Chickasaw Council

Chickasaw Council (#558)
Owner Boy Scouts of America
Headquarters Memphis, Tennessee
Country United States
Founded February 22, 1916
Membership

7,339 youth 4,135 adults

(as of January 13 2015)[1]
President L. Hunt Campbell
Council Commissioner Danny Van Horn
Scout Executive Richard Fisher
Website
www.chickasaw.org

The Chickasaw Council is a local council of the Boy Scouts of America that serves Scouts in Shelby County, Tennessee, as well as Crittenden county in eastern Arkansas and fifteen counties in northwest Mississippi.[2] It was founded on February, 22 1916 to oversee the many Boy Scout troops already present in Memphis, Tennessee.[3] The Chickasaw Council has two camps: Kia Kima Scout Reservation and Camp Currier. The Chickasaw Council is also home to the Order of the Arrow Ahoalan-Nachpikin Lodge 558.

History

Scouting came to Memphis in 1910 with the founding of Troop 1 by the downtown YMCA. Several other troops formed including Troop 25 of Temple Israel which is still in operation.[4] The local board was formed in 1915 which was then organized as the Chickasaw Council on February 22, 1916 with Bolton Smith as the Council President and Edward Everett as the first Scout Executive.[3]

During World War I the Boy Scouts of America undertook selling war bonds to help the effort. Troop 22 of the Chickasaw Council sold the most in the country and was recognized by President Woodrow Wilson.[5]

The Chickasaw Council became a leader in racial integration in Scouting. Bolton Smith, the first Council President, became the Vice President of the National Boy Scouts of America and helped form the National Committee on Interracial Activities in 1926.[4] When Gordon Morris became Scout Executive in 1928 (in that position from 1928 to 1959), he brought J.A. Beauchamp to Memphis to organize the first African-American Troop, Troop 100 at Centenary Methodist Church.[3][4] Beauchamp was the first African-American Scouting professional and was later hired by the Council in 1934.[3] By 1943 the Council was commended by the National Director of Interracial Activities for becoming the sixth Council in the nation with more than 1000 African-American Scouts and that Memphis should be an example to other Councils.[6]

The Delta Area Council of Mississippi merged into the Chickasaw Council in January 1993.[5]

Organization

The council is divided into 8 districts; as well as the Exploring programs.[7]

Camps

Kia Kima Scout Reservation

Kia Kima Scout Reservation
Name Translation Nest of Eagles
Totem Thunderbird
Location Hardy, AR
Coordinates 36°20′40″N 91°35′32″W / 36.34455°N 91.59223°W / 36.34455; -91.59223
Founded 1916
Founder Bolton Smith
Website
http://www.kiakima.com/

Kia Kima Scout Reservation is a nationally accredited Boy Scout summer camp in the foothills of the Ozarks in Hardy, Arkansas. The name "Kia Kima" means "Nest of the Eagles" in the Zuni language.[8] Summer camp at Kia Kima generally begins during the 2nd week of June and runs through the second week of July. A Cub and Webelos Resident Camp is generally offered during the first week in June. There is also a winter camp offered which starts after Christmas and lasts several days.[9]

History

Bolton Smith, a Memphis investment banker and the first president of the Chickasaw Council, purchased and donated the original 206.28-acre (0.8348 km2) Kia Kima site on April 11th, 1916.[10] He went on to serve as Vice President of the Boy Scouts of America and is the only Chickasaw Council Scouter to receive the Silver Buffalo Award. The property consisted of a bluff overlooking the South Fork Spring River in Sharp County, Arkansas, near Hardy (in present day Cherokee Village). The Hardy, Arkansas area was a logical choice for a summer camp as many Memphis families had vacation homes there, where they traveled to escape the summer heat in the city.

The camp opened under the name Kamp Kia Kima for its first season in 1916. Edward Everett, the first Chickasaw Council Scout Executive, served as the camp director. Everett's wife served as the director of a nearby girl's vacation camp (future YWCA camp), Camp Miramichee.[11]

Scouts came to camp as individuals and and were then put into lodges with other scouts whom they stayed with while they were there. Activities included hiking, baseball, volleyball, tennis, swimming, canoeing, observation, and scout drills.[12]

During World War II the Chickasaw Council moved their summer camp program to Camp Currier due in part to the declining attendance.[13] A Camp Director was still hired to maintain Kia Kima and during the 1940 summer six boys and two leaders camped there. In 1941 the Eastern Arkansas Area Council leased and operated Kia Kima, but later declined to purchase it citing the large financial drain it would place on their Council.[14] In 1947 a group of alumni formed the Kia Kima Klub and began fundraising to reopen the camp. They were successful and Kia Kima reopened in 1948. The Chickasah Lodge in the Order of the Arrow was also founded at Kia Kima that year.

