Firecrafter - History

History

Before the United States entered World War I, Francis O. Belzer was named the first Scout Executive of the Indianapolis Council in 1915 (known as the Indianapolis and Central Indiana Council from 1934-1942). With Scouting's early emphasis on athletics instead of Scoutcraft skills, many different ancillary programs were piloted throughout the United States to reinforce Scouting skills and its core values. One such program in place was the three-tiered rank system at Daniel Carter Beard's Culver Woodcraft Camp. Seeing a need for a new program in Indiana, in conjunction with Stanley L. Norton, assistant executive, and Rex Pruitt, Scoutmaster of Troop 46, Belzer created the Camper and Woodsman ranks in 1919 at Camp Chank-Tun-Un-Gi, located near Fort Benjamin Harrison in Indianapolis. The program was a success throughout the 1919 camping season, so Pruitt, Norton, and Belzer set out to create a third camp rank for the following summer.

The "third and highest" rank was introduced, unnamed, in 1920. The first group of four young Woodsmen completed the requirements. It was custom to recognize the new Camper and Woodsman rank recipients at the last campfire of the camping week, and when it came time to recognize the four Scouts, they were not mentioned. As the ceremony concluded with Norton's Scoutmaster's benediction, the four Scouts were instructed to remain behind. As the rest of the campers went back to their tents to retire for the evening, those four Scouts, along with Belzer, Norton, Pruitt, and P.D. Hoelscher (the camp's physical director) became the first to take Firecrafter's Unknown Test.

A fourth honorary camp rank, Minisino, was introduced in 1921 to recognize those who went above and beyond in service to Scouting and Firecrafter itself.

At one point in time, many Midwestern councils had a Firecrafter program in operation. After the adoption of the Order of the Arrow on a national level, many of these programs were closed completely or merged into the Order's program. It was the only honor camping program in the Central Indiana Council until 1972, when Central Indiana Council was merged with Delaware County Council, Whitewater Area Council, and Kikthawenund Council to form the new Crossroads of America Council. Concerned Firecrafters and Arrowmen met to settle their differences, and both programs were allowed to continue.

Before 1972, all Firecrafters wore a pocket flap patch on the right pocket, indicating where the member was from within the council. He also wore a 3-inch pocket patch on the right pocket, indicating his Firecrafter rank. After the merger, the Order of the Arrow was given exclusive right to the pocket flap, while Firecrafter kept its right to the temporary patch position on the pocket itself.