For the 1929 Eighth Meeting of the Grand Lodge, the conference returned for a third time to Philadelphia. Unami Lodge once again hosted the 12 lodges in attendance and an unknown number of delegates. The first issue occurred prior to the meeting. Unami Lodge had scheduled the meeting for the week between Christmas and New Years. Many lodges objected to the dates and the meeting was re-scheduled for November 29 – December 1, 1929. The 1929 Grand Lodge Meeting was held at the Stephen Gerard Hotel. The Grand Lodge Scribe announced that there were now 33 active lodges in the Order instead of 37 with the pending Chicago consolidation. Grand Chieftain Robert Henderson made the following statement regarding lodges that desired a change in the democratic method candidates were selected by either blocking some candidates from the ballot or the lodge’s ability to veto/blackball a candidate:
1. That the vote of the Scouts is for the purpose of nominating a Scout whom they think has the proper qualifications for becoming a member of the Order of the Arrow.
And,
2. The ordeal is for the purpose of assuring the members of the Order that the judgment of the voting members has been correct.
Later in the meeting rules were passed for enforcement of these policies.
The Grand Lodge also voted to create a fourth degree, between Brotherhood and Vigil, called the Fellowship Degree. On Carroll A. Edson’s motion, the Grand Lodge agreed to hold off on commencement of the new degree until the ceremony for it had been written. No such ceremony was written and the degree never was utilized.
Robroy Price of Buffalo Lodge in Schenectady, New York was elected the Grand Chieftain. Alfred Nichols of Owasippe Lodge, Chicago, was elected Grand Vice Chieftain. Benjamin J. Thomas of Octoraro Lodge, West Chester, Pennsylvania was elected Grand Scribe and Joseph N. Pattison of Unami Lodge was elected Grand Treasurer.
Selected as the 113th Vigil Honor member at this meeting was longtime Unami Lodge Arrowman Horace “Shorty” Ralston, the man who did the research and found the name WWW for our Order.