HISTORY OF THE OA 2006 NATIONAL ORDER OF THE ARROW CONFERENCE

Transcription

1 L443 HISTORY OF THE OA 2006 NATIONAL ORDER OF THE ARROW CONFERENCE PART Session Length: 50 Minutes Learning objectives: Provide a roadmap of the major events in Order of the Arrow History from 1915 through the present day. Discuss the individuals who most influenced the Order of the Arrow. Provide a history of OA insignia through time. Required Materials: The Brotherhood of Cheerful Service by Kenneth Davis Blue Book Volume V Reprint of the History of the Pocket Flap Badges for distribution (see appendix) Extension cord and power strip Video Projector Computer Projection Screen PowerPoint presentation file TRAINER PREPARATION It is recommended this session be taught by an individual who has previously studied Order of the Arrow history. While there may be a tendency to try to teach this course as a university level course the trainer should resist that temptation and teach this as a basic course. This is History of OA 101. It is for the basic introduction to OA history. Remember that most Arrowmen sitting in on this course have only a rudimentary understanding of the rich history of the Order. Typically they only know what is written in the current edition of the OA handbook (if that). Prepare for this course by reading Kenneth Davis s The Brotherhood of Cheerful Service. You should also be prepared when asked a question to say see me after class when the question is too specific for this session. This session could have been entitled the History of the OA in 50 minutes. That means you have to be ready to go through the material quickly. You have less than an hour to take your group from 1915 through the present day. SESSION NARRATIVE 1915 The Order of the Arrow was founded in 1915 at Treasure Island of the Philadelphia Council. Its formation was at a time when the BSA was scarcely five years old. Amazingly, it was accomplished by two 24-yearold men, Camp Director E. Urner Goodman and Assistant Camp Director Carroll A. Edson. The name was not originally Order of the Arrow. It was Wimachtendienk Wingolauchsik Witahemui. These three Lenni Lenape Delaware Indian words meant the The Brotherhood of those who Serve Cheerfully. During that first summer a total of 25 were inducted into the new order; 23 boys and Goodman and Edson, who were initially considered honorary members. Order of the Arrow Page 1 of 30 Boy Scouts of America

2 E. Urner Goodman keeps the first Vigil, then known as the Second Degree, at the end of the 1915 Treasure Island camping season. He keeps his Vigil at the Devil s Tea Table overlooking Treasure Island. He is given the Indian name Nuwingi meaning the willing There were no Ordeals during The first Ordeal took place in Also 1916 saw the framing of the first Constitution of Wimachtendienk for Unami Lodge. Insignia, the forerunner of today s patches was established in Article III of that constitution. The tortoise was selected as the general insignia of the Order. The First Degree insignia was an arrow superimposed on the tortoise (this would later correspond to the Second Degree Brotherhood). The Second Degree insignia was defined as a triangle superimposed on the back of the tortoise (this would later correspond to the Third Degree Vigil Honor). It was established that these would be made into pins and that the pledge pin (later to be the First Degree insignia) would be an arrow. George W. Chapman was elected the first Chief of Wimachtendienk. He would later serve as Vigil Honor Secretary. Also in 1916 Co-founder Carroll A. Edson becomes Wimachtendienk s second Vigil. His Indian name was Achewon meaning the Strong. At the close of 1916 Unami Lodge held its first Annual Banquet; a practice maintained to this day. Many lodges would later hold such banquets during the winter holidays. This was the first fellowship type event, as opposed to working meeting held by a lodge. These evolved into our conclaves, fellowships and conferences of today. At this Banquet it was resolved that Wimachtendienk consider themselves a National organization and not a local organization The Order flourished at Treasure Island, but it was not until 1919 that the first documented expansion took place with the addition of Trenton Lodge (later known as Sanhican Lodge) across the river from Philadelphia in Trenton, New Jersey. Later in 1919 the third lodge Pamunkey (later known as Nawakwa) was formed in Richmond, Virginia The first Meeting of the Grand Lodge was held. This was a predecessor to today s NOACS. It was attended by delegates from 8 of the 11 known lodges and was hosted by the two lodges of Philadelphia Council, Unami and Unalachtigo. Note that it was acknowledged that there were lodges that were unknown. As was the early practice, it was held at a Scout camp and Scout offices. Part of the meeting was held at Camp Biddle where a re-creation ceremony was held. A Constitution is framed and ratified for the Grand Lodge and Goodman is elected the first Chief of the Grand Lodge. Insignia is provided for in the constitution for each of the three degrees (later to be known as honors). This early insignia was pins (not patches) A discussion and vote is held at the National Council meeting on the subject of Camp Fraternities. There is concern about secretive and fraternal types of groups. E. Urner Goodman discusses the successes of Wimachtendienk and Chief Scout James West supports his position. The Order is cautioned to grow on its own merit (not through marketing), but is allowed to continue. The society, along with two other camp fraternal organizations becomes an official experiment of the BSA. It is recognized that a council s Scout Executive, as Supreme Chief of the Fire, has the authority to disband a lodge within his council. Order of the Arrow Page 2 of 30 Boy Scouts of America

