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The Order of the Arrow ('''OA''') is a program of the Boy Scout division of the Boy Scouts Of America (BSA). It is the BSA's national Honor Society for experienced campers, based on Native American traditions, and dedicated to the ideal of cheerful service. Members of the OA are called ''Arrowmen''.


PURPOSES

The stated purposes of the Order of the Arrow are:

  • ''To recognize those Scout campers who best exemplify the Scout Oath and Law in their daily lives,''

  • ''To develop and maintain camping traditions and spirit,''

  • ''To promote Scout camping, and''

  • ''To crystallize the Scout habit of helpfulness into a life purpose of leadership in cheerful service to others''



SYMBOLS

Arrowmen are identified by a white sash bearing a red arrow that is worn over their right shoulder. An Ordeal member is recognized by a sash with just the arrow. The Brotherhood sash consists of an arrow with two red bars, while the Vigil sash adds with a triangle going through the arrow shaft, the triangle bearing three small arrows going in a counterclockwise direction. The sash is worn only at official Order of the Arrow functions and when specifically representing the Order of the Arrow– such as when conducting an election of Order of the Arrow members.

Arrowmen indicate lodge affiliation by wearing a patch on the right pocket flap of the uniform, known as a Lodge Flap. They may also wear the OA Pocket Device, a silver arrow suspended from red and white ribbon that is worn on the right pocket button. Membership is also shown by a special handshake1, signs and passwords. The official song "Firm Bound in Brotherhood"2 was written in 1921 by the founder and is based on the tune of God Save The Tsar by Alexei Fyodorovich Lvov .


HISTORY

The OA was founded in 1915 at a Scout Summer Camp on Treasure Island , on the Delaware River near Philadelphia . The two men principally responsible for its creation were camp director Dr. E. Urner Goodman , and his assistant Carroll A. Edson .

Goodman and Edson were looking for ways to improve the camp and to keep the older boys coming back. They looked at several sources in creating their new 'camp fraternity'3 4, including:

  • Edward Cave's ''Boy's Camp Book'' for the concept of a camp society that would perpetuate camp traditions.

  • College Fraternities for the concepts of Brotherhood and rituals, and the idea of new members pledging themselves to the new organization.

  • Ernest Thompson Seton 's Woodcraft Indians for the use of American Indian Lore to make the organization interesting and appealing to youth, which lead them to incorporating traditions and legends of the local Lenni Lenape (Delaware) Indians in the OA's ceremonies. In fact, the order's original name meant ''Brotherhood of Cheerful Service'' in the Lenape Language .

  • Brotherhood Of Andrew And Phillip , a church youth group that Goodman had been involved in.