OA

Regions and Sub-Areas

By 1948 the OA was active in every region and a new system for dividing areas for informational and fellowship purposes was needed. In the 1946 reorganization Area “U” had been divided into Area’s 12A, 12B and 12C. Now that the OA was a full National BSA program they were going to take full advantage of the BSA 12 region system. In September 1948 the new areas were announced. Regions with only one area, such as Region 1 only had Area 1A. Region 7 had six areas, Area 7A through Area 7F.

Over the years, even this system would be revised as the OA continued growth. However, using the 12-region structure proved flexible enough to be used for the next 25 years.

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400th Lodge Formed

In August of 1948, Quetzel Lodge (later re-named Wawookia Lodge) in Lewiston, Idaho became the Order’s 400^th Lodge to charter. Now that the Order was fully integrated as a National BSA program it had spread to more than two thirds of all councils.

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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.

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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.

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First Meeting of National OA Committee

The very first meeting of the National OA Committee was held January 28 – 30, 1949 in Greensboro, North Carolina. G. Kellock Hale, Chairman set the agenda and discussed issues related to changes with the full integration into the BSA. One issue was the usefulness of the 12-region BSA system. Arrangements were discussed for a change in the Area system. The National OA Committee also agreed to send a letter to each lodge reminding them to send a stone to E. Urner Goodman with their lodge name and number on it to be used in construction of a fireplace for the “Brotherhood Barn”.

The most profound issue decided at the first meeting was the increased role of youth leadership under the guidance of adult advisers. To that end it was decided that each local area would select a youth chief who would be called an Area Conference Chief. That about half of these Area Conference Chiefs would gather together prior to each National Conference to plan the upcoming Conference. The chairmen of each of the conference committees would be selected from among the Area conference chiefs. Each conference committee would also have a National OA Committee member as the youth chairman's adviser. This system has remained basically unchanged to this day except that all Section Chiefs are now invited to the National Planning Meeting.

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Second National OA Committee Chair

In December of 1949 the President of the BSA appointed H. Lloyd Nelson Chairman of the National Order of the Arrow Committee. G. Kellock Hale Jr. reluctantly submitted his resignation after only one year under doctor’s orders to give up all activities and have complete rest.

The position of Chairman of the National OA Committee was virtually the same as Nelson’s old job as National Chief, when he led the steering committee of the OA. Nelson had been in Scouting in Philadelphia since 1915. He had joined Unami Lodge as a youth. He served on the National OA Committee or its predecessor committee from 1933 when he was elected a Grand Lodge officer until his untimely death while still serving as its Chairman in 1955.

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First National Planning Meeting

On December 29 – 30, 1949 the National OA Committee met with a conference of Area Conference Chiefs (the predecessor name for Area Chiefs and then later Section Chiefs, that were elected to a full year term) for the first National Planning Meeting. In the early years of National Planning Meeting only about half of all Area Conference Chiefs were invited. The tradition of holding a National Planning Meeting between the end of the year holidays has since been repeated more than 40 times, becoming annual in 1987. The inclusion of youth Area Conference Chiefs was new and in keeping with the new direction the OA was taking since the 1948 merger of the BSA and OA. This meeting was held at Alpine Scout Camp, Alpine, New Jersey. Future meetings would be held at the location of the next NOAC so that facilities could be reviewed or be held at or near the national BSA headquarters.

This meeting marked the beginning of youth involvement in planning NOAC’s. Youth then meaning under age 21 at the time of their election. The Area Conference Chiefs also held the first election for national youth leadership. This too would become the standard model for national officer elections (with the exception of the 1952 Conference Chief). Elected, to be 1950 National Conference Chief was future National Secretary to the OA J. Richard Wilson, known as Dick Wilson of Chimalus Lodge, Washington, Pennsylvania. Today we consider a National Conference Chief to be the equivalent of the OA National Chief.

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1950 DSA Recipients

The Distinguished Service Award (DSA) is presented to those Arrowmen who have rendered distinguished and outstanding service to the Order on a sectional, regional, or national basis. 1950 was the last time the award was limited to only three recipients. The following were presented the DSA at the 1950 National Order of the Arrow Conference - Herbert L. Gaskin, Robert H. Heistand and Wes H. Klusmann.

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OA Patches Approved for Uniform Wear

While patches are now pervasive in the Order of the Arrow, at the beginning of 1945, Arrowmen were still prohibited from wearing any OA patch on their uniform. This was related to the independence of the Order from national BSA. The BSA Uniform Committee had not permitted WWW patches on the uniform and the National Lodge dutifully requested compliance. However as often is the case, not everyone complied.

Images from the 1938 National Meeting at Camp Irondale, Missouri confirm that there were already OA patches being worn on the uniform. In 1945 the BSA Uniform Committee finally relented and for the first time OA patches could be worn on the Scout Uniform on the right shirt pocket (not the pocket flap). Flaps were not authorized until 1954.

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350th Lodge Formed

Maka-Ina Lodge of Chillicothe, Ohio became the 350^th lodge to charter on August 20, 1946. Notwithstanding the fact that the Order had always grown on its own merits, the OA was meriting a new lodge at the rate of almost a new lodge a week.

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Third Group of DSA Recipients

The Distinguished Service Award (DSA) is presented to those Arrowmen who have rendered distinguished and outstanding service to the Order on a sectional, regional, or national basis. The following were presented the DSA at the 1946 National Meeting. The number of awards was increased from three to six to compensate for not having a 1944 conference - Joseph A. Brunton, Jr., George W. Chapman, G. Kellock Hale, Jr., William E. Hoffmann, W.E. Vaughan-Lloyd and Robert L. Wolff.

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H. Lloyd Nelson

Nelson started Scouting in Goodman’s old Troop 1 in Philadelphia. He was inducted into the Unami Lodge at Treasure Island in 1919. Nelson was in attendance at the 1921 First Meeting of the Grand Lodge. He served on the camp staff at Treasure Island Scout Reservation and served as the 1925 Lodge Chief of Unami Lodge. On September 17, 1925 H. Lloyd Nelson kept the 45^th Vigil in the Order at Treasure Island during the Fifth Grand Lodge Meeting.

Nelson remained active in Scouting and the Order while attending the University of Pennsylvania and in 1933 was elected Grand Lodge Scribe. What was distinctive about Nelson from all other previous Grand Lodge officers was he was not a professional Scouter. Other Grand Lodge officers had been Scout Executives and Field Executives working in the Order in a volunteer capacity. This distinction gave insight to Nelson that other officers lacked. That insight and connection with non-Professional Arrowmen equipped Nelson well when as a national officer Thomas Cairns included him on the Transition Committee.

The Transition Committee became the National Executive Committee, which became the National OA Committee. Nelson served from 1933 until 1955 on these committees. The first nine years was as the Grand Lodge Scribe (which during Nelson’s tenure was also called the National Tribe Scribe, the National Lodge Scribe and finally the National Lodge Secretary.) In 1942 Nelson was selected as the National Chief, which in 1942 was the equivalent to today’s National OA Committee Chairman. Nelson served as Chief until 1946 and then continued on the National Executive Committee as Past Chief. From these leadership positions Nelson was instrumental in directing the Order of the Arrow in achieving it’s most significant goal of its first half century, full integration into the BSA in 1948.

In 1949 Nelson became the second National OA Committee Chairman and he served until his untimely death at the end of 1955. All of the Order mourned his death. In a special and unique tribute, a memorial was held in H. Lloyd Nelson’s honor at the 1956 NOAC in Bloomington Indiana. During the memorial instead of the traditional flowers, lodges placed their empty chief’s headdresses and bonnets on the stage.

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