3 Also in 1922 the Second Grand Lodge Meetings is held. National Jewelry Company (NJC) of Philadelphia is selected as the official jeweler Upon E. Urner Goodman s own recommendation Wimachtendienk adopts Order of the Arrow as its public name. It is surmised that this name was the popular name for Wimachtendienk already in use in camp and was also less threatening to non-members than a society without a name that could be spoken The lodges are retroactively numbered at the Grand Lodge Meeting in the order that they were initiated. These numbers served as a record of when Wimachtendienk came to each council. Patches are officially approved for the first time for wear by Second Degree (Brotherhood) members. NJC is replaced as the official Jeweler by Jennings Hood The first Regional meetings are held. These become the predecessors to today s Area Conferences E. Urner Goodman is appointed to National Council staff as Director of Program, a position specifically created for him. Under his tenure Cub Scouts, Exploring and other Senior Scout Programs such as Air Scouts and Sea Scouts are developed. He was also responsible during World War II for the wartime programs. Goodman effectively used the Order of the Arrow as the proving grounds for professionals he surrounded himself with in his capacity as Director. Goodman holds this post until The Order of the Arrow again becomes an official experiment and subsequently an official Senior Scout Program under Goodman. A process is set up to formally approve Order of the Arrow Lodges throughout the country. The Order goes through fast growth often absorbing local camp fraternities grand-fathering in their memberships The Grand Lodge changes language from Masonic terms. Instead of Degree, it becomes Honor. The term password becomes an admonition. The term Lodge was changed to Tribe however the term was unpopular and was also used by the Lone Scouts. It reverts back to Lodge in The Grand Lodge sets up 15 areas. This would become our present day sections and areas. This system was revised in 1940, 1945, 1948, 1955, 1972 and 1992 to conform to the regional structure of the country The Order celebrates its twenty-fifth anniversary. It also creates the Distinguished Service Award (DSA) which is awarded for the first time. J.E. Caldwell Company replaces Jennings Hood as the official jeweler of the Order of the Arrow. Order of the Arrow Page 3 of 30 Boy Scouts of America

4 1948 The Order of the Arrow officially became a part of the Boy Scouts of America. The Grand Lodge is disbanded and the National Committee is formed which reports through the National OA Secretary to the National Council. It is at this time that the OA has fully integrated into the BSA. At the National Meeting this year, which is considered the first NOAC, adults are informed that they no longer can hold lodge offices. Also, the first OA handbook is published. It is written by J. Rucker Newbery and includes patches. One of them is a peculiar flap shaped patch, the first time many Arrowmen saw one Dwight Bischel, with encouragement from National creates a patch picture book entitled The Wabaningo Lodge Emblem Handbook. This book was published when most lodges were using non-flap shaped patches Flap shaped patches are officially approved by the National OA Committee and the National Committee on Badges and Insignia (see addendum). Although flaps had been made by lodges for almost a decade, this is when they became official and many lodges issue their first flap in the subsequent five years Order of the Arrow observes 50 th anniversary National asks lodges to drop restrictions on flaps. The practice of restrictions limited the number of flaps a member could obtain. Some lodges had restricted their flaps to one per lifetime, others had no trade clauses while others had hours of service requirements On March 13, 1980 the Order of the Arrow s Founder passes away at the age of 89. Goodman had literally touched the lives of hundreds of thousands of Scouts and Scouters. Shortly after, the Founders award is created 1986 On October 26, 1986 the Order loses its Co-Founder Carroll A. Edson at the age of In 1985 the Order of the Arrow holds its first National Philmont Trek Women leaders are officially allowed in the OA in In late 1991, early 1992 the first women Vigil honor members are initiated Order of the Arrow observes its 75 th Anniversary in Order of the Arrow Page 4 of 30 Boy Scouts of America

5 2003 The Order of the Arrow hosts its first Indian Summer in Order of the Arrow Page 5 of 30 Boy Scouts of America

6 APPENDIX I : THE HISTORY OF THE POCKET FLAP THE HISTORY OF POCKET FLAP BADGES (Originally Appeared in First Flaps by Bill Topkis, Jeff Morley and Dave Thomas reprinted with permission of the American Scouting Historical Society) It is strongly recommended by the National Committee that these emblems be made to fit the shape of the right shirt pocket flap. The right shirt pocket flap has been approved by the National Committee on Badges and Insignia for official Order of the Arrow Insignia where the other emblems are only temporary insignia when used on the uniform. It should be realized that this is a great advantage and a compliment to the Order of the Arrow. -THE ORDER OF THE ARROW HANDBOOK pp. 64 & 72, 1954 printing, 1950 edition Insignia worn on clothing to signify membership, rank or special distinction goes back to ancient times. Understandably, in 1907, Baden Powell called for special insignia to be worn on the uniforms of his new organization called the Boy Scouts. And when Powell s novel idea crossed the Atlantic Ocean to America in 1910, Boy Scout insignia was already a fundamental part of the Scouting program. To understand the development of the pocket flap badge as official uniform insignia that acknowledge membership in the Order of the Arrow, one must travel back to the earliest days of the Scouting movement. While badges of rank and merit were an initial part of the Boy Scout Uniform, a new and separate type of badge developed in the early 1920s that had not previously been considered, the so-called temporary insignia. Temporary insignia were different from other badges by virtue of the fact that they did not signify rank or merit in the organization but instead represented either participation in an event, attendance at a camp, or citizenship in a particular country. As early as 1920, American Scouts who attended the first World Jamboree in England wore a special felt badge on the shoulder of their official uniforms to show Scouts from around the world that they belonged to the Boy Scouts of America. This beautiful badge which depicted an eagle perched on a shield of stars and stripes was deemed an official temporary badge, acceptable for wear while at an international event but not acceptable for wear back home in the United States. With the advent in the early 1920s of badges used to signify attendance at a particular Boy Scout camp, the right shirt pocket of the Scout uniform was designated as the official location for wear of such temporary insignia. The second World Jamboree, held in Denmark in 1924, saw the first Jamboree badge and with it, designation of the area above the right shirt pocket as the official location for wear of Jamboree badges. By 1925, the Scout uniform was a showcase for all sorts of colorful Scouting-related insignia on the shoulders, sleeves, and collars, as well as above and on the pockets. In fact, the only areas of the Scout uniform spared from this potpourri of decoration were the back of the shirt and pocket flaps. Order of the Arrow Page 6 of 30 Boy Scouts of America

7 Interestingly, the pocket flap eventually became the official location for wearing Order of the Arrow insignia, but not without a few twists and turns. The Order of the Arrow, an honor camper society founded in 1915 by E. Urner Goodman and Carol Edson at Camp Treasure Island of the Philadelphia Council, was itself somewhat of an anomaly to the Scouting movement. Based on the lore of the Native American, the organization was a secret society peculiar to the Boy Scouts of America, made up exclusively of Boy Scouts but in no way an official part of the Boy Scout program. Insignia for the Order of the Arrow began at the organization s inception. Photographs of a re-creation of the very first ceremony taken at the 1921 National Meeting show the chief of the fire wearing a distinctive totem in the shape of a tunic on his ceremonial robe. Unfortunately, this first OA badge does not exist today. However, the picking of a totem became one of the fundamental principles of the Order. The notion of Order of the Arrow insignia must have posed an interesting dilemma for the Scouting Insignia Committee, since prior to 1934, the Order of the Arrow was not an official part of the Boy Scout program. Thus, how could such insignia have any legitimate place on the Scout uniform? Undoubtedly, this was not a concern to the original Arrowmen; however, as badges made for wear on their Indian costumes and sweaters seemed more than adequate. The earliest OA badge known to exist today is the Minsi Lodge No. 5 chenille wolf totem. Minsi Lodge was founded in the Reading Council, which bordered the Philadelphia Council in Pennsylvania. Both councils also had camps on Treasure Island and the Minsi Lodge chenille badge was probably influenced by the Unami Lodge turtle totem. The Minsi Lodge No. 5 chenille (5C1) was issued in the early 1920s. However, research has indicated that because of its very large size, the badge was too large (4 1/4 inches by 5 1/8 inches) to be worn anywhere on the Scout uniform and was actually worn on their Indian costumes or sweaters just like the Unami Lodge totem. In the fall of 1921, there was a gathering for the first time of all known lodges which, by then, were ten in number. Sharing of ideas about various items, including Indian costume design, took place. Attendees returned home with the notion of using totem badges as a way of decorating their Indian gear as well as distinguishing their members from members of other lodges. It is also speculated that there may have been some discussion regarding the inclusion of an arrow into each lodge s totem design to identify the totem as belonging to the Order of the Arrow. By 1925, other OA totem badges were probably present including the large Minsi Lodge C2 and the large Ranachqua Lodge No. 4 chenille all with arrow ornamentation. Three years earlier, the National Council of the Boy Scouts of America had taken on the Order of the Arrow as an official experiment of the Scouting program thereby opening the door for wearing arrow insignia on the uniform. Not surprisingly, circa 1925, a new version of the Minsi Lodge chenille totem with arrow ornamentation was issued in a markedly reduced size (2 1/4 inches by 2 1/4 inches). This smaller Minsi Lodge chenille is the oldest known Order of the Arrow badge designed for wear on the Scout shirt. Order of the Arrow Page 7 of 30 Boy Scouts of America

8 With regular meetings of the Grand Lodge during the later 1920s and 1930s, interaction among Arrowmen from various lodges throughout the country was prevalent and the number of OA badges continued to rise. In 1932, Minsi Lodge No. 5 issued another chenille badge with more detail and with a red arrow through the wolf s head. Unami Lodge No. 1 members wore a badge in the shape of their lodge totem, the turtle, on their sweaters at the 1938 National Order of the Arrow Conference. As time progressed, the idea of OA insignia was encouraged so that by 1948, the year the Order of the Arrow was fully integrated into the Boy Scouts of America, the new Order of the Arrow Handbook written by National Committee member and long time badge collector J. Rucker Newberry, devoted two entire pages to pictures of local lodge insignia. At the same time that the official Handbook encouraged the use of cloth insignia for identification, the 1948 edition of the Order of the Arrow Handbook contained an omission and an inadvertent inclusion that would change the history of Scout insignia forever. The omission was obvious. Simply put, the Handbook advocated the use of lodge insignia, but failed to specify where this insignia was to be worn. While such an omission would seem inconsequential at first glance, the official location of no other Scouting insignia was left to the imagination of the wearer. The net result of this omission was that local lodges were left to decide where to wear their insignia. Several different locations were chosen. Mazasha Lodge No.69 wore its badge on the right shirt pocket while Ay-Ashe Lodge No. 73 wore its badge on the merit badge sash. Blue Ox Lodge No. 26 wore its badge above the right pocket where a jamboree badge would go, and Chappegat Lodge No. 15 wore its badge slightly lower, resting on top of the strip which said Boy Scouts of America. In yet more examples, Achtu Lodge No. 37 located its badge on the right shoulder of the uniform and Siwinis Lodge No. 252 wore a tree-shaped badge on a neckerchief. Massasoit Lodge No. 370 wore its badge on a Scout jacket and members of Texoma Lodge No. 209 each wore a special civil defense armband presumably to identify themselves performing community service during World War II. Tamet Lodge No. 225 wore its badge on the red and white arrow sash, and as late as 1948, there may have been a few lodges still wearing totem badges on Indian costumes and sweaters. Members of Tamet Lodge also wore a badge on the shirt s right pocket flap. During the summers of 1943 and 1944, candidate Arrowmen of Tamet Lodge wore a red felt arrow on -of all places - the pocket flap of the uniform. This instance is the earliest documented evidence of Order of the Arrow insignia worn in this location. The inadvertent inclusion on page 21 of the 1948 edition of the Order of the Arrow Handbook was profound. At the bottom of that page was pictured a dark badge depicting a leaping stag. Behind the stag was an arrow pointing left when viewed from the front. What made this patch remarkable was its shape. While Order of the Arrow badges and totems existed in almost every conceivable configuration, this badge was unique in its squat inverted pentagon form which unmistakably resembled the flap over the pocket of the Scout shirt, in fact, this badge was made in the exact colors of Scout shirts of its day, khaki and dark forest or so called explorer green and was worn by its lodge members on the right shirt pocket flap. This was, in fact, the first flap badge. Order of the Arrow Page 8 of 30 Boy Scouts of America

