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Our History

Constitution for WWW


Grand Lodge Constitution Ratified

One of the primary purposes of the first meeting of the Grand Lodge in 1921 was to frame and ratify the first WWW national constitution.Article II set forth the purpose of the Order,

The object of the Order is to band together in a common brotherhood, those Scouts who are most truly living up to their Scout ideals, and thereby crystallize their Scout habit of helpfulness into a life purpose of leadership in service.

Other articles of the constitution established guidelines for membership in the Grand and local lodges, the Degrees (today’s Honors), committees, meetings and chartering of local lodges.

There was also an article that set forth the local lodge officers. The highest of the local offices was the Gegeyjumhet, the Supreme Chief of the Fire. This position was to be retained by the Scout Executive or his representative. The importance of this distinction cannot be understated. The Order was a unique organization. While it was a requirement to be a Scout and all members were in the BSA, they were an independent society. There was absolutely no oversight from BSA national headquarters.

This arrangement, placing control of each local lodge under the BSA’s highest ranking professional in each council, would later provide the assurance the BSA’s National Council needed for the Order’s very survival. This also meant that only so called “First Class” councils could have Wimachtendienk. In 1921 there were still councils that were run only by volunteers. To be First Class, among other things a council had to have a Professional Scouter on their payroll.

An Article was also framed dedicated to insignia, which in 1921 were pins and not patches. It read,

The general insignia of the Order shall be the arrow, which shall be the mark of the First Degree. The mark of the Second Degree shall be the totem of the individual lodge superimposed upon the arrow. The mark of the Third Degree shall be the triangle superimposed upon the mark of the Second Degree.