Over the next two decades the attendance increased at Kia Kima and more Units began to attend as opposed to individuals. Kia Kima is also credited with helping develop the local tourist economy and also attracting other camps to the area including Kamp Kiwani (now located in Middleton, TN and the former Camp Cedar Valley.[11] Because of the local historic significance and the distinctive rustic style architecture, Old Kia Kima is listed on the Arkansas Register of Historic Places.[11]

West Memphis, Arkansas businessman John Cooper bought property in the Hardy area after dropping his son off at camp. In 1953 he then formed the Cherokee Village Development Company and began developing the Cherokee Village retirement community. By the early 1960s Cherokee Village had already exceeded the capacity and the CVDC needed more land. In the fall of 1963, Cooper approached the Council's Executive Board with a proposal to exchange a 540-acre (2.2 km2) tract a few miles upriver on the edge of the sprawling Cherokee Village for the 160 acres (0.65 km2) of the original property. In addition, the CVDC would build a dining hall, water system, other buildings, roads and a lake for the new camp. After deliberation, the offer was accepted and work began immediately on the new camp Kia Kima in February 1964 and the new camp was ready for its first camping season the summer of that year.

In 1965 with the completion of John A. Cooper Lake by the Cherokee Village Development Company, Camp Cherokee opened across the river from Main Kamp (later renamed Camp Osage).

In 1976 the name was officially changed to "Kia Kima Scout Reservation" from the original "Kamp Kia Kima" to indicate the presence of multiple camps under the umbrella name of Kia Kima.

Kia Kima expanded to include a third camp in 1995 with the creation of the Ozark Venture Base with programs designed for older Scouts and Venturers.

Reservation

The Reservation is split into three camps: Camp Osage, Camp Cherokee, and the Ozark Venture Base. There are also several areas that are not part of a specific camp such as the Golightly All-Faiths Chapel, the McGuire-Von Almen Friendship Circle, the Shooting Sports Range, and the Climbing Tower. The entire Reservation comes together for opening and closing campfire programs.

Camp Osage

Camp Osage was originally the main camp and opened in 1964. It is the larger of the camps at Kia Kima Scout Reservation with 15 campsites. Camp Osage offers traditional camp programs including nature, ecology, scoutcraft, handicraft, shooting sports, the trailblazer 1st year program, and aquatics. All aquatic activities, including swimming and boating, are held at the Osage waterfront on the South Fork Spring River. All meals in Camp Osage are served in the dining hall.

Osage offers a modern trading post which supplies campers with program supplies for merit badges, snacks, and Kia Kima memorabilia. Three shower facilities are offered on camp: Central, East, and West. Osage is also home to Kia Kima's administration building. In 2015 following a major Capital Campaign, a new larger Dining Hall was completed.[15]

Camp Cherokee

Camp Cherokee was established in 1965 as an “outpost camp”. All troops that camp in Cherokee retrieve their meals from the centralized commissary and prepare the food in their campsites. Cherokee is smaller than Camp Osage with 10 campsites. Cherokee is home to John A. Cooper Lake, the site of its waterfront, which includes small boat sailing, motorboating, and other merit badges available only at Cherokee.

Ozark Venture Base

Established in 1995, the Ozark Venture Base includes COPE, a mountain man living history program, a sea kayaking program on Lake Ouachita, and a trek program. Several of the programs take place off of the Reservation and Scouts only stay in the Base on the first and last days in the program. For COPE and Mountain Man, Scouts still camp with their Troops in either Osage or Cherokee.

Alumni Organizations

Two adult organizations have formed independent from the Chickasaw Council to support Kia Kima. Both groups are 501(c)3 charitable organizations.

The first organization is the Old Kia Kima Preservation Association which was formed in 1996 to purchase and restore the original Kia Kima property. Since then extensive work has been done to renovate Old Kia Kima and reopen it for camping by youth groups. Because of the work of the OKKPA, Old Kia Kima was able to be listed on the Arkansas Register of Historic Places.[11]

The second organization is the Kia Kima Alumni Association founded in 2015. The KKAA performs different service projects at Kia Kima Scout Reservation and hosts reunions throughout the year.

