History of the Tribe of Mic-O-Say
FORWARD Trail to Eagle subtitled
Six Decades of Scouting in Kansas City was published by the Kansas City Area Council in 1970. History is given by decades, 1910-1919, 1920-1929 etc.
This page contains only the Mic-O-Say entries in that history.
1920-1929
CAMP OSCEOLA Among the many suggested sites presented was a gorgeous area of green woodlands overlooking the mighty Osage River.
After inspecting the various proposals, the Camping Committee recommended the purchase of 460 acres of what is now Camp Wigwam of the H. Roe Bartle Scout Reservation.
The purchase was made in the fall of 1929 from Charles Green through the St. Clair Investment Company. Work started immediately on the clearing of land for camp. Because of its proximity to the little town, the new camp would be called Camp Osceola.
The first of the two great changes (of the decade) had been accomplished.
1930-1939
IRRESISTIBLE FORCE A singular, charismatic man had come to Kansas City, H. Roe Bartle. For the next two-plus decades he would lead the council into unquestioned leadership in the world of Scouting. The Kansas City Area Council would become the yardstick for achievement from one ocean to the other.
Bartle's genius, his overpowering public speaking talents and his boundless drive took form in many ways throughout the city. The depression years may have put cash in short supply, but there was no deficit of ideas.
THE INNER CIRCLE There was one idea, however, that completely electrically-charged this decade and all that would follow, The Tribe of Mic-O-Say.
In looking back, one finds that as unlikely a place as Casper, Wyoming played an important role in Kansas City Scouting. For here it was, in the rugged ranching country of this great open land that Bartle first developed the concept of a program based on the traditions of the American Indian for exceptional Scouts.
The Tribe of Mic-O-Say was conceived to intensify the aims and ideals of the Boy Scouts of America. The legends of the noble Indian warrior, courageous in battle, steadfast in friendship, unyielding in honor lent themselves well to this important task.
Bartle brought this idea from Casper, Wyoming, to St. Joseph, Missouri, when he became its Scout Executive.
FIRST CALL NIGHT During the 1929 camping season at Camp Dan Sayer, Noel, Missouri,... Chief Lone Bear introduced his magnetic program. The fire-lighted faces of young Scouts watched wide-eyed, not quite believing what they were seeing.
This first Call Night --- and the events that followed --- bore little resemblance to the awe?inspiring ceremonials of today. Much of that would come later as the germ of friendship and warmth took root in the lives of Scouts and Scouters.
In fact, this first group of Tribesmen was largely responsible for creating the unique organizational system Tribesmen are involved in now.
Of course, the very nature of the Tribe prevents a written history of its own development. But the exciting facts of its early growth can be heard around quiet campfires where senior Tribesmen speak of the old ways with a gleam of yesterday's youth in their eyes.
A BOY'S THING The basic program of Mic-O-Say was designed for life at summer camp. Bartle developed it as a boy's special thing. Something that would linger in his heart as manhood approached.
Leaders would be brought into the Tribe so that they might interpret and encourage these ideals in the lives of boys.
EARLY TRIBE The new camp was an immediate hit--and the Tribe of Mic-O-Say quickly became the focal point of camp activity. Scouts proudly wearing their hard-earned eagle claws were held in awe by the younger and weaker boys.
The Tribe was simple in organizational structure. There were only Braves and Warriors, no paint assignments. In fact, camp honors were intertwined with Tribal functions.
FIRST PAINT The first paint designation was just that-- a camp honor. Red paint at the end of the claws meant the wearer had been selected as the Honor Camper. There was only one such boy chosen during each session. But, this selection idea was dropped in 1940 when it became too competitive. The Tribal leaders were also refining their infant program and separating it completely from normal camp duties.
LONE BEAR The first Tribal ceremonies were held in She-She-be council ring on the Point. They were moved to a new council ring named for Chief Lone Bear as numbers grew. Lone Bear was much smaller than the sacred ring overlooking the Osage is now, for the average class of Foxmen was rarely over ten.
The first Call Night at Osceola was held in the original general campfire ring. The beautiful Mic-O-Say Memorial Lodge was built on this spot in the early fifties to commemorate those Tribesmen lost in war.
