Leadership, Friendship, and Service in support of Scouting since 1920.
Leadership, Friendship, and Service in support of Scouting since 1920.
The scouting movement in America, launched upon the good turn of a British scout in a London fog, had already grown strong in hundreds of councils throughout the country as the end of its first decade approached in 1920. In the Central Indiana Council, scouting was centered around one place, Camp Chank-Tun-Un-Gi, and one man, Chief Francis O. Belzer. Camp Chank-Tun-Un-Gi was one of the first boy scout summer camps in the United States. Belzer was the first Scout Executive for the Central Indiana Council, where he served from 1915 to 1940. His dedication to Scouting was the force which led constantly to more and more opportunities for more and more boys to take part in the Scouting program. His willingness to try new and different ways to enrich the Scouting program was the force that led to the formation of Firecrafter and the creation of the camp ranks: Camper, Woodsman, Firecrafter, and Minisino.
The idea of the camp rank arose out of a similar system employed at the Culver Woodcraft Camp of Dan Beard, the famous outdoorsman and early Scouter, whom Belzer knew and visited often over a period of many years. Beard rewarded his campers' achievements with a series of three ranks, Notcher (bronze), Midnotcher (silver), and Topnotcher (gold), symbolized in each by a patch of appropriate color having a beaver within a stylized C (for Culver). Belzer was impressed by Beard's methods and decided that a system of awards was needed at Camp Chank-Tun-Un-Gi, not only to inspire interest in the camping activities, but also to shift the emphasis from athletics to scouting skills. With the help of Assistant Executive Stanley L. Norton and Rex Pruitt, Scoutmaster of Troop 46, he formulated a camp rank system to offer this recognition. With remarkable foresight, he structured the system to provide a continuing source of talent for the camp staff, to encourage scouts to continue in Scouting through and beyond the usual Scouting age, and to promote a source of service to improve the physical facilities of the camp.
The discussions of Belzer, Norton, and Pruitt began late in 1918 and led to the introduction of a two-level camp rank system at summer camp in 1919, consisting of Camper and Woodsman. The program was a great success. In 1920 a "third and highest rank" was added, for which there was no other name in its first summer. During the winter of 1920-1921 the name "Firecrafter" was coined, and in May 1921 it was published for the first time. Knowing the tastes and interests of Scouting-age boys, the founders made the new third rank both a challenge and a mystery.
The first Firecrafter ceremony took place at Camp Chank-Tun-Un-Gi on a summer in 1920. At the close of the first camping period, the customary awards campfire was held in the camp arena. Among those expecting to be recognized were four Woodsmen who had completed all of the requirements for the new third camp rank. They waited through the campfire without being called, and as its closing minutes came near, they began to think they had been forgotten. Finally, just before the Scoutmaster's benediction, Assistant Executive Norton instructed the candidates to remain in the arena after the close of the campfire. And so the four bewildered Woodsmen waited anxiously while the other scouts, Scouters, and parents drifted away. When they were at last alone facing the dying embers of the campfire, they were put to the Unknown Test, and became the first to take the Firecrafter Oath that has challenged more than five thousand scouts and Scouters since that night. The ceremony was conducted by Belzer and Norton, assisted by Pruitt and P. D. Hoelscher, the camp physical director.
In looking back over that first brief ceremony, the four founding Scouters realized that the full possibilities of the third camp rank had not yet been worked out. But they lost no time in completing the job. Before the end of the second camping period in 1920, they had collaborated on a ritual which is even yet the basis of the Hill Ceremony, drawing heavily on the writings of Ernest Thompson Seton for the three fires and the Story of the Fire.
The camp rank emblems were also designed by Belzer, starting with the Culver "C" for the Camper rank. The original patches were cut from felt and hand sewn by "Aunt Stella" Doeppers, who worked at the council office, and who continued to make the patches until the task became too great for her. In the early days, when a Scout became a Camper, he received a khaki vest with the Camper "C" emblem sewn on it. When he became a Woodsman, a yellow teepee was added to his original patch. When he became a Firecrafter, he received a whole new patch including the red fire. The khaki vests were worn over the scout uniform at campfires and other important camp occasions.
Minisino was established in the spring of 1921, the year after Firecrafter was founded. Although called the fourth camp rank, Minisino is not a rank at all in the sense of outranking Firecrafter, but rather is a recognition of one who has made outstanding contributions to Scouting and Firecrafter and who can be expected to continue his contributions. ("Tried and Proven" is the meaning of Minisino in the Miami Indian language.) The requirements and manner of selection are secret. Every youth Firecrafter is eligible for candidacy after he has served Scouting for one winter season as a Firecrafter. If chosen, he will be "tapped out," and in order to be crowned he must successfully complete a two-week candidacy (originally four weeks) in a long-term summer camp having the Firecrafter program. Every adult Firecrafter is a candidate for Minisino from the day of his induction, but his candidacy ordinarily requires a minimum of four years for completion. All Minisinos are crowned at special ceremonies at summer camp or (in the case of adults) at one of the rituals.
While Minisino originated as an accolade for special merit in Firecrafter, the Royal Order of Hi-Bark became, for a time, an outlet for the fun and games group. Starting as a prank to relieve the tedium of staff life, it quickly caught fire and burned its own special brand of loyalty into the hearts of its members.
Hi-Bark began one day in the summer of 1924, when P. D. Hoelscher, the camp physical director, Harry Ice, and Merle Miller were standing in the old swimming hole in Fall Creek discussing, as campers will, the needs and shortcomings of the world and what to do about them. Having considered the merits and demerits of their fellow campers, they decided to form a new and exclusive organization to be known as the Blockheads, whose motto would be "Down with others." As they talked, they noticed that a number of bark-covered slabs and chips of wood were floating down the creek from a logging operation at Fort Benjamin Harrison, and this gave them the idea of having some "Chips off the old Block." For the first Chip they chose Norman Hammer, who was Hoelscher's tent mate and Commandant. Norm was assigned the task of providing Hoelscher with water to shave with in the afternoons, and also to arrange the setting for a stunt to announce to the other campers the formation of the new and exclusive organization. Norm found a pile of bark and decorated the campfire area with it. Late that night, a plot was hatched to hoist a piece of bark up the flag pole the next morning instead of the camp flag, and to require all present at reveille to salute the "Bark on High." Morning came, and the bark was hoisted, but the campers rebelled at the idea and dubbed the staffers "High Barks" and themselves "Low Weeds." The result was a vigorous competition in every staff/camper event for the rest of the camping season.
The movement, now formally called "Hi-Bark," really got off the ground the following season. It was made invitational, open only to Minisino staff members, and total exclusion was certain for an eligible man who expressed an interest in becoming a member (the Eternal Minisino added to the Eternal Woodsman!). A candidate, upon being chosen, was "chipped" with a length of bark-covered log, which he pulled around with him at the end of a rope. The candidacy was filled was long and strenuous, emphasizing athletics and high jinks, and lasting as long as an entire camping season. The candidate (called a "Chip") had to get up early every morning and run a mile, swim half a mile, do thirty push ups and twenty pull ups, and run between the tent rows dragging his log and barking to awaken the campers. If the candidacy progressed satisfactorily, a piece was sawed off the log each day until it was down to a chip of wood on the tow rope. When the candidacy was deemed by the Senior Hi-Bark (known as the Royal Mahogany) to have been successfully completed, the "Chip" was taken to the pool, and there, atop the high board with all the camp watching, he was "dubbed" with a tree name and propelled into the pool by a blow to the seat with a paddle fashioned from the original bark-covered slab.
Hi-Bark had no formal emblem, but it had its rituals and functions. The woods next to the infirmary were set aside and marked as Hi-Bark grove, which could be entered only by observing a strict ritual code, and which was the site of many business meetings. Hi-Bark, besides being a fun organization, was a further challenge for Minisinos, and its members considered themselves keepers of Firecrafter and the camp, addressing themselves to solving the problems of the camp, whether personal or physical.
Alas, all of the shenanigans involved in the Hi-Bark candidacy did get in the way of regular camping activities, they did have the appearance of tolerated hazing, and they did not necessarily please all persons in authority in Scouting. So in the end Hi-Bark had to go. The last recorded meeting was held at the Fortieth Anniversary Reunion of Firecrafter in 1960, at which time "several Chips were dubbed in true and proper form." As lately as June 1977, an informal reunion was held at Camp Belzer, with twenty members present. The Hi-Barks were there, and they shared fond memories, but nothing else has survived, not even the dubbing paddle or the totem pole into which each members name was burned. So ends a fascinating, if troublesome, chapter in the history of Firecrafter.
