75th Anniversary Award

The Order of the Arrow (OA) celebrated its 75^th Anniversary in 1990, and in keeping with earlier traditions established during the Order’s 50^th and 60^th Anniversaries, the celebration was a national event. The 75^th Anniversary Award Program was first unveiled at the 1988 National OA Conference (NOAC) by the National OA Committee. The award program, which for the first time allowed adult participation, consisted of three main elements: the Individual Challenge, the Lodge Challenge, and the Rededication Ceremony.

The first element…the Individual Challenge was a three-part quest for service designed for both youth and adult participation that included Lodge and Chapter Development; Scouting/Unit and Community Development; and Personal Development. Youth and adult requirements for the Individual Challenge were outlined on separate scorecards, and individuals completing the award’s requirements prior to August 31, 1990 could receive a special 75th Anniversary Award. Unlike previous anniversary awards for the 50^th and 60^th anniversaries that were worn on an Arrowman’s sash, this was a unique award featuring a turtle superimposed over an arrow, suspended from a red and white ribbon. The award was to be worn suspended from the button of the right breast pocket of the scout uniform shirt. Additional instructions for wear stated that Founder’s Award recipients could use the solid red ribbon of that prestigious award to replace the traditional red and white ribbon of the 75^th Anniversary Award.

The second element was the Lodge Challenge, and it was designed to encourage lodges to develop new activities for their council’s summer camp program. The central focus of this challenge was to devise a multi-year experience leading to repeat attendance at camps by scouts. Lodges were required to submit a written history to the National OA Committee, which described the success of their program. Lodges attaining recognition could receive a $1,000 endowment.

The third and final element was the Rededication Ceremony, and it was to be performed by lodges for individuals who earned the 75^th Anniversary Award. The ceremony included a restatement of the Order’s purpose to the things that an Arrowman could achieve. These achievements were: to be recognized by others as a living example of the Scout Oath and Law; to nurture and improve Scouting’s outdoor traditions and spirit; to promote year-round camping; and to lead and live a life of cheerful service.

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Dr. Carl Marchetti

For Carl M. Marchetti, M.D., servant leadership has been an important part of his life for years. His service and involvement spans all aspects of Scouting, from Cubs through Boy Scouts as well as Exploring and Venturing and the Order of the Arrow.

He has served as council commissioner and council president, lodge chief, section chief, lodge adviser, area adviser, Northeast Region Order of the Arrow committee and is an Eagle Scout and Explorer Silver Award recipient. Throughout his distinguished career, he has received many honors including the Distinguished Eagle Scout, the OA Distinguished Service Award, the Silver Beaver Award, Silver Buffalo Award, Silver Antelope Award, and in 2004, in recognition of his many years of outstanding service to the Order, Dr. Marchetti was the recipient of the second Legacy of Servant Leadership Lifetime Achievement Award.

Dr. Marchetti was elected to become a member of the Order of the Arrow in 1949. In 1962 he became the youngest member of the National Order of the Arrow Committee. Dr. Marchetti was Chairman of the National OA Committee from 1984 to 1993. Of his years on the committee he said,

In the beginning, I was a fish out of water. I was literally surrounded by a group of old men, all of whom were famous, all of whom were bowed to, practically.

But he was welcomed to the committee.

Dr. Marchetti's service as our national chairman for almost a decade shows his dedication to the Order and service to others. “We basically made a decision that never again would finances be a concern to the Order of the Arrow,” he said. Working with the National Council of the Boy Scouts of America, he made the OA a self-funded organization, negotiated for the NOAC trading post revenues to come to the OA and set up the OA endowment fund. His decision allowed for the creation of the lodge service grants and programs such as the OA Trail Crew and the OA Wilderness Voyage.

As chairman of the National OA Committee, Dr. Marchetti worked to make a one-year term of office for the national officers.

That made us build the entire program of Treks, Indian Seminars, Jamborees, and strategic planning sessions so that the youth who were elected in an off-conference year would have something to do, he said.

Those decisions led to more youth participating on a national level.

At the 2011 National Planning meeting, Carl Marchetti was recognised for serving fifty years on the National OA Committee.  It was announced that Dr. Marchetti was the first person in Scouting to serve on a any national committee for fifty years.  Dr. Marchetti was presented a special sash to commemorate the event.

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75th BSA Anniversary

1985 marked the 75^th anniversary of the Boy Scouts of America. Since 1910, over 72 million Americans had participated in Scouting to some extent.

Many special activities occurred during the year to recognize the special milestone. For Cub Scouting it would mean the start of a new Cub Scout Sports program. For Boy Scouts the key event would be the 11^th National Scout Jamboree, located at Fort A.P. Hill, Virginia. With a theme of “Pride in the Past ... Footsteps to the Future", 32,615 Scouts and leaders were in attendance.

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OA at Philmont Training Center

In 1987 The Order of the Arrow began a lengthy utilization of BSA’s premier training venue – the Philmont Training Center at Philmont Scout Ranch. Scouting’s Mecca of high adventure camping was the perfect site for an organization often referred to as “Scouting’s Camping Honor Society.”

The first two training sessions held -- “Training Techniques for Order of the Arrow Advisers” – were a prelude to what evolved over a period of years into the National Lodge Adviser’s Training Seminar (NLATS). A total of 85 Arrowmen registered.

It would be four years before the OA returned to the land of silver sage. As the OA developed its adult leadership-training program, the titles changed on two different occasions. With “OA Conference for Lodge and Section Advisers” in 1991 the Order began a 20-year program of holding weeklong adult training courses at Philmont.

With the development of regional NLATS and NLS training, a decision was made to discontinue Adviser Training at Philmont after the 2004 camping season. But that did not end the OA’s utilization of the Training Center. The following year a new program began – Lodge Leadership Development Course –, which continued for three years before NLATS returned to Philmont in 2008.

OA Training at the Philmont Training Center

• 1987 – Two sessions of “Training Techniques for Order of the Arrow Advisers”; 85 attendees. 
• 1991 – “OA Conference for Lodge and section Advisers” 
• 1992 – “OA Leadership Conference.” (A campership was offered for staff advisers who attended with their lodge advisers.) 
• 1993 – “OA Advisers Conference.” 
• 1994 – “OA Advisers Conference.” 
• 1995 – “OA Advisers Conference”, 36 attendees; “National Leadership Seminar,” 47 attendees. 
• 1996 – “OA Advisers Conference,” 43 attendees. 
• 1997 – “OA Advisers Conference,” 50 attendees. 
• 1998 – “OA Advisers Conference,” 69 attendees. 
• 1999 – “OA Advisers Conference,” 58 attendees; two sessions of “National Leadership Seminar” with 39 and 22 attendees. 
• 2000 – “OA Advisers Conference” and “National Leadership Seminar”. 
• 2001 – “OA Advisers Conference.” 
• 2002 – “OA Advisers Conference” and “OA Staff Advisers Conference” in September. 
• 2003 – “National Lodge Advisers Training Seminar.” 
• 2004 -- “National Lodge Advisers Training Seminar.” 
• 2005 – “Lodge Leadership Development Conference.” 
• 2006 – “Lodge Leadership Development Conference.” 
• 2007 – “Lodge Leadership Development Conference.” 
• 2008 -- “National Lodge Advisers Training Seminar.” 
• 2009 -- “National Lodge Advisers Training Seminar.” 
• 2010 -- “National Lodge Advisers Training Seminar.”

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National Pow Wow

The 1987 National Pow Wow conducted at Northwest Community College in Powell, Wyoming from August 2-8. It was a great success and the knowledge gained and enthusiasm generated was felt in the lodges for a long time. Nearly 500 Arrowmen gathered for the first National Pow Wow that offered outstanding workshop seminars in three separate areas of interest: OA Showmanship, Indian Lore, and Ceremonies. As he was with the National Indian Seminar series, National OA Committee member Don Thom was the driving force behind this event. 

A special feature Monday evening was a North Coast Potlatch provided by members of the T'Kope-Kwis Kwis Lodge from the Chief Seattle Council in Seattle, WA. Lodge members were gracious enough to bring 110 lbs. of fresh salmon, which was cooked according to the North Coast style.

The Showmanship Seminar sent participants home with an increased ability to mount entertaining instructional, and informative lodge productions. Participants placed emphasis on showmanship at Campfires, Shows, Banquets, and Camp Promotion Presentations. The seminar had two days of intensive teacher/learning sessions on planning, producing, scriptwriting, campfire planning and execution, effective camp promotions, and innovative banquet programs. These sessions provided a basic level of knowledge in various specialties, such as Visual, Video, Audio, and Technical Areas. The Lab Sessions were the final three days. These were hands-on specialty sessions.

Ceremonial sessions concentrated on developing quality ceremonies through understanding the purpose of each element. Indian Lore sessions were outstanding with lots of craftsmanship, dancing sessions and time for in depth study of various Indian nation cultures. The big Indian lore Pow Wow was filled with beautiful outfits made by Arrowmen, plus exceptional drumming and dancing representing Northern Plains and Southern Plains groups.

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Women in OA

Prior to 1988 the Order of the Arrow had been for boys and men only. Starting in 1988 female leaders could become members of the OA just the same as male leaders. The BSA had approved women to serve as Scoutmasters to insure some Scout troops could attend summer camp. Once women were Scoutmasters, it was necessary to have women in the Order to support the Scouting and the OA program. As with male Scoutmasters, women must be 21 years of age.

Women had been associated with the OA for years. The Red Arrow Award was often given to women. However, women had been actively helping OA lodges and Arrowmen for years. A number of lodges even secretly had women members, sometimes called honorary members. There are even accounts of women keeping Vigils as early as the 1960s. Starting in 1988 women's membership was official. About three years later the first women Vigil Honor members were officially inducted. In 2009 Kay Trick became the first woman DSA recipient and National OA Committee member.

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USA Defeats Soviet Union at Olympics

Heading into the 1980 Winter Olympics in Lake Placid, New York, the Soviet Union Hockey Team was heavily favored to win its fifth straight Olympic gold medal. They were the best team in the world.

The U.S. shocked many experts in their opening games, tying Sweden and defeating Czechoslovakia. After three wins against lesser competition, they advanced to the medal round, where they faced the Soviets first and WON. The U.S. still needed to defeat Finland two days later to win gold. Though they trailed 2-1 heading into the third period, the U.S. scored three unanswered goals to win the gold. To many the “Miracle on Ice” game against the Soviets is considered the greatest upset in the history of sports.

2, Non-Scouting

Reagan Elected President

Ronald Reagan was elected the 40^th President of the United States in 1980. He would serve two terms as president, leaving office in 1989. While serving as Governor of California, he became active in the Golden Empire Council of the BSA. He would chair Project SOAR (Save Our American Resources) and often held annual ‘Reports to the Governor.’ He was awarded the Silver Beaver Award by the Los Angeles Area Council and the Silver Buffalo Award in 1982.

2, Non-Scouting

OA Chief's Bonnet Destroyed

The original golden eagle feather bonnet that had been passed down ceremoniously by every national chief of the Order of the Arrow since 1938 was tragically destroyed in a fire that occurred at the BSA’s national office in Irving, Texas on November 6, 1980. A young security guard whose intention was to be the ‘big hero’ by discovering and extinguishing the fire deliberately set the blaze. Unfortunately, the fire quickly got out of his control and into an area that housed many of the Order’s records and memorabilia, including the national chief’s bonnet. The National OA Committee immediately announced their decision to construct two new bonnets for its national officers. One to replace the chief’s bonnet and for the first time a bonnet for the national vice chief. The replacement bonnets were completed in 1982.

2, OA, Scouting

Elangomat Adopted

The Elangomat system for the Ordeal was introduced at the 1975 National Order of the Arrow Conference (NOAC) as part of the Inductions Enrichment Program. At the time it was a highly controversial method for not only managing candidate work groups during Ordeals, but also seen by some as “watering down the Ordeal challenges.”

Following the presentation of the optional “new” pre-Ordeal Ceremony at the 1977 NOAC, and its adoption as the official ceremony (replacing the prior pre-Ordeal ceremony) at the 1979 NOAC, the principles guiding Elangomat Ordeals were more clearly –and poetically – set forth in the official ceremonies.

By the time of the 1981 NOAC, Elangomat Ordeals were far less controversial.

The Ordeal Ceremony pamphlet was replaced by the Manual for the Ordeal – and for the first time the proper procedures for conducting the Order of the Arrow Ordeal were described in detail.

Much of this was based on the simple concept of the point of the Scout Law to be “friendly” – a friend to all and a brother to every other Scout – even, or especially, during the 24 hours of the OA Ordeal experience.

2, Ceremonies, OA, Scouting

USA 200th Celebration

The American Bicentennial celebration in 1976 provided a focus for America to remember its history and celebrate its achievements, and the Boy Scouts used this historic event to promote Scouting’s values and contributions to American history. “Boypower ’76” was introduced in 1968, and through this National initiative, programs were introduced to Scout troops that allowed Scouts to earn special patches with Bicentennial emphasis as early as 1973. Many of our OA lodges also took advantage of this nationally unifying event to create programs and patches with Bicentennial themes.  The OA's 60^th Anniversary Award was also a Bicentennial award.

Until the Bicentennial, OA lodge patches were generally intended for recognition of membership or celebration of a lodge event. Bice“fever” changed that. For the first time, lodges produced patches to commemorate something other than an OA-related event, using the Bicentennial theme to create collectible memorabilia that helped promote event attendance, as well as raise funds for their lodge.

The success of these early commemorative patches helped fuel the trend for lodges to produce more patches intended as collectibles.

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Carter Elected President

The 39^th President of the United States was a former peanut farmer and naval officer from Plains, Georgia. Jimmy Carter’s presidency was riddled with inflation, recession, and an energy crisis all inherited from the Nixon / Ford Administrations. Carter did his best to handle these issues.

Prior to his political career, Carter served as a Troop Committee Chairman and Scoutmaster.

In 1978, the Boy Scouts of America awarded him the Silver Buffalo Award for service to youth on a national level.

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