Firecrafter is a service organization within Scouting America. Formed in 1920 by Francis Obed Belzer, the Firecrafter Organization mainly operates within the Crossroads of America Council, Indiana. However, it has been known to exist in other areas including Illinois, New York, and Texas. Firecrafter is centered on the ideals of friendship, leadership, and service.
History
Before the United States entered World War I, Francis Obed Belzer was named the first Scout Executive of the Indianapolis Council in 1915 (known as the Indianapolis and Central Indiana Council from 1934 to 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, (Camp Belzer) 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 use of the pocket flap, while Firecrafter kept its use of the temporary patch position on the pocket itself.
From 1990 to today Firecrafter today exists in Central Indiana, Southern Illinois, and Texas. The Central Indiana Firecrafter Organization exists in Crossroads of America Council (Indianapolis).
A Southern Illinois Firecrafter organization around the Flora, Illinois area operating separately of the Crossroads Fire organization which conducted a ritual as recent as 1997, who plays an important role in the history of Firecrafter today.
Throughout 1997 and into 1998, there were discussions between various Council Committee members, advisers, and members of the Crossroads Firecrafter organization (on an informal basis only) to formally recognize the Southern Illinois Firecrafter organization and join the two Fires into one. This was not accomplished due to several major differences between the two associations: The Southern Illinois organization was not sanctioned by the Okaw Valley Council in any way, shape, or form. The Council did not sanction the use of the 3-inch pocket patch as temporary insignia, nor the pocket flap that is used to identify the member's home ember (most of the members used velcro and switch between their ember flaps and Order of the Arrow insignia). The Southern Illinois organization's requirements for Minisino are significantly different from the Crossroads organization's, creating dissension on grandfathering Minisino between the two. Illinois Minisinos generally as a rule did not wear Indiana Minisino insignia but Indiana Minisinos were permitted to wear the Illinois insignia. There were significant operating differences between the two organizations' ritual codes. The Royal Order of Hi-Bark remained at that time, an active part of the Southern Illinois program. There are several Indiana members who were inducted into the Royal Order of Hi-Bark in Illinois in 1993 and 1997 on an honorary basis as a token of fraternal bonds between Illinois and Indiana, and their status as Hi-Barks is not widely known except to their close Scouting friends and family.
While Indiana members were invited to the Southern Illinois Rituals between 1993 and 1997, their direct involvement in