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Immokalee Lodge (#353) of the Order of the Arrow was officially
chartered in Chehaw Council on January 17, 1947. It remained the
chartered Order of the Arrow lodge through the Council’s name change to
Southwest Georgia Council and then back to Chehaw Council. Active
membership in Immokalee Lodge averages 200 scouts at any time, including
both youth and adults.
Immokalee Lodge was actually organized in 1945, although it
was not officially chartered until 1947. The known charter members
were: Luther Wood, Jr. (Albany), Jimmy Buchanan (Americus), Billy
Morton (Tifton), Henry David “Sonny” Collier (Tifton), and Williams
(Colquitt ). There were possibly one or two more members in the initial
group. These members were selected by the Council and went through
their ordeal at the Area J conclave in Jacksonville, Florida, in
November, 1945. Luther Wood, Jr. was lodge chief from 1945 through
1947.
The first “tap-out” and “ordeal” to be held at Camp Osborn
was in 1946. At least through the early 1960s each troop voted at
summer camp which of its members would be elected to the Order of the
Arrow. The “tap-out” took place on Friday night and the ordeal began
immediately thereafter with the “night alone under the stars.” Saturday
was the work-day which ended at 5:00 pm and was followed by the
traditional supper and ceremony.
At some time in the mid-1960s the Ordeal was moved to a
weekend after summer camp. Also, in the mid-1960s the election process
was moved from summer camp to a troop meeting prior to summer camp. In
the early 1970s the practice of using arrows for the “tapping” was
prohibited at Camp Osborn. By the 1980s the use of arrows was
prohibited in all lodges and the “tap-out” became known as the
“call-out.”
While the arrow sash is the identifier of a member of the Order of the
Arrow, a patch for the right shirt pocket (usually with the totem and
lodge name) was used as an identifier for the individual lodge into the
1950s. In the late 1950s a patch designed to fit on the flap of the
right pocket became the standard Order of the Arrow identifier. These
patches are commonly referred to as “flaps.”
During the first tap-out held by
Immokalee Lodge, a long-eared owl gave its dire hoot of warning and flew
down across the dance area as the tap-out team selected those chosen for
the Ordeal. As a consequence of this, the lodge adopted the
large, long-eared owl, the óbo of ancient Creek warriors, as
lodge totem. The first patch Immokalee Lodge used was an hourglass
shaped right pocket patch with the owl emblem. In 1958, under the
direction of Miles T. Clements, a member of the Lodge, Ken Hancock, a
talented Tifton artist (but not a Scout), designed the first flap patch
featuring the owl totem.
Immokalee lodge was assigned its
lodge number 353 at its charter in 1947. Originally, lodges were
assigned numbers in the order of charter. Zhingwak
Lodge of East Chicago, Indiana was chartered on September 14th, 1946 and
was assigned lodge number 352. Mayi Lodge of Sacramento,
California was chartered on March 20th, 1947 and was assigned lodge
number 354. At some point the assigning of lodge numbers changed
and new lodges could reuse numbers from disbanded or merged lodges or
could take a number higher than the last assigned number. As of
December 2003, the National Committee of the Order of the Arrow
officially discontinued the use of
lodge numbers. Lodges are now known lodge name, council name and council number
for all national purposes. Subsequently, the National
Committee of the Order of the Arrow issued a follow-up statement that
existing lodges could continue to use their lodge numbers for section and
council council matters (i.e., conclaves) and that new lodges (now
formed exclusively by mergers) could select a number for the same use. Lodge names are approved by
the lodge and submitted to the National Order of the Arrow Committee for
approval. Names usually reflect some local native American
connection, although there have been lodges with non-native American
names.
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Long years ago, the Lenni Lenape tribe of
the Delaware Indians inhabited the Delaware River Valley. They pursued
the deer, bear, wildcat, and the panther. They hunted and fished. Their
villages were numerous and powerful; their hunting parties strong. They
tilled the fields as well as followed the chase. They were a peaceful
people, never warring with other tribes unless first attacked. The smoke
arose from their wigwams as they smoked their pipe of peace.
Many moons they lived in this happy state of blissful contentment.
Springtime blossomed into summer, summer matured into autumn, and autumn
faded into winter in what seemed a never-ending succession of seasons. A
cloud arose on this peaceful scene, however. Neighboring tribes and
distant enemies began to raid their hunting grounds. Then Chingachgook,
the chief of the Lenni Lenape, made an inquiry: "Who will go to the
villages of the Delaware and warn them of the danger that threatens?"
but none wished to go. One said, "Let them look to themselves--we are
happy here." Another said, "Why should we be concerned as long as we are
safe?" But Uncas, his son, said, "My father, here I am, send me. All
these villages are of our blood--the Lenni Lenape. What is danger to one
is the affair of all. The need is urgent. They are six to our one, and
if we are to survive as a nation, we must all stand by each other.
Meanwhile let us both urge upon our kindred the necessity of unselfish
devotion to each other and the cause in which we are enlisted, and as
they get this higher vision, send them forth on their errand of cheerful
service."
Then Chingachgook, the chief, and his son Uncas set to work. In every
village were found some who were willing to give themselves cheerfully
in the service of others. Their enemies were compelled to retire to
their own borders, and when peace was declared between them, they who
first went out cheerfully to serve their kindred were raised to places
of high eminence in the tribe by the chief. He said, "The servant is the
greatest of all." These men became so convinced of the truth of this
saying that they besought the chief to perpetuate it in some manner.
Therefore, Chingachgook bound them together in a Brotherhood into which
only those who can forget their own interests and advancement while
looking out for those of their brothers may be admitted. These also must
be recommended for membership by their associates.
So greatly did this Order aid and strengthen the Lenni Lenape that other
tribes sought their help in forming similar lodges in their own tribes.
In the spirit of service many such lodges were formed, and they were
bound together into one great Brotherhood. Therefore, as followers of
the early Indians, we perpetuate even to the present day the Brotherhood
of Cheerful Service, which, being translated into the language of the
Delaware Indians, becomes Wimachtendienk, Wingolauchsik, Witahemui
(See note 1).
1Thus,
Order of the Arrow patches contain the letters WWW. |
