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January 10th, 2010
Nisha Kittan 114: First Flap Issued
Previously I had reported of the formation of Nisha Kittan lodge, in Lewis and Clark Council, from the merger of Kishkakon 32 and Taleka 81. Thanks to Rich Dillow, I now have an image of the lodge's newly issued first flap. The lodge has decided to use 114 as a lodge number. As far as I know there are no other issues from this lodge at this time.
The design of the flap a simple portrayal of the lodge's black wolf totem, depicted baying at a full moon. It's nicely done. However some observant collectors, especially those in the Southern Plains may find this patch rather familiar looking. I have to wonder if the designer of this flap was inspired by another patch.
Read the Full Post on blog.oaimages.com
October 27th, 2009
Never Assume
There is an old adage about what happens if one assumes. Randy Holden recently gave me an example of why one shouldn't assume.
A few years ago this privately made patch bearing the name and number of "Unilachtego 107". Given the history of lodge 107 and what was already published in Blue Book, and a proclivity for the recycling of some old lodge names, I assumed this was a predecessor lodge to Kon-Kon-Tu 107 that never had an authentic issue. That was where I was wrong.
Read the Full Post on blog.oaimages.com
August 30th, 2009
The Unknown Lodges
The Unknown Lodges (Originally printed in Blue Book reprinted with permission of the American Scouting Historical Society)
by Jeff Morley and Bill Topkis
It is hard to imagine the Order of the Arrow of the early 1920s. The scouting program itself was less than 15 years old and the Boy Scouts of America was only one of several scouting organizations competing for national dominance. In those days, the program was not even called Order of the Arrow. What we now know as the OA began in 1915 as Wimactendienk W. W. and was one of several honor camper societies to form during the first decade of Scouting.
Based upon the few first-hand accounts by members who were active in the 1920s, minutes of early meetings of the Grand Lodge and the official History of the Order of the Arrow by Kenneth Davis, an amazing picture of the orders early years begins to emerge.
Scout councils began procuring their own camps in the early to mid 1920s. Before then, it was commonplace for councils to share large camp areas. Three such areas were Treasure Island on the Deleware River near Philadelphia, Lake Kawonanke, and Crystal Lake in New York. Scout encampments from many councils co-existed along the shores of the latter two locations and in the case of Kawonanke Lake, we know that well over thirty different scout councils had campgrounds there at the same time. In circumstances such as these, it is easy to see that if one council utilized a popular honor camper society, it would not be long before the idea would spread to neighboring council camps and such was the case in the early days.
Read the Full Post on blog.oaimages.com
August 25th, 2009
Guest Editorial: On Patch Restrictions
Rick Obermeyer taught a training session on "Ethical Patch Distribution" at NOAC earlier this month. The topic of patch restrictions often arises in conversation both at NOAC and elsewhere. It is raised often enough that he included an answer to this question in his handouts. I share this here with his permission.
Q4: How do you feel about restrictions?
A4: That really isnt in the context of this session, but since we have time, Ill give you my personal opinions, if you like. I cant speak on restrictions for everybody. That would be too presumptuous. I can only talk about what works for my own lodge back home. Shall I go ahead?
How my lodge feels about restrictions is based on some premises. The first premise is that we are all brothers in the Order of the Arrow. That is, equal brothers. We all got into the OA the same way, with election by others. If we have Brotherhood membership, thats because we all individually made a personal promise to accept the challenge to cheerful service that was shown to us during the Ordeal. If we are Vigil, that is a sign given to indicate that others feel that we have done a decent job of keeping that personal promise we made to ourselves at Brotherhood.
Read the Full Post on blog.oaimages.com
August 22nd, 2009
Patch Trading at NOAC
Now this is patch trading!
Jason Spangler, aka The Santee Swapper, took out his video camera during the evening patch trading at NOAC. Rather than showing every single patch that was out there -- an almost impossible task if I say so myself -- he wanted to capture the atmosphere of patch trading in Read Hall. The video clip is after the jump.
Read the Full Post on blog.oaimages.com
August 18th, 2009
2009 NOAC: Who Had the Most Patches?
Now that NOAC is over we can start to get a better grasp on what the lodges issued for this event. I would not be surprised if there's ultimately close to 1500 issues from the approximately 300 lodges. Keep those images coming.
Today's question: Which lodge issued the most patches for NOAC. Skyuka 270 had 14 pieces and they are not a lodge known for its large quantity of issues. Has anyone issued more?
I think there's at least 11 issues from Amangamek Wipit (not yet online) so they could be a contender with a few more patches. Wipala Wiki has been known for a large number of NOAC patches in past years, but I've not seen much from them yet.
On the other extreme: Were there any lodges in attendance that issue no patches for NOAC?
Read the Full Post on blog.oaimages.com
Archive for September, 2008
Egwa Tawa Dee 129 B3?
