6th National Executive Secretary

On May 16, 1974 National Executive Secretary David “Dave” Boshea was promoted to National Field Representative, East Central Region. Boshea was a tireless enthusiastic popular National Secretary for the OA. Due to financial restraints affecting the BSA the new Secretary did not take over until October 1, 1974.

The new Executive Secretary, William “Bill” Downs, had previously worked for Boys Life. Downs was a lifelong Arrowman having been inducted in July of 1941. He would set a new standard for tenure in the office serving for the next eleven years.

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1974 National Planning Meeting First Region Chiefs

In 1974 the National Planning Meeting returned to Schiff Scout Reservation, Mendham, New Jersey. Holding the meeting near the national headquarters was cost effective and efficient. Brad Haddock from Hi-Cha-Ko-Lo Lodge, Wichita, Kansas was elected National Chief. Brad Haddock would later be the only youth National Chief to later serve as National Committee Chairman. Eddie Stumler, who had previously served as a Deputy Conference Vice Chief was elected National Vice Chief. Deputy Conference Vice Chiefs selected were Jim Barbieri, Keven Bowling, Kerry Cheesman, Kevin Holloway, Larry Leach, Tom Trzybinski and Charles Wisdom.

For the first time since the days of the Grand Lodge, region chiefs were elected. Unlike in the 1930s these were youth chiefs.

The first six region chiefs elected were: Ron Amen - North Central Region Chief, David Avant - South Central Region Chief, Kerry Cheesman - Western Region Chief, Peter Grimm - Northeast Region Chief, Max Miller - East Central Region Chief and Bruce Sanders - Southeast Region Chief.

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Regional OA Structure Formed

George Feil, National OA Committee Chairman was known for taking the time to properly consider an idea and then implementing it. In 1975 The National OA Committee under Feil’s guidance created a new regional structure within the OA corresponding with the six BSA regions. The new system had a Regional Committee in each region along with a youth Region Chief and a Regional Chairman who would also serve on the National OA Committee. The usage of youth leadership under adult supervision allowed for more young men to participate at a very high level.

The first Region Chairmen selected were all members of the National OA Committee.

They were:

Northeast Region - Gary Bonas;

Southeast Region - Kenneth P. Davis;

East Central Region - Bob Bradshaw;

South Central Region - Ed Luckett;

and North Central Region - Sid North;

Western Region - George Flanagan.

The regional OA system was an immediate success. It allowed targeted promotion of the NOAC and better dissemination of information. The formation of the Regional OA Committees is the most significant structural change in the OA since 1948 when the National OA Committee was formed.

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NOAC 1975

The Order of the Arrow returned to Miami University, Oxford, Ohio for the 60th Anniversary National Order of the Arrow Conference. The last time the OA had visited the campus was 23 years earlier in 1952. There were 4,200 Arrowmen in attendance. The Conference theme was, “Foundations for the Future”.

A new feature at the NOAC was a chance to ask questions of key leadership Arrowmen. The name of this new feature was “Meet the Man.” Founder E. Urner Goodman, Chief Scout Alden G. Barber, National Chairman George Feil and National Chief Brad Haddock among others answered questions asked by delegates.

E. Urner Goodman continued the tradition of giving the closing challenge following the presentation of the OA Distinguished Service Award (DSA). Goodman had earlier in the year indicated because of age (he was 84 in 1975) and health that he would not be able to attend any further OA functions. However, the Founder was not quite ready to retire from the OA.

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1975 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 1975 National Order of the Arrow Conference - Joe B. Alexander, Robert B. Alvis, Alden G. Barber, Roger D. Billica, Lonnie L. Bone, John T. Cox, Sterly G. Dossmann, Carl X. Forrester, Clarence A. Graves, Greg A. Guy, Donald J. Hansen, Clifford D. Harmon, A. Camp Hopkins Jr., Dennis J. Kohl, Ned C. Krouskop, Delbert W. Loder, Willie J. Long Jr., Steven L. McMurtry, James R. Neidhoefer, Richard J. Sanders Sr., Daniel T. Segersin, Ronald J. Temple, Thomas J. Webb and Noel K. Zakin.

