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Our History

1944 Tap-Out Ceremony


Vintage (IN COLOR) 1944 Tap-Out Ceremony by Tamet Lodge

Precious little archival film footage of OA ceremonies exists.  Finding a vintage ceremony in color is exceptional.  This film, provided by CrescentBayCouncil.Org, may be the oldest color footage of an OA ceremony.  It was filmed in 1944 in the great lodge at Camp Josepho, in the Santa Monica Mountains.   At the time Camp Josepho was a part of Crescent Bay Area Council and the seat of Tamet Lodge. 

No doubt the proximity of the nation’s film industry to the camp played a role in the production values of the film.  At the time the use of face paint and physical contact with candidates was the norm.  Since then, increased sensitivity regarding the use of face paint has banned the usage in all OA ceremonies.  The “tap-out” was replaced with “call-outs” because of abuse giving the three taps as amply demonstrated in this film (one tap, and then two, to represent the 12 points of the Scout Law and the three parts of the Scout Oath).