Having been founded in summer camp at Chank-Tun-Un-Gi, Firecrafter reflected the camping customs and facilities of its day, things that have long since changed, so that it is difficult to associate the practices of the early days with the camp as it exists today. Until World War II, there was no troop camping, the scouts camped as one large group with provisional scoutmasters in an upper and lower tent row on the hillside facing Fall Creek. Marmon field between the tents and the creek was used for sports and assemblies. The "K" (for Kiwanis) Hut was originally the camp mess hall. The Nature Lodge was originally Belzer's cabin. Near the camp gate on Boy Scout Road was a barn, now long since gone, which was Belzer's museum, where he and Henry Stenger, Scoutmaster of Troop 10, kept relics of Indiana's pioneer history. Many early Firecrafter meetings were held in the barn. Soon all meetings were held in the K Hut, and later in the Field House. Firecrafter Hill was in an area not commonly used by other campers, near the south boundary of the camp. There was a junior staff of older scouts and a senior staff of adults and college students. Classes were taught "on location" in the woods, the Health Lodge, the athletic field, and (until the swimming pool was built in 1926) in Fall Creek.
From the beginning of scouting until World War II, summer camp was a two-week experience and so was the Firecrafter candidacy. At the end of each two-week period, a ritual was held, and a new camp period opened the following week. There were four two-week periods in a summer, and four rituals. Here was the origin of the red neckerchiefs for Firecrafter candidates, to distinguish them from campers staying over the weekend between camps.
In this environment, the organization prospered and grew. It became more and more active and helpful, undertaking service projects of increasing difficulty. It gained in prestige among the camp membership, with the result that eligible scouts were attracted into the organization in increasing numbers. The attitude of the campers is reflected in one of the early songs, sung to the tune of a popular song of the day:
I want to be a Camper here, M-m-m and a little bit more. I want to get my TeePee here, M-m-m and a little bit more. I want to be a Firecrafter, Camping out of doors. I want to camp here all the time, M-m-m and a little bit, M-m-m and a little bit, M-m-m and a whole lot more.
During Firecrafter's first eight summers, it was operated without a written constitution. This void was filled at the end of the 1927 camping season when a constitution was adopted, written by Chief Alfred F. Chouinard and Advisor Norton. Its preamble contained the first formal statement of principle by the growing organization: "The Firecrafter Organization's one guiding principle is service to others." The constitution set the organization on a solid foundation. The Hill Ceremony was written down and kept in the Chief's box. Firecrafter provided the spirit for every camp activity. Chief Belzer served constantly and vigorously as the driving force of the organization, making many suggestions for improvement which were implemented with the advice and counsel of Advisor Norton.
World War II and the late 40's brought many changes in the world and in Scouting. Chief Belzer retired in 1940 and was succeeded by Delmer "Skipper" Wilson, who was succeeded in turn by Frank Chase in 1951. The summer camping practice changed from a two-week period of group camping with provisional leadership to a one-week period of camping by troops under their own chartered leadership. The Scouting age was lowered to 11 years in 1949, and the rank requirements were materially revised. Firecrafter was forced to go to a five-day candidacy, but for a time it refused to adapt the candidate's card to the shortened period or the revised rank requirements. The result was a serious conflict with the regular camp program and the professional staff. The necessary adjustments were made between 1950 and 1954 under the vigorous leadership of Joe Harshman, Bob Kiste, and Bob Hurt, with the support of the camp director, George Wright, and the new Scout Executive, Frank Chase. At the same time, the fun and games part of the candidacy was restructured to keep the brotherhood aspect of it while taking the hazing out. As a part of the restructuring, Harshman was appointed Council Advisor to the organization, for the first time providing formal coordination between Firecrafter and the professional staff. He continued actively in the post until 1973, when he was succeeded by David Joe Krentler. In the early 80's, Krentler was succeeded by Steve A. Holt. Andy Wilkinson took over as advisor after Holt and served until January of 1990. Dave H. Williams took over and served until Mike St. Pierre, who is the advisor today, succeeded him. Chase retired in 1973 and was succeeded by Robert L. Calvert, who gave generously of his time and efforts in supporting the organization. A. John Bosio replaced Calvert, and in the early 90's was succeeded by Scott Claubaugh, who serves as the Crossroads of America Council's Chief Executive today.
