The Order of the Arrow (OA)
was founded by Dr. E. Urner Goodman and Carroll A. Edson in
1915 at the Treasure Island Camp of the Philadelphia
Council, Boy Scouts of America. It became an official
program experiment in 1922 and was approved as part of the
Scouting program in 1934. In 1948, the OA was recognized as
the BSA's national brotherhood of honor campers and became
an official part of the national camping program of the Boy
Scouts of America. Today, the OA is recognized as Scouting's
National Honor Society.
The purpose of the
Order of the Arrow is fourfold:
To
recognize those Scout campers who best exemplify the
Scout Oath and Law in their daily lives
To
develop and maintain camping traditions and spirit
To
promote Scout camping
To
crystallize the Scout habit of helpfulness into a
life purpose of leadership in cheerful service to
others
