ORDER OF THE ARROW GUIDE FOR - Tipisa Lodge

58 Pages·2010·0.99 MB·English

ORDER OF THE ARROW GUIDE FOR
OFFICERS AND ADVISERS
BOY SCOUTS OF AMERICA
423-413
2010 Printing
Contents
GUIDE FOR OFFICERS AND ADVISERS
Lodge Administration 7
Organization 7
Lodge Program 9
Communications 10
The Order of the Arrow National Bulletin 11
Camping Promotion 11
Lodge Charter Renewal 14
National Quality Lodge Program 14
Membership Records 14
Lodge Membership Fees and Dues 15
Lodge Finances and Financial Records 15
Forming Lodge Chapters 16
Don’t Just Meet: Do (But Not Too Much) 16
The Key 3 Team for Lodge Administration 17–19
Lodge Rules 20
Drug, Alcohol, and Tobacco Policy 20
Membership Requirements 20
Unit Elections 22
Induction: Election to Ordeal 22
Election Ceremony 26
Ceremonies 27
Conducting the Brotherhood Ceremony 29
Choosing Vigil Honor Candidates 31
Structure, Program, and Awards 34
National Order of the Arrow Committee 36
National Conference 36
National Conference Committee 36
National Youth Officers 37
National Leadership Seminar 37
National Lodge Adviser Training Seminar 37
National Order of the Arrow Programs of Emphasis 38
National Chiefs and Vice Chiefs 40
Regional Organization 41
Section Organization 41
The Order and International Scouting 42
Special Programs and Awards 42
Appendix 45
Guidelines for Assisting Scouts and Scouters
With Special Needs 45
Index 47
4
Foreword
Congratulations to Arrowmen who have accepted lead- This Order of the Arrow Guide for Officers and Advisers
ership in the lodge. You have an important responsibility to reflects the current policies concerning the organization
your fellow Arrowmen and to the future of your lodge. This and administration of the Order of the Arrow lodge.
book has been written especially for you. It is available for download and printing at the Order’s
While some of the material will seem familiar, it is official Web site, http://www.oa-bsa.org. All lodge and
important that you absorb all of the information offered chapter officers and advisers should have a copy.
in this book and display the knowledge you gain through
your leadership performance.
5

GUIDE FOR OFFICERS
AND ADVISERS
Lodge Administration In Scouting you will often hear the phrase “two-deep
leadership.” To sustain leadership, program continuity,
and abide by the Youth Protection guidelines of the BSA,
Upon close study, you’ll find that your lodge—its pur- at least two adult leaders who are registered in Scouting
pose, program, and especially its membership—is a natural should be on the job during all Order of the Arrow activi-
extension of Scouting itself. It stems from a mutual desire of ties. One adult member must be at least 21 years of age.
its members—experienced Scouts and Scouters—to serve a (All Arrowmen 18 to 20 years of age are considered adults
program they greatly admire, respect, and believe in. Good except for voting and holding office, in which case they
lodge administration is crucial to the lodge’s success and, are considered youths.) This is not only a policy—it is just
when properly conducted, brings together a dynamic group common sense.
of self-motivated individuals, uniting them in service to others.
It develops synergy, that rare instance where the sum of all the
Organization
parts is greater than the whole.
Policies and procedures for the Order of the Arrow,
which are developed by the national Order of the Arrow Next to the membership itself, the lodge is the
committee based on sound and tested administrative pat- most important element in the Order of the Arrow
tern, unify the lodges nationally in furthering the objectives because that is where the program is carried out. But
of the Order as Scouting’s National Honor Society. The before it can carry out the program, the lodge must be
unique attraction of the Order is its combination of inspira- properly organized.
tion, fellowship, and fun that holds, in dedicated service and The Scout executive is the final authority of the Order
devotion, your council’s finest youths and adults. within the council and, because of this, holds the title of
As a leader, you show the way for others. Lead by Supreme Chief of the Fire. It is the Scout executive’s job
example, in thought, word, and deed. Follow the policies, to see that the lodge adheres to national policy.
procedures, and guidelines that have been established, Each year the Scout executive appoints a volunteer to
adapting them as necessary to local conditions. Always serve as lodge adviser. As Deputy Supreme Chief of the Fire,
remember not to shortcut a procedure or bypass a policy, the lodge adviser assists the Scout executive in guiding the
for in doing so you weaken not only your lodge but the operation of the lodge program. This person also serves as
Order of the Arrow nationally. a member of the council Boy Scout or camping committee
From its humble beginning, the Order of the Arrow and may be elected to the council executive board.
was designed as a resource to Scouting. It is often credited In some councils, the Scout executive serves as lodge
with maintaining the interest of older youths in Scouting staff adviser but in most cases appoints a member of the
and retaining many as they reach adulthood, providing a professional staff to that position. The staff adviser, as Chief
pool of leadership and resources to Scouting in the coun- of the Fire, acts on behalf of the Scout executive in giving
cil. Arrowmen can best serve the movement through their guidance to the lodge.
personal example by upholding the spirit and traditions of The title of Camp Chief of the Fire is used to designate
the Order as well as of Scouting. the Boy Scout resident camp director.