Camp Currier

Camp Currier
Named For Charles C. Currier
Location Eudora, MS
Founded 1925

Camp Currier first opened in 1925 in Eudora, Mississippi. The current ranger is Marc Brinkley. The camp was named for the late Charles C. Currier. Currier's wife, Elizabeth B. Currier donated the funds for the first payment on the property as well as the funds for the original swimming pool, original Mess Hall, and the dam.[13] Elizabeth Currier was from Memphis[16] and moved to Geneva, Switzerland in her later years.[13] Camp Currier is a 300-acre (1.2 km2) property owned and operated by the Chickasaw Council for many years. It was started as a full-year camping ground as opposed to Kia Kima which was only open during the summer. Beginning in 1940 and lasting into the 1950s Currier was used for the Chickasaw Council summer camp program due to its proximity to Memphis while Kia Kima was closed.[13]

Program and activities

Venturing Officers' Association

The Venturing Officers' Association (VOA) is an organization composed of the Chickasaw Council's Venturing Officers, Crew leaders, and advisers. It represents the non-traditional programs, such as Venturing and Sea Scouts. The VOA sponsors a fall and spring Council Venturing Weekend where all Venturers in the Council are invited to come together for activities ranging from climbing to shooting to canoeing and includes a fireside hangout on Saturday evening. The VOA also does substantial work towards growing Venturing, supporting Venture Crews and Sea Scouting Ships, and developing high-quality experiences for Venturing youth.

Scoutbase

Scoutbase is a Council-wide event, held every other year since the mid-1980s. This event, though local in nature, is nationally-recognized and attracts numbers from 6,000-10,000 people from all over the country. The event, generally held in mid-October, was held at the Millington Naval Base until 2006, when it moved to the Paul Battle, Jr. Arena area in Tunica, Mississippi until at least 2014. The event has a number of events, activities, exhibitions, displays, and special shows. Scoutbase is generally held every other year.

Order of the Arrow

Ahoalan-Nachpikin
Name Translation We Who Love The Outdoors
Totem Bear
Location Section SR-6
Founded January 1, 1995
Membership 850
Website
http://www.chickasawoa.org

The Order of the Arrow is represented in Chickasaw Council by Ahoalan-Nachpikin Lodge No. 558 /ɒhoʊɒlɪn nɒtʃpɪkɪn/. This arm of Scouting's National Honor Society claims over 1000 members and is the second largest lodge in OA Southern Region Section 6. Ahoalan-Nachpikin is composed of six primary officers, 12-14 Committee Chairman, and their respective advisers. Ahoalan-Nachpikin promotes and hosts such events as LOAC (Lodge Order of the Arrow Conference, similar to NOAC), Fall Fellowship, and Ordeals.

History

Chickasah Lodge 406

The Chickasaw Council first began its honor society as the Order of Kamp Kia Kima or Council Scouts. Every week at summer camp the campers who best exemplified the Scout Oath and Law were led to a secret campfire circle in the woods and given an Indian name. They would then meet periodically throughout the year. In 1948 the Chickasaw Council adopted the Order of the Arrow as a part of its camping program. Chickasah Lodge of the Order of the Arrow was founded at Kia Kima and held its first Ordeal Ceremony there on August 7, 1948 by a ceremonial team from Ittawamba Lodge 235 of the West Tennessee Area Council. It adopted the Thunderbird as its lodge totem as the thunderbird was already the emblem of Kia Kima. Chickasah held its first Brotherhood Ceremony in the Spring of 1950. It then held its first Vigil Ceremony on December 14, 1952 at Camp Currier.[17][18]

Koi Hatachie Lodge 345

Koi Hatachie was founded in 1946 by the Delta Area Council under the original name White Panther. The first Tap Out ceremony was at summer camp in July 1946 with the first meeting of the Lodge in December 1947. During Camp Tallaha's campfire programs, there was a legend of an old Choctaw Indian Chief and his constant companion, a white panther. After the Chief was killed, his white panther was said to continue to roam the land around the camp looking for his old master. The legend was so central to the camp that when the lodge was founded, the white panther was adopted as the totem and name. White Panther was used from 1946 to 1956 when the lodge changed its name to Koi Hatachie. Most Lodges had adopted Indian names and Lodge 345 wanted to conform. Koi Hatachie was thought to mean White Panther in the Choctaw language, however it was later realized to not actually have a meaning.[19]

Lodge merger

When the Delta Area Council was merged into Chickasaw, the two Order of the Arrow lodges were also merged. In 1994 Fall Fellowship was a joint event between the Koi Hatachie and Chickasah lodges. The fall elections were held during the fellowship at Camp Tallaha, located outside Charleston, MS, to select the new Lodge Executive Council . It was agreed to have a balanced representation of leadership from the two merged lodges. After an arrowman from Chickasah was elected Lodge Chief, nominations were then limited to members of Koi Hatachie for 1st Vice Chief. All the other offices were open to arrowmen from either lodge. Only the position of 2nd Vice Chief ran opposed. The event offered identically designed pocket and back patches featuring the combined totems of the Thunderbird and White Panther.

