History of the Order of the Arrow facts for kids
Quick facts for kids History of the Order of the Arrow |
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Current logo of the Order of the Arrow
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| Previous Name | Wimachtendienk Wingolauchsik Witahemui (WWW) | ||
| Founded | July 16, 1915 | ||
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The Order of the Arrow (OA) is the official honor society of the Boy Scouts of America (BSA). It was first known as Wimachtendienk Wingolauchsik Witahemui (WWW). The OA began in 1915 as a special camp group. It became an official BSA program in 1948.
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How the Order of the Arrow Started
In 1915, E. Urner Goodman worked for the Philadelphia Council of the Boy Scouts. He was the director of their summer camp at Treasure Island Scout Reservation. Goodman believed that summer camp should do more than just teach Scout skills. He wanted Scouts to truly live by the Scout Oath and Scout Law.
With his assistant, Carroll A. Edson, Goodman created a special honor group. This group would recognize campers who showed the best Scouting qualities. They called it Wimachtendienk, which means "Brotherhood" in a Native American language (Lenape). The full name was Wimachtendienk Wingolauchsik Witahemui, meaning "Brotherhood of Those Who Serve Cheerfully". You can still see "W W W" on many OA patches today.
Goodman and Edson thought this "camp fraternity" would make summer camp better. It would also encourage older Scouts to keep coming back. They got ideas from other groups. They used American Indian themes to make the group exciting for young people. They also took ideas from church youth groups and even Freemasonry.
At the end of summer camp, Scout troops would choose members for this honor group. These chosen Scouts were recognized for their selfless service and brotherhood. Edson and Goodman said they based the OA's stories and ceremonies on the lore of the Lenni Lenape Indians. These Indians had lived on Treasure Island long ago. The group's structure was inspired by popular stories like Hiawatha and Last of the Mohicans. This idea was a big success. The Scouts honored in 1915 and 1916 became part of what is now Unami Lodge.
In the early days, there were different levels of membership. These were called Pledge, First Degree, and Second Degree. Later, the names changed to First Degree, Second Degree, and Third Degree.
Becoming a National Group
By 1921, Goodman had shared his honor society idea with Scout leaders in other states. This led to many new OA groups, called "lodges," starting up across the northeastern United States.
First National Meeting
On October 7 and 8, 1921, the first national meeting of the Order of the Arrow took place in Philadelphia. Eight of the eleven known lodges attended. Edson led this meeting. They formed committees to create a national structure, improve ceremonies, design symbols, and plan for the future. E. Urner Goodman was chosen as the first national leader, called the Grand Chieftain.
During this meeting, the ceremonies were reviewed and updated. This was done to make sure they were consistent for all lodges. New parts were added, and some character names in the ceremonies were changed. For example, Medeu became Gegeyjumhet, and Medicine Man became Meteu.
The name of the society was officially changed to the Order of the Arrow.
The traditions and rituals of Freemasonry greatly influenced the Order of the Arrow in its early years. The OA website mentions that terms like "lodge," "obligation," and "degree" came from Masonic practices. Similarities can still be seen in the ceremonies today. Goodman himself joined the Freemasons in 1918, before the 1921 meeting that shaped the OA's structure.
BSA's Early Concerns
In the early 1920s, many Scout leaders were unsure about "secret camp fraternities." They worried about groups like the Order of the Arrow. In 1922, BSA leaders discussed these concerns. Some wanted to stop camp fraternities.
Goodman spoke up for the Order of the Arrow. He explained that it helped Scouts live by the Scout Oath and Law. He also said it encouraged older Scouts to stay involved. Because of his efforts, the Order of the Arrow and two other groups became "Official Experiments" of the Boy Scouts of America. The OA was unique because it was only for Scouts, and its leaders were professional Scouters. This helped the OA become an official BSA program later on.
Becoming an Official BSA Program
By the 1930s, the Boy Scouts of America had grown very large. It had over a million Scouts and leaders. Many churches and even the President (Herbert Hoover) supported Scouting.
To become an official BSA program, the Order of the Arrow made some changes. They worked to remove words and phrases that might upset religious groups. They replaced these with terms related to Native American lore. This was important because BSA wanted to keep its strong ties with churches.
For example, the word "sacred" was changed to "binding" in the OA's promise. This was done to avoid any religious misunderstandings. The number of ceremonial leaders was also reduced. New characters like Allowat Sakima and Kitchkinet were introduced.
