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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Area System Reorganized

On January 1,1973 the OA announced the greatest change to the Area/Section system of lodge organization in 25 years.

This time the change was not from expansion. Instead it was triggered by the contraction of the region system from 12 numbered regions to six named regions. Also, with the rising number of council/lodge mergers reorganization, it made sense to consolidate.

This time each region was first broken down into areas with subdivisions called sections.

For example North Central Region was divided into three areas. They were Area NC-1, Area NC-2 and Area NC-3.

These Areas were further subdivided into sections, so in Area NC-1 there was a Section NC-1A and an NC-1B.

This system remained in place until December of 1992 when the six BSA regions were consolidated to four regions.

At that time the lodges were reassigned in a similar fashion to the 1973 reorganization.

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1973 National Jamboree

The 1973 National Scout Jamboree was split between two locations: Farragut State Park, Idaho (August 1 to 7) and Moraine State Park, Pennsylvania (August 3 to 9) with the theme “Growing Together”. A total of 73,610 Scouts participated in this first and only dual Jamboree that featured “home troops” as opposed to the traditional council contingent jamboree troops.

The intent was to have “one” Jamboree at two locations, so event results and activities were shared and communicated between the two sites. There were no regional winners, but there was one Jamboree winner for each event. Scouts at the Jamboree West saw comedian Bob Hope and Scouts at the Jamboree East saw entertainer Danny Thomas.

“Firsts” that occurred at the two Jamborees were the introduction of a Merit Badge Midway, an Arts and Sciences Expo, and the inclusion of a host of new patrol and individual competitions, including athletic events and an orienteering test.

The OA provided a total of 10 Service Troops (5 at each location) with each troop comprised of 37 Scouts and three Leaders. Service duties at both Jamborees included supporting activities such as traffic control, assistants at the arena and the shows, aides to personnel, office assistants, program aides and a variety of other tasks.

In addition, the 1973 jamboree would, for the first time, use a Youth Advisory Committee formed from OA members. A total of 36 Arrowmen were elected at the 1971 NOAC (three from each of the then twelve Regions) to serve on the committee.

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OA Day at Disneyland

On Monday, August 20, 1973 the Order of the Arrow (OA) hosted the first, and only, Order of the Arrow Day at Disneyland theme park in Anaheim, California. For most Arrowmen this was their first visit to one of the Magic Kingdoms. This event was held the day before the 1973 NOAC officially started.

The price was $5.50 per person, which included admission, 11 rides, and a meal. Most participants arrived early in the afternoon and stayed in the park until after the 9:30 PM renowned Main Street Electric Light Parade.

The only similar event in OA history was in 1933, when delegates to the Grand Lodge Meeting in Chicago went to the Chicago Century of Progress World’s Fair.

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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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