The Ordeal

So why have an Ordeal?  What’s the point?

While there is plenty of fun and fellowship in the OA, becoming a member by attending an Ordeal is not just about finally being able to attend a Cracker Barrel on Wednesday night during Summer Camp and wearing a really cool pocket-flap patch.  The Ordeal is where the candidate first learns and begins to understand and appreciate the significance of being called out from their troop as an individual who exemplifies the ideals of Scouting.

When Dr. E. Urner Goodman and his Treasure Island camp staff started the order in 1915, they realized that the Scouts who were to be chosen to set the example in their troops would need further encouragement and inspiration if they were to fulfill their role in Scouting. They devised The Ordeal to give the new Arrowmen this inspiration in the form of an experience:

• A physical experience
• A mental experience
• An emotional experience

The Ordeal has a different meaning to each candidate who completes it. The physical tests are deeply significant. It is a time of deep searching and high resolve; a unique opportunity to experience all the richness and warmth of brotherhood. Candidates need this experience not only for their own benefit, but also because it will require unusual devotion to the work of bringing this same spirit to their own Scout troop or team. The American Indian cultures foster a love of the outdoors and nature. They use ceremonies to bind themselves together. They set aside times for meditation, silence, isolation, fasting, and special duties to the tribe. The Order of the Arrow helps preserve this cultural perspective in camping promotion and induction. The Order of the Arrow seeks to emphasize the inner strengths and fortitude of the American Indians and encourage the sort of Scout activity that fosters character development, citizenship training, and physical fitness. To this end, The Ordeal then is an adventure of the Spirit; a time of deep searching and high resolve; a unique opportunity to experience all of the richness and warmth of brotherhood.

Adapted from the Order of the Arrow Handbook ©2003