Founder's Award Established

Introduced at the 1981 National Order of the Arrow Conference (NOAC), the Founder's Award was created to honor and recognize those Arrowmen who have given outstanding service to their lodge. The award is reserved for Arrowmen who demonstrate that they memorialize in their everyday lives the spirit of achievement as exemplified by the Founder E. Urner Goodman and Co-Founder Carroll A. Edson. Lodges are permitted to award up to four Founder’s Awards annually, based on their total membership.

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Goodman, Post Professional

In 1951, after 36 years as a professional Scouter and having reached age 60, Goodman retired from the BSA. Never one to stay idle, he immediately took up the leadership of the newly formed United Church Men of the National Council of Churches in Christ.As general director, he had the opportunity to form the national organization at both the executive and volunteer level, with the goal of increasing men’s religious activity in the local church, the community, and the individual. Specific goals included growth of men’s groups in local churches, financial support for church-affiliated colleges, support for missionary work, and fostering ethics in the workplace.

Goodman’s efforts proved successful, and within the first year half the states had organized United Church Men’s departments. After two-and-a-half years, he suffered another attack of tuberculosis, and he retired on September 1, 1954.

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Goodman Memorial Service

In the late winter of 1980, while visiting his children in New Jersey, Goodman caught a cold, which turned into pneumonia. He went to Lenox Hill Hospital in Manhattan, where he could have specialists treat him, but he remained in intensive care. He passed away on March 13.

He planned his own funeral to include lots of music. It took place at Penney Farms on March 29. National Chief Jeffrie A. Herrmann and National Executive Secretary William F. Downs eulogized the founder. Downs spoke of his leadership as a member of the professional staff of the BSA, and said he was both a gentleman and a gentle man. Taking his cue from the Order’s ceremonies, he ended with the words, 

May the virtues which he represented glow the brighter in our hearts and consciences.

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Goodman

Infinity, dear brothers, extends not only outward to the reaches of that clear blue sky… but also inward, to the heart of each human being. E. Urner Goodman 1975 NOAC closing address.

Goodman lived in an era of great change – from horse and buggy days to men on the moon. He also lived a life of great change. He knew much joy – a good childhood with friends and family, a successful career, a loving wife, three wonderful children and the lifelong inspiration of his faith. He also knew much tragedy – the death of his mother and aunt when he was a little boy, months of quarantine for diphtheria, tuberculosis as a young man, and the death of his son George in World War II.

Like the hero of Baden-Powell’s favorite play, Peter Pan, Goodman was one of the many men who sought to put off growing up by engaging in a life’s work consumed with the things of boyhood – outdoor fun among good friends, acting chivalrous by helping others, giving everyone a chance to play, being loud and silly. Thus was the Scouter rewarded in his work with youth.

He had mastered the art of leadership, and had success after success professionally and with the Order of the Arrow, because he gave away to others the opportunity to be in charge, to exercise authority, to be creative, to take responsibility.

He was loved by all because of his self-effacing manner and his desire to do what was best for others, putting his own needs last. Always a peacemaker among Scouters, George’s death convinced him that world brotherhood was a worthy goal.

As he said at the end of his career with BSA:

I had indeed found my life mission… . Those 36 years of professional service, 16 years as Executive in Philadelphia and Chicago, and 20 years as national program director, brought rich rewards, far beyond any salary considerations. They represented the work, above all others, that I wanted to do.

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First OA Pow Wow at National Jamboree

The highlight for Arrowmen at the 1964 National Jamboree was the first Jamboree Order of the Arrow Pow Wow. 15,000 Arrowmen gathered together at the Valley Forge arena to hear featured speakers Founder E. Urner Goodman and former National Chief and current Chief Scout Executive Joseph Brunton, Jr. The event was described at the time as the largest ever gathering of Arrowmen and likely remains the largest such assembly to this day.

Goodman spoke to the audience first. He discussed camping, brotherhood, leadership and service. Goodman stated that the Order was in its fiftieth year of service and that he had great confidence and great hope that the Order would be well served for the next fifty years in the hands of the attendees.

Chief Scout Executive Joe Brunton spoke next. He noted the presence of the very same Chief’s bonnet that he had been first to adorn as National OA Chief in 1938. He reminded each Arrowman that they were a significant part of the OA program and then challenged them to remain humbly committed to serving others.

