|
|
HISTORY OF
ORDER OF THE ARROW SILVER TOMAHAWK LODGE #80
Silver Tomahawk Lodge was established in 1935 and continued until the fall
of 1958. At that time Mr. Earl Ring moved from Kansas City to become the
Scout Executive for the then Southeast Iowa Council and under Mr. Ring's
directive the Order of the Arrow charter was dropped and The Tribe of the
Silver Tomahawk, a Mic-O-Say organization, was established.
In 1964 Mr.
Ring died and the new Scout Executive, Bill Kephart, rechartered us as
Silver Tomahawk Lodge 80. At that time both the standard O.A. program and
some of the Mic-O-Say traditions were used together. The single biggest
change was that once again boy officers were elected and an L.E.C.
structure was used.
Over the next few years the organization was in flux,
with changes in ceremonies occurring almost weekly. To solidify things an ad
hoc group got together and created a more unified blend of the two
organizations. When they submitted their proposal, a majority of it was
accepted by the Scout Executive.
When Mr. Kephart moved on many of the
Mic-O-Say traditions he did not approve of were gradually re-instituted.
With minor modifications the mixed program continued until Southeast Iowa
Council was combined with Saukee Area Council and Silver Tomahawk Lodge 80
was merged with Meheegun Lodge 136 to form Ka-Ti-Mississippi Lodge 37.
Almost all of the Mic-O-Say traditions were dropped and there was great
discontent on the Silver Tomahawk side. After two years of heated
discussion and communication with the National Order of the Arrow, the boys
from the two former lodges were allowed to vote as to what they desired and
both lodges voted, Meheegun Lodge by 92% and Silver Tomahawk Lodge by 96%,
to return to the original two lodges.
Today, Silver Tomahawk Lodge 80
continues to be a unique blend of both the Order of the Arrow program and
the Mic-O-Say program.
Bill Dorrell
Vigil/Keeper of the Wampum
Silver Tomahawk Lodge 80
|
|
|
