NOAC 1981

The 1981 National Order of the Arrow Conference was held at the University of Texas, Austin. This was the first Conference held since the passing of E. Urner Goodman. A memorial was a portion of the opening show and the Founder’s Award was announced to the 3,200 delegates. Goodman’s likeness adorned the official NOAC pocket patch. This Conference also had the first Founder’s Day, starting a tradition that instantly became a NOAC favorite.

The Conference theme reflected on Goodman’s life and his work. "First a Spark, Now a Flame" recalling how the OA started on one transformative night on a distant island camp in the middle of the Delaware River, and now had inducted well over a million honor Scouts from across the nation and around the world.  Louise Goodman attended the conference, spoke and received the Red Arrow Award.

The conference featured training and the usual competitions in Indian Dance, ceremonies and sports.  The Distinguished Service Award (DSA) was presented.

1981 was the last time that a NOAC and National Jamboree occurred in the same year. They had previously coincided in 1950, 1969, 1973 and 1977 as well as for the USA hosted 1967 World Jamboree. While the OA had provided service corps at each of these jamborees, the increased dependency on Arrowmen to run a Jamboree made holding a NOAC in the same year prohibitive. Too many of the National OA Committee members and much of the key staff would be over committed. The needs of the BSA come first thus NOACs often have to skip a year to be compatible with the National Jamboree schedule.

3, National Event, OA, Scouting

National Indian Seminar Cancelled

Due to the tremendous success of the first National Indian Seminar held at Philmont Scout Ranch in 1974, the idea of holding another similar event was being discussed even before the first one concluded. With the untimely death of Maury Clancy late in 1974, longtime Arrowman Don Thom became the driving force behind all OA national Indian events from 1975 well into the 1990s. Don was appointed to the National OA Committee in July of 1974, and soon afterward was named Lead Adviser of Indian Events. He attended the National Planning Meeting for the 1975 National Order of the Arrow Conference (NOAC) at Schiff Scout Reservation in December of 1974, and it was at this meeting that plans were developed for the second National Indian Seminar. Once plans were finalized, the National OA Committee announced at the 60^th Anniversary NOAC that the OA would sponsor a second National Indian Seminar during the summer of 1976. The event was scheduled for July 15-27, 1976 at Camp Tallchief on the John Zink Scout Ranch located near Skiatook, Oklahoma.

The purpose for a second National Indian Seminar was to continue to provide support to the Order of the Arrow’s nationwide emphasis on American Indian culture and crafts, and to aid Arrowmen in studying the many histories and traditions of Native Americans. The hope was that the knowledge gained by the delegates would help to improve the quality and authenticity of the Order of the Arrow’s Indian program.

To increase nationwide participation, section chiefs were able to nominate three delegates to represent their section at the two-week seminar. In addition to gaining lodge, council, and section approval to attend the event, delegates were required to have some basic knowledge and understanding of Indian culture, be OA members in good standing and be between the ages of 14 and 18. The announced cost of the seminar was to be $150.00 per participant.

However, despite all of the great planning and nationwide advertising of the second seminar, the event received only a few advanced registrations by the deadline date and was cancelled due to insufficient participation. Much speculation arose as to why interest in the proposed event was so low. It was determined that re-conceptualizing the seminar to accommodate it to a different location and to a different set of objectives, such as making it bigger and more accessible to participants would prove more successful.

The cancellation of the second National Indian Seminar gave the planners more time to develop an even better event two years later in 1978.

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1976 National Planning Meeting

In 1976 the National Planning Meeting returned to the site of the upcoming NOAC. This time it was held at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. The section chiefs performed the typical planning meeting functions of selecting the Conference theme, the patch design and arranging the program. They also elected Chris Boswell, Wewanoma Lodge, San Benito, Texas National Chief and Rick Burton, Nayawin Rar Lodge, Goldsboro, North Carolina National Vice Chief.

The Region Chiefs elected were:

   Larry Ewaska – East Central Region

   Charles Clabots – North Central Region

   Eric Helgemoe – North East Region

   Dave Worland – South East Region

   Tim Osborn – South Central Region

   Skip Breland – Western Region.

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1977 National Jamboree

The 1977 National Scout Jamboree was held at Moraine State Park, Pennsylvania, from August 3 to 9 with the theme “Forward Together”. 28,601 Scouts participated in the Jamboree.

Special appearances were made by the current Miss Teenage America, Country singer Dottie West, Olympics decathlon champ Bruce Jenner and the highlight of the closing show was entertainment provided by Lone Scout Burl Ives by his singing a medley of his hit songs. Another highlight was the re-creation of the Brownsea Island encampment where twenty-one Scouts and two leaders played the games and practiced the skills from 1907 in period clothing as worn by the world’s first Scouts. To reflect the sign of the times and the National effort to convert to the metric system, all troops were given a special “Scout Metric Measuring Kit”. 4½ inches (11.4 cm) of rain fell over a two-day period, but that did not dampen the spirits of the Jamboree participants (although Moraine State Park became known to all in attendance as “More rain” State Park).