The campers of that day---and until the late fifties---were known as Foxmen. There were many other differences, mostly in the physical aspects of the Call: Foxmen were boldly thrown out of the council ring, for example. And, Runners were well known for their hazing tactics, including such things as whipping the initiates with leather thongs as they ran them.
But one thing was the same from the very beginning. For 72 hours a chosen lad must prove himself worthy of his leader's faith, and of an eagle claw. He would leave the hushed campfire ring, as would the thousands that have followed, charged with personal silence and personal commitment.
TRIBAL GROWTH The Tribal leadership structure was forming as the need for more responsibility from certain Tribesmen became apparent. The Runner was the first Tribal paint assignment and he performed almost every duty required of the present day Firebuilder, TomTom-Beater, Runner, Keeper of the Sacred Bundle and Shaman all rolled into one.
A couple of years later, several outstanding Runners were given the designation of Sachem and performed duties as sort of sub-Medicine Men. During most of the thirties, Ernie Modlin was the Acting (or Directing) Medicine Man. Don Baldwin, W. M. (Pappy) Grube and L. G. (Doc) Soule were the other Medicine Men, and, Bartle was Chief. These men made up the Tribal Council.
Many other traditions had their origin in this third decade of Scouting, and the first decade of the Tribe of Mic-O-Say, but their discussion must remain a part of the inner circle.
A new and wonderful phase of Scouting in Kansas City had begun and the purposes and ideals of this movement within a movement would carry over into the lives of thousands of Scouts wherever they might go.
1940-1949
MORE PAINT During the late forties, four new paint responsibilities were added to the three titles of pre-war days to create new positions for these returning Tribesmen. Ceremonial tasks that had once been performed by Runners were now divided among Firebuilders, Tom-TomBeaters, Runners and Keepers of the Sacred Bundle.
Within the Tribal Council, Keepers of the Wampum now shouldered decision making chores with their brothers with white paint, Sachems and Medicine Men.
So many new divisions of leadership brought on the need for more formal positioning of Warriors during ceremonies. Thus began the paint station format now in use today.
LONE BEAR BUILT All too soon, another aspect of the Mic-O-Say movement felt the pressure of a rapidly expanding situation. Lone Bear Council Ring had become hopelessly inadequate. A new, and much bigger, forum for Tribal affairs was badly needed. So, construction on a second Lone Bear Council Ring was begun in 1945, with most of the work done enthusiastically by Tribesmen. This magical circle of white rock and silent totem pole took shape gradually and was first used in 1949. A magnificent a white crown overlooking the swift Osage was truly a Council Ring befitting the great man it was named after.
She-She-Be was not forgotten. This beautiful secluded gathering place would immediately assume a new assignment that all Tribesmen entering the inner circle during the forties and fifties would remember well. It would become an outdoor chapel. A place of quiet meditation and strong medicine. There is to be no talking, no smoking, and no headdress or hat is to be worn in She-She-Be Council.
Other ceremonial alterations took place during the post-war boom time that must remain within the hearts of Tribesmen that participated in them.
TRIBAL FEASTS GROW The high point of the spring months for the Mic-O-Say was once again the annual Tribal Feast. The feast was held at a Baptist Church, Ivanhoe Temple, Municipal Auditorium, and then at the American Royal building just before Mother's Day. These special gatherings had taken place every year since the very beginning of the Tribe, but early feasts seemed more like private dinner parties when compared to the outburst of responses to this get-together in the latter part of the decade.
The forties saw over 1,000 wearers of the eagle claw now gather year after year to greet old friends, pay tribute to those called by the Great Spirit since the last feast and to honor a new Chieftain selected by the Council of Chieftains.
1950-1959
TRIBAL TRANSITION During the late fifties, much of the hazing was taken out of all ceremonials to help emphasize the more important aspects of this great brotherhood. Tribesmen who span this transitional period remember the differences.
Throughout the decade, of course, Foxmen were still boys who had not been called to join the Inner Circle. The semi-rank, first-stage status of this title in 1958 was, perhaps, the most innovative development. This move was undertaken to help hold those boys who were not quite ready to begin the hazardous trail to the Inner Circle, yet needed the special encouragement of a new challenge to boost them along the Scouting pathway. Boys were now eligible to join Scouting at age 11.
