As time marches on, we sometimes lose our history. Fortunately, an author came forward last year to remind us with a new update. Joe Taylor did this with his writing and publishing The Complete Guide to Collecting Wabaningo Emblems.

I have written for the International Scout Traders Association (ISCA) several Hobby Trend articles that have discussed collecting the Wab issues. I credit such a collection as an “Everest”, a climb up the tallest of mountains in our hobby. In last December’s issue in my article on “OA Trends” I noted how:

“This area overlaps with several of the previously mentioned themes including First Flaps, First Issues, and First Solid Flaps. Getting the particularly correct variety can be very challenging. Trend: Hot and Heating up” … ISCA Journal December, 2023.

Some History

In 1952 Scouter Dwight Bischel wrote and published the Wabaningo Lodge Emblem Handbook. It was the first “catalog” of Order of the Arrow issues ever done. Wabaningo (248) was his home lodge at the time of his writing although his Scouting youth was in Bay City, Michigan and Gimogash (214) lodge. The hobby has often shortened this title to “the Wab book”.

Joe’s new book includes some reprints of interviews down with Dwight over the years including senior collectors Jeff Morley and Bill Topkis and one by senior collector and ISCA OA Editor Bruce Shelley. Both are very informative and original source which is getting harder every day. Dwight has since passed away at age of 91 in 2020.

Dwight’s drive for creating the book was that when attending the 1950 National Jamboree he noticed that it was becoming a collecting theme yet there were not even published lists of the lodges let alone whether they had an “emblem”. Working with the OA National Secretary, the lead professional support person to the OA, he got a list of all lodges and their councils. He contacted the lodges and heard back from many of them. His book includes not just an example patch where he could but also lodge name, number, and history.

Prior to this the only picturing of lodge emblems was in the OA handbooks. But the handbooks were showing examples, some of which were not even OA patches, rather than a catalog.

The Joe Taylor edition

Besides going to full color and full size, Joe has done several things not thought of Dwight’s time:

The book includes:

Difficulty ratings

Valuation guide (which likely change over time but give a starting point)

Clarification about the variety specifics between the issue featured in the original Wab books and other issues from the lodge that might be similar but are not the “Wab issue”. Which in several cases the original Wab issue turns out to be an earlier and harder variety.

Additional historical information including the transcripts of the interviews previously mentioned.

Conclusion

The hobby has needed this book for some time for what was one of the first collecting areas in our Scout memorabilia hobby. It is a worthwhile library addition for those wanting to collect this area.

Post Script

The original Wab book is still coveted as it has historical information about the lodges and councils at the time. Only 2,000 were made so it is relatively scarce. There are though both copies (usually have a single color cover) and a reproduction printed likely in the 1960s that is similar but not an original.

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