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50th Anniversary Dedication

On the weekend of June 11-13, 1965 Unami Lodge hosted an Area 3A conference at Treasure Island. Part of the area conference program was the dedication of a plaque commemorating the 50^th Anniversary of the Order. Four hundred Arrowmen were on hand along with the Founders, E. Urner Goodman and Carroll A. Edson,  the Order’s first chief George Chapman and the Order's first Guide and Guardian of the Trail, Harry Yoder. The Plaque reads:

‘Mindful of Our High Tradition’ On July 16, 1915 the first ceremony of the Order of the Arrow, W.W.W., was held at this place. In celebration of the 50^th anniversary of the founding of the Order and in honor of 764,947 Scouts, Explorers, and Scouters who became members of the Order of the Arrow during the past 50 years we place this marker.

 

Dedicated this 12^th Day of June 1965

 

E. Urner Goodman and Carroll A. Edson

Founders of the Order of the Arrow

 

L. George Feil Chairman, National Committee

Joseph A. Brunton, Jr., Chief Scout Executive

Thomas J. Watson, Jr., President, National Council

W.W.W.

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NOAC - 50th Anniversary

For the fifth time the OA returned to its most familiar setting for Conferences, Indiana University, for the NOAC celebration of the 50^th Anniversary of the Order of the Arrow. A record 4,237 delegates representing every state in the nation attended the Conference. There were greater than 1,000 Arrowmen more in attendance than any previous Conference. The fitting theme for the conference was chosen from the Ordeal Honor ceremony, “Mindful of our high tradition.”

Chief Scout Executive Joseph A. Brunton who had 25 years earlier similarly opened the 25^th Anniversary Meeting as National Chief now opened the 50^th Anniversary Meeting with the keynote address. At the 25^th Anniversary Meeting there were a fraction of the lodges and attendees as the 50^th Anniversary Meeting. Now as head of the entire BSA he again stood before the assembly of those who bear the Obligation. With great pride and enthusiasm Brunton challenged all Arrowmen to reach their full potential in spirit, mind, faith and body.

Like past NOACs, there were dance competitions, athletic contests, patch trading, fellowship and the presentation of the Distinguished Service Awards (DSA). Training was again one of the primary activities of the conference. The closing session ended with Goodman in his usual role of giving the final challenge to the Arrowmen. Goodman’s challenge was simple.

Arrowmen must carry the Order through its next fifty years.

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50th Anniversary of BSA

1960 marked the 50^th anniversary of the Boy Scouts of America. The fiftieth birthday of Scouting was an opportunity for all Scouts to join hands and show the nation and the world what Scouting had done, was doing and will do in the future. A number of key activities and events took place during the Golden Anniversary year to commemorate this significant milestone.

A golden anniversary commemorative postage stamp was issued to celebrate the Golden Jubilee of the Boy Scouts of America and this would be the only time that Norman Rockwell would do a painting specifically for a Boy Scout handbook cover. A special tribute to Scouting in Washington D.C. was held and in June, 1960 the new Johnston Historical Museum located in New Brunswick, New Jersey was dedicated. Scouts participated in the third nationwide Get-Out-the-Vote campaign, but the big event and recognition of this key milestone was the Fifth National Scout Jamboree that was held near Pikes Peak Mountain and Colorado Springs, Colorado where 53,378 Scouts and leaders attended.

During this anniversary year, those that could not attend the National Jamboree (the rest of the 5 million members of the Boy Scouts of America) participated in a number of local activities across the country to celebrate Scouting’s Golden Jubilee. Cub Scout jubilees and Explorer jubilee field day events were held. Boy Scouts and their leaders were active in showcasing Scouting by holding gigantic jubilee camporees, not in the back woods as was traditionally done, but in scores of public places such as downtown parks and town squares.

As stated by Chief Scout Executive (and 1922 Grand Lodge Chief), Arthur A. Schuck, “We are prepared. We are a youthful movement – fifty years young! We have grown strong through helping others, The best years are ahead.”

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Elder Goodman

Goodman’s retirement in 1951 allowed him to spend more time with his wife Louise. They lived during the winter in the Penney Farms retirement community near Jacksonville, Florida and during the summer at a small farm in Bondville, Vermont, with both a house and a barn, which the Goodmans converted to living quarters with rooms for their children and grandchildren, named Brotherhood Barn. In 1948, OA lodges from around the country sent stones from their local camps to Bondville, to be incorporated into a new fireplace at the barn. A sketch of Goodman talking to two Arrowmen in front of the fireplace became an icon, and graced the Founder’s personal stationery.

