2009 NOAC Session TRAD 102 Lodge History
Session Length: 75 Minutes
Learning objectives:
§ Understand what type of history to look for when preserving Lodge History.
§ Understand reasons for preserving history.
§ Develop ways to find history.
§ Develop how to utilize the information and history gathered.
§ Ways to preserve lodge history.
§ Ways to display lodge history.
§ Discover examples of displaying history.
Required Materials:
§ 2 flipcharts / easels
§ roll of masking tape
§ markers
§ PowerPoint presentation file
§ laptop / projector / projection screen / power cord / power strip
Trainer preparation
In this Lodge History cell, Arrowmen are shown the reasons for preserving history and what specifics they should be looking for in preserving lodge history. The focus of this session is understanding history and developing ways to find it as well as explain what to do with the history you find, and ways to display your findings. Arrowmen are shown what to do with the information and history they have found. They will be shown how to preserve and display their lodge history. Pictures from the National OA museum will be shown to see examples of historical displays.
Trainer Tip: There is a PowerPoint created just for this cell. It is best to get a laptop and projector and use the PowerPoint file. A flipchart is suggested to write down responses from your audience as you involve them and ask for input.
Session narrative
Introduction: 15 Minutes
Flip Chart “Lodge History”
Introduce Trainers.
Advance PP Slide “Lodge History”: Learning Objectives
Today we will be focusing on three main areas: reasons for preserving lodge history, ways to preserve the lodge history you find, and ways to display your findings. Examples from the National OA Museum will be used to see many ways to preserve history.
First we will focus on three main areas: understanding reasons for history and preservation, discovering what you are looking for, and learning ways to find history.
Advance PP Slide “Introduction”
It is very important to capture our lodge history. The answers to many of our questions now can be answered through history. We can be sure that generations from now, Arrowmen and Scouters will have many of their questions and curiosities answered through the history that was preserved by us.
Trainer Tip: Try to give some examples of a question you had that was answered because someone kept records of history. Examples of this could be how your lodge got its name, why your lodge’s totem was chosen, or who your lodge’s first lodge chief was. Ask your audience for some examples of things they know now, because of history that was preserved in the past.
Flip Chart “What we know now, because of past preservation”
When thinking about reasons to preserve history and make it available for future generations, we must consider the age of scouting vs. the age of the scouts themselves. [Ask the audience to raise their hand if they know what year the first lodge was started and what lodge that was. The answer of course is: 1915. Unami Lodge, One] [Now ask the audience to keep their hands up if they remember or were around in 1915 when this historical event happened.] In this stage of history of the first lodge, it is no longer possible for those that were there in 1915 to still be alive to tell us details about what happened back then. It is only through the artifacts and documents that they left behind that we know what we do today about back then.
Lodges in the west have a better advantage for preserving all their history than lodges in the east. Why is this? Lodges in the west are not as old as east coast lodges. Younger lodges still have members that were around when the lodge was formed. We can go to those primary sources for information concerning the past of that particular lodge. In this case history is not yet lost. If we have questions about something that happened at the first lodge meeting of a younger lodge, most likely someone will remember. But if we are unsure about something that happened at the first lodge meeting of Unami Lodge One, we have no one to turn to, but must employ our imagination. History that is not documented may be lost forever.
What are you looking for?: 15 Minutes
Advance PP Slide “What are you looking for?”
What are some things we are looking for? What are things we can go to or save to preserve our lodge’s history.
[Ask the audience for responses before giving the answers on the PowerPoint]
Flip Chart “What are you looking for?”
There many things you can look for when trying to find and preserve your lodge’s history. Many times when I am looking for or asking someone for something that pertains to our lodge’s history, I will say that I am interested in “anything.” You never know what you might get that could pertain to your lodge. It helps to establish connections first. If you are from a young lodge, try to contact and befriend your lodge’s first chief. If you come from an older lodge, try to find older lodge members that were around many years ago. You want to try to find people in general. Try to find someone that might have a story or someone that might remember your lodge’s first banquet. Any information you find you should document so it can be retold for years to come, even after its teller has passed.
Once you have found people, you next need to look for “things.” Artifacts stay around for a long time; unless they are lost or destroyed. Examples of good artifacts can be lists, programs, pictures, or patches. You can find your lodge’s first charter from a membership list. Programs can show you things that were discussed or what happened at a banquet from many years ago. Programs may also list the names of potential people to contact to gather more information or leads. Pictures are an amazing find. As Napoleon Bonaparte said, “A picture is worth a thousand words.” You can learn many things from any pictures you find. Patches are also helpful in showing you history. They can show you lodge totems, when an event was, or even what year FDLs were put on patches. Search for any other artifacts you can find. [Refer back to some suggestions the audience gave you earlier.]
Ways to find history: 15 Minutes
So we know what we want to find. We want to find “anything and everything.” Where do we go for everything?
