Tsisqan #253 Lodge History
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The Wallamet Area Council, under executive Kenneth Wells, engaged Ralph E. Kalaher on March 1, 1943 as assistant Scout Executive. Kalaher was an OA member of a Midwest lodge when he arrived and together with the newly arrived Jud Compton, as Field Scout Executive, did a strong promotional job on the OA story with the 1943 campers at Lucky Boy, the principal summer camp on Blue River.
That fall, a petition was signed by a group of interested campers asking for Council approval and requesting a National OA Charter application. The Council Executive Board gave approval on January 24, 1944 and submitted the application. On March 4, 1944 the original Ordeal was held with Ken Wells, Ralph Kalaher, Jud Compton (all professional Scouters), and Father Louis P. Barcelo of the University of Portland (also a National Scout Commissioner and OA member from a lodge in the Midwest) as the ceremony team.
This ceremony, for the original 31 members, was held in the Eugene Girl Scout Council house at 2021 Patterson Street in Eugene. At this original Ordeal, Jim Vitus of Eugene was elected as our first Lodge Chief, Donald Garretson of Roseburg was appointed as Scribe, and Walter Banks of Eugene was appointed as Treasurer. On March 23, 1944 the first Charter was issued for Lodge 253 in the name of Tsisqan, the Umpqua Indian word for "deer." The "running deer" was chosen as the Tsisqan Lodge totem.
Only one day previous, on March 22, 1944, the several councils involved in the six counties were officially combined and renamed "Oregon Trail." Tsisqan is the original, the Grandfather Lodge of the Pacific Northwest, and was responsible for installing several other Lodges in Section W-1A from 1944 to 1950, starting with Cole Snass Lamatai on May 6, 1944, followed then by Mazama and Makualla in 1948 and Hyas Chuck Kah Sun Klatawa in November of 1950. In November of 1945, the Lodge ceremonial team drove to Burton, WA and inducted Quilshan Lodge of the Mt. Baker Council and Kelcema Lodge of the Evergreen Area Council. Two other Washington lodges, Moskwa of Fort Simco-Yaquina, and Kcum-Kum Lodge of Twin Harbors-Aberdeen were also inducted by Tsisqan Lodge.
In November of 1951, Tsisqan invited representatives from the other four Oregon lodges to our Annual Meeting at Sherwood Lodge in Yachats, Oregon to organize the Beaver Section 11A.
At the Annual Meeting in September 1961, Tsisqan Lodge was honored by the presence of the co-founder of the Order of the Arrow, Dr. E. Urner Goodman. He was the principal speaker and guest of honor for the event, held at Camp Baker. Tsisqan's 25th Anniversary Celebration was held March 15, 1969 at the Thunderbird Motel in Eugene. The 30th Anniversary was held October 19, 1974, also in Eugene. Both the 40th and 45th Anniversaries were celebrated at Camp Baker. During the weekend of March 18-20, 1994, over 170 Arrowmen from Tsisqan Lodge gathered for the 50th Anniversary Celebration held in Eugene. Day activities included Native American activities, history displays, and 50 years of lodge fellowship reborn with the gathering of brothers from across the continental U.S. and Alaska. The festivities culminated Saturday night with a formal dinner and show. Featured were four previous and present Lodge Chiefs as guest speakers. Jim Vitus- 1944, John Perkins- 1964, Jim Stratton- 1974, Steve Early- 1976, and Kyle Johnson- 1994. In closing, all who were present formed the Brotherhood circle and a re-dedication ceremony was performed. The spirit remains strong to this day.
That fall, a petition was signed by a group of interested campers asking for Council approval and requesting a National OA Charter application. The Council Executive Board gave approval on January 24, 1944 and submitted the application. On March 4, 1944 the original Ordeal was held with Ken Wells, Ralph Kalaher, Jud Compton (all professional Scouters), and Father Louis P. Barcelo of the University of Portland (also a National Scout Commissioner and OA member from a lodge in the Midwest) as the ceremony team.
This ceremony, for the original 31 members, was held in the Eugene Girl Scout Council house at 2021 Patterson Street in Eugene. At this original Ordeal, Jim Vitus of Eugene was elected as our first Lodge Chief, Donald Garretson of Roseburg was appointed as Scribe, and Walter Banks of Eugene was appointed as Treasurer. On March 23, 1944 the first Charter was issued for Lodge 253 in the name of Tsisqan, the Umpqua Indian word for "deer." The "running deer" was chosen as the Tsisqan Lodge totem.
Only one day previous, on March 22, 1944, the several councils involved in the six counties were officially combined and renamed "Oregon Trail." Tsisqan is the original, the Grandfather Lodge of the Pacific Northwest, and was responsible for installing several other Lodges in Section W-1A from 1944 to 1950, starting with Cole Snass Lamatai on May 6, 1944, followed then by Mazama and Makualla in 1948 and Hyas Chuck Kah Sun Klatawa in November of 1950. In November of 1945, the Lodge ceremonial team drove to Burton, WA and inducted Quilshan Lodge of the Mt. Baker Council and Kelcema Lodge of the Evergreen Area Council. Two other Washington lodges, Moskwa of Fort Simco-Yaquina, and Kcum-Kum Lodge of Twin Harbors-Aberdeen were also inducted by Tsisqan Lodge.
In November of 1951, Tsisqan invited representatives from the other four Oregon lodges to our Annual Meeting at Sherwood Lodge in Yachats, Oregon to organize the Beaver Section 11A.
At the Annual Meeting in September 1961, Tsisqan Lodge was honored by the presence of the co-founder of the Order of the Arrow, Dr. E. Urner Goodman. He was the principal speaker and guest of honor for the event, held at Camp Baker. Tsisqan's 25th Anniversary Celebration was held March 15, 1969 at the Thunderbird Motel in Eugene. The 30th Anniversary was held October 19, 1974, also in Eugene. Both the 40th and 45th Anniversaries were celebrated at Camp Baker. During the weekend of March 18-20, 1994, over 170 Arrowmen from Tsisqan Lodge gathered for the 50th Anniversary Celebration held in Eugene. Day activities included Native American activities, history displays, and 50 years of lodge fellowship reborn with the gathering of brothers from across the continental U.S. and Alaska. The festivities culminated Saturday night with a formal dinner and show. Featured were four previous and present Lodge Chiefs as guest speakers. Jim Vitus- 1944, John Perkins- 1964, Jim Stratton- 1974, Steve Early- 1976, and Kyle Johnson- 1994. In closing, all who were present formed the Brotherhood circle and a re-dedication ceremony was performed. The spirit remains strong to this day.
This information was taken from the Tsisqan Lodge Website http://www.tsisqan.org/?file=history
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