staff during its first decade, and a Field Scout Executive of the Council. Nobles was well known for his talent at writing verse, both in poetry and in song. But in the spring of 1980, prior to the 50th Anniversary celebrations of Worth Ranch, Nobles denied writing The Worth Ranch Grace and identified Jerry Fulkerson as its author. Nobles also served as head Scout Executive of the Cimarron Valley Council. Nobles also wrote "The Worth Ranch Song," and, in 1947, wrote a poem titled "Novitiate" about Philmont Scout Ranch.

Another piece in the puzzle was filled in by Minor Huffman when he confirmed that The Worth Ranch Grace was brought to Philmont in the summer of 1943 by Clarence E. Dunn, a Worth Ranch Scouter and a Scoutmaster from the Fort Worth Area Council. Dunn, a school teacher, became a member of the Philmont Staff in the summer of 1945 with the position of Personnel Director. Dunn developed the Ranger Program and held the position of Chief Ranger for 26 years until his retirement at the end of the 1970 season. If it were not for Clarence Dunn, The Worth Ranch Grace would have never been introduced to thousands of Philmont Scouts from every part of the world over the past decades. Dunn was later honored by having an elementary school in Arlington, Texas, named for him.

Because of its continued use at Philmont Scout Ranch since the 1940s, The Worth Ranch Grace has been carried home to every corner of the U. S. where it has become widely known by two different names: "The Wilderness Grace" and "The Philmont Grace."