Since my collecting interest is very restricted, it’s not often I get to add to my personal collection. This patch came in the mail to me today. It was issued last weekend at the Atlanta Trade-o-ree.
Bullions are rather unique items, a synthesis of both wire work and traditional embroidery. There aren’t very many different ones. Lodges tend to issue there in small quantities. Some of them are very scarce.
I think this piece turned out nicely, for the most part. If I had a list of my favorite bullions this one would probably rank high on it. Cahuilla 127 B2 probably is still my favorite among the recent bullions.
Popularity: 6% [?]
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"Nothing would be more tiresome than eating and drinking if God had not made them a pleasure as well as a necessity."
Francois Marie Arouet Voltaire
Some here might be aware of the problems some users of this site have experienced, namely in getting communcations from me, especially if they had AOL addresses. In short AOL has been blocking email from this site’s server since early this year.
I can finally report good news on this front. I received this message from an “AOL postmaster” this morning:
The block on the IP has been removed and please allow 24 hours for the block to be cleared.
Thank you,
Sridhar
AOL Postmaster.
The block has been removed. I will update the subscription pages on my site to reflect this later today or tomorrow.
Popularity: 9% [?]
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"It is probable that a press which maintains an intimate touch with the business currents of the nation is likely to be more reliable than it would be if it were a stranger to these influences. After all, the chief business of the American people is business. They are profoundly concerned with buying, selling, investing and prospering in the world."
Calvin Coolidge
1947 Area J Fellowship Meeting Slide
For the third consecutive year Echockotee lodge would host the Area J Fellowship Meeting in November 1947. A leather neckerchief slide, much easier to read than the 1946 piece, was issued. Thanks to Robert Mathis for the image of this piece.
Continue Reading »
Popularity: 7% [?]
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"Prosperity is only an instrument to be used, not a deity to be worshipped."
Calvin Coolidge
1946 Area J Fellowship Meeting Slide
The lodges of southern Georgia and Florida gathered again from the 1946 Area J Fellowship. As in 1945, Echockotee lodge served as the host lodge for this event.
Also as in 1945, a leather neckerchief slide was issued. Age and the choice of a darker leather make it difficult to read the text of the slide on this image. Once again, thanks to Robert Mathis for this image.
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Popularity: 7% [?]
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An invasion of armies can be resisted, but not an idea whose time has come.
1954 Area 3F Patch
In 1954, the lodges of southwestern Pennsylvania met for the first time as Area 3F at Camp Conestoga near Bakersville, Pennsylvania. The fellowship meeting was hosted by Wagion Lodge #6.
An embroidered patch was issued for the event. There was also a drinking glass with a printed design including a conestoga wagon.
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Popularity: 9% [?]
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"I have heard your views. They do not harmonize with mine. The decision is taken unanimously."
Charles De Gaulle
Well I normally write about patches, but for those who know me, I am a Die Hard OSU Beaver Fan & Alumni. If you hate USC then this is great news. My Beavers handed them their first loss this year. I know a lot of you are in SEC country so when your team gets number 1 at the end of the season you know who to thank.
OSU normally starts slow and loses to a chump (Stanford) and a decent team (Penn State) but as the season progresses they become unbeatable. We will most likely be number 1 but we win our Bowl Games.
As a side note we normally have a very good baseball team — ask UNC.
Popularity: 6% [?]
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"Duty is not collective; it is personal."
Calvin Coolidge
1954 Area 3E Slide
On May 1 and 2 of 1954, the lodges of central Pennsylvania met for the first time as Area 3E at Camp Tuckahoe near Dillsburg, Pennsylvania. The meeting was hosted by Tuckahoe Lodge #386.
A white plastic neckerchief slide with a red arrowhead was issued for the event. This is the only memorabilia with a specific Area 3E designation issued before 1960; from 1955 through 1959, attendees were given neckerchiefs with an attached patch from the host lodge. There was also a meeting program with a hand-drawn cover.
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Popularity: 8% [?]
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"Fortune knocks but once, but misfortune has much more patience."
Laurence J. Peter
1954 Area 3D Slide
On May 1 and 2, 1954, the lodges of northeastern Pennsylvania met for the first time as Area 3D at Camp Acahela in Blakeslee, Pennsylvania on the Lehigh River. The meeting was hosted by Acahela Lodge #223.
A leather neckerchief slide was issued for the event. Like most other Region 3 slides of the 1950s, it is fairly scarce and hard to find.
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Popularity: 8% [?]
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"The nation which forgets its defenders will be itself forgotten."
Calvin Coolidge
1954 Area 3C Patch
In 1954, the lodges of Virginia met as Area 3C for the second time, at Camp Rock Enon in Gore, Virginia. Shenshawpotoo Lodge #276 hosted the Pow Wow. A pocket-flap patch featuring an arrow going through an apple was issued for the event; this was the first Area 3C patch and is the only flap-shaped conclave patch from Region 3. Continue Reading »
Popularity: 13% [?]
