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

1981 National Jamboree

In 1981, the National Scout Jamboree moved to Fort A.P. Hill, Virginia, which would be the permanent location for many jamborees to come. The jamboree was held from July 29 to August 4 with the theme “Scouting’s Reunion with History”. 29,765 Scouts participated in the Jamboree.

The opening show was a spectacular that featured twenty-four hundred Scouts acting out “America’s Heritage” from colonial times to the present. Patrol activities became standard and for the first time, schedules of patrol activities were computerized. On arriving at the jamboree, each troop received a computer printout of the activities available to its patrols, and activity tickets to go with them.

Continuing the practice established at the 1977 jamboree, National Vice Chairman Carl Marchetti again served as the Chairman of Youth Services and National Executive Secretary Bill Downs served as Director for a total of approximately 800 youth Jamboree staff.

Past National Committee Chairman George Feil served as the director of the OA Service Corps. Service duties continued as at past Jamborees and included such duties as ushers during arena shows, conducting flag ceremonies, logistics support, aides to personnel, office assistants, program aides and a variety of other tasks.

After the Jamboree, the National OA Committee concluded that the increased involvement by the OA and its leadership in producing a Jamboree had grown to the point that it would not be practicable in the future to hold a National OA Conference in a Jamboree year. 1981 marked the last summer with both a Jamboree and a NOAC.

3, National Event, OA, Scouting

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

1981 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 1981 National Order of the Arrow Conference - George Andrews, Nelson Craig Bass, Robert Dale Beaty, Hugh T. Bender Sr., Jeffrey Thomas Britton, Larry Brown, Paul Webb Carter, James L. Chandler, Gary D. Christiansen, Joseph D. Clark, James W. Clough, Richard E. Gingras, Richard W. Good, Jerry L. Harben, Samuel H. Hathaway, Jeff Herrmann, William H. Hofmann, Roger Hoyme, Eugene Jackson Jr., James E. Johnson, Brian Kasal, Joseph Alexander, Charles Rowan Lindsay, Leonard Louis Lucchi, Robert D. Matthews, Joseph J. Merton, J.M. Montgomery, Danny R. Musick, Sherwood F. "Rick" Obermeyer, Robert L. Pattison Jr., Donald A. Peters, Edgar W. Reeves, Stephen Douglas Shawley, Herbert H. "Dusty" Sparks Jr., John Haywood Taylor, Robert S. Thornton, Jody Troyan, Edward J. Wacker and Stephen F. Willis.

3, Awards, OA, Scouting

1979 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 1979 National Order of the Arrow Conference - Albert E. Bender Jr., Jeffrey Bevan Sr., Gerald J. Bisson, Gary H. Bonas Jr., Chris Boswell, William J. Breland, William R. Bryant, Rick Burton, Carroll J. Carbonneau, Charles Clabots, Lawrence J. Ewaska, Bryce J. Fairbanks, Bradley K. Harris, Eric Helgemoe, Michael H. Holmes, William F. Ketron, Ben Lindsay, Richard MacDonald, Paul Roy Martinez, E. Ray Mueller, Tommy E. Nelson, Sheridan U. Nunn, C. Timothy Osborn, Jay E. Schnapp, Virgil L. Smith, Charles S. Sullivan, Gilson M. Talmadge, James L. Tarr, Edward Trust and David Worland.

3, Awards, OA, Scouting

OA Personal Involvement Award 1980

The 1980 Arrowman’s Personal Involvement Award was created for Arrowmen to serve the Scouting program where their primary responsibility lies, at the unit level. The award was adopted by the National OA Committee and was introduced at the 1979 National Order of the Arrow Conference (NOAC).

The requirements for the award were created to allow Arrowmen to earn the award completely in the unit. The requirements for youth (under the age of 18) covered the areas of Troop Program Involvement, the Troop Camping Experience, Webelos-To-Scout Transition, and Family Understanding. The requirements for adults (over the age of 18) were similar, but the requirements called for Arrowmen to play an advisory role in the youths’ fulfillment of their requirements.

Arrowmen could start working on the award on August 13, 1979. All requirements had to be completed by June 30, 1981.

3, Awards, OA, Scouting

Goodman Memorial Service

In the late winter of 1980, while visiting his children in New Jersey, Goodman caught a cold, which turned into pneumonia. He went to Lenox Hill Hospital in Manhattan, where he could have specialists treat him, but he remained in intensive care. He passed away on March 13.

He planned his own funeral to include lots of music. It took place at Penney Farms on March 29. National Chief Jeffrie A. Herrmann and National Executive Secretary William F. Downs eulogized the founder. Downs spoke of his leadership as a member of the professional staff of the BSA, and said he was both a gentleman and a gentle man. Taking his cue from the Order’s ceremonies, he ended with the words, 

May the virtues which he represented glow the brighter in our hearts and consciences.

1, Founders, Goodman, OA, Profile, Scouting

Goodman

Infinity, dear brothers, extends not only outward to the reaches of that clear blue sky… but also inward, to the heart of each human being. E. Urner Goodman 1975 NOAC closing address.

Goodman lived in an era of great change – from horse and buggy days to men on the moon. He also lived a life of great change. He knew much joy – a good childhood with friends and family, a successful career, a loving wife, three wonderful children and the lifelong inspiration of his faith. He also knew much tragedy – the death of his mother and aunt when he was a little boy, months of quarantine for diphtheria, tuberculosis as a young man, and the death of his son George in World War II.

Like the hero of Baden-Powell’s favorite play, Peter Pan, Goodman was one of the many men who sought to put off growing up by engaging in a life’s work consumed with the things of boyhood – outdoor fun among good friends, acting chivalrous by helping others, giving everyone a chance to play, being loud and silly. Thus was the Scouter rewarded in his work with youth.

He had mastered the art of leadership, and had success after success professionally and with the Order of the Arrow, because he gave away to others the opportunity to be in charge, to exercise authority, to be creative, to take responsibility.

He was loved by all because of his self-effacing manner and his desire to do what was best for others, putting his own needs last. Always a peacemaker among Scouters, George’s death convinced him that world brotherhood was a worthy goal.

As he said at the end of his career with BSA:

I had indeed found my life mission… . Those 36 years of professional service, 16 years as Executive in Philadelphia and Chicago, and 20 years as national program director, brought rich rewards, far beyond any salary considerations. They represented the work, above all others, that I wanted to do.

1, Founders, Goodman, OA, Profile, 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

1980 National Planning Meeting

The 1980 National Planning Meeting was held at the end of the year in Austin, Texas, home of the University of Texas and scheduled site for the 1981 NOAC. The majority of the meeting was consumed with preparations for the upcoming NOAC. Brad Starr of Klahican Lodge, Wilmington, North Carolina was elected National Chief. Kevin Moll of Ha-Kin-Skay-A-Ki Lodge, Colorado Springs, Colorado was elected National Vice Chief. The Regions Chiefs elected were, Richard Aberle - Northeast Region, Allen Cooper - Southeast Region, Rob Akes - East Central Region, Jim Rhodes - South Central Region, Arnold Heck - North Central Region and Kurt Christiansen - Western Region.

3, Elections, OA, Scouting

OA Personal Involvement Award 1981

National Chief Jeff Herrmann announced the original OA Personal Involvement Award at the 1979 NOAC. The program was specifically created to give incentives to Arrowmen to provide cheerful service at the unit level, the primary responsibility of each member.

Those that received the award in the first year received an award patch dated 1980. As an incentive for Arrowmen to earn the award, or to earn the award again and continue to build on a successful program, a second patch was made dated 1981.

3, Awards, OA, Scouting

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