Pine Tree

Past Leaders, Vigil Members, and Award Recipients



History of Cuwe Lodge

The history of Cuwe as printed in The History of Section C-2A:

"Mr. Robert Henderson had been in the professional Scouting service in Reading, Pennsylvania, and moved to this council about 1937. He had also been very active in the Order of the Arrow there. In fact, he was the National Chief in 1927. On September 1, 1943 a meeting was held at Mr. and Mrs. Henderson's house to get a local lodge organized. At this meeting officers were elected as follows: Lodge Chief Alfred Gurley of Troop 108; Scribe Douglas Weaver of Troop 14; Treasurer Vern Martin of Troop 14. The first Ordeal team consisted of the following: Russell B Evans of Kalamazoo, Michigan. Lodge; John E Meyers of Owasippe lodge, Chicago; John Burnside Council Bluffs, Iowa; Alfred Gurley Lodge Chief, Cuwe.

The first conclave was held at Camp Pine Lake, September 11-12 1943. Members present were Warner Cross, Al Gurly, Jim McDonald, Vern Martin, Orrin Sharp, Doug Weaver, Russell B Evans, Jack Meyers, John Burnside, Bob Henderson and Ed Wilson. The second meeting was held October 12, 1943. Hugh Dalton Sr.'s name was mentioned and we figure he has the longest tenure in the local lodge. Our first annual meeting was held January 6,1944 with the following lodge officers being elected: Chief Art Wood; Secretary Burton Miller; Treasurer John Wilson In 1945 all of the lodge officers were called into the military service so Colonel Gillespie was acting Chief until the next election was held January 6, 1945 when Hugh Dalton Sr. was elected as chief. Three deputy chiefs were elected at the same time and they were: Lapeer County’s Dick Beardsley, Genesee County’s Ralph Whipple, and Shiawassee County’s Guy Hubbard. On September 15, 1945 the lodge chief Hugh Dalton Sr. was called into the service so Ralph Whipple was appointed acting chief.

In 1946 the lodge gave out their first distinguished service medals with Ralph Whipple lodge adviser the first recipient and Don Ireland was the second. Until this time our lodge initiated anyone into the Brotherhood, as one had to be in the Ordeal for at least 3 years. The first brotherhood were bestowed upon the following in Detroit: Ralph Whipple; Randell Hardy; Hugh Dalton Sr.; William Mudge; Colonel E. Gillespie In 1949, Dr. Goodman, who had a distinguished career as program director for the National Council retired. As a gesture of appreciation, each lodge in the USA was to send a native rock to Dr. Goodman for him to use in the building of a fire place for his new cabin in Vermont. Steve Csutoras selected the rock and sent it.

To be selected as a candidate for the Vigil Honor one then had to be a member for 5 years. Our first Vigil members were Ralph Whipple, Colonel E Gillespie, and Randell Hardy. They received the honor at Camp Pine Lake on June 23, 1950. The test was given by Mr. Marshall of Detroit because at this time there had not been any Vigil Honor in our lodge. In October of 1950 the first lodge bulletin was printed. That same year we participated in BSA Exhibition at the I.M.A. Auditorium. Mr. Henry came here from the National Supply Service BSA to train our first Indian Dance Team."