Despite the changing conditions of the 40's, the organization expanded from its single Fire at Chank-Tun-Un-Gi to Rotary in 1943, Bradford in 1948, Cullom in 1948-49, and Ransburg in 1966.
In 1954, a Council Committee of Fire Chiefs was formed to promote quality control and communication among the Fires. A system of Embers was created, corresponding roughly with the Scouting districts, to serve as a base for year-round activities, including service projects. From the beginning, the Fires had conducted their own rituals at the end of each camping period. With the advent of the one-week camp, the practice became unduly burdensome, and the Fires changed to single rituals, held at the end of the summer. After the Firecrafter Council Committee had been formed, there began a practice of combining the rituals of the separate Fires into a unified ritual for the entire Council, conducted in July and August of each year by a ritual committee from the whole organization. These changes were incorporated into a revised constitution in the middle fifties and a further revision in 1961. The first ritual away from Chank-Tun-Un-Gi (by then renamed Belzer) was at Cullom in 1961.
In 1972, the Central Indiana Council, the Delaware County Council, the Kikthawenund Council, and the Whitewater Valley Council were consolidated to form the Crossroads of America Council, thus enlarging Firecrafter's operating area, while bringing it into contact with the Order of the Arrow. To provide for these changed circumstances, the organization was restructured under the leadership of Jack Wyatt, Ron Edmiston, Joe Harshman, Frank Chase, Jim Roberts, David Krentler, and Mark St. John. A new Flame structure was created, corresponding to the Council sections, which served to coordinate the Embers in their area. Charters were required for Flames and Embers, training of officers was mandated, communication with the Order of the Arrow was opened, and certain Ember and Fire identities were relinquished. These changes were implemented in a new constitution in 1972 and further revised in 1979 when the present constitution was adopted. In these altered circumstances, Firecrafter has continued to expand, penetrating into all parts of the enlarged Council and establishing amicable relationships with the Order of the Arrow.
In 1935, the Buffalo Trace Council of Evansville, Indiana, Lincoln Trails Council of Decatur, Illinois, and Champagne Council of Champagne-Urbana, Illinois (now the Arrowhead Council), received the Fire, and the latter two sent representatives to the Grand Ritual at Camp Chank-Tun-Un-Gi on August 6th of that year. (It rained that night, and for the first and last time the Hill Ceremony was held in the Field House.) The addition of these Fires was the start of a new era for Firecrafter, an era of expansion, which had been contemplated by the 1927 constitution but without provisions to implement it. A draft for a national constitution was written in 1948, but it was never adopted. Nevertheless, Firecrafter spread all over the United States through the efforts of professional members of the Central Indiana Council staff who left to serve in other councils. It was especially strong in Indiana and the surrounding states. In Indiana it became active in a dozen councils during the late 40's and early 50's; including all of the four councils that are now the Crossroads of America Council. With the postwar changes in Scouting and consequent dislocations in the program, interest waned for a time but is on the rise again. In 1980, Firecrafter was active in the Crossroads of America Council, the Lincoln Trails Council of Illinois, and associated groups in the Western Ohio and Chicago area. Today there is an active Southern Illinois Firecrafter organization, and the Crossroads of America organization has associated groups in the Miami Valley Council of Dayton, Ohio.
Adults were admitted to Firecrafter almost from the beginning as "honoraries"-- a misleading term, since it is well understood that membership in Firecrafter is not merely an honor for an adult, but also a commitment to undertake additional leadership responsibility in support of Scouting and the Firecrafter program. Starting in 1921 adults were admitted by vote of the Fire, limited initially to members of the senior camp staff and to a quota of one honorary to every ten youth Firecrafters at a given ritual. Under the 1927 constitution, only those adult staff members who gave most of their time to Firecrafter could hope to be admitted. The staff limitation was eventually abandoned in favor of a limitation to active Scouters of "many" years of service. The most famous honorary was, of course, Lord Baden Powell, who was admitted in 1960. The quota restriction was relaxed in 1950 to accommodate deserving Scouters who had been missed because of the rapid post-war expansion of Scouting in the Central Indiana Council. By 1959 it was concluded that this problem had been taken care of; so a quota system was reimposed and a screening committee was set up to review adult nominations. Explicit requirements and procedures were formally established in the 70's for adult nominations of various classes. Today, each Ember may nominate five individuals to be evaluated for membership.