Advance PP Slide “Ways to find history”: Council Office
A great place to start your search for lodge history is your council office. Some councils have historical committees already in place that have been working to preserve the entire council’s heritage. Ask members of the committee for information or if they have any artifacts pertaining to your lodge.
Old records, documents, or pictures are sometimes kept in the council office. Go searching in closets and cabinets, with the permission of your scout executive of course. Secretaries may even have some helpful information.
Another place to look is at your council camp(s). Many times there are old pictures or things in the camp office or dinning hall.
Advance PP Slide “Ways to find history”: National Office
The national office is a good place to look for written documentation. The National Order of the Arrow Office keeps records of all vigil honor members and founder’s award recipients from all lodges. They also keep track of charter history and merger history for all the lodges in the nation.
Advance PP Slide “Ways to find history”: Advertising
You can find history by paying to advertise in your local news papers or magazines. “Will pay money for Boy Scout patches and other Scouting Memorabilia!” Many times people that have history of your lodge are no longer involved in scouting. Unfortunately for the owners of these valuable items, if they do not know their true values, unscrupulous advertisers for information could take advantage and acquire the items for a lot less than they are actually worth. Remember, “A Scout is Trustworthy.”
Advance PP Slide “Ways to find history”: Sales
To get artifacts or patches from your lodge’s past, you often have to pay money for them. Sometimes you can try to sell some other things that do not pertain to your lodge or that you are not interested in, in order to raise the necessary capital. You can also buy items at auctions. The most popular auction place is, of course, eBay. eBay is a great place to get artifacts from people that may have no idea what they are.
Advance PP Slide “Ways to find history”: Networking
We talked earlier about finding people that know history of the past. Networking is a great way to find people and also artifacts. You can network to find the trail to the final person. “A friend of a friend.” There are also emails groups just for networking and particularly patch trading. Patch-L is a email list server where members email the group questions or trade offers. For more information or to sign up, go to: www.gilwell.com/patchl
Advance PP Slide “Ways to find history”: Miscellaneous
You can also get history of patches from patch companies. Old invoices will show exactly how many of a particular patch were made and when that issue was made. The internet is one final great example to find information.
Preserving: 15 Minutes
Advance PP Slide “Organization”
Once you have all your findings, you have to get organized. Sort things out. Make sure what you have, pertains to the history topic you are trying to preserve. If you have old camp staff pictures with your lodge history, set them aside for another time. You can get cases to store items in. Plastic sheets are also helpful for storing items or patches in a 3 ring binder. Make sure to safely store originals in a dry place. You can make scans of documents to give to others or to share.
Advance PP Slide “NSSM Handouts”
[Hand out and go over the three handouts on preserving history].
Displaying: 15 Minutes
Advance PP Slide “Types of Displays”
It is important to know what types of displays Scouts, Scouters, and others fine appealing. There are different types of displays. You can use a map of a certain state to show lodges in that region. You can put together a collection of patches from you lodge or from your council and display them together. Another idea would be to show a collection of patches or memorabilia from your camps.
Advance PP Slide “Reasons for Displays”
There are many reasons for making displays. One reason is to show off what you have. You can build a great collection of early items from your lodge, council, and camps but it is always fun to show off what you have. When you show them you may find out more about them then you expected from people who are looking at the display. You can also use the displays to find out what you are missing. Many times when you show a display with items missing, especially if you leave the holes, you may be able to trade for or buy what you are missing from people who are looking at the displays. If you feel comfortable, you can put up a sign with your display that tells people you are looking for scout, council, and lodge history and are seeking any information or memorabilia available. “Cash paid for patches and other needed memorabilia!”
Advance PP Slide “Where and How to Display”
There is no right or wrong place to display scouting memorabilia. The best places are where there are Scouts or Scouters. This can be at camps, scouting reunions, lodge events, banquets, camporees, jamborees, or at scout shows. Some other less conventional places include retirement communities, airports, malls, and senior centers. Remember, the purpose of displays is to show what you have, gather more information about it, and hopefully to add to the display for the future. There is always more information out there.
Advance PP Slide “Example”
Here is an example of preserving and displaying history. I bought an old artist rendition of a building built at one of our council camps. The artwork itself was not in good shape. It is on a newspaper like paper. I removed it from the old frame, had it reframed with non-UV glass and got a border around it to help hold the picture in. While it was out of the frame, I had digital scans made both to disk and photo paper.
Advance PP Slide “Example”
Here is the electronic copy of the artwork.
Advance PP Slide “Example”
Show examples of Lodge History displays from the OA National Museum at NOAC.
Flip Chart “Today’s Trivia is tomorrow’s History!”
As we can see, it is important to preserve our past. Today’s Trivia is tomorrow’s History! If we don’t preserve our history today, it can and WILL be lost.
Appendix: Recommended flipcharts/Slides
The following is a recommended list of flip chart pages that can be used for visual presentation.