1977 would mark the year where the OA would expand its role beyond handling functions other than an OA Service Corps. Prior to the jamboree in 1975, it was announced that both Chairman George Feil and National Chief Brad Haddock were named to the 1977 Jamboree Committee.

The Order also started to play a more significant role in the Jamboree behind the scenes. National Vice Chairman Carl Marchetti was appointed as Chairman of the Youth Staff Subcamp. National Chairman George Feil directed the Youth Staff Satellite, and National Executive Secretary William Downs served as Associate Director of the Youth Staff Subcamp. This subcamp was established for the first time to have one place for oversight and welfare for all youth staff (aged 16 to 20). Having these youth scattered throughout the Jamboree had led to problems in the past, and Marchetti and Downs made the first effort to provide consolidated oversight to the 600- 800 youth staff. No matter what their program assignment was on site, they would be housed, fed, and provided transportation, recreation, and other services by an OA led team. This practice would continue for Jamborees to come and eventually would be expanded to include increased leadership in more Jamboree areas provided by OA personnel.

The OA presented an exhibit in the National Exhibits area showcasing the Order. Among the items displayed were sample OA items, including the E. Urner Goodman Camping Award and the new OA back patch. A video promoting the 1977 NOAC was also presented.

The OA Service Corps, with 129 Arrowmen performed a multitude of duties. Jobs included things such as setting up tents (over 500), hosting special guests, serving as ushers, participating in the opening and closing flag ceremonies, assembling props for the Jamboree shows, assembling bicycles for staff use (over 200), providing arrival and departure information to the troops, providing traffic directions and parking information, interviewing Scouts for the Jamboree Journal’s “Inquiring Reporter” and much more. Many of the jobs came in as requests for specific tasks – about 75 to 100 new requests each day.

A special “OA Meeting” was held, with over 2,500 Arrowmen in attendance that included an appearance by OA Co-Founder, Col. Carroll A. Edson. Other highlights were a preview of the 1977 NOAC and the singing of the conference song “A Thing of the Spirit” and the presentation of the OA Distinguished Service Award to Chief Scout Executive Harvey L. Price by National OA Committee Chairman George Feil.

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NOAC 1977

In 1977, the OA gathered in the South for a National Order of the Arrow Conference for the first time . The University of Tennessee, Knoxville received the honor of hosting the 62nd Anniversary Conference.

The Order had first attempted a southern National Meeting in 1942 at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, but that meeting was canceled because of war restrictions. At the time the meeting would have had to exclude non-white members because the campus was segregated. This time when the OA came to the South that was no longer a problem (The University of Tennessee had desegregated 25 years earlier).

There were 3,900 Arrowmen in attendance including the Founders Goodman and Edson.

The conference theme in 1977 was “A Thing of the Spirit”. At the closing show, the OA Distinguished Service Award (DSA) was presented and E. Urner Goodman gave his traditional closing challenge.

Could I please have the lights on in the auditorium? I’d like to see all of my Brothers as I talk to them…

Goodman challenged the assembled Brotherhood at only one more Conference.

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1977 DSA Recipients

The Distinguished Service Award (DSA) is presented to those Arrowmen who have rendered distinguished and outstanding service to the Order on a sectional, regional, or national basis. The following were presented the DSA at the 1977 National Order of the Arrow Conference - Joe P. Alexander, Ronald Amen, David Avant, James Richard Barbieri, J. Fred Billett, James Bernard Borsig, Robert J. Bradshaw, Roscoe R. Bryant, Kerry Cheesman, Olvin Alexander Crenshaw, Kenneth P. Davis, William F. Downs, Jay Y. Dunbar Jr., Michael Thomas Feeney, George Flanagan, John B. Forrest Jr., Carroll E. France Jr., William E. Grau, Bradley Haddock, Kevin Holloway, Walter J. Hrycenko, James A. Merry, Paul W. Moore, Thomas S. Pallone, Harvey L. Price, Bruce A. Sanders, Edward Stumler, Charles Saunders Wisdom and Craig Atley Younkman.

3, Awards, Davis, Downs, Dunbar, Forrest, Haddock, OA, Scouting

Fifth National OA Committee Chair

After a record eighteen years serving as National Order of the Arrow Committee Chairman, L. George Feil retired from the position in 1978. National Boy Scout Committee Chairman Alec Chesser named Thomas G. McBride as Feil’s able replacement.Tom McBride was inducted into the Order of the Arrow in 1939 as a member of Anicus Lodge, Wilkinsburg, Pennsylvania.

McBride then served as the Official Scout Bugler at his local Scout camp for the 1940 National Meeting held at Camp Twin Echo. Twelve years later in 1952, McBride received the OA’s Distinguished Service Award. He was appointed to the National OA Committee in 1953 and later served as a Vice Chairman.

McBride served as National OA Committee Chair six and a half years until 1984 when Dr. Carl Marchetti became the new Chairman. Tom McBride was honored with the inaugural Lifetime Achievement Award in 2002 in part for his service as Chair and over fifty years of service on the National OA Committee.

