James Ray, a junior at Philip Simmons High School and member of Boy Scout Troop 519 in Daniel Island, began working toward his Eagle Scout rank in 2019. On Saturday, September 14, he completed one of the final steps in his journey: a service project that he’d planned, developed, and led by himself––and he did at his home church, St. Philip’s!

Ray first approached the Rev. Andrew O’Dell in January 2024 to find out whether the church needed any work done (something on a smaller scale than a Parish Hall or school building renovation), and O’Dell suggested he speak to the Rev. Brian McGreevy, who immediately came up with the winning idea: cleaning up the Alexander Garden burial area in the graveyard.

Garden (c. 1685–1756), a Scottish priest who came to South Carolina in 1719 as the Bishop of London’s Commissary, began serving as the Rector of St. Philip’s shortly thereafter, notably founding during his 34-year tenure the first school for black children in America.

Properly caring for and cleaning up Garden’s almost 300-year-old burial vault and the headstones around it is not a project that one goes into without guidance, and in April, Ray began meeting with fellow St. Philippian Frances Ford, an independent conservator who earned her Master of Science in historic preservation from the University of Pennsylvania. Highly respected in the field of cemetery restoration and stone conservation, Ford graciously helps maintain and repair the older headstones in our cemetery and graveyard, and she gave Ray the supervision he needed to complete this important project.

Ray and several other members of his troop worked from 8:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. on Saturday weeding, raking, scrubbing, and even trimming bushes with a gas-powered trimmer. At the end of the day, they had set over a dozen debris-filled lawn bags at the curb, and, a bit grimy but totally satisfied, they marveled at being able to read the words on the headstones. Please stop by and see the difference for yourself!

In a Facebook post, Ruth Meloeny, the mother of one of the troops, thanked Ray for “organizing an Eagle Project that brought our troop closer to the rich history we all hold dear in Charleston.” Mr. Ray, your church thanks you and the rest of Troop 519, too!