The presence of adults in Firecrafter did not arise alone from the admission of adults as honorary members, but arose also from the fact that scouts who became Firecrafters also became adults within a very few years. For a time, such adults had no role to play in the organization. They could not go to camp. They could not work with the program there. The most they could do was to become life members of their Fire, which they had always been able to do, even as scouts, upon payment of a fee (originally ten dollars!). In the late 50's, Bob Harger and Eric Wadleigh became concerned about this problem, and under their leadership the Firecrafter Alumni Association was formed at the Fortieth Anniversary Firecrafter Reunion in 1960. Into it were inducted all of the adults who were members of the Fire. Henceforth, all adult "honoraries," and all youth Firecrafters upon reaching the age of 21, automatically became members of the Firecrafter Alumni Association.
In 1964 the Council Committee accepted Firecrafter's most challenging service project -- council-wide promotion of long-term camping--, a program that ties directly into the very existence of both Scouting and Firecrafter. The Ember structure, which had been created in 1954 along with the Council Committee but which had been inactive, was brought into the project and given a positive reason for existence. Slide shows and film strips were created. Under the leadership of Maurice Riser, brochures were prepared for use by boys and adults in visiting troops all over the council to whet the summer camping appetite of the scouts who saw them, as well as to acquaint them with the Firecrafter program. The first film strip, used for camp promotion in 1965, brought 978 more boys into summer camp that year than attended in 1964. The efforts of the organization toward this goal have been greatly rewarding over the years, and have gone a long way to justify Firecrafter's existence.
A recent innovation in this program was made in 1978 with the formation of the fifth camp rank, Webelos Camper, under the leadership of Paul Knotts, extending Firecrafter into the Cub Scout day camp program and aiding in the transition of Webelos to Boy Scouts. Following the national movement to a two-year Webelos program, a second Webelos award was added. Under the leadership of Glen Stienberger, the Firelight Award was added for second year Webelos. Conducted during Cub Scout Day Camp or Webelos Adventure Camp, both awards have made a positive impact on the Cub and Boy Scouting programs of the Crossroads of America Council.
In the early days and for many years, the spark of Firecrafter was kept alive and glowing by the strength and vitality of its three-member backbone -- the "Chief", "S.L.", and "Aunt Stella". This trio generated such a vigorous scouting spirit that the success of Firecrafter was inevitable. With the thoroughness of Belzer, the perseverance of Norton, the warmth of Aunt Stella, and the dedication of all three, it didn't take long. The foundation of goals, standards, and ranks of achievement was constructed with care. It was decided that the purpose of Firecrafter should be to build leadership through friendship and service to Scouting. Much thought and much effort went into this endeavor, with results that we see today.
More than seventy five years have passed since that first evening in 1920, and many changes have taken place. The Chief, S.L., and Aunt Stella have long since passed away, along with many dedicated successors, and we no longer have the special vigor of a new and struggling organization. The original leadership structure has had to be modified because of continuing changes in Scouting and growth of Firecrafter's boundaries. Our constitution and by-laws have had to be amended many times to keep in step. These changes, together with modifications in emblem display, in requirements, in ceremonies, and in fact all phases of Firecrafter, have led us to a present day organization that differs in many ways from the original.
Nevertheless, seventy seven years later, the members of Firecrafter continue to contribute all they can to Scouting and to its betterment. Most important is our continued emphasis, unchanged and unweakened by the passage of time, upon the basic principles laid down by our founders. With them we still dedicate ourselves to the development of leadership through friendship and service to Scouting. May we steadfastly strive toward this goal and constantly renew our pledge.
Just as Scouting was created to serve boys, so was Firecrafter created to serve Scouting. As members of the Firecrafter organization we dedicate ourselves to advancing the principles and ideals of the Scouting movement, and each of us subscribes to the Firecrafter Creed, which says:
In the spirit of these beliefs, we make our pledge of faithful service.
Everet
F. Smith
June 10, 1980
(To all those who wrote earlier histories of Firecrafter, I acknowledge my indebtedness. For new information, whether contributed directly or indirectly, I make grateful acknowledgment to Merle Miller, Bob Harger, Eric Wadleigh, Bert Johnson, Joe Harshman, Frank Chase, and David Krentler. I especially wish to thank John Pratt (whose interest in the history of Firecrafter equals or exceeds my own) for sharing a considerable body of information gathered by him over the years.)
(Minor revisions made to reflect current dates and additions. --MB 5/97)