9 This first flap was issued by the members of Ajapeu Lodge No. 33 of the Bucks County Council, Doylestown, Pennsylvania by Unconfirmed reports list the date as early as It is not known who thought of the idea for a flap-shaped badge or who designed the first flap for Lodge No. 33. One story about its inception is that during World War II an unknown Scout s mother actually embroidered the stag and arrow design directly onto the uniform flap for those Scouts inducted into the Order of the Arrow. How much of this story is fact and how much is folklore is not known. What is known is that after World War II this design was Swiss embroidered into large, unbordered pieces of cotton twill material and then crimped by lodge members to fit the shape of the pocket flap. The 1948 edition of the Handbook was distributed that summer for the first time to the delegates in attendance at the National OA Meeting in Bloomington, Indiana and many interested Arrowmen went home with either the badge or the story of the flap insignia from Ajapeu Lodge. As the Handbook was later dispersed to all Arrowmen across the country, every lodge had an opportunity to see the unusual pocket flap badge with the leaping stag. However, apparently not many lodges were impressed. Of the more than two hundred lodges that had badges by the summer of 1950, less than five of those lodges chose the pocket flap shape and design for their badge. In fact, a small problem still remained: Order of the Arrow insignia had been authorized without specifying the exact location where such insignia was to be worn. This problem was solved in the very next printing of the OA Handbook. On page 62 of the 1950 edition it stated: It (the embroidered emblem) may be worn on the right shirt pocket of the uniform. This, of course, was the same location where temporary insignia were worn. After release of the initial printing of the 1950 edition of the Handbook, an even greater problem was discovered. The Insignia Committee became aware of the fact that an official Boy Scout document was circulating that showed a piece of insignia that was meant to be worn on a place of the Scout uniform that it was not allowed (specifically, the Lodge 33F1 was obviously meant for wear on the pocket flap and not the pocket). Being sticklers for precise adherence to the rules and regulations of insignia location on the Scout uniform, the Insignia Committee felt the pocket flap was intolerable. On this occasion, the Insignia Committee required that the picture of the Ajapeu Lodge first flap be eliminated from the pictures of insignia on page 21 of the OA Handbook. When the second printing of the 1950 edition of the Handbook (in 1951) was published, the picture of the badges now appearing on page 19 had been reshot, being identical to the original photo in every respect except one: the Ajapeu flap was missing and in its place was a round badge from So-Aka-Gha-Gwa Lodge No In fact, for the Insignia Committee to tell the Order of the Arrow to clean up its act was not new. In 1948, a directive was published in a National OA bulletin outlawing the practice of wearing any badge, pin or other decoration on the red and white arrow sash. With very little fanfare, the Insignia Committee felt it had solved the problem of the insignia location. While some Arrowmen may have noticed the omission from the Handbook, the vast majority of members were no doubt unaware of the fact that pocket flap badges were not allowed. Stanford Oljato Lodge No. 207, which had issued a flap badge identical in shape and size to an uncrimped Ajapeu Lodge flap, removed the badges from their pocket flaps and took to Order of the Arrow Page 9 of 30 Boy Scouts of America

10 wearing the badge on a red and white satin neckerchief rather than throw away a perfectly good supply of emblems. However, other lodges, apparently oblivious to the no flap rule, made new flap badges. In 1952, Dwight W. Bischel published The Wabaningo Lodge Emblem Handbook. The first real text on Order of the Arrow badges, Bischel s book showed seven different lodges having flap shaped emblems. It is now known that there were at least seven other lodges that had flap badges at the time of Bischel s book. By the 1953 National Scout Jamboree in California, the notion of the pocket flap was catching on, and certainly those in attendance could not help but notice the proliferation of pocket flap badges worn by the delegates. At this point, the Insignia Committee was faced with a dilemma. On one hand, it could outlaw the unofficial insignia. On the other hand, rather than trying to squash what had become a grass roots movement, it could go with the flow and make official what was already becoming a matter of practice. In their infinite wisdom, the Insignia Committee in 1954 declared the right shirt pocket flap as the official location for Order of the Arrow insignia. By 1960, ninety percent of the active lodges wore pocket flap badges. The last active original lodge (Cherokee Lodge No. 50, Birmingham, Alabama) to resist developing a flap shaped insignia made the conversion complete with the issuance of its first flap in Order of the Arrow Page 10 of 30 Boy Scouts of America

