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NOAC 1958

The Order of the Arrow met in Lawrence, Kansas at Kansas University for the 43rd Anniversary Conference. While also called a National Order of the Arrow Conference, the acronym NOAC was still not in official usage. The 1958 NOAC was considered extra important because the OA leadership was already planning on skipping 1960 as a Conference year. This was to avoid conflict with the 50th Anniversary Jubilee Jamboree and also to line the Order up for its own 50th Anniversary meeting in 1965. A record 2,368 Arrowmen attended. It was the first conference where each state was represented.

The Conference theme was, “Brothers in Service – Leaders in Camping”. As in the past, training sessions were held on multiple days with a wide array of discussion topics. Dance competition, Brotherhood Chorus and barbeque were again on the schedule. For the first time ever a Brotherhood Band was part of the festivities. The Distinguished Service Awards (DSA) were presented. Founder Goodman again delivered his customary closing challenge to Arrowmen.

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NOAC 1952

The 1952 NOAC was called the “37th Anniversary Meeting”. For the first time the term Conference is used often to describe the event. The first documented usage of the phrase “National Order of the Arrow Conference” is in a letter following the event written to the National OA Committee by LeRoy Kensrad of Hyas Chuck Kah Sun Klatawa Lodge, Portland, Oregon.

The Conference was held at Miami University, Oxford, Ohio. Michi-Kini-Kwa Lodge was the host lodge. The 2,200 attendees (2,095 delegates) doubled the size of any prior meeting, as did the 210 lodges representing 37 states. National Committee Chairman H. Lloyd Nelson reported that there were now 427 lodges (about four-fifths of the councils) and nearly 50,000 active Arrowmen.

The 1952 conference had the first daily newspaper, called the Totem Talks and the introduction of the National Brotherhood Chorus. The Conference featured a display center that featured exhibits from local lodges that displayed headdresses and regalia. White Panther Lodge, Clarksdale, Mississippi won a special award for their entry. Other exhibitors were J.E. Caldwell jewelers and BSA National Supply.

At the closing show the OA presented the Distinguished Service Awards.

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Eisenhower Elected President

Brilliant military five-star General and 34th President of the United States, Dwight D. Eisenhower (“Ike”) is probably best known for his internationally focused politics in response to events involving the Soviet Union and China.

Eisenhower served on the Executive Board of the Boy Scouts of America and was a very strong supporter of Scouting ever since his son participated in the program. 

President Eisenhower was made an "honorary member" of the Order of the Arrow on April 23, 1954 by the members of Zit-Kala-Sha Lodge, Louisville, Kentucky.  The only president to be "inducted" was Franklin D. Roosevelt.

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Brotherhood Requirements Change

On October 9, 1950, a letter was sent to each lodge chief and lodge adviser through the local Scout Executive. The letter detailed changes in the Order of the Arrow Ceremonials – both Ordeal and Brotherhood. The changes sent were effective immediately and were to be written into the existing ceremonial pamphlets until the changes could be put into the next printing. The National Committee, Order of the Arrow, Norman C. Wood, Secretary signed the letter.

The key change in the Brotherhood Ceremony was the elimination of the movement of the sash from the left shoulder to the right shoulder. While it has been rumored that this was because of McCarthyism, there is no documentation to support that claim.

The distinction between Ordeal / First Degree members and Brotherhood / Second Degree members had been the shoulder the sash was worn over since circa 1917.

Now that all Arrowmen would wear their sashes over their right shoulders a new Brotherhood sash was needed. The new Brotherhood sash featured the “Brotherhood Bars” to distinguish it from an Ordeal sash.

At the beginning of 1953 these changes first appeared in print in the Brotherhood Ceremony pamphlets.

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Korean War Armistice

The Korean War (1950 – armistice, 1953) was a military conflict . . .

between the Republic of Korea (South Korea) supported by the United Nations, and the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (North Korea) and the People’s Republic of China with support from the Soviet Union.

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First to Reach Mt. Everest Summit

After years of dreaming about it and seven weeks of climbing, New Zealander Edmund Hillary and his Sherpa guide Nepalese Tenzing Norgay became the first men to reach the summit of Mt. Everest in the Himalayas, along the border of Nepal and Tibet/China, the highest mountain in the world, at 11:30 a.m. on May 29, 1953.

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Goodman Retires

After 36 years of service for the Boy Scouts of America, E Urner Goodman retired as a professional Scouter. He had served as Director of Program for twenty years. Goodman’s professional career had started in 1915 when as a 23 year old he was hired by the Philadelphia Council to be a Field Commissioner (now known as Field Executive). He served as Camp Director at Treasure Island Scout Reservation where he started the Order.

Goodman had hinted for several years that he was considering retirement. The Brotherhood Barn had been built in Vermont where Goodman intended to retire. Goodman continued his support and devotion to leadership and service to the Order for another three decades following his retirement.

