Arrowmen,
Most of us know of E. Urner Goodman, as the founder of the Order. But he didn’t do it alone, He had the assistance of Carroll A. Edson.
Borrowing from wikipedia ” Edson was hired by the Philadelphia Council of the Boy Scouts of America in 1915 as a Field Commissioner. He was then appointed as the Assistant Camp Director in charge of commissary at Treasure Island Scout Reservation.[6] There he worked with the Camp Director E. Urner Goodman to create an experimental camp fraternity program called the Wimachtendienk, later known as the Order of the Arrow. After attending a speech by Ernest Thompson Seton on his Woodcraft Indians program, Edson urged that American Indian lore be incorporated into the fraternity.[7] This was to make the organization more appealing to youth. Edson himself researched the history and language of the Lenni Lenape (the Delaware Indians) in order to make the names and culture of the program authentic. He and Goodman conducted the original rituals and the speaking roles at the public campfire were primarily done by Edson.[7] He was the second to receive the Vigil Honor and kept his Vigil in 1917.” In his spare time, he was also a colonel in the U. S. Army.
The point is that none of us can keep the Order going, without the assistance and input of each of you. We saw that this Fall at our Lodge Induction Weekends. Thank you to everyone that came out to help service our camps and welcome to all those new to our brotherhood.
Yours In Brotherhood,
Mark L. Ashburn