The James T. Callow Folklore Archive

THE BOY SCOUTS HAVE AN HONORARY CAMPERS' SOCIETY
KNOWN AS "THE ORDER OF THE ARROW." EACH YEAR AT
SUMMER CAMP THERE WAS AN INTRICATE, TRADITIONAL
SERIES OF RITUALS THROUGH WHICH CERTAIN SELECTED
CAMPERS WERE INDUCTED INTO THIS ORGANIZATION. THE
SERIES WAS REPEATED IN WEEKLY CYCLES, AS NEW GROUPS
OF CAMPERS ARRIVED IN CAMP. THE RITUAL WAS DIVIDED
INTO THREE PARTS:
1. THE TAPPING CEREMONY: THIS TOOK PLACE AT A CAMPFIRE
FOR THE ENTIRE CAMP ON THE FIRST FULL DAY IN CAMP.
AT THIS TIME, THE ORIGINS OF THE ORDER OF THE ARROW
WERE EXPLAINED. ORDER MEMBERS DRESSED AS INDIANS WERE
SUMMONED TO THE CAMPFIRE BY FLAMING ARROWS SHOT INTO
THE SKY. THEY ARRIVED IN A CANOE FROM ACROSS THE LAKE.
THEY EXPLAINED THAT THE ORDER HAD ITS ORIGINS FROM A
SIMILAR SOCIETY FOUNDED AMONG THE INDIANS BY A DELAWARE
BRAVE, WHO HAD PERFORMED A COURAGIOUS SERVICE FOR HIS
TRIBE. LIKE HIM, THE NEW ORDER MEMBERS WERE TO SERVE
THEIR FELLOW SCOUTS BY WORKING ON SERVICE PROJECTS
AT THE VARIOUS SCOUT CAMPS. THEN THE NAMES OF THE
SELECTED CAMPERS WERE ANNOUNCED. EACH ONE CAME FORWARD
AND WAS TAPPED THREE TIMES ON THE BACK WITH AN ARROW.
2. THE ORDEAL. FOLLOWING THE TAPPING CEREMONY, THE
CANDIDATES BEGAN THE ORDEAL, TO PROVE THAT THEY WERE
WORTHY OF THE HONOR OF BEING SELECTED. IT LASTED
THREE DAYS, AND DURING THIS TIME, THE CANDIDATES WERE
NOT ALLOWED TO SPEAK AT ALL. THEY WERE NOT ALLOWED
TO HAVE A FLASHLIGHT OR ANY OF THE OTHER CONVENIENCES
USUALLY POSSESSED BY CAMPERS WITH THE EXCEPTION OF A
POCKETKNIFE. FOR TWO NIGHTS, THEY HAD TO TAKE THEIR
SLEEPING BAGS OFF INTO THE WOODS AND SLEEP ON THEIR
OWN. DURING THE DAY THEY WORKED ON VARIOUS PROJECTS
AROUND CAMP, SUCH AS GATHERING FIREWOOD, CONSTRUCTING
RAILINGS OR CLEARING PATHS. DURING THIS TIME, THEY
WORE A WODDEN ARROW ON A STRING AROUND THEIR NECKS,
WHICH THEY HAD CARVED THEMSELVES. IF ANY PERSON IN
AUTHORITY CAUGHT THEM TALKING, A NOTCH WAS CUT INTO
THE ARROW. ANY CANDIDATE WHO RECEIVED THREE NOTCHES
WAS NO LONGER ELLIGIBLE FOR INDUCTION.
3. THE INDUCTION CEREMONY: THIS WAS THE CULMINATION
OF THE ENTIRE RITUAL AND TOOK PLACE ON THE THIRD EVENING
AFTER THE TAPPING CEREMONY. THERE WAS A SPECIALLY
DESIGNATED SECRET COUNCIL RING IN THE CAMP, JUST FOR
THIS CEREMONY. TO GET THERE, EACH CANDIDATE WAS
BLINDFOLDED AND CONNECTED TO A ROPE, WHICH BOUND
TOGETHER ALL THE CANDIDATES. ORDER MEMBERS, DRESSED
AGAIN AS INDIANS, LED THEM THROUGH THE WOODS BY MEANS
OF THE ROPE TO THE SPECIAL CITE. THERE THE "INDIANS"
PERFORMED AUTHENTIC INDIAN DANCES AROUND THE CAMPFIRE.
THE CANDIDATES WERE HERE MADE OFFICIAL MEMBERS OF THE
ORDER. THEY WERE REQUIRED TO MAKE CERTAIN PROMISES TO
SERVE THEIR FELLOW SCOUTS AND TO KEEP SECRET THE
ORDER'S CEREMONIAL WORDS WHICH WERE ENTRUSTED TO THEM,
BY WHISPERING IN THEIR EAR. FINALLY, THEY WERE
AWARDED THE SIGN OF AN ORDER MEMBER, A WHITE SASH
WITH A RED ARROW EMBROIDERED ON IT.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT