National OA Committee Red Sash

In the spring 1950 issue of the National Bulletin, Arrowmen were told that members of the National OA Committee would be available to meet with them at the 1950 NOAC. It was stated that they would be accessible to help members better understand the Order and its policies. Members were also told,

you’ll recognize these men because they will be wearing a special Vigil Honor band on which the colors will be reversed. These bands were made specifically for our Committee so that lodge members could recognize these officials and seek their help.

The sash was a proactive response to the 1948 NOAC. Many Arrowmen were confused about what it meant to be fully absorbed into the BSA. They were only beginning to see the benefits of youth taking leadership roles. The reality was that the OA was more run by volunteer people than professionals than ever before. By making themselves conspicuous and available with their reverse color sashes the National OA Committee was able to allay fears and largely put the issue of the integration of the OA into BSA behind them.

During the red National OA Committee sashes tenure as few as 15 of them, including one for E. Urner Goodman,  were issued. Circa 1954 they were considered no longer needed and were retired.

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The Goodman National OA Committee Red Sash

In 1950 the National OA Committee created a reversed color OA Vigil Honor sash so that National OA Committeemen could easily be identified. There were as few as 15 of these special felt Vigil Honor sashes issued. One of these special sashes belonged to E. Urner Goodman. The sash was only used for a few years and after 1954 the sash retired from usage.

At the 1956 NOAC Urner Goodman was wearing his National OA Committee sash when he was told that the sash was no longer in usage. Goodman a stickler for proper uniform immediately took it off and turned to the young man next to him and asked him if he wanted the sash. That young man was Dr. Carl Marchetti, who has now served on the National OA Committee since 1962 including as Chairman from 1984 to 1993.

When Dr. Marchetti received the second OA Lifetime Achievement Award in 2004, Dr. Marchetti had Goodman’s sash incorporated into the award ceremony by wearing it. Every Lifetime Achievement Award recipient since has worn the Goodman National OA Committee Sash. On occasion it has been placed on public display in the NOAC museum.

At the 2011 National Planning Meeting Dr. Marchetti announced that he would be donating this incredible artifact to the Order of the Arrow.

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NOAC 1950 - 35th Anniversary Meeting

While today the 1950 meeting is called a National Order of the Arrow Conference or NOAC, back then they called it the 35th Anniversary Meeting or Convention. This meeting was like a modern NOAC. It was held for the second time at the University of Indiana, Bloomington. Approximately 1,100 delegates attended. There were group discussions and classes on topics ranging from regalia, ceremonies and lodge functions. This time many of the classes were taught by youth including Area Conference Chiefs.  The OA Distinguished Service Award was presented.

Chairman H. Lloyd Nelson reported that there were now 388 lodges with 40,000 Arrowmen. The number of Arrowmen had not grown since the 1948 NOAC. This was because once the OA was a national BSA program all active OA members had to have BSA registration.  Director of Camping Wes Klusmann noted that the OA was now active in three quarters of the nations councils. Goodman once again gave the keynote address.

In what would be a conference last, the national election for the next National Conference Chief was held and James Montgomery of Pellissippi Lodge, Knoxville, Tennessee was selected to lead the next gathering in 1952. In what would be a National Conference first E. Urner Goodman in his closing address gave a challenge to the assembled Arrowmen. This tradition of the Founder giving the closing challenge would continue for 14 consecutive National Conferences through the last conference he attended in 1979 prior to his death in 1980.

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Truman Becomes President

Truman took office as the 33^rd President of the United States three months into Roosevelt’s fourth term following Roosevelt's death. It was a rough time, and World War II was still raging. Truman was the one who made the decision to utilize the atomic bomb – a controversial decision.

Harry S. Truman was a strong supporter of the Boy Scouts. In addition to being the Honorary President of the BSA, Truman personally attended and opened the 1950 National Scout Jamboree at Valley Forge, PA.

2, Non-Scouting

Japan Surrenders Ending WW II

World War II ended within days of the United States dropping of Atomic bombs over the cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Japan unconditionally surrendered on September 2, 1945.  Both Goodman and Edson lost sons during the war. George Goodman and Stuart Edson were killed in action in Europe. Edson, having served in the reserve since his service in World War I returned to active duty as a lieutenant colonel and then attained the rank of Colonel shortly before his discharge in 1945.

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14th & Last "National Meeting" Held

After World War II, National Lodge could meet again. The original plan was to hold the 1946 meeting where the 1942 National Meeting had been scheduled. However, with all of the returning military the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill informed the National Lodge that they would not have the dorm space available. The OA was now too large to meet at a Scout camp and universities were filled with returning military. An alternate site was needed.

984 delegates from 114 lodges (both records) descended upon Chanute Field Army Air Corp in Illinois. The Arrowmen bunked in the more than ample barracks. Owasippe Lodge, Chicago took the traditional role of a host lodge handling registration and other activities. Even though Chicago was over 100 miles away, Owasippe was the only lodge with the Arrow-power to handle the responsibilities.

Surprisingly, there was insufficient time to hold the very successful classes and group sessions presented at the 1938 and 1940 National Lodge Meetings. The OA Distinguished Service Award was presented. The meeting was set on a tight schedule with the opening on a Tuesday at 2:00 PM and ending on Thursday at noon.

1946 was the last meeting with elections of adult leadership. Robert H. Heistand of Nentico Lodge, Baltimore, Maryland was elected National Chief. John C. Norsk from Allogagan Lodge, Springfield, Massachusetts was elected to a second term as National Secretary. J. Rucker Newbery was elected National Treasurer. The National Executive Committee was expanded. The two immediate past National Chiefs would be on the board. They were H. Lloyd Nelson and George Mozealous. Four other committeemen were elected, each from a different geographical section of the country. Elected to the committee were G. Kellock Hale, Jr., John M. Pfeil, Herbert L. Gaskin and Andrew R. Groenink. In addition the National Council had two representatives, Founder E. Urner Goodman and Director of Camping Wes Klusmann.

1946 would be the last “National Lodge Meeting” (verbiage on the 1948 patch notwithstanding). From humble Grand Lodge Meetings with fewer than 10 lodges and less than 20 delegates the OA had become an official BSA program. In 1948 the Order of the Arrow would be fully integrated into the BSA. What would come next would be a NOAC!

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NBA Begins

The NBA was founded as the Basketball Association of America on June 6, 1946. The first game was played between the New York Knickerbockers and the Toronto Huskies. The league changed its name to the National Basketball Association, (NBA) when the BAA merged with the rival National Basketball League (NBL) in 1949.

2, Non-Scouting

First Modern Day African American Baseball Player

Jackie Robinson became the first African American to play modern Major League Baseball on April 15, 1947 at Ebbets Field, Brooklyn, New York. Born in Georgia, the son of sharecroppers, the youngest of five children (Brother “Mack” won a Silver Medal behind Jesse Owens in the 200 Meter Dash at the 1936 Olympics), Robinson went to UCLA and served his nation in the military.

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J. Rucker Newbery

J. Rucker Newbery is best known as the editor of the first Order of the Arrow Handbook in 1948. Newbery officially joined the OA on June 11, 1936 when he chartered the Bob White Lodge, Augusta Georgia into the Order while serving as their Scout Executive. Newbery remained a member of the Order until his death in 1978.

Early in 1942 Frank Dix of the National Executive Committee tendered his resignation. Dix had been selected to the National Executive Committee as the Southern representative. When he was re-assigned by the national office as a Deputy Regional Executive to Cincinnati, he could no longer serve. It was a national BSA policy requiring balance on the lead OA committee that a Southern representative was required on the committee. Dix suggested J. Rucker Newbery as his replacement and in 1942 Newbery was appointed to the National Executive Committee.

In 1943 Newbery transferred to Charleston, South Carolina and became Scout Executive of Coastal Carolina Council. He immediately chartered Unali’yi Lodge. In 1946 Newbery was elected National Lodge Treasurer at the National Meeting at Chanute Field. Newbery also kept his Vigil at the 1946 Meeting and was given a Vigil name meaning “The Willing One”.

In 1948 J. Rucker Newbery edited the first Order of the Arrow Handbook. The book was an immediate success and was a requisite requirement for the OA becoming fully integrated into the BSA. Newbery was also an early patch collector. The OA Handbook was the first time groups of patches were photographed for members. This contributed to the growth of patch trading. Newbery was honored for his leadership and service with the OA Distinguished Service Award in 1948, a time when there had been fewer than 25 recipients.

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OA Official Part of BSA

It was announced at the 1948 NOAC that the Order of the Arrow would be fully incorporated into the Boy Scouts of America. In a process that had started in 1921 with the first national organization, the Order of the Arrow had finally realized its most ambitious and desired goal. This announcement was met with some acrimony from Arrowmen concerned about the BSA taking over the Order. While the national OA leadership had been fully dedicated for over 15 years to achieving this goal, many Arrowmen took pride in the autonomy of the Order.

It had happened incrementally. In 1922 WWW was labeled an Official BSA experiment. Starting in 1932 the OA was thoroughly investigated by the BSA and made a Scout program in 1934, effective January 1, 1935. Once an official program the Order grew rapidly. The OA grew from 43 active lodges at the end of 1934 to 362 active lodges in 1948. The OA had become a true national organization operating in every region of the country.

The OA did have to make some changes to gain full integration into the BSA program. Because of religious objections that had existed for decades regarding the ceremonies everything had to be reviewed and often re-written. Another issue was some members of the OA while elected as Scouts had allowed their BSA registration to lapse. As a BSA run only active members of the Scouts could be active Arrowmen. The OA also had to change some terminology.

There was also an agreement regarding youth leadership. As in Scout troops, leadership positions in lodges and eventually areas and regions would be changes to youth leadership with adult advisers. That however did not affect the national leadership that negotiated with the BSA. The OA would form the National OA Committee and would have their jobs made dramatically easier with BSA supervision. For example, supply problems had beleaguered the OA since the beginning. With the fantastic growth of the Order, it made supplying the local lodges incredibly difficult for volunteer Arrowmen (although many were Scout professionals, this was something they did as volunteers.) Under the BSA, National Supply would take over service to the local lodges. A professional would be provided to the Order to handle the clerical and administrative duties allowing the National OA Committee to focus on other matters such as policy and developing area meetings throughout the Order.

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Goodman & Edson's Sons Killed in WW II

(Do we) find the cost of freedom, buried in the ground
Mother earth will swallow you, lay your body down
Find the cost of freedom, buried in the ground
Mother earth will swallow you, lay your body down
Find the cost of freedom buried in the ground

- lyrics Find the Cost of Freedom by Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young

Having both lived and served through the Great War as young men, the most horrific of personal losses struck the co-founders of the Order of the Arrow in a five week period during World War II.

Both then-Lt. Col. Carroll Edson and E. Urner Goodman lost sons in combat in neighboring corners of the war in Europe.

In October 1944 First Lieutenant Stuart Partridge Edson – Partridge was his mother’s maiden name -- was serving as the Adjutant for the 23^rd Armored Infantry Battalion in the area of Overloon, The Netherlands. The 24-year-old Eagle Scout was the Edson’s oldest son.

In those duties Lt. Edson had just signed the official After Action Report of the Battalion for the month of September on 4 Oct. 1944 (military dates place the date first then the month then the year) – placing him near the fluid front, which had degenerated into almost trench warfare.

Lt. Edson and Tech Sgt Norman D. Penn, his driver, were driving from the rear area, at night, to the front line in newly acquired territory. While the territory was a flat area it was festooned with trees and hedges and constantly peppered with shrapnel, rifle and machinegun fire. In the darkness, driving upon unfamiliar roads they apparently took a wrong turn and went missing.

It was not until after the war, when Lt. Col. Carroll Edson urged a British area major who was the administrator for the liberated area to attempt to locate Lt. Edson’s remains. He found them, not in one of the many temporary military graveyards, but in the Trans-Cedron Roman Catholic Cemetery at Oostrum. In August of 1945. The grave was marked with a cross that read "Lt. Stuart Edson / 7 Americk Pz. D. / Born 20/6/1920 / Died 5/10/1944 (European dates feature the day before the month - October 5, 1944).

Interviews with three residents in the area determined that a German soldier, apparently driving a motorbike, brought Lt. Edson’s body to the Marten family in Oostrum. He explained that the officer had died during transit. Lt. Edson’s remains were subsequently relocated to a military cemetery on 5 March 1946.

While Stuart Partridge Edson and Norman D. Penn were dying in Holland, Private First Class George Goodman and his fellow infantrymen of the 324^th Infantry Regiment, 44^th Infantry Division, were fighting their way towards the German border just above its convergence with Switzerland. PFC Goodman, the youngest son of E. Urner and Louise Goodman, was fighting with the Company B on 14 November 1944 Bravo Company near Embermanil, France.

As he advanced across open terrain towards an enemy-held woods, Private First Class Goodman, acting scout for his squad, was hit in the leg by a sniper’s bullet. He immediately returned the fire, either killing or wounding the enemy sniper. During this action a hostile machinegun located on the edge of the woods opened fire on his squad. With complete disregard for his own safety, Private First Class Goodman gallantly charged the enemy machine gun nest, firing his rifle as he limped into the hail of enemy fire. The courage and fighting spirit displayed by Private First Class Goodman are in keeping with the finest traditions of the Armed Forces. Private First Class Goodman was later reported fatally wounded as a result of this action.

-General Orders Number 182, 8 May 1945 Award, Posthumous, of the Distinguished-Service Cross.

The Distinguished Service Cross is the second highest award for valor awarded by the U.S. Department of the Army exceeded only by the Congressional Medal of Honor. PFC Goodman’s body lies in rest in the American Military Cemetery at Epinal, France.

It is ironic that both Goodman and Edson, two men that devoted their lifetime to serving the young men of America, lost their own young sons in service to the country.

2, Founders, George Goodman, Goodman, OA, Scouting, Stuart Edson

Third (and last) Official Jeweler

The Order of the Arrow beginning in 1922 had selected an Official OA Jeweler, to make insignia including totem pins. The first jeweler was the National Jewelry Company. In 1927 The Grand Lodge selected Hood and Company as the second Jeweler. In Early 1945 Jennings Hood sold his company to J.E. Caldwell and Company and went to work for them. His stunning jeweler dies were retained; the back die was changed to show the new hallmark.

J.E. Caldwell like the two previous Official Jewelers was located in Philadelphia. Their quality was considered so fine; J. E. Caldwell was called the Tiffany’s of Philadelphia. Because the vast majority of known Brotherhood and Vigil totem pins bear the Caldwell hallmark, the pins are often called “Caldwell Pins”.

Caldwell remained the official jeweler throughout the 1950s. Most lodges ceased using totem pins by 1962. They were still listed as the Official Jeweler in the OA National Bulletin as late as winter, 1968. In early 1973 the OA stated that J.E. Caldwell was no longer the Official Jeweler and to direct all inquiries to National Supply.

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