Page 38 - Robeson Living Summer 2021

Walter Pinchbeck

from Hobo to Hero

By Blake Tyner

When North Carolina Governor Terry Sanford, center back row, visited the troop, he said “I want my picture
between two Eagle Scouts”

I first learned about Walter Pinchbeck in 2004 when I was asked thing Teets told me was “Daddy is the only hobo with two build-
to create a display about Pinchbeck for the lobby of UNCP’s new ings named after him”.
physical plant. World War II veteran and Eagle Scout Jessie Oxen-
dine had approached university officials wanting to fund a memo- The vision of a happy-go-lucky man hopping on and off trains all
rial display highlighting Pinchbeck and his work with Pembroke across the country immediately came to mind. The more I learned
Boy Scout Troop 27. When they mentioned it to University Engi- about him the more I realized that the definition of hero also de-
neer Bess Tyner who was overseeing the planning and construc- scribed him. The dictionary says a hero is a person who is admired
tion of the building, she of course said you need my husband and or idealized for courage, outstanding achievements, or noble qual-
local historian Blake Tyner. ities. This describes Pinchbeck and his efforts to bring scouting
not only to the boys of Pembroke but the Native Americans as a
I meet with Oxendine discussing his memories of his Scout Mas- whole.
ter Walter Pinchbeck. We sorted photographs and he said that I
should contact Pinchbeck’s daughter, Mary Alice Teets. The first We are very fortunate that Pinchbeck sat down in 1973 with Lew

Page 38 Robeson Living ~ Summer 2021