11 APPENDIX II : POWER POINT CHARTS 1. Know Your OA History 1915 Through the Present Day 2006 National Order of the Arrow Conference (Use this image on intro slide) Treasure Island [quotes means written slide without image] 4. Our Founders 1915 (Image of young Founders) 5. Devil s Tea Table Site of the First Vigil (Image of Devil s Tea Table) The First Constitution 7. The tortoise is selected as totem of Order (Image first Unami felt turtle) 8. Early years at Treasure Island 8a. Treasure Island Camper Monogram (Image of camp monogram) 8b Treasure Island Lifesaving Corp chenille (Image of 1921 camp chenille) The Order begins expansion with a second lodge First Meeting of the Grand Lodge Reenactment (Image of re-enactment) 11. Pins were used before patches (Image of Unami pin circa 1921 and Minsi pin circa 1922) Our Order is threatened 13. Other Camp fraternities (all in one slide) 7a. Firecrafters (Image of early felt Firecrafters patch) 7b. Gimogash Chenille and Pin (Images of Gimogash chenille and pin) 7c. Ku-Ni-Eh (Image of felt Ku-Ni-Eh) 14. Our Order was referred to as Wimachtendienk WW before Order of the Arrow (Image of brass plaque) Lodges are numbered First Patches introduced (Image of Ranachqua C1 and Minsi C1) National Meeting wallet (Image of wallet) Order of the Arrow Page 11 of 30 Boy Scouts of America

12 First Regional meetings held 19. Goodman Appointed first Director of program (Image of signed photo of Goodman) The Order of the Arrow becomes an official experiment The term Lodge becomes Tribe. [Prepare two slides] 13a. Unami Tribe patch and Card (Images of Unami Tribe 1R3 and Unami card) 13b. Grand Tribe Constitution (Image of cover of Constitution) Grand Lodge sets up 15 areas start of our area system of today National Meeting Program (Image of signed 1938 program) Grand Lodge sets up Area system for meetings (Image of 1939 Tesomas) OA celebrates 25 th Anniversary (Image of 25 th Anniversary 1940 program) 26. Distinguished Service Award presented for first time Carroll A. Edson s DSA Medal (Image of Edson s DSA medal) Grand Lodge Disbands National OA Committee formed 28. First OA Handbook printed (Image of first handbook) 29. Dwight Bischel (Image of Dwight Bischel) 30. First Flap used by Ajapeu Lodge 33 (Image of group of Ajapeu flaps) 31. Order of the Arrow observes 50 th Anniversary (Image of Goodman at 50 th Anniversary) 32. National ask lodges to drop restrictions on OA patches 33. March 13, 1980 Our Order loses its Founder 34. October 26, Our Order loses it s Co-Founder Order of the Arrow holds its first National Philmont Trek The Order of the Arrow officially initiates first women leaders Order of the Arrow observes 75 th Anniversary (Image of 1990 NOAC patch) 38. The Order of the Arrow hosts its first Indian Summer Order of the Arrow Page 12 of 30 Boy Scouts of America

13 Part 2 The OA in the Beginning Session Length: 50 Minutes Learning objectives: Provide a roadmap of the major events in Order of the Arrow History from Discuss the individuals who most influenced the Order of the Arrow in the early years. Provide a history of the earliest OA insignia. Required Materials: The Brotherhood of Cheerful Service by Kenneth Davis Blue Book Volume V Reprint of The Unknown Lodges for distribution (see appendix) Extension cord and power strip Video Projector Computer Projection Screen PowerPoint presentation file TRAINER PREPARATION It is recommended that this session be taught by an individual who has previously studied Order of the Arrow history. While there may be a tendency to try to teach this course as a university level course the trainer should resist that temptation and teach this as a basic course. This is History of OA 102. Remember that most Arrowmen sitting in on this course have only a rudimentary understanding of the rich early history of the Order. Typically they only know what is written in the current edition of the OA handbook (if that). Prepare for this course by reading Kenneth Davis s The Brotherhood of Cheerful Service. You should also be prepared when asked a question to say see me after class when the question is too specific for this session. Be prepared to move swiftly through the material. You have less than an hour to take your group from 1915 through the 1948 while offering detail and anecdotes. SESSION NARRATIVE Introduction: 50 Minutes 1913 The Boy Scouts of America was barely three years old when Treasure Island Scout camp opened for use as a summer camp. It is a wooded island located literally in the middle of the Delaware River between New Jersey and Pennsylvania. In the camps third year it would become the birthplace to our Order In the Spring of 1915 Philadelphia Council Scout Executive Walter Cowing appointed E. Urner Goodman Camp Director and Carroll A. Edson Assistant Camp Director of Treasure Island. These two twenty-four year old men, along with others in the Philadelphia Council decided that a camp fraternity would be an excellent addition for the coming summer camp season. There were a number of underpinnings to their camp society endeavor. Order of the Arrow Page 13 of 30 Boy Scouts of America

