OAImages Blog

I was recently corresponding with a friend here and the subject of the supposed 1944 Area I Meeting patch came up.   He was able to share with me some information about this patch.   I have deliberately deleted the names of all individuals involved.

You will occasionally see rectangular strips that say something like “Morrow Mountain State Park, 1944″.    At least one local collector has the piece and has displayed it on numerous occasions.   My friend asked him about it and was told that it is part of a “truly complete” Area I set.     There are some who support this view.

There is no evidence that a 1944 meeting took place.   Instead there are rumors about some sort of “planning event” that took place there in 1944.   Given that World War 2 rationing would still have been in effect, I am doubtful that such a meeting would have been held, if it was just intended to be a  “planning event”.

My friend was able to find out this other collector’s source for his 1944 patch.   The source was an elderly Scouter in our part of the state who is now in failing health.   Some time ago, while in better health, my friend visited this source and inquired about the 1944 strip.   The source stated that many years ago, he went to Morrow Mountain and bought these strips.   They were NOT Scouting related; they were apparently an advertisement for the park, sort of a wearable bumper sticker.   The source did give them out at some scouting events.   He knew of no connection to Area I.  They were not issued for any planning event or any other BSA or OA activity.   The fact that they showed up at Scouting events is their only connection to Scouting.    The source was very clear on this matter.

Barring contradictory evidence, I think it can be safely concluded that there was no patch issued for a 1944 Area I fellowship.   Furthermore it is doubtful that such a meeting even took place.