With the split of Camp Osceola in 1955 into the two camps, Wigwam and Sawmill, and its resulting two campfires, Call Night was held separately in the two camps for awhile. This experiment was eliminated in a couple of years with Call Night becoming the one time both camps met together in the Wigwam Council Ring. As always it was an electric evening, even though overcrowded.
MEMORIAL LODGE The most important development of the Tribe in this ten year span was the building of the beautiful Mic-O-Say Memorial Lodge and Chapel. This handsome sandstone structure was started June 18, 1948 and completed in 1953. Like Lone Bear Council Ring, much of its development was due to the hard work of Foxmen and Braves who proudly added layer after layer of Osage rock to its rugged walls.
A TIME TO REMEMBER The Chapel was built on the site of the original council ring where the first Call at Osceola rang out some twenty years before.
The Chapel was dedicated to the memory of those Tribesmen who lost their lives in service to their country during World War II.
NEW COUPS Coups had always been a part of the Tribal program. Year Coups were used from the start, with others, Scoutmaster, Service and Staff coming along as the movement grew.
In 1959, however, a different kind of coup was introduced, the Coup of the Long Trail. For the first time, a Scout was presented with a special set of beads after he had carried the spirit of Friendship and Warmth to any Scouting function beyond the Council, such as a National Jamboree or Philmont.
1960-1969
EXPANDED INNER CIRCLE The new decade saw many things change within the band of the Brave Mic-O-Say. Most of the changes were subtle, dictated primarily by the unprecedented growth of this camping honor society. Some were other reasons.
In the sixties, the Foxman now wore a simple necklace of bone and bead to designate his status on the Reservation. He had not yet won an eagle's claw. Those who were known as Foxmen to previous decades of Tribesmen would now be known as Called Braves. The Brave, of course, still was honored with a medicine pouch and eagle's claw upon meeting Tribal obligations.
NEW PAINT There were other changes in Tribal functioning. Shaman (purple paint) and Sagamore (white paint) became new responsibilities for Tribesmen beginning in 1963. The Shaman took his place between the Keeper of the Sacred Bundle and Sachem, the Sagamore between Keeper of the Wampum and Medicine Man.
As one might expect, Call Night itself had to change dramatically, even from the fifties. Now there were three general campfires, one in each Camp, and three separate calls. Out of an unbelievable sea of 850 faces in each ring would come as many as 175 young men, called to start the long and thrilling trail of Mic-O-Say. If anything, the tingling excitement of the night had jumped threefold by this three-ring change.
BIGGER LONE BEAR With Calls of several hundred eager young men, it didn't take long for the physical symbol of the Inner Circle, Lone Bear Council Ring to be outgrown. In 1962 this great ceremonial amphitheater was expanded to its present day (1970) size.
MIC-O-SAY LODGES EXPAND All three camps were adorned with distinctive Mic-O-Say craft lodges to help facilitate the work on costuming. Frontier got the first one in 1962, Sawmill was second in 1965 and Wigwam was last with a lodge in 1969.
The Blue Elk Long House Lodge was proudly dedicated in this decade as a tribute by his brother Tribesmen to that great Scouter, the late J. D. Hammontree. A gentle man who could meet a Scout once, and then, almost unbelievably, recall his name and Troop upon a second meeting, regardless of how many years may have passed between the two. Medicine Man Blue Elk will always be remembered and loved wherever Tribesmen gather.
HUGE BROTHERHOOD At the end of the first sixty years of Scouting in Kansas City, the 26,545th member of the Tribe was decorated with an eagle's claw. A huge brotherhood of outstanding Scouts that even the most optimistic leader could not have foreseen on that first Call decades before.
Certainly the outstanding program for which this Council is nationally known is a result, to a great degree, of the dedication, leadership and devotion of thousands of Tribesmen. Many are now scattered all over the world.
The Inner Circle was never to be broken in spirit during the first sixty years in Kansas City. May the spirit of friendship and warmth, inspired by Chief Lone Bear, continue among all Tribesmen in the dynamic years ahead.