14 Goodman had read Edward Cave s The Camp Book. It is believed that ideas of a camp society that would create continuity from year to year would be an excellent addition to the summer camp experience. Scout Executive Cowing had worked with the Orders of Woodmanship at private boys camps in Maine. Edson was familiar with Chief Scout Ernest Thompson Seton s Woodcraft Indians. This gave inspiration to use the Delaware Indians as the motif of the new Order and the Lenni Lenape language, lore and legends. There is an unmistakable influence from the Masons. The Masons are considered the original fraternity. Use of terms like lodge and the concept of multiple degrees came from this group By the time the summer camp season began in 1915, preparations for the new Order were not complete. Two Philadelphia Scouters, Horace ( Shorty ) Ralston and Horace Kern helped complete the research for the new society. A favorite legend of 1915 is that the name of the new Order, Wimachtendienk, Wingolauchsik, Witahemui had not been selected prior to the opening of camp. Because this was at a time before Scout camps had telephones in camp Ralston and Kern communicated from Philadelphia to Goodman and Edson at Treasure Island via Telegraph wire. Ralston s plan was to telegraph the name to camp prior to the first ceremony. World War I was underway in Europe, and while the United States was not yet involved in the conflict, there was great concern of spying, particularly by Germans. Ralston finds the only Lenni-Lenape dictionary available at the Pennsylvania Historical Society. It was printed in 1888 based on manuscripts written by Moravian monks. The Moravians spoke German and the German diction fit the Lenni-Lenape language well. Unfortunately, three long, unpronounceable, Germanic based words appeared like code words and as a result Western Union refused to telegraph the words to camp. The first WWW ceremony would have to go on without a name. On July 16, 1915, Robert Craig and Gilpin Allen became the first two initiates into WWW. Further inductions were held each week. By the end of summer twenty three boys along with Goodman and Edson had been inducted. E. Urner Goodman keeps the first Vigil, then known as the Second Degree, at the end of the 1915 camp season. He keeps his Vigil at the Devil s Tea Table overlooking Treasure Island. Legend has it that unbeknownst to him a nest of copperheads, a venomous snake was by his side. He is given the Indian name Nuwingi meaning the willing. On November 23, 1915 a meeting was held at Camp Morrell for the purpose of better establishing Wimachtendienk and to insure the perpetuation of the Order. Nine of the twenty-five members inducted during the summer met and formed committees on membership, constitution and ceremony. The chairmen of each of these committees formed the organization committee. In many ways this marked the true founding of our society Following the meeting at Camp Morrell, the committees met frequently at the Philadelphia Scout office. Ceremonies were drafted, a constitution was framed and on June 2, 1916 they held a meeting of all members. At this meeting the first Constitution of Wimachtendienk was ratified and elections were held. George Chapman was elected the Order s first Chief. The constitution also provided for standing committees, insignia (pins then, not patches) and rules for membership. Also at this meeting it was determined that the First Degree (honor) would be held half at camp covering leadership and a second half covering Brotherhood in Philadelphia under the guidance of the membership. These two parts of the First Degree would evolve into induction at camp, an Ordeal to complete the First Degree and eventually a Second Degree a blood rite of Brotherhood to seal Order of the Arrow Page 14 of 30 Boy Scouts of America

15 membership into the Order. The equivalent of today s Vigil Honor was originally the Second Degree and would then become the Third Degree. After a successful 1916 camping season at Treasure Island, with a superior ceremony, a fall meeting of the lodge was held. Carroll Edson kept his Vigil at this meeting joining Goodman as a Second Degree member. In the winter of 1916 on December 16, Unami Lodge held its first annual banquet, a practice that has continued through today. George Chapman was reelected Chief. The group of twenty seven members assembled resolved that they would consider themselves a national, not a local organization. If only they knew how prophetic they were. The First Lodges Our Order grows During the late teens, camp fraternities were being formed around the country. To learn more about other non-oa honor societies go to the U.S. Scouting Service Project at Several of these fraternities started to form multiple chapters. Groups including Gimogash, Ku-ni-eh and Firecrafters would grow in excess of 30 councils. Wimachtendienk also started to initiate new lodges starting in While these are given with lodge numbers for historical reference, the numbers were not assigned until 1926 Unami, Lodge 1, Philadelphia Council formed in 1915 Trenton, Lodge 2, located across the river from Philadelphia in Trenton, New Jersey. This lodge would later be known as Sanhican Lodge and was formed in 1919 Pamunkey, Lodge 3, formed in 1919, located in Richmond, Virginia. This lodge would disband and use a different fraternal society and then re-chartered as Nawakwa Lodge Ranachqua, Lodge 4, formed in 1920, located in The Bronx, New York Indiandale, Lodge 5, formed in 1921, located in Reading, Pennsylvania. This lodge would change its name to Minsi Lodge in 1922 Umpah, Lodge 6, formed in 1921, located in Uniontown City, Pennsylvania. This lodge would change its name to Wagion. Moqua, Lodge 7, formed in 1921 at Owasippe Scout Reservation of the Chicago Council. This lodge would merge with the four other Chicago lodges to form Owasippe Lodge in Unalachtigo, Lodge 8, formed in 1921 at Camp Biddle, a Lone Scout camp for Philadelphia Council. Cowaw, Lodge 9, formed in 1921, chartered in 1922 in Perth Amboy, New Jersey. Wawonaissa, Lodge 10, formed in 1921 in Fanwood, New Jersey. Susquehannock, Lodge 11, formed in 1921, chartered in 1922 in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania. Nentico, Lodge 12, formed in 1921 and chartered in 1922 in Baltimore, Maryland. Wakay, Lodge 13, formed in 1921 and chartered in 1922 also of Chicago Council Pamrapaugh, Lodge 14, formed and chartered in 1921 located in Bayonne, New Jersey. In 1921 these lodges would be invited to the first Meeting of the Grand Lodge. This was a predecessor to today s NOACS. It was attended by delegates from 8 of the 11 known lodges and was hosted by the two lodges of Philadelphia Council, Unami and Unalachtigo. Note that it was acknowledged that there were lodges that were unknown (see addendum for distribution). As was the early practice, it was held at a Scout camp. Part of the meeting was held at Camp Biddle where a re-creation ceremony was held. A Constitution is framed and ratified for the Grand Lodge and Goodman is elected the first Chief of the Grand Lodge. Even though all of the members were Scouts, the new Grand Lodge was autonomous from the BSA. The Order is Threatened The phenomenon of camp fraternities had spread throughout the country. It became a topic of great contention at the 1922 National Council meeting of Scout Executives. A motion was made before the National Council to ban all camp fraternities. There was concern about hazing, exclusion and secret Order of the Arrow Page 15 of 30 Boy Scouts of America