2, Founders, Goodman, OA, Scouting


Goodman Honorary National Chief

On September 13, 1951 the National OA Committee voted to bestow the title of “Honorary National Chief” on Dr. E. Urner Goodman. Thirty years earlier Goodman had served Wimachtendienk, W.W. as its first Grand Lodge Chieftain, later called National Chief. This honor was made in tribute to the Founder upon his retirement from the BSA.

A calfskin was presented to Goodman by National OA Committee Chairman H. Lloyd Nelson inscribed,

He Gave to Boyhood a Brotherhood of Cheer and Service”.

2, Founders, Goodman, OA, Scouting


First OA National Secretary

As soon as the OA was integrated into the BSA Wes Klusmann, BSA Director of Camping, needed to select the first National Secretary. This was not a high level assignment although it would be at BSA national headquarters. This job would have a huge clerical component. The National Secretary would be responsible for, among other duties, local lodge charter renewals, theNational Bulletin, maintaining Vigil Honor lists and coordinating supplies for local lodges.

Klusmann selected a very young professional, 22 year old Norman C. Wood. Klusmann approached Wood at the 1948 NOAC where he was the junior chairman for a group discussion on registration. Wood served as OA National Secretary from 1948 – 1951. He left to become a field executive and camp director with his home council in Springfield, Massachusetts.

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First National OA Committee Chair

G. Kellock “Kel” Hale was installed as the first Chairman of the National Order of the Arrow Committee at the 1948 National Conference at Bloomington, Indiana. The National Council, BSA, had not technically approved his position yet, but that was just a formality. The selection of Hale according to outgoing National Chief Robert Heistand was because Kel was next in line to be National Chief. The new National Chairman position was considered the post-BSA integration equivalent to the old National Chief. The similarity was the National Chief was Chairman of the National Executive Committee and the National Chairman was Chair of the new National OA Committee. Hale immediately upon installation stated that he was dedicated to increased youth involvement in the national leadership of the OA.

Unfortunately Hale’s, time as Chairman would be cut short. After barely serving a year, under strict doctor’s orders, Hale reluctantly had to give up all activities and have bed rest until his “fatigue” passed. Hale’s was the shortest tenure of any National Chairman. H. Lloyd Nelson was appointed as his replacement. Hale would continue serving on the National OA Committee until 1973.

2, OA, Scouting


G. Kellock Hale, Jr.

G. Kellock “Kel” Hale was born January 17, 1904 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He joined Scouts at the age of 12 (minimum age in those days) in 1916. During World War I, Kel sold more war bonds than any other Scout in Philadelphia. As a result of this achievement, Kel was selected as the Scout that would serve as Lord Baden-Powell’s Orderly when he came to visit Philadelphia.

Kel was inducted in the OA at its birthplace, Treasure Island, in 1918. He was one of the Council’s most decorated Scouts. By the time Kel was twenty-years old and attending the University of Pennsylvania he was an Eagle Scout with three Silver Palms (that would be at least 66 merit badges in 1924, a remarkable achievement in that era).

Following college, Hale moved to Mount Airy, North Carolina and went to work for the North Carolina Granite Company rising to the position of Secretary. In Scouting, Hale became a troop Scoutmaster, a position he would hold for 15 years until becoming District Commissioner. During his time as Scoutmaster, Hale founded Wahissa Lodge in Old Hickory Council at Camp Lasater on June 9,1938. Later that year Hale assisted with producing the 1938 National Meeting at Camp Irondale. Hale kept his Vigil receiving the name Kittelendam translated as “The Earnest” on August 10, 1940. Hale served in a leadership role at the 1940 National Meeting at Camp Twin Echo and received the Silver Beaver Award from his council in 1942.

Hale started numerous lodges throughout Region 6 (North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia and Florida). In 1945 he was invited to the National Executive Committee meeting. His attendance was to assist in planning the 1946 National Meeting originally scheduled at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, close to where Hale lived. However for various reasons the 1946 National Meeting had to be moved to Chanute Field, Illinois.

At the 1946 National Meeting Hale received the Distinguished Service Award. He also ran for and was elected as the Southeast representative to the National Executive Committee. In 1948, when the National Executive Committee was disbanded and the National OA Committee formed Hale was named as the first National OA Committee Chairman. Hale only served as Chairman for a year, when illness forced him to resign in 1949. Hale lamented that strict doctor’s orders required him to dispense with all activities and he was required to observe strict bed rest as the remedy at the time for fatigue.

Hale continued to serve on the National OA Committee until 1971. His last leadership position was serving as chairman of the Distinguished Service Award Committee. During the critical years of the Order when the OA fully integrated as part of the BSA, it was Hale along with H. Lloyd Nelson and Thomas Cairns that provided the essential servant leadership. Kel was a member of the BSA for 55 years and on the National OA Committee or its equivalent for over 25 years. G. Kellock Hale passed away on October 3, 1973.

2, OA, Profile, Scouting


US Enters Korean War

The Korean war began on June 25, 1950. The Korean peninsula had been ruled by Japan since 1910 and following the surrender of Japan at the end of World War II, Korea was divided along the 38th Parallel with United States troops occupying the Southern part and Soviet troops occupying the Northern part.

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