OA

First Vigil Honor Sash

The only known photograph of the original sash for Third Degree (Vigil Honor) members is from the rededication council fire at Camp Biddle during the 1921 first meeting of the Grand Lodge. The photo shows the three part “bib” type sash around both E. Urner Goodman’s and Carroll A. Edson’s necks. One side of the triangle had an arrow pointing over the right shoulder signifying the First Degree. One side of the triangle had an arrow pointing over the left shoulder signifying the Second Degree. The third side of the triangle had an arrow pointing to Goodman’s left as he wore it. The third arrow and side completed the triangle, which was the sign of the Third Degree. There are no other known pictures showing this bib; nor are there any known bib type sashes in collections or displays. There is also no evidence that anyone other than Goodman and Edson ever wore this sash.

When the Grand Lodge formed in 1921 there were eight Arrowmen who had been initiated into the Third Degree and they would all need a sash. By August of 1922 The Grand Lodge produced the first Grand Lodge issued Third Degree Sash. In an August 1922 letter from Horace Kern, Secretary for the Third Degree, Kern states in pertinent part:

Those who have already paid for their bands (sashes) and their dues need pay no attention to the above as this is merely a circular letter.

The Third Degree sash was made similar to the First and Second Degree sash in that the base material was white wool-felt with white linen backing. Unlike the First/Second Degree sash there was no large red felt arrow. Instead there was a four and one half-inch red wool-felt equilateral triangle with three small white felt arrows sewn to the middle of the sash. The arrows on the red felt triangle formed a triangle pointed in a clockwise direction. This sash has become known as the “no arrow” sash.

There are varieties of the no arrow Third Degree sash regarding direction of the arrows and notches in the fletchings of the small arrows. The no arrow sash was used through 1937. During the tenure of the no arrow sash there were two other Third Degree sashes used, one with a large red arrow first appeared around 1928 in Region 2 (New York, New Jersey) and a sash used in Region 7 (Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin, Michigan) that was linen with a large red arrow and a white linen triangle in the middle with red small arrows. In a picture from the 1933 Grand Lodge meeting there are at least four varieties of different Third Degree bands visible.

3, Insignia, OA, Scouting

Grand Lodge Changes Ceremonies

Dr. William Hinkle presented the following report to the Grand Lodge in 1921:

Report of Committee on Ordeals and Ritual - 1921

The committee on Ordeals and Ritual beg leave to make the following report:

At the last annual meeting, the committee was requested to find a suitable name for the Lodge. After canvassing the matter thoroughly, the name - Unami - was decided to be the most appropriate, meaning as it does in the Delaware language - Brotherly Love.

As it was understood that meddlesome outsiders had access to the Ritual and became more or less familiar with it, at Treasure Island during the summer of 1920, it was decided to revise both the ritual for ordeals and for the different degrees, so that knowledge thus illicitly obtained might be useless.

The committee, furthermore, at the suggestion of Sakima, have prepared a ritual for the opening of the Lodge. A ritual for the installation and consecration of Sakima, and one for the installation of each of the elective officers of the Lodge (sic). It is hoped that those will meet with the approval of the Lodge, since by their use the Lodge will have work provided for one or two extra meetings during the year.

The committee further recommend that a Lodge of Instruction be formed so that there will always be a reasonable chance of having present at the meetings and initiations a sufficient number of officers who know this ritual well enough not to have to read their parts.

They also recommend that Sakima, with the Senior and Junior Vice-Chiefs have charge of this Lodge of Instruction: that at the annual election the only candidate be balloted for will be the Junior Vice-Chief – the old Junior becoming Senior, and the Senior becoming Sakima by complementary vote, unless there is reason for their removal, either through lack of interest, or some other cause. They also suggest that the candidates for Junior Vice-Chief be drawn from the Lodge of Instruction.

Finally, they strongly urge that the rituals finally adopted shall be limited to three copies. One in the hands of the Ritual Committee, one for Medeu, and one for Sakima. All other copies should be destroyed, and a pledge exacted from the holders of the three copies never to allow it out of their possession for any purpose whatever.

With reference to the adoption of the alternative ritual, patterned after the copy secured by Medeu, which is now in use by another Scout organization, they feel that while it has many commendable features, which appealed to them strongly; they, nevertheless, cannot recommend any change at the present time, as the ordeals seem somewhat too strenuous, to be imposed on boys of the age at which they become members of the W.W.W.

SIGNED FOR THE COMMITTEE

Dr. W. M. Hinkle

Chairman

The result of this report to the Grand Lodge was the writing of new First and Second Degree ceremonies for distribution to chartered lodges.

The new First Degree ritual contained significant changes. The Pre-Ordeal was introduced. There were two significant tasks that a candidate was asked to do.

The first task was that the candidate would bare his left breast and have water poured on the bare breast area. The water symbolized the cleansing experience to rid oneself of all selfishness and evil.

The second task was to chew on a piece of rootstock that was supplied to the candidate. This symbolized the increasing of strength and vigor so one could serve others.