16 rituals and many executives wanted to distance the BSA from these groups and practices. E. Urner Goodman spoke passionately about his success with Wimachtendienk and won over the support of Chief Scout Executive James E. West. Goodman also no doubt caught the attention of other Scout Executives gathered at the meeting. Many would later bring Wimachtendienk to their councils. Wimachtendienk and the other fraternities were allowed to continue. In fact, Goodman s plea was so successful that our Order and two other camp fraternities became official experiments of the BSA. They are cautioned to grow on their own merits and not attempt to market their fraternities At the Grand Lodge meeting a major topic of discussion was the home of each lodge. Up to this point there was no more than one lodge per camp, however, Chicago Council desired a second lodge at one of their camps. The minutes of this Grand Lodge meeting reveal that it was decided that only one lodge could exist at a Scout camp. What is not stated is the nature of this second camp. It actually was a camp inside of a camp and it was a segregated camp that would later become the Takodah Chapter of Owasippe Lodge in the late 1920 s Upon E. Urner Goodman s own recommendation Wimachtendienk adopts Order of the Arrow as its public name. It is surmised that this name was the popular name for Wimachtendienk already in use in camp and was also less threatening to non-members than an order with a name that could not be spoken to non-members The sixth meeting of the Grand Lodge was hosted by Minsi Lodge of Reading, Pennsylvania at Camp Indiandale. This meeting saw two significant developments. The first was the approval of a rule regarding Second Degree (Brotherhood) totem badges. This paved the way for widespread use of chenille and felt badges which would eventually replace the Second Degree pins. Because we know that the host lodge, Minsi, already was using a chenille patch, this was really a ratification of an existing practice. The second development was the numbering of the lodges. Up to this time, the lodges were known by name and location. It was decided that giving out numbers would allow for an historical reference as to when councils received Wimachtendienk. There was undoubtedly much politicking and lodges that had formed, but not chartered wanted to reclaim their rightful historical place Goodman becomes the new Scout Executive of Chicago Council. He merges the five lodges of Chicago all founded by Edson (Moqua 7, Wakay 13, Checaugau 21, Blackhawk 23 and Garrison 25) and forms a new lodge, Owasippe in 1929 which assumes the lowest number of the group, seven. The totem selected is the Hand of Fellowship one finger representing each of the original five lodges. The design of the hand is from Michelangelo s Creation The Order of the Arrow on its fifteenth anniversary officially recognizes Goodman as the founder E. Urner Goodman is appointed to National Council staff as Director of Program, a position specifically created for him. Under his tenure Cub Scouts, Exploring and other Senior Scout Programs such as Air Order of the Arrow Page 16 of 30 Boy Scouts of America

17 Scouts and Sea Scouts are developed. He was also responsible during World War II for the wartime programs. Goodman also used the Order of the Arrow as the proving grounds for professionals he surrounded himself with in his capacity as Director. Goodman holds this post until Among the goals of Goodman is to Nationalize OA. This goal is shared by Chief Scout James West. They share a concern that the secrecy of other camp fraternities could pose a problem for the BSA. They do not want hazing, unknown rituals and exclusionary tactics used in Scout camps. This goal is fully achieved in 1948 when the Order of the Arrow is fully integrated into National BSA. While virtually all of the local camp fraternities disappear, they are now a part of our Order s history The Order of the Arrow again becomes an official experiment, this time under the leadership of Goodman as National Program Director. Goodman subsequently makes Order of the Arrow an official Senior Scout Program. A process is set up to formally approve Order of the Arrow Lodges throughout the country. The Order goes through fast growth often absorbing local camp fraternities The Grand Lodge changes language from Masonic terms. Instead of Degree, it becomes Honor. The term password becomes an admonition. The term Lodge was changed to Tribe however the term was unpopular and was also used by the Lone Scouts. This change, along with the change from obligation to oath is not accepted and reverts back to Lodge and obligation respectively in The one hundredth lodge, Jonito-Otora, later known as Anpetu-we 100 is chartered in Cape Girardeau, Missouri The Order observes its twenty-fifth anniversary at Camp Twin Echo, the last camp to host a Grand Lodge or National Lodge (NOAC) meeting. Anicus Lodge 67 of Wilkinsburgh, Pennsylvania is host. At this meeting the first eleven Distinguished Service Awards (DSA) are bestowed. The recipients were: Brother E. Urner Goodman Founder, first National Chief Brother Carroll A. Edson Co-Founder, third National Chief Doctor William M. Hinkle Chair of the first committee to write our Order s ceremonies Brother William A. Stumpp The Sixth National Chief, third Secretary Brother Robert S. Henderson The seventh National Chief Brother Harvey Gordon (posthumously) four term Grand Lodge Secretary Brother Alfred C. Nichols, Jr. The Fourth National Chief Brother Joseph N. Pattison III Three term National Treasurer Brother Thomas G. Cairns Tenth National Chief and first Vigil Secretary Doctor James E. West Chief Scout Executive credited with saving the order in 1922 Brother H. Lloyd Nelson Four term National Secretary, 14 th National Chief Clearly also deserving of the honor were former National Chiefs Joseph H. Brinton, Joseph A. Brunton, Jr. (later Chief Scout Executive) and first Chief of Unami Lodge, George Chapman. Because these three men composed the committee that bestowed the award they did not give it to themselves. These men would all receive the award by Order of the Arrow Page 17 of 30 Boy Scouts of America

