On October 9, 1950, a letter was sent to each lodge chief and lodge adviser through the local Scout Executive. The letter detailed changes in the Order of the Arrow Ceremonials – both Ordeal and Brotherhood. The changes sent were effective immediately and were to be written into the existing ceremonial pamphlets until the changes could be put into the next printing. The National Committee, Order of the Arrow, Norman C. Wood, Secretary signed the letter.

The key change in the Brotherhood Ceremony was the elimination of the movement of the sash from the left shoulder to the right shoulder. While it has been rumored that this was because of McCarthyism, there is no documentation to support that claim.

The distinction between Ordeal / First Degree members and Brotherhood / Second Degree members had been the shoulder the sash was worn over since circa 1917.

Now that all Arrowmen would wear their sashes over their right shoulders a new Brotherhood sash was needed. The new Brotherhood sash featured the “Brotherhood Bars” to distinguish it from an Ordeal sash.

At the beginning of 1953 these changes first appeared in print in the Brotherhood Ceremony pamphlets.