3, Awards, OA, Scouting

National OA Committee Opposes Restrictions on Patches

A topic of great consternation in the 1960s and 70s was the matter of “restrictions” on OA badges. The term “restriction” references limits placed on Arrowmen regarding their ownership and usage of OA patches.

In the early years restrictions did not apply. The first insignia were pins and they were generally made of gold or silver. Because of the cost of the insignia no one was interested in trading them and there was no need to have duplicates. These items were constructively restricted to one per lifetime, no trade. However, starting in the 1930s trading badges as fellowship became an increasingly popular activity at OA gatherings.

Some lodges wanted to restrict their insignia to only their members. These restrictions took various forms. Lodges like Kepayshowink Lodge of Saginaw, Michigan, restricted their badges by placing a “no trade” restriction on them. That meant an Arrowman outside of the lodge had to convince a fellow Arrowman to break their trust with their lodge in order to obtain a flap from him. There were many types of restrictions. Walika Lodge of Van Nuys, California restricted their flaps to one per OA advancement (creating a three flap maximum). In Topa Topa Lodge of Ventura California they had the same restriction with an additional flap available if a lodge member climbed Chief’s Peak. Other lodges restricted their flaps to one per year; one per 8 hours of service; two per lifetime, etc.

In general the highest restriction was “one per lifetime”. An early example of this was the first flap issued by Uncas Lodge of Norwich, Connecticut. When their flap was first issued in 1950 members received their one and only flap in a unique way. As candidates were being inducted during their Ordeal Honor ceremony, as they received their first OA handshake with their left hands they received their flap in their right hand with the following admonition,

This flap is like your right hand; you only get one of them in a lifetime.

The National OA Committee was not pleased with such imagery, equating an emblem of OA membership to a body part.

Restrictions at times created problems and tempers flared. At a NOAC in the 1950s the members of Blue Heron Lodge, Virginia Beach, Virginia touted their stunning diamond shaped badge on their lodge neckerchiefs and indicated that they had a “no trade” restriction. Stories circulated throughout the conference that one might be had for 50 badges. A group of “traders” pooled their flaps together and obtained an example. Then, this group ceremoniously burned the patch in front of the Blue Heron Lodge members to protest the restriction.

This was not brotherhood. It reflected poorly on patch trading and contributed to giving the hobby a bad name.

In 1960, Canaliño Lodge of Santa Barbara, California decided that they had to have the most restricted flap of all time. They placed a one per lifetime restriction on their badges and added two caveats. First, only Brotherhood Honor members could receive a flap and second, they had to agree to never trade or sell it. After at least one Canaliño Lodge flap traded hands the lodge serial numbered the back of the flaps and had each Scout pledge on their honor as a Scout that they would never trade or otherwise exchange their flap. Arrowmen in the lodge faced expulsion if they traded their patch away.

The National OA Committee felt that this was an inappropriate use of the Scout oath. It was being used to control members in a way never envisioned by the committee. Arrowmen in Canaliño Lodge would not bring their Scout shirts with their flap on it to Area and National Conferences out of fear of them being stolen.

Restrictions meant for many Scouts that they could not experience the common fellowship of a simple one for one trade with a handshake. In late 1975, led by National Chief Brad Haddock, the following statement appeared in the OA National Bulletin,

The National Order of the Arrow Committee strongly recommends removal of all restrictions on Order of the Arrow patches.

Within five years virtually all lodges ceased the practice of restricting their standard issue flaps. Limits still existed on contingent and award items, but the era of lodges only issuing restricted flaps was over.

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National Leadership Seminars Begin

Regional training conferences in the 1960s laid the foundation for the eventual establishment of the National Leadership Seminar (NLS) program. Formal planning for the NLS program began in January 1976 when an idea by youth National Chief Brad Haddock under the mentorship of Chairman Geoge Feil was presented. The primary focus would be on the lodge key three, with section officer involvement. Lodges would be able to participate at least once every three years. It took two years of planning to complete the seminar syllabus and administrative guide.

The program was announced at the 1977 NOAC and was introduced in 1978.