18 1948 The Order of the Arrow officially became a part of the Boy Scouts of America. The Grand Lodge is disbanded and the National Committee is formed which reports through the National OA Secretary to the National Council. It is at this time that the OA has fully integrated into the BSA. At the National Meeting this year, which is considered the first NOAC, adults are informed that they no longer can hold lodge offices. Also, the first OA handbook is published. It is written by J. Rucker Newbery and includes patches. One of them is a peculiar flap shaped patch, the first time many Arrowmen saw one. APPENDIX I : MEETINGS OF THE GRAND LODGE NATIONAL ORDER OF THE ARROW MEETINGS AND OFFICERS Year Location Lodge Chief Secretary Treasurer 1921 Philadelphia, PA Unami & Unalachtigo E. U. Goodman E. R. Carrick A. A. Schuck 1922 Reading, PA Minsi A. A. Schuck W. P. Bradley R. H. Dilks 1923 Baltimore, MD Nentico C. A. Edson W. A. Stumpp W P. Bradley 1924 Tuxedo Park, NY Chappegat A. C. Nichols H. A. Gordon J. D. Carstang 1925 Treasure Island, NJ Unami E. R. Carrick H. A. Gordon L. Harrison 1926 Reading, PA Minsi W. A. Stumpp H. A. Gordon H. Birch 1927 Kanohwanke Lake, NY Ranachqua R.S.Henderson H. A. Gordon A. Pancoast 1929 Philadelphia, PA Unami R. Price B. J. Thomas J. N. Pattison 1931 Pilot Knob, NY Sisilija R. Price W. F.Livermore J. N. Pattison 1933 Owasippi, MI Owasippi T. G. Cairns H. L. Nelson J. N. Pattison 1936 Treasure Island, NJ Unami J. H. Brinton H. L. Nelson J. A. Brunton 1938 Irondale, MO Shawnee J. A. Brunton H. L. Nelson G. A. Mozealous 1940 Camp Twin Echo Anicus G.A. Mozealous H. L. Nelson R. H. Heistand 1942 Cancelled (WWII) Unami H. L. Nelson J. C. Norsk R. H. Heistand 1946 Chanute Field, IL n/a R. H. Heistand J. C. Norsk J. R. Newbery Order of the Arrow Page 18 of 30 Boy Scouts of America

19 APPENDIX II : THE UNKNOWN LODGES The Unknown Lodges Originally printed in Blue Book Reprinted with permission of the American Scouting Historical Society By Jeff Morley and Bill Topkis It is hard to imagine the Order of the Arrow of the early 1920 s. The scouting program itself was less than 15 years old and the Boy Scouts of America was only one of several scouting organizations competing for national dominance. In those days, the program was not even called Order of the Arrow. What we now know as the OA began in 1915 as Wimactendienk W. W. and was one of several honor camper societies to form during the first decade of Scouting. Based upon the few first-hand accounts by members who were active in the 1920 s, minutes of early meetings of the Grand Lodge and the official History of the Order of the Arrow by Kenneth Davis, an amazing picture of the order s early years begins to emerge. Scout councils began procuring their own camps in the early to mid 1920 s. Before then, it was commonplace for councils to share large camp areas. Three such areas were Treasure Island on the Delaware River near Philadelphia, Lake Kawonanke, and Crystal Lake in New York. Scout encampments from many councils co-existed along the shores of the latter two locations and in the case of Kawonanke Lake, we know that well over thirty different scout councils had campgrounds there at the same time. In circumstances such as these, it is easy to see that if one council utilized a popular honor camper society, it would not be long before the idea would spread to neighboring council camps and such was the case in the early days. Many WWW societies developed similar to the Unami group from Philadelphia, each with their own particular rules, initiations and requirements but all loosely conforming to what we know as the OA program. It is estimated by first-hand accounts that by 1923, well over 50 different councils were using some form of Wimachtendienk W. W. and amazingly, no one really knew who, what and where these groups were operating. The Boy Scouts of America did not keep track of this information because WWW was not a part of the BSA program (The OA was first adopted as an official Senior Scout program in 1934). And as late as the spring of 1921, there was no organizational body of the WWW to keep track of anything. During the summer of 1921, an invitation was sent by Unami and Unalactigo Lodges, both from Philadelphia Council, to the known WWW groups to meet and form a GRAND LODGE. Such was the creation of the very first National WWW meeting (later to become the National Order of the Arrow Conference). At this first meeting attended by 8 out of the 12 known lodges, a national constitution was created and the delegates discussed a wide variety of topics. There were discussions regarding locations or reported locations of WWW societies and there were preliminary discussions about creating a national chartering system. By today s standards, the question of whether or not to charter is not debatable. If a council wants the Order of the Arrow, they must renew their charter with the National Office. However, prior to 1921, no lodge had to charter to be legitimate because there was no governing body, national office, or person to apply to for such a charter. After this date, a WWW society would have to send paperwork and a fee of $5 to the Grand Lodge in order to get a charter. In fact, throughout the Order of the Arrow Page 19 of 30 Boy Scouts of America