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Many lodges are broken down into smaller organiza- large—American Indian lore or public relations experts,
tional groups called chapters. Chapter advisers and staff for instance—to serve on the committee. If there are chap-
advisers are appointed annually by the Scout executive to ters in the lodge, the chapter chiefs and chapter advisers
support the purpose of the Order and give active leader- are members of the lodge executive committee. Any lodge
ship to that purpose. member is welcome to attend executive committee meet-
All advisers should be Scouters with considerable ings as an observer.
experience in the Order of the Arrow. The executive committee is the steering committee of
Lodge and chapter advisers need to work closely with dis-
the lodge. It faces the problems, studies possible solutions,
trict and council volunteers and professional Scouters. It is the
and then, through the lodge or chapter committee organiza-
adviser’s responsibility to see that the Order is working in
tion, acts. It carries on the business of the lodge, coordinat-
close support of and in harmony with the council and district
ing the work being done by officers and operating
program. It must at all times be remembered that the Order is an
committees. Regardless of any executive committee decision
extension of Scouting, an integral part of it, rather than a separate
or undertaking, the lodge must operate within the policies
program. The lodge adviser and lodge chief serve as members
established by the national Order of the Arrow committee.
of the council camping or Boy Scout committee, while the
The lodge chief is chairman and presides over meet-
chapter adviser and chapter chief serve on the district
ings. He is expected to prepare agendas and share them
camping or Boy Scout committee.
with the lodge and staff adviser before sending them to
Optionally, with the prior approval of the Scout
committee members with the meeting announcement.
executive, the lodge or chapter adviser may appoint an
A definite schedule for executive committee meetings
associate lodge adviser or associate chapter adviser annu-
should be established before the start of the lodge year.
ally to help fulfill the mission of the lodge. One associate
at the chapter level should be enough; at the lodge level Meetings held monthly or every two months are the cus-
more than one position may be appropriate, depending tomary pattern. Each committee member should have a
on the size of the lodge and the duties assigned. If too schedule of the meetings. It is understood that the lodge
many associates are appointed, they may interfere and chief or Scout executive is privileged to call a special meet-
cause confusion for the youth trying to lead. Service in any ing of the committee if the need arises.
of these positions should not be considered an automatic The executive committee is a relatively small group
pathway to the chapter or lodge adviser role. and thus is able to handle the business of the lodge in a
quick and efficient manner. The entire membership of the
Lodge officers. The elected officers of the lodge are the
lodge should, however, hear a report of all major decisions
lodge chief, lodge vice chief, lodge secretary, and lodge
and projects being planned.
treasurer. Some lodges find it desirable to elect more than
Members of the executive committee who are staff
one vice chief. Arrowmen desiring to serve as a lodge (or
members at Boy Scout resident camp may serve on the
chapter) officer or committee chairman must meet the
Order of the Arrow camp council to handle the Order’s
following eligibility requirements:
business during camp. When not in camp, the lodge chief
1. Be currently registered in Scouting, in the council that appoints an Arrowman to serve as camp chief.
charters the lodge.
Key 3 leadership. The working relationship of the chief,
2. Be a member in good standing in the lodge.
volunteer adviser, and professional staff adviser is com-
3. Be younger than 21 for the entire term of office. monly referred to as the “Key 3.” Key 3 leadership is
common to all levels of the Order: chapter, lodge, section,
Officers serve a one-year term. Suggested terms of office
region, and national. The Key 3 should meet regularly at
are a calendar year, January 1 through December 31, or a
each level to establish goals and to evaluate progress
school year, September 1 through August 31. Officers may be
toward those goals.
re-elected. It is recommended that lodge officers hold no
other office in the Order of the Arrow. This practice will Operating committees. For the lodge to achieve its camp-
allow the officer to devote his entire effort to the successful ing promotion and cheerful service objectives, a number
performance of the duties and responsibilities of his office.
of operating committees must be organized to implement
Lodge chiefs who are elected to be chief of a section, while in
its programs.
office, must resign the lodge chief position within 30 days
Committee chairmen are appointed by the lodge
after election as section chief.
chief with the approval of the lodge adviser. They become
All members of the lodge younger than 21 are eligible
members of the executive committee and may pick their
to vote.
own committee members subject to the approval of the
Lodge executive committee. The executive committee of lodge chief.
the lodge—a key group—consists of the youths serving as Each operating committee should have one or more
lodge officers (including the past lodge chief), lodge oper- adult com mittee advisers to guide committee work. They
ating committee chairmen and their advisers, the staff are appointed by the lodge adviser in consultation with the
adviser, the lodge adviser, and the Scout executive. If the lodge chief and are approved by the Scout executive or staff
lodge membership feels that this group is not representa- adviser. It is the adviser’s job to provide information,
tive, a lodge may select two or three members at instruction, and coaching for the committee members.