Later, the newly elected lodge officers met at the Chickasaw Council office to determine the new lodge totem and name. After several attempts, they selected the black bear and the name Ahoalan-Nachpikin, which means "We Who Love the Outdoors" in Lenni Lenape. The new lodge was officially chartered on January 1, 1995. It was a member of Section SR-9 from 1995 to 1997. It was then moved to Section 6-N which later became Section SR-6.[20]

Chapters

Initially, each district in the lodge was represented by its own chapter. However, in August 2000, a restructuring occurred to form four chapters, each divided into two or three districts. The Okla Kamassa chapter was later added bringing the total to five.

Chapter Translation Districts
Lippoe Blaknik Wise Flying Squirrel Wolf River District (Former Loosahatchie and Nashoba Districts)
Macheu Machque Great Bear Thunderbird, Twin Banks, Southeast, and Scoutreach Districts
Nashoba Tohbi White Wolf in the Choctaw Malmaison, Tallaha, and Washington Districts
Sakima Machque Chief Bear Eastern District
Okla Kamassa Strong People Northwest Mississippi District

Activities

The lodge supports year-round weekend camping, training and special events at each of the council camps. Usually, a Lodge Order of the Arrow Conference (LOAC), two Ordeals, a Summer Fellowship, a Fall Fellowship, and a Banquet are hosted by the Lodge.

Service

Among the many projects supported by the Order of the Arrow over the years were:

Camping Promotion

The lodge's camping promotion program include:

See also

External links

References

  1. ↑ "Council Statistics". Retrieved October 24, 2011.
  2. ↑ "Area Coverage/Maps". Retrieved November 4, 2010.
  3. 1 2 3 4 Chickasaw Council (1959), Gordon Morris Biography, Dalstrom Papers, Special Collections, University of Memphis
  4. 1 2 3 Dowdy, G. Wayne (5 February 2016). "The Best in Memphis History February 2016". The Best Times. Retrieved 22 April 2016.
  5. 1 2 "Council History". Chickasaw Council. Retrieved 22 April 2016.
  6. ↑ Harris, Stanley A. (April 30, 1943). "Council Interracial Membership" (Letter to Ed Dalstrom).
  7. ↑ "Chickasaw Council Online". Retrieved November 4, 2010.
  8. ↑ Hodge, Frederick Webb (1912). Handbook of American Indians North of Mexico Part 1. Washington: Smithsonian Institution. p. 681.
  9. ↑ "Kia Kima Winter Camp". Kia Kima Scout Reservation. Retrieved September 22, 2014.
  10. ↑ Deed of Sale from Victor A. Mayberry and wife to Bolton Smith, 11 April 1916, Sharp County, Arkansas. County Clerk’s Office, Ash Flat, Arkansas.
  11. 1 2 3 4 "Old Kia Kima". Arkansas Register of Historic Places. Arkansas Historic Preservation Program. April 1, 2015. Retrieved April 27, 2016.
  12. ↑ Chickasaw Council, Boy Scouts of America (1918). Camp Kiakima (sic) (Pamphlet).
  13. 1 2 3 4 Chickasaw Council, Boy Scouts of America (1940). Reports of Committees.
  14. ↑ Carlson, A. (September 18, 1941). "EEAC Declines Sale" (Letter to Gordon Morris).
  15. ↑ Curtis, Tammy (June 17, 2015). "Kia Kima's massive new dining hall to be offered for public rental". Area Wide News. Retrieved April 27, 2016.
  16. ↑ Haliburton et. al. v. Brinkley et. al., 203-204 Southwestern Reporter (Supreme Court of Arkansas June 10, 1918).
  17. ↑ "OKKPA: Chickasah Lodge History" (PDF). Retrieved August 10, 2011.
  18. ↑ "Chickasah Lodge History". Retrieved November 10, 2011.
  19. ↑ "Koi Hatachie Lodge History". Retrieved November 10, 2011.
  20. ↑ "Ahoalan-Nachpikin Lodge History". Retrieved November 10, 2011.
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