The new First Degree ritual changed the names of some Principal characters and added others. Medeu became Gegeyjumhet (Supreme Chief of the Fire) Medicine Man became Meteu Sakima remained Sakima (Chief) Nutiket remained Nutiket (Guard/Guide) Nischeneyit Sakima is introduced as a new character (Senior Vice Chief) Pow-wow became Kittakima (Chief of the Fire) The new First Degree ritual also added a “closing ceremony”.

The new Second Degree ceremony made the same character changes as the First Degree. The ceremony was rewritten, but the content of the Second Degree ceremony was not changed.

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Sixth Lodge Formed

Umpah Lodge of Uniontown City Council, Pennsylvania became the Wimachtendienk’s sixth lodge on June 7, 1921. Umpah disbanded in 1925 and formed a non-Wimachtendienk honor society. In 1939 the Order would return to the area with a new name, Wagion Lodge 6.

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Field Executive Edson Forms Seventh Lodge

In January 1921 OA Co-Founder Carroll A. Edson became the field executive for the South Shore District of the Chicago Council. Edson brought Wimachtendienk with him and on June 15th, 1921 formed the Order’s seventh lodge, Moqua Lodge 7 at the Owasippe Scout Reservation located near Whitehall, Michigan.Edson initiated a total of five lodges in Chicago Council; Moqua Lodge 7, Wakay Lodge 13, Checaugau Lodge 21, Blackhawk Lodge 23 and Garrison Lodge 25. In 1929 Owasippe Lodge 7 was formed out of the merger of these five lodges.

2, Founders, OA, Scouting

Second Philadelphia Lodge Formed

In the early days of Wimachtendienk, there was no restriction on the number of lodges per council. Instead, each council could have as many lodges as they had camps. Each lodge was the local “chapter” of what became a national camp fraternity. Philadelphia Council had Treasure Island Scout Camp where our Order was founded. Philadelphia Council also had a second camp, this one specifically for “Lone Scouts”.Lone Scouts was an early BSA program designed for individual Scouts that lived in areas either too rural or where troops had not yet formed. In 1921, the BSA was only 11 years old and there were still many areas around Philadelphia without troops. There were enough boys that Philadelphia Council opened Camp Biddle where Lone Scouts could experience the patrol and troop system. On August 6, 1921 Philadelphia Council formed a second lodge, Unalachtgo Lodge 8 for the Lone Scouts who became Arrowmen at Camp Biddle.

2, OA, Scouting

Tenth Lodge Formed

In August of 1921, Pamrapaugh Lodge of Bayonne, New Jersey formed. Due to a clerical record-keeping error when the lodges were officially and retroactively numbered in 1926, Pamrapaugh Lodge was relegated to lodge number 14 instead of their rightful placement of number, 10.

3, OA, Scouting

Eleventh Lodge Formed

On September 17, 1921, Wawonaissa Lodge of Fanwood, New Jersey, Central Union Council, became the Order’s eleventh lodge. Due to a clerical error this lodge was given the number ten. In 1922 the council was absorbed into a neighboring council and the lodge disbanded.

3, OA, Scouting

Edson's Second Degree

There is a lack of consensus regarding the date of Carroll A. Edson’s Second Degree induction. Evidence exists that point to three different years: 1915, 1916 and 1917. (As an editorial decision the OA History Timeline has placed the date of Edson’s Vigil as 1917 as the most likely year based upon the evidence.)

The evidence that points to 1915 or 1916 as the year of Edson’s Second Degree is found in the writings of George W. Chapman. Chapman wrote the following excerpt that would seem to indicate that Edson kept his Second Degree (Vigil) in 1915 or 1916:

The second man on whom the Vigil Honor was conferred was Carroll Edson. The minutes of Unami Lodge carry a brief mention of this under the date of October 18, 1915, saying, ‘Carroll A. Edson, Sachem, was given the test. He was given the name Ahoweapowi, making him a member of the Second Degree.”

The Second Degree (Vigil Honor) was conferred at the annual fall meeting of Unami Lodge, held at Van Renesalaer Cabin, a week-end camping spot of the Philadelphia Council near Camp Hill, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania.

There are multiple errors of fact contained in this account. First, October 18, 1915 (a Monday) was prior to the first organizational meeting at Camp Morrell. The term Second Degree was not even in use in 1915, that required the framing of the 1916 Constitution of Wimachtendienk. Second, the term Unami Lodge had not been created yet, indeed it had not been invented by 1916 either. Finally, the first annual fall meeting of Wimachtendienk was not until 1916. It is believed that the above entry was written after the fact and was in error. Efforts to obtain copies of the Unami Minute Book have revealed that the book has not existed for decades.

The most persuasive account of Edson’s Second Degree initiation comes from the best possible source, Edson himself. Edson wrote a letter in 1942 to Moqua Chapter of Owasippe Lodge in Chicago at their request for the Moqua Chapter 20^th Anniversary yearbook. In it Edson discussed the beginnings of the Wimachtendienk. As a part of that letter Edson shares the following story of his induction into the Second Degree:

… Shortly after that, I went to the National Staff, and shortly after that entered the Army. It was while in service, I believe in the fall of 1917, that I spent another weekend at one of the outlying camps of the Philadelphia Council, at an Order meeting. While there I received the 'Second Degree' initiation, we then called it – the present Vigil Honor.