The happy couple traveled around the world in 1962, starting from Vermont, crossing Canada and the US Pacific Coast by train, then from San Francisco to Hawaii and Australia, on to Malaya, Ceylon, Aden, Egypt, Greece, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Gibraltar, Great Britain, France, Ireland and back to New York. They stayed with the Governor General of Tasmania, Lord Rowallan, a former Chief Scout of the British Commonwealth. At the annual St. George’s Day parade at Windsor Castle, when the Royal Family reviews the year’s crop of Queen’s Scouts, Goodman met Queen Elizabeth and Prince Phillip.

Always devout, Goodman wrote hymns and religious music throughout his life. He also served as a lay minister, which he was able to do for longer periods now. During his life, he held 26 pulpits, including two at sea during cruises.

For many years, Arrowmen urged him to write an autobiography. In 1965, to celebrate the Order’s 50^th birthday, he penned a series of reminiscences called The Building of a Life. True to form, the autobiography of this modest man of great accomplishments was less about him than it was about the many people he encountered during his life, and how each of them impacted him. He actually prepared an outline for a biography to be written by several friends, but it never materialized.

He busied himself with the innumerable activities of the Order. He was an active member of the National OA Committee, mostly in the role of an adviser. He spoke at lodge and section events, and visited with individual Arrowmen, usually high school or college students, who trekked to see him at Penney Farms or the Brotherhood Barn. He was the featured speaker at National OA Conferences (NOAC), often entertaining the crowd with his singing or organ playing, and always giving the closing address and challenge at the final show – a blend of humor and inspiration no Arrowman would ever forget.

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500th Lodge Formed

On November 19, 1953, Ona Yote Kaonaga Lodge of Rome, NY chartered. The Order had reached the lofty milestone of 500 chartered lodges. The Order of the Arrow was present in every state; fewer than 100 councils remained that did not have OA.

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400th Lodge Formed

In August of 1948, Quetzel Lodge (later re-named Wawookia Lodge) in Lewiston, Idaho became the Order’s 400^th Lodge to charter. Now that the Order was fully integrated as a National BSA program it had spread to more than two thirds of all councils.

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1950 National Jamboree - First OA Service Corps

The 1950 National Jamboree was held at Valley Forge, Pennsylvania, from June 27 to July 6. Delayed by World War II, 47,163 Scouts and Explorers participated in the second National Jamboree with the theme “Strengthen Liberty”.

President Harry S. Truman opened the Jamboree; and Scouts enjoyed a huge fireworks display on the 4^th of July with General Dwight D. Eisenhower. Troop dinning similar to the 1937 Jamboree was planned, but due to the lack of professional chefs (that were readily available in 1937 due to the depression), patrol cooking using charcoal was introduced. The pattern was also set for the arena shows that have become traditional at Jamborees. The opening show the first night was a historical spectacular showcasing the great events that gained the United States liberty. Construction of troop gateways became a major troop feature. Each troop tried to out-do the troop next to them with huge, colorful entranceways.

The second Jamboree marked the introduction of an OA Service Troop (what we today call the Service Corps).

36 Arrowmen from 15 states were chosen through a special selection process to provide cheerful service at the Jamboree. The purpose of the Service Troop was so Scouts might have a better camping experience. Behind the scenes work of the Jamboree fell to the Service Troop including; distributing internal mail to each section twice a day, traffic supervision and car parking, ushering supervision at the giant arena shows, delivering telegrams and urgent messages, aides to distinguished guests and guide service, stretcher bearers for ambulances, guarding dangerous locations, and many other duties to help make for a successful Jamboree. Long hours of service were spent each day with some members missing a meal on occasion to make sure that a hazardous location would not be left unguarded. The first service troop was under the leadership of Scoutmaster and future National OA Committee Chairman Thomas G. McBride.

There was also a gathering of Arrowmen, which attracted 3,500 members of the Order, the largest gathering of Arrowmen of its time. In addition to the Service Troop, Arrowmen from Unami Lodge, the first lodge, served as guides for Jamboree troops touring historical buildings and locations before and after the Jamboree in Philadelphia.

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