Order of the Arrow
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The Order of the Arrow (OA) is a program of the Boy Scout division of the Boy Scouts of America (BSA). It is the BSA's national honor society for experienced campers, based on Native American traditions, and dedicated to the ideal of cheerful service. Members of the Order of the Arrow are called Arrowmen.
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[edit] Purposes
The four stated purposes of the Order of the Arrow are:
- To recognize those Scout campers who best exemplify the Scout Oath and Law in their daily lives,
- To develop and maintain camping traditions and spirit,
- To promote Scout camping, and
- To crystallize the Scout habit of helpfulness into a life purpose of leadership in cheerful service to others.
[edit] Ranking
While the Order does not engage in a formal system of ranking based on specific requirements, members are recognized for their level of comittment to their lodge. All members must spend at least ten months as an Ordeal member, signifying that they have successfully completed their initiation ordeal and intend to continue in their service to the lodge and their troop. After this period, an Ordeal member can express his intent to further serve the lodge and his troop by pursuing a Brotherhood membership (often seen as "full" membership). After years of service as a Brotherhood member of the Order, a Scout may be selected by the Vigil members of his lodge to become a Vigil member as well. This selection is based on service beyond that of other members of the lodge, whether through duration of membership, efforts, or dedication.
[edit] Symbols
Arrowmen are identified by a white sash bearing a red arrow that is worn over their right shoulder. An Ordeal member is recognized by a sash with a lone arrow. The Brotherhood sash bears an arrow with a red bar at either end of the arrow. A Vigil sash has the bars of Brotherhood at either end of the arrow and a triangle superimposed on the center of the shaft. The triangle bears three small arrows arranged in a counterclockwise direction. The sash is worn only at official Order of the Arrow functions and when specifically representing the Order of the Arrow.
Arrowmen indicate lodge affiliation by wearing a patch on the right pocket flap of the uniform, known as a Lodge Flap, which for many lodges has different features on the flaps to indicate the level of Honor. Membership is also shown by a special handshake[1], signs and passwords. The official song "Firm Bound in Brotherhood"[2] was written in 1921 by the founder and is based on the tune of God Save the Tsar by Alexei Fyodorovich Lvov.
[edit] History
The Order of the Arrow was founded in 1915 at a Scout summer camp on Treasure Island, on the Delaware River near Philadelphia. The two men principally responsible for its creation were camp director Dr. E. Urner Goodman, and his assistant Col. Carroll A. Edson.
Goodman and Edson were looking for ways to improve the camp and to keep the older boys coming back. They looked at several sources in creating their new 'camp fraternity'[3] [4], including:
- Edward Cave's Boy's Camp Book for the concept of a camp society that would perpetuate camp traditions.
- College fraternities for the concepts of Brotherhood and rituals, and the idea of new members pledging themselves to the new organization.
- Ernest Thompson Seton's Woodcraft Indians for the use of American Indian Lore to make the organization interesting and appealing to youth, which lead them to incorporating traditions and legends of the local Lenni Lenape (Delaware) Indians in the OA's ceremonies. In fact, the true name of the Order means Brotherhood of Cheerful Service in the Lenape language.
- Brotherhood of Andrew and Phillip, a church youth group with which Goodman had been involved.
- Freemasonry and its traditions and rituals probably contributed more to the basic structure of the rituals than any other organization. In an interview with Carroll Edson during his later years, he recalled that the task of writing the first rituals of the Order of the Arrow was assigned to an early member who was "a 32nd degree Mason." Familiar terms such as "lodge" and "obligation," were borrowed from Masonic practice, as were some ceremonial practices. Even the early national meeting was called a "Grand Lodge," thought to be a Masonic reference. Goodman became a Mason only after the OA was established.
Despite what some believe, the several honor/camp societies being created at many Scout camps around this time[5] had no influence, since almost all were established after the OA came into existence. Furthermore, all the works on the history and establishment of the OA point to the above sources.
The Order earned official recognition as a BSA program experiment in 1922, along with several other honor societies. It acquired its present name at the same time. A meeting of the National Lodge at the Owasippe Scout Reservation in 1933 voted to recommend that the BSA adopt it as part of its official program, which the National Council did in 1934. Full integration was completed in 1948.
Numerous other camp honor societies existed at some point during the BSA's history. Some faded into history. A few are still active today. Others eventually became Order of the Arrow lodges. Among the more widespread of these societies are the Tribe of Mic-O-Say, Firecrafter, Nani-Ba-Zhu, Tribe of Quivira, Ku-Ni-Eh, PGT, The Buckskin Sons of Wauwepex, The Clan of the Mystic Oak and The Knights of Yawgoog.
[edit] Organization
The basic unit of the order is the lodge, which is chartered to a local Boy Scout council. The highest official of the lodge is the local Scout executive who holds the position of "Netami Gegeyjumhet" (first chief in Lenni-Lenape) and is referred to as the supreme chief of the fire. An adult is appointed as the lodge adviser or "Witawematpanni Gegeyjumhet" (wife of the chief) who is referred to as the deputy chief of the fire.
All members under the age of 21 are considered youth members. The lodge chief is an elected youth who is responsible for the program and general operation of the lodge. The lodge adviser is tasked with advising the lodge chief and the lodge in general. Many lodges use other positions such as vice chief of service, inductions, or others to lead certain aspects and divisions of each lodge. Most lodges are further divided into chapters, which generally correspond to a district within the council. OA activities, primarily meetings and service projects, are usually organized by the chapters.
Lodges are grouped into sections, the primary purpose of which is to organize an annual weekend campout known as a Conclave which combines training performed for the membership of the lodges and inter-lodge competition, including ceremony competitions. The sections are subdivisions of areas, which in turn are subdivisions of four regions. Each section annually elects a section chief, vice-chief, and a secretary. The section chiefs come together and from their number elect the region chiefs and vice-chiefs, and the national chief and national vice chief. During National Order of the Arrow Conference (NOAC) years, those not elected to those positions are placed on committees which are in charge of different program areas at the conference or other national events. Then a youth is elected to lead the committee with the title of conference vice-chief (CVC). The order is headed by the National Order of the Arrow Committee; a subcommittee of the National Boy Scout Committee, of which the national chief, national vice-chief, and the four region chiefs are voting members. The current chairman of the national committee is Bradley Haddock.
The oldest lodge is considered to be the one founded at Treasure Island by Urner and Goodman, Unami Lodge #1 of the Philadelphia Council. Two councils today do not have associated OA lodges: the Long Beach Area Council in California instead has the Tribe of Tahquitz, and the Pony Express Council in Missouri has the Tribe of Mic-O-Say.
[edit] Membership
Membership in the Order of the Arrow totals over 180,000 youth and adult members, roughly one eighth the number of those involved in the Boy Scout program. Since youth members are elected by their local unit, and since most of the members of their unit are generally not members of the Order of the Arrow, the order is said to be the largest membership organization whose members are elected primarily by non-members.
Youth under 21 (including any adults under 21) are elected by members of their unit (Scout troop or Varisty team). The Order of the Arrow is a program of the Boy Scout division, thus elections are open to only members of troops and teams. Youth candidates to the order must first be elected by a majority vote of their fellow Scouts (including non-OA members) in their troop or team. Any Scout who has reached the rank of First Class, has fulfilled camping requirements , and has been approved by his Scoutmaster or Coach is eligible for election.
Adults (over 21) who had not previously joined the Order as a youth member can become members by being nominated by the unit, district or council committee and then approved by the lodge Adult Selection Committee. Adults must meet the same criteria as youth except the rank requirement.
After being elected or nominated, all candidates participate in a call-out (also tap-out) ceremony, performed by OA members dressed in ceremonial Native American regalia. This usually occurs sometime prior to the ordeal, and may be done at summer camp, a camporee, a call-out weekend or at a troop or team meeting. The candidates then participate in the induction that leads to becoming an Ordeal member. The actual Ordeal is shrouded in mystery, as participants are not told what they are doing until they arrive at the event. Participants also refuse to talk about it, usually being strongly encouaged to keep a strict vow of silence.
Like the BSA, the Order is a youth-led organization. Youth are voting members and serve at lodge, section, region, and national levels as elected officers, while adults are non-voting members and serve in advisory capacities. Select adults are appointed to specific adviser positions such as lodge adviser, chapter adviser and section advisers and co-advisers. Advisers may also be appointed to specific youth officers and committees.
With the exception of a national list of Vigil members, membership records have not been maintained by the Order of the Arrow National Office. The lack of accurate records has caused problems when lodges merged or records are lost due to poor internal controls at the local lodge. Beginning in 2006, the National Office of the Order of the Arrow will operate a nationwide database and will provide software to each of the 300+ lodges with which they can maintain their records in a permanent format.
[edit] Awards
[edit] Activities
- For a list of National Order of the Arrow Conference and other national OA events, see List of Order of the Arrow national events
Most lodges hold several annual events, often at camps belonging to the local Boy Scout council, for the purpose of fellowship, inducting new members, and service work to improve the council camp. Annually, members of lodges who are grouped into a section (an administrative grouping of anywhere from two to ten lodges) gather at a Section Conclave for fellowship, training, competition, and to elect Youth officers who run the Section.
For several years, the Order has sponsored special service groups to the three National High Adventure Bases. This started with the Order of the Arrow Trail Crew at the Philmont Scout Ranch, which has worked to build new trails and repair old ones. Later this expanded to the Northern Tier National High Adventure Bases with the OA Wilderness Voyage, which has repaired the portage trails in the Boundary Waters area. Most recently they have started the OA Ocean Adventure at the Florida National High Adventure Sea Base, which works to repair reefs in the Florida Keys.
Since the 1950s, the Order has fielded a Service Corps for the National Scout jamboree. At recent jamborees this has expanded with a major show and TOAP (The Outdoor Adventure Program).