In 1931, the symbol for the highest honor (now called the Vigil Honor) was changed. It became an arrowhead with an arrow. This design later inspired the Distinguished Service Award.
In 1933, the National Council of BSA studied programs like the Order of the Arrow. They found that these programs actually made Scouting better. The OA was told it would become an official program. However, some changes were still needed, especially to the vocabulary. A committee was formed to review the rituals. They removed any words or actions that might offend religious groups or seem like religious worship. They also removed any secrecy that didn't fit with Scouting's policies.
This process continued until 1935. Prayers were rewritten, and references to a deity were removed. Words like "altar" and "sacred" were replaced. "Fraternity" became "Brotherhood," and "Degree" became "Honor." All these changes helped the OA avoid being seen as a Masonic organization and made it acceptable to religious groups.
On August 23, 1933, President Franklin D. Roosevelt became a member of the Order of the Arrow. He is the only President of the United States to have joined the OA. President Roosevelt was a strong supporter of Scouting.
Finally, on June 1, 1934, the Order of the Arrow was officially approved for national use. The BSA National Council would now oversee the OA. This change became official on January 1, 1935.
In 1935, the word "secret" was removed from the OA promise. It now read: "I will always and faithfully preserve unbroken the rites, mysteries, signs and symbols of the Order of the Arrow."
In 1936, new booklets were printed with all the changes. These included different colored covers for the Ordeal, Brotherhood, and Vigil Honor ceremonies. The term "Lodge" was briefly changed to "Tribe" but was changed back to "Lodge" in March 1936. This was because "Tribe" was already used by another BSA group. Everyone was happy to use "Lodge" again.
The Ordeal and Brotherhood ceremonies stayed mostly the same until 1948.
Becoming Fully Official with BSA
By 1948, about two-thirds of BSA's local councils had an OA lodge. That year, at the 1948 National Order of the Arrow Conference (NOAC), a big announcement was made. The Order of the Arrow was fully integrated as an official part of the Scouting program! This was the final step in a long journey that began in 1921.
This change meant that youth leaders would now hold the main leadership positions in lodges. Adult leaders would serve as advisors, just like in other Boy Scouts of America programs. This also made it easier for the national BSA to support local OA lodges.
The National Executive Committee, which had governed the OA, was replaced. A new National Committee on Order of the Arrow was formed. This committee reported to the Director of Camping at BSA.
In 1950, the second National Jamboree was held in Valley Forge, Pennsylvania. This was the first time the OA Service Troop (now called the Service Corps) helped out at a Jamboree.
In 1956, a small but important change was made to the Brotherhood Ceremony. A "Blood-rite" was removed. Medical advisors said it was no longer safe to actually exchange blood. It was replaced with a symbolic act. However, it took some time for all lodges to adopt this change.
Ceremony Booklets and Updates
Over the years, the booklets containing the OA ceremonies were updated. New covers were produced in 1968, 1973, 1977, and 1979. The actual rituals inside stayed the same for a long time.
In 1981, the "Manual for the Ordeal" was updated. It became a "how-to" guide, explaining every step of the Ordeal process. It also added new symbols and explanations for the ceremonial leaders. A new cover came out in 1988, but the content remained the same.
In 1990, the Ordeal ceremony was split into two booklets. One was an "Administration Guide" for running the Ordeal. The other was the "Ceremony for the Ordeal" with the actual rituals. These booklets used the 1981 rituals. In 1999, they were combined back into one book. This was the last major change to the Ordeal ceremony.
The Order of the Arrow Today
Since its founding, over one million Scouts and Scouters have been members of the Order of the Arrow. They wear the OA sash on their uniforms.
The Order of the Arrow has four main goals:
- To recognize Scouts who live by the Scout Oath and Law. This inspires others to do the same.
- To encourage camping, outdoor adventures, and caring for the environment. These are key parts of Scouting.
- To help Scouts become leaders with good character and a willingness to serve. This helps their units, the OA, Scouting, and our nation.
- To help Scouts develop a lifelong habit of cheerful service to others.
In 2008, the OA launched a big national service program called ArrowCorps5. About 3,500 youth and adult members worked on conservation projects in five national forests. They built trails, helped protect endangered species, and removed harmful plants. This was done in partnership with the U.S. Forest Service.
With the start of the Scouts BSA program on February 1, 2019, the Order of the Arrow now allows elections in Scouts BSA, Venturing, and Sea Scouting units.