This account is persuasive because it was written by Edson and he references specific events that also track to 1917. Edson was not on National Staff until 1917. He did not join the army until 1917 when the United States entered World War I. He has specific recall of being on Army leave (from New York) to travel to the fall Camp Van Renesalaer (the outlying camp) meeting for his initiation.

1, Ceremonies, Founders, OA, Scouting

Third Lodge Formed

Richmond Area Council, Richmond, Virginia formed Pamunkey Lodge 3 on November 25^th, 1919. Pamunkey Lodge disbanded in the 1920s and lost its charter after not paying dues. In 1945 Richmond Area Council (now known as Heart of Virginia Council) revived the OA. The Council retained its original charter number and became Nawakwa Lodge.

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First, Second and Third Degrees

The original Constitution of the Wimachtendienk written in 1916 describes the levels of membership as Pledge, First Degree and Second Degree. Although they are not spelled out in a separate article in the Constitution they are referred to in the section entitled Insignia as follows: 

The tortoise shall be the general insignia of the order:

- for the first degree the insignia shall be the arrow superimposed on the back of the tortoise;

- for the second degree the insignia shall be the triangle superimposed on the back of the tortoise.

- The pin of the order shall bear the above insignia;

- the pledge pin shall be the arrow.

The Pledge was the candidate who participated in the public induction ceremony at Treasure Island during the camping season and is most similar to today’s Ordeal Honor.

The First Degree was given to the Pledge who completed his initiation during the October annual “member’s only” meeting of the Lodge back in Philadelphia and is most similar to the Brotherhood Honor of today.

The Second Degree was given to a member of the Wimachtendienk whose life and service was far above the other members and is most similar to today’s Vigil Honor. The Second Degree was originally conceived by Goodman as being given to someone who did a heroic lifesaving type of deed.

By the late teens leaders of the Wimachtendienk decided to reorganize the honor levels in the Order. The term Pledge was dropped. A Scout initiated at summer camp would henceforth be called First Degree. What had previously been called First Degree would now be called Second Degree. The Second Degree would have a separate and distinctive ceremony from the one given at camp and no longer would be considered the second half of the initiation ceremony. The old Second Degree would be named the Third Degree.

These decisions were ratified in 1920 in the Second Constitution of Wimachtendienk:

5. DEGREE

A. Members attain the first degree through regular initiation at camp.

B. The second degree is conferred upon the first degree candidates present at the ceremonials in the city in the fall and spring.

C. The third degree shall be open to these members, in good standing, who are elected thereto by the third degree members, by reason of some heroic act, exemplary of the principles of the order, or of some special contribution to the welfare and spirit of the lodge. There shall at all times be at least one third degree member for each fifty active members of the lodge.

2, Ceremonies, OA, Scouting

Fourth Lodge Formed

Ranachqua Lodge 4 of The Bronx, New York formed Wimachtendienk’s fourth lodge on August 1, 1920.  The lodge was founded by William A. Stumpp, who served as their first lodge chief, a position that he held for more than two decades.

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Chief William Stumpp

William A. Stumpp was always called “Chief”. Chief Stumpp was a long serving Scout Executive in the Greater New York Councils for The Bronx. He also was Camp Director at Camp Ranachqua, a camp along Kanawaukee Lakes. From that position Chief Stumpp initiated many lodges into Wimachtendienk including founding the Order's fourth lodge, Ranachqua Lodge, in 1920 to serve his own council. Stumpp is credited with starting more lodges than any other Arrowman by spreading the word to the camps around Kanawaukee Lake. Among the lodges Stumpp is credited with starting are Cowaw, Wawonaissa, Pamrapaugh, Chappegat and Shu Shu Gah lodges.

In 1923 Stumpp was elected the third Grand Lodge Scribe. During his term in 1924 he created what is known today as the National Bulletin. On October 31, 1924 Stumpp became the 31st Third Degree (Vigil) honor member. Stumpp’s Vigil name meant “Singing One”. In 1926 Stumpp became the sixth Grand Lodge Chieftain of Wimachtendienk.

While speculation has often been that Stumpp was called “Chief” because he had been a Grand Lodge Chieftain, or long serving Scout Executive or Camp Director, but none of these was the reason. Chief Stumpp was called “Chief” because he was, and always will be, the longest serving lodge chief in the Order’s history. Stumpp became the first chief of Ranachqua Lodge in 1920 when the lodge was formed. That was the custom of the day that the Scout Executive as Supreme Chief of the Fire was often the chief of the lodge. However, long after Scout Executives gave up the position and let other, typically young men, serve as lodge chief, Stumpp continued holding that office. Stumpp finally stepped down as lodge chief of Ranachqua Lodge in 1949 after serving for 29 years. Stumpp was forced to step down after the OA became an official BSA program and adults could no longer serve as lodge officers.

Stumpp was acknowledged for his years of service in 1940 at the National Meeting when he was awarded one of the inaugural 11 Distinguished Service Awards. His certificate recognized Stumpp for his “wise discretion” and “forceful perseverance.”

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