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Every Arrowman should serve on one or more commit- Ad hoc committees. Committees are sometimes appointed
tees. In this way, all members share responsibility for lodge on a temporary basis to carry out some specific assignments
activities and projects. Lodge officers should not be burdened such as lodge officer nominations, Vigil Honor nominations,
with all the details of committee meetings and related projects. lodge rule revisions, or running a single service project, a
Here are some of the basic lodge operating committees: banquet, or other major lodge activity.
Some of the larger lodges broaden their committee
Activities committee. Develops plans for two or three
structure to include editorial, public relations, American
membership meeting activities for the lodge each year and
Indian dance team, costuming committees, etc.
is responsible for carrying them out.
Lodges organized by chapters should have corresponding
Camping promotion committee. Develops plans for camp- chapter-level committees with the chapter committee chair-
ing promotion in consultation with the council camping man serving on the lodge level committees.
committee; develops promotion helps such as ‘‘Where
to Go Camping’’ booklets, visual aids, color slides, and mov- Lodge Program
ies or videos of camping activities. The council camping
committee representative to the executive committee usu-
The first step to creating a good program is to lay out
ally serves as the camping promotion committee adviser.
the entire year’s plan in advance and let everyone know
Ceremonial committee. Recruits and trains ceremonial about it. To do this, the lodge chief should work closely with
teams, instructs members on appropriate ceremonial cos- his officers and advisers to determine the lodge’s goals and
tumes, keeps ceremonial grounds in good condition, and objectives for the coming year, for these dictate its program.
conducts lodge and Scout unit ceremonies when requested. From this initial planning session, a lodge program plan
book is created. The plan book should include a calendar of
Communications committee. Prepares lodge newsletters,
events, describe the program of emphasis, and serve as a
develops and maintains lodge Web sites, organizes and
guide or plan throughout the year.
operates the network of OA troop/team representatives to
The lodge program should be directed toward achieving
keep units informed, and promotes participation in OA
the purpose of the Order, camping promotion, council
events and activities. Some lodges may want to create a
service, leadership development, and cheerful service to the
separate troop/team representative committee.
community. Preparing and distributing a ‘‘Where to Go
Finance committee. Draws up an annual budget based on Camping’’ booklet for unit leaders and making camping
administrative and program needs, obtains information from promotion visits to all Boy Scout troops and Varsity Scout
the council service center and issues regular finance reports teams are important parts of the lodge program.
and is responsible for the financial status of the lodge. Lodges are expected to plan a program and activities to
support the purpose of the Order, the local council, and its
Inductions committee. Plans and administers Ordeals,
units through outdoor program promotion and service. This
recruits and trains Elangomats and Nimats, administers the
includes the council resident camps, camp facilities, unit
Brotherhood hike, and conducts new-member orientation.
camping, Cub Scout outdoor experiences, and the Webelos-to-
Leadership development committee. Plans an annual con- Scout plan. In recent years, this has expanded from traditional
ference to build members’ leadership and job-specific areas such as unit camping promotion visits, American Indian
skills; coordinates continued leadership training through- dance performances at blue and gold banquets, and troop
out the year based on current lodge needs. Scoutcraft skill resource teams to include many new fields,
such as ecology, Scoutreach mentoring, and membership
Membership committee. Checks on inactive members and
extention. Many lodges hold an annual social affair to which
maintains membership records, sends out letters each year to
members’ friends and family, or the community at large, are
identify active members and checks address changes,
invited. These functions often serve as a means of raising funds
and sends letters to Ordeal members eligible for
to provide camp scholarships or for other worthwhile lodge
Brotherhood membership.
projects. Typical events include hayrides, fish fries, annual ban-
Service committee. Suggests a yearly schedule of service quets, winter carnivals, canoe trips, barbecues, and winter
projects, gets lodge approval, and makes complete plans camp outs. It must be remembered that prior to embarking on
for getting the work done. any type of fund-raising project, close coordination and
approval by the council must be secured.
Unit elections committee. Sends out information to the unit
Business meetings are essential to the administration of
leader regarding membership election procedures, orga-
the Order. These include lodge executive committee meet-
nizes and trains election teams, schedules visits of election
ings and other lodge committee meetings, which occur as
teams to units, and records the results of elections.
necessary to accomplish their tasks. Lodge meetings, where
the entire lodge membership gathers, are held much less
frequently, and these are often in the form of a lodge fellow-
ship weekend, conclave, or pow wow. Lodges organ ized by
chapters conduct chapter membership meetings monthly or
once every other month to deliver the Order of the Arrow
program to the membership, foster communication, and
organize the lodge’s effort to serve the council.
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