A total of nine seminars were held in almost all of the regions during the first year and it was very apparent from the beginning that NLS would have a tremendous positive impact on the operation of lodges. By the end of 1979, the program was in full swing with over 1,800 Arrowmen from 354 lodges having participated.

Though the format and training topics would change over the years, this signature training course has proven to be one of the most significant programs as a vehicle for cohesion and raising the standards of the Order.

3, OA, Scouting

New OA Logo

In late 1975 the Order of the Arrow began usage of a new logo that replaced the original OA jacket patch that had been in use since 1967.  There was a need for a simpler design that could more easily be re-created by local lodges and would reproduce well on the black and white photocopiers in use at the time.

Commercial artist and DSA recipient Michael Feigenbaum created the new design that featured an American Indian.

The emblem first appeared at the 1972 National Planning Meeting and was distributed as clip-art prior to the 1973 NOAC.  

The design became an immediate success and became affectionately known as the “MGM Indian” logo because of its resemblance to the MGM lion logo popular at the time.

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1969 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 1969 National Order of the Arrow Conference - David W. Boone, Marcel Cinquina, Vincent J. Dunn Jr., William Fuller, Robert C. Griffin Jr., William C. Ingersoll, Donald Jorgenson, Dabney Kennedy, Alvin W. Kidder, David H. King, B. Edward Luckett, Peter J. Osina, Frederick J. Peters, Randolph R. Scott, A. J. Stanovich and Robert F. Szczys.

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OA Promotional Filmstrip

From time to time the Order of the Arrow would develop a filmstrip to promote the Order, camping and service. A filmstrip is just what it sounds like; it is a group of photo slides compiled together like a film, complete with sprockets on each side to advance the film one frame at a time.

Typically a phonograph record or tape recording accompanied the filmstrip and a tone would tell the projectionist to advance the film. Filmstrips were commonly used in schools and businesses and most BSA training for adults included the use of filmstrips. 

The new 1970 OA filmstrip titled Heritage of Service was not for home use; it was for watching at lodge and chapter meetings. Among those involved in making this film were National Secretary David Boshea and future Conference Vice Chief and Ceremony Advisory Group (CAG) member Jay Dunbar (shown in picture).

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First Youth OA Leader Passes

In May of 1970, George Chapman passed away. Chapman was inducted August 13, 1915, a charter member of Wimachtendienk. During the first membership meeting of the WWW, Chapman as a youth became chairman of the constitution subcommittee as well as the overall organization committee. He became the first chief of Wimachtendienk in 1916, helping to lay the foundations for the Order of the Arrow (OA).

Chapman became the eighth Vigil Honor recipient on November 5, 1921; his Vigil Honor name “Netami” translates to “The First” as a tribute to his place as the first chief and first youth leader of WWW.

On December 27, 1942 Chapman was appointed to the post of National Vigil Honor Secretary, responsible for keeping all Vigil Honor records. H

e served in this position until December 31, 1952.

George 

Chapman received the Distinguis

hed Service

 Award (DSA) in 1946 and served the National OA Committee for decades.

3, OA, Scouting

1970 National Planning Meeting

The 1970 end of the year National Planning Meeting was held near the University of Illinois at Harrison House, Lake Bluff, Illinois. Along with the traditional planning and walk through of the 1971 NOAC site were national officer elections.

Since 1948 the youth lead position was called National Conference Chief. This was because the chief was elected to be in charge of the conference and his term ended at the conclusion of the conference. It also was a very different position than the old adult positions of National Chief and National Vice Chief that was traditionally filled by aan adult Scout professional.

Starting in 1970, the elected Chief and Vice Chief would serve for a full two-year term. The positions names were re-named National Chief and National Vice Chief (of course completely different positions than the old adult positions of the same names).

Paul Pruit of Nishkin Halupa A Pe Lachi Lodge, Fort Worth, Texas was elected National Chief. Jim Widmaier from Chippecotton Lodge, Racine, Wisconsin was elected National Vice Chief. Deputy National Conference Chiefs selected were Kent Lamoreux, Chuck Gibbs, Earle Brazile, Gordon Rubard, Brent Smith, Chuck Barber and Jay Dunbar.

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