History of Owasippe Lodge...

In the beginning there was an ideal. The men, in whose hearts it flourished, searched for it's presence in the hearts of others. They found many younger hearts filled with the ideal, unexpressed, hidden, unrecognized, awaiting an organizing hand to bring the ideal into being.

In the summer of 1915, leaders of the Philadelphia Council Camp at Treasure Island , sought a definite system of recognizing those Scouts who best represented the Scout Oath and Law. They organized the Wimachtendienk, W.W., later known as the Order of the Arrow. It's first meetings and ceremonies were held in a site in the woods not generally used for activities purposes. Here they created a council ring, where all honors, including promotions in scouting were honored. As the highest camp honor, on Scout, previously chosen by each troop at the end of it's stay at camp, was inducted to this, the beginnign of the Order. After the public ceremonies who had undertaken the an Ordeal, were with the appropriate ceremony, admitted to the Order.

The co-founders of this new organization were E. Urner Goodman and Carroll A. Edson, who chose to create a society to recognize and encourage those traits of character which scouting helped to inculcate in boys.

Wimachtendienk, Wingolauchsik, Witahemui - the Delaware Indian words were selected for their meaning, the Brotherhood of Cheerful service. These principles define the Order,

E. Urner Goodman, the Scout Executive in Philadelphia when the Order was founded served as the Chicago Council Scout executive from 1927 to 1931.

E. Urner Goodman, the Scout Executive in Philadelphia when the W.W.W. was founded served as the Chicago Council Scout Executive from 1927 to 1931. He brought Alfred C. Nichols with him from Philadelphia . Nichols had been the 4th. National Chief and served the Chicago Council for many years as the Council Activities Director and Chief Camp Director. The W.W.W. had a strong foundation and thrived at Owasippe and the Chicago Council with the guidance of the three Executives Goodman, Edson and Nichols.

The first National Convention was held in Philadelphia on October 7, 1921. In the following years, successive National Lodge meetings were held annually, later biennially, with a steady progressive growth in Lodges and membership developing. In November, 1929, at the National Lodge meeting some discussion was had pointing to the adoption of the Order by the National Council of the Boy Scouts of America as a component part of the Boy Scout program.

At the National Lodge session in 1933, held at the Owasippe Scout Camps, the summer camps of the Chicago Council, this proposal was definitely made arid ratified by the delegates present. On June 2, 1934, at the National Meeting of the Boy Scouts of America, held in Buffalo , New York , the Order of the Arrow was adopted as a part of the Boy Scout Program.

When the five Owasippe based camp Lodges consolidated in the late 1920's they became the five active Chapters of Owasippe Lodge with strong programs and traditions. These five chapters were more active with a larger membership than most lodges during this era. During the 1930's the W,W.W. was transformed from a camp based program to more of a district operations program.

In 1961, the Chicago Council changed its name to the Chicago Area Council to reflect the fact that it was serving several communities outside the boundaries of the city itself, mostly in the southern and southwestern parts of the locality. This led to expansion of Districts with the Council and by 1961 19 chapters were chartered to the various districts. Through the ensuing years more districts and more chapters were added to the growth of the Council. At the high point in the development of the Council in the 1970's more than 30 different Districts and Chapters operated within the Council.

Each Chapter exists through the authority of the Lodge and may select certain Officers who, with other members of the Chapter, comprise the Chapter Executive Committee, the Chief-of-the-Fire is the District Executive. The Chapter is represented on the Owasippe Lodge Executive Committee. This group guides the destinies of the Owasippe Lodge and the Chapters. The Chapters are responsible to the Executive Committee for their actions. Chapters have their own organization and program. In addition to meeting, other activities are held, as well as Spring Fellowships where members may be inducted into the Order or seal their membership with the Brotherhood Honor.

Lodge functions include meetings where the membership of the Lodge is entitled to attend, and the business of the Lodge is transacted. Activities include the annual work week-end and Vigil induction held at Owasippe Scout Reservation, Summer Camp induction for new members1 Fall Fellowship for induction of new members and Brotherhood conversion, Fall get-together and officer training, and the annual Winter Banquet. Beginning in the 1950's the Owasippe Lodge issued its first pocket-flap shaped emblem. Prior to this time, a few round- shaped pieces were issued for the general membership. Also in the 1950's four Chapters issued pocket—flap pieces. These were the only four Chapters of the Lodge to do so. By 1960, the Lodge discontinued the wearing of chapter flap pieces. Many chapters issued neckerchiefs with a fully-embroidered pie-shaped piece sewn on the neckerchief.

The Lodge itself has issued several neckerchief's - some for general wear, others for special activities, such as Lodge anniversaries or attendance at National Conferences. In keeping with the purpose of the Order of the Arrow, our Brotherhood is primarily a service organization. The Lodge, with the various Chapters has given counties hours of' service through the years to the camps and the Scouts who use the camps and its facilities. Those who forget the spirit of Cheerful Service may belong to the Order of' the Arrow, but they are not Arrowmen. They cannot find the true spirit of our Brotherhood, nor can they understand the cheerfulness of those who do their best to serve others. “For he who serves his fellows is, of all his fellows, greatest”.

Its members are expected to be brothers, to be cheerful, and to provide service, both in Scouting and to the community and nation.

The purposes of the Order revolved around two themes:

1. Camping and the outdoors.

2. Recognizing and encouraging concepts embodied in the ideals of the Scout Oath and Law, especially . service

The plan of organizing and utilizing the Scouts of finest spirit in camp, proved so helpful from many points that Lodges were formed in several other councils. World War I temporarily interfered with the development of the Order, but by 1921 the experimental period had produced sufficient experience for the establishment of the general basic policies, and the penianent organization of the Order on a national basis was undertaken. In 1921 Carroll Edsor became the Field Scout Executive for the South Shore District in the Chicago Council. In that same year, Edson became Director of Camp James F. West at the Owasippe Camps and introduced the W.W.W. to Camp James E. West. During the 1920's, Lodges were chartered to the 5 Owasippe Camps. They were MOQUA-Camp Saiiies F. West, WAKAY-Camp Dan Beard, CHECAUGAU-Camp Checaugau, BLACKHAWK-Camp Blackhawk and GARRISON- Camp McDonald. Moqua served the Scouts of the South Shore District, Wakay served those in the Northshore District, Checaugau served boys in the Northwest District, Blackhawk was for those in the West Side District and Garrison was for Scouts in the South West District.