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Second National Indian Seminar

After a four-year absence due to the cancellation of the 1976 event, the second National Indian Seminar was held at Camp George Thomas in Apache, Oklahoma from August 13-19, 1978. Approximately 170 Arrowmen from around the country participated in the event that for the first time saw both youth and adult participants. Like the first seminar, the purpose for a second National Indian Seminar was the continued emphasis on American Indian culture and crafts, and to educate Arrowmen on the histories and traditions of Native Americans. National OA Committee member and Lead Adviser for Indian Events, Don Thom continued to be the driving force behind this spectacular event. Don was assisted by a knowledgeable program staff and numerous special guests that included Miss Susan Arkaketa (1978 Miss Indian America); Miss Margo Dee Kerrigan (1977 Alternate Miss Indian America); Mrs. Nettie Showaway; and Scott & Doris Tonemah.

The cost of the seven-day seminar was $90.00 per participant, and included numerous subjects relating to the cultures of the Northern & Southern Plains, Southwestern, Northeastern, and Southern Indians. Special sessions were held on the Caddo and Plateau Cultures, as well as on contemporary issues of the American Indian.

Knowledgeable Arrowmen and hobbyists did an outstanding job conducting the sessions making this a successful event. In addition to the opening and closing pow wows, the highlight of the seminar was the field trip to Anadarko, Oklahoma. The field trip included visits to the Bureau of Indian Affairs, McKee’s Indian Store, the Indian Heritage Museum, and Indian City. The field trip concluded with a visit to the Annual Indian Exhibition Pageant where Arrowmen had the opportunity to see American Indian handicraft and dancing at its finest. Participants experienced first hand the everyday life of American Indians in Oklahoma. 

By any standard of measure, the 1978 National Indian Seminar was a huge success.  The next National Indian Seminar would be held in 1980.

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Insignia to Include BSA Protection

In 1976, in part to have trademark and proprietary protections, the Boy Scouts of America mandated that all patches be marked. The mark could take the form of writing, “BSA”, “Boy Scouts of America” or “Scouting /USA”. Alternatively a fleur-de-lis or trefoil could be used.

This requirement applied to all OA patches as well.

While not foolproof, the lack of the presence of the proprietary mark on an OA patch typically means that the badge pre-dates 1976.  Patch traders often refer to badges issued prior to 1976 as "Pre fleur-de-lis".

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NOAC 1973

For the first time, the Order of the Arrow came to the west coast and held the 58th Anniversary National Conference at the University of California, Santa Barbara. 4,400 delegates attended the NOAC many making the cross-country trek.

The idea of going to California was extremely popular and the Conference was officially an early sell out. Even with this success, the Order has not returned to the west coast since and has preferred locations more central to the Scout population.

Among the special California activities, a highlight for many Arrowmen included OA Day at Disneyland. “New Horizons of Service” was the conference theme.

Chief Scout Executive Alden Barber again opened the conference challenging the delegates. Founders Goodman and Edson were in attendance.

As in the past, long lines formed anytime the two of them sat down; deluged by Arrowmen desirous of having their Arrow sashes signed by the Founders.

The Distinguished Service Award (DSA) was presented and E. Urner Goodman again gave his challenge to Arrowmen at the conclusion of the conference.

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1973 DSA Recipients

The Distinguished Service Award (DSA) is presented to those Arrowmen who have rendered distinguished and outstanding service to the Order on a sectional, regional, or national basis. The following were presented the DSA at the 1973 National Order of the Arrow Conference - Jack C. Biltz, John F. Blodgett, David J. Boshea, Ray Capp, Randall Cline, Charles R. Copeland, Michael Feigenbaum, Douglas Fleury, W. Shirell Fox, Charles C. Gibbs, Michael Goldware, Kenneth Hayman, Carl E. Kramer, Kent Lamoreux, John McLaughlin, Wesley K. Morgan, Paul Pruitt, Ronald Rupp, David W. Snyder, Mark Torbeck, H. Thomas Trotter, James Widmaier, Donald L. Wylie and Gregory Ziegler.

3, Awards, OA, Scouting

Only Two Councils Without OA

At the beginning of 1974 there were still three BSA councils that did not have Order of the Arrow. Long Beach Area Council, Long Beach, California had the Tribe of Tahquitz. Pony Express Council, of St. Joseph, Missouri, and the Kansas City Area Council, Kansas City, Missouri ran Mic-O-Say instead of Order of the Arrow.

In early 1974 Kaw Council, Kansas City, Kansas merged with Kansas City Area Council and formed Heart of America Council. When they did, the already existing Tamegonit Lodge from Kaw Council spread OA throughout the new council. Heart of America has continued to maintain Mic-O-Say.

After nearly 60 years, the OA had expanded into roughly 99.5% of BSA councils. Most holdouts to embracing the OA during the 1960s and 1970s either had Scout Executives that did not want OA or were fiercely loyal to local Non-OA honor societies. Long Beach Area Council chartered its first OA lodge in 2012.  Pony Express Council remains the only BSA council without OA,  based on their allegiance to a local non-OA honor society.

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