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"Rest satisfied with doing well, and leave others to talk of you as they please."
Pythagoras
1945 Area J Fellowship Slide
The lodges of Area J met at Camp Echockotee in November of 1945 for their Fellowship Meeting. Echockotee 200 was the host lodge for this event. This might be the first such meeting of these lodges. This is the first piece of memorabilia known to me from this area. I thank Robert Mathis for supplying the images used in this and forthcoming posts about Area J meetings.
This neckerchief slide should look very familiar to those who collect North Carolina Conclave Memorabilia. The piece is almost identical in design and text to the 1945 Area I Fellowship Meeting neckerchief slide.
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Popularity: 7% [?]
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"A fanatic is one who can't change his mind and won't change the subject."
Sir Winston Churchill
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Recent OAImages News
December 5th, 2009
A Fun Few Days
I'm sure most of you noticed the problems this site has been having over the past few days. It went offline several times. It was a frustrating experience. To add to my woes, I somehow managed to pick up some "bad stuff" on my computer at home. The last time I had this much trouble with my site, server, and home PC I was also let go from my job. Luckily that did NOT happen!
"Techie Talk" follows...
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October 4th, 2009
Blocked Emails
I have been made aware this evening of a couple of issues with email.
Hotmail is currently blocking email from some RoadRunner servers at this time. RoadRunner is my ISP and my outgoing mail, except for messages automatically generated by my server come from there. RoadRunner currently has published this notice:
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September 30th, 2009
More NOAC Images
To those who are wondering where the rest of the NOAC patches are... A large group will be uploaded to the site later today or this evening. I'm working on large groups from the 200s and 300s ranges of lodge numbers right now. Stay tuned.
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September 21st, 2009
Temporary Email Outage: Resolved
Last Friday RoadRunner started blocking email from my server because of spam without my knowledge. I had been filtering all my incoming mail at OAImages through my RoadRunner so as to filter out most of the several hundred spam messages that I get every day. RoadRunner apparently did not like that. I had no idea the server was being blocked until I saw over 800 notices that email was rejected on my server's queue last night.
This is now resolved and I am now receiving mail again, but it is coming directly (unfiltered) to me from my server, spam and all. I am currently working to block the spam.
If anyone sent me email between Friday morning (9/18) and this morning (9/21), please don't assume I received it. I probably did not see it. Please send again.
Thank you.
Read the Full Post
August 7th, 2009
OA Blue Book Going "Web 2.0"
One of the big items of discussion at the recent pre-NOAC TOR was the fate of Blue Book. For those who don't know, the various legal issues in which this became entangled are now resolved. The new editor in chief of the Blue Book is Roy More. His desire is to maintain this resource in electronic and online forms. It has become impractical to publish this in book form as was done for the first six editions.
The goal is to create an "ever green" resource, with active input by collectors. It will be going "Web 2.0" in many respects. OAImages, will remain an integral part in this. This does not mean uncontrolled anarchy though, with lodge listings being changed at will by anyone who chooses. Roy writes:
...OA Blue Book will not become a Wikipedia. This is a standards (sic) project which means there must be structure, discipline and stability. That said, Blue Book will become much more open for all...
There are still many issues that need to be worked out. Roy More has started a blog at oabluebook.com to discuss some of the various issues that need to be resolved. There are only a few posts there now, but he plans to update this frequently. Please check this out and comment on the posts there.
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April 1st, 2009
New Policies on Patches Announced
This post covers an important change in policy that will soon become effective regarding patches issued for all Order of the Arrow lodges chartered by the Boy Scouts of America (BSA). Please read the whole post carefully.
At a recent meeting at the National Headquarters of the Boy Scouts of America, it was announced that a new policy will be put in place by both the Boy Scouts of America and the NationalOrder of the Arrow Committee regarding lodge patch issues. Further announcements and clarifications will be made at this Summer's National Order of the Arrow Conference and at section conclaves throughout the year. This policy will be effective September 1, 2009.
All lodge flaps, and patches issued as multiple piece sets (most commonly two-piece sets) must be ordered through BSA Supply Division, or an official BSA licensee. The national OA and the BSA has decreed that all items must be produced in a minimum quantity of 1000 (one thousand) pieces. In the case where a lodge wishes to make minor changes in design or colors, 1000 of each must be produced.
Should the lodge feel they do not need that many pieces to suit their needs, the BSA Supply Division will purchase all remainders from the manufacturer and retain them. They will be available to the lodges should more be needed. At the BSA's discretion, they will also be made available for sale in all BSA run Scout shops.
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Posted in Patch Collecting by John E. Pannell on September 30th, 2008 at 7:34 pm 
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