Why this patch is more important than most realize.
The other night on eBay this lot sold: 1946 FELT NATIONAL CONVENTION PATCH-CHANUTE FIELD, ILL
Over the past week I have been answering e-mails with Bruce Shelley, ISCA OA editor, and Dr. Ron Aldridge, author of the two volume book “OA at National Events”. This is the second known specimen to surface in the 60+ years since the event. The participant’s badge was a pin-back button. There was no patch. As Ron pointed out to Bruce:
The first one was found by Dennis Sydlowski in the Richard Marshall collection, sold or traded to Breithaupt, and pictured in the Arapaho book. It is now a part of the Las Vegas International Scout Museum collection. When I published my set of books, I was leaning toward the prototype theory as only one was known at that time. The second one was given to Dennis Sydlowski’s council by R.L. Van Horn. One came from Michigan and one came from Indiana – this patch might well be a patch made by a council in the mid-west for wear by their contingent members.In all the years I have researched these early patches, I have seen no evidence that this patch was made or ordered by National. But then this was one National Meeting before the BSA took over the OA.
So the ebay auction is the second one to surface but that’s not why its important. What’s important is who had it and who gets the money. TSPA became aware of this patch at the Indy TOR in talking with Dave Ramp and Dennis Sydloski. The patch was on display in the council office of Anthony Wayne Area Council. Dennis and Dave asked what the council should do. With out a hesitation I said, “Sell it!”. This was not a significant piece of local council history. The council is not in a position to maintain and preserve it. It has significant value to the hobby so the council should realize the value. Put it into endowment to be sure that Scouting is around in the future.
Bottom-line: Councils are better off to have money in their endowment than non-local patches on display.
Post a comment