[edit] National Order of the Arrow Conference
Once every two years, the National Order of the Arrow Conference (NOAC), a multi-day event, is held on the campus of a major university. NOAC is a national gathering of the Arrowmen which serves to bring Arrowmen together from around the world for training and activities. During the conference, arrowmen participate in several events:
- Meet the Man
- Training events, which include program, leadership, Native American culture, and more
- TOAP, The Outdoor Adventure Program
- Founder's Day
- Goodman Games
- athletic competitions between lodges
- ceremonial competitions between lodges
- dance team and individual dance competitions
- OA Museum
- Camp Promotion Exhibits
- Outdoor & Camping exhibitors
- Service work
- Patch Trading
Evening shows have different themes. Shows include one on Native American culture, and the dance champions are noted. An awards show includes presentations of the OA Distinguished Service Award.
The next NOAC will be outside the normal two year timeline due to the World Jamboree being held the same year. Instead of 2008 it will be held in the summer of 2009.
[edit] Philbreak
Philbreak is an "alternate spring break" program started in 2003 to help restore Philmont Scout Ranch after devastating forest fires the previous year. Since 2004, the participants have been working on the Urraca Trail, which is intended as a day hike for those attending the Philmont Training Center. Participants in the seven day program are expected to work eight or nine hour days in all types of conditions. The program takes place during three separate weeks during March. Upon arrival at Philmont, participants meet their trained staff and immediately begin project orientation. Work crews perform meaningful service projects for Philmont and build their understanding of wilderness conservation and the outdoors. Participants also have an opportunity to take a ski break at Angel Fire. Participants are required to be a registered with the BSA in their local council, be between the ages of 18 and 26. The Order usually provides a large number of the participants through its Philbreak recruiting efforts. The program's goals are to:
- To provide Philmont with approximately 72 scouters for service to Philmont.
- To provide a qualified pool of potential staff members.
- To enhance and build participant's leadership skills.
[edit] Training
In recent years, leadership development has become an important part of the Order. To support these, several training events have been developed.
- Lodge Leadership Development (LLD), originally Lodge Leadership Development Conference, is a training event conducted by lodge to train their officers and advisers. It has gone through several revisions, and currently makes use of a website for lodges to develop their events. LLD is a customizable event, where lodges organize a one-day or two-day events using the website. They enter in survey information from officers and advisers, and the site puts together a tailored training event for the lodge, including pre-written session syllabi.
- National Leadership Seminars (NLS), is an intense leadership development weekend training event for lodge officers and advisers, ideally after they have completed LLD. It is conducted by the Regions, with 3-4 events around the region. Due to this, only a limited number of Arrowmen can attend these events. NLS started off with the Southeast Region Training Conference in 1976. This was extended and rolled out as a national program afterwards. More recently, NLS was totally revamped into a leadership development event. Currently, participants must complete a set of three goals to truly complete the course and receive their patch.
- National Lodge Advisers Training Seminar (NLATS), is an intense weekend training event for Lodge Advisers, and other OA adults. It is recommended that participants have gone through NLS. It is conducted by the Regions, with about 2-3 events around the region, usually held in conjunction with NLS. This course focuses on the role of advisers in the OA, and builds on the "Framework of Advisership". The course is still being developed. It had been developed at the Philmont Training Center, but now is only being made available through the weekend events.
[edit] Controversies
[edit] Secrecy
In the past, the Order of the Arrow did not disclose the contents of its ceremonies because giving inductees advance knowledge would take away from the mystery of the experience. As a result the OA has occasionally been classified as a secret society.
The Boy Scouts of America implemented a Youth Protection Program in the mid-1980s that includes a strict policy against secret societies within the BSA. Any concerned person (usually a parent, guardian or religious leader) may now view the ceremonies, attend meetings or read scripts upon request to a council, district, lodge or chapter official. Such persons are asked to safe-guard the details relating to ceremonies.
[edit] Elections
Some have criticized the youth Arrow elections as popularity contests where the most popular Scout in a troop will be elected to the Order, regardless of his attitudes towards Scouting or his abilities in outdoor camping and Scouting techniques. To counter any such tendency, the OA election process is held by secret ballot to help minimize peer pressure. The election team is charged to inform the unit of the service and duty required of an Arrowman and that only the most dedicated Scouts should be considered.
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ The Handclasp of the Lodge. Order of the Arrow. Retrieved on April 11, 2006.
- ^ Firm Bound in Brotherhood. Russian Anthems museum. Retrieved on April 11, 2006.
- ^ Davis, Ken (2000). Brotherhood of Cheerful Service: A History of the Order of the Arrow, 3rd edition. Order of the Arrow.
- ^ Error on call to Template:cite web: Parameters url and title must be specifiedBlock, Nelson (2000). . Order of the Arrow.
- ^ Scout Honor Societies. U.S. Scouting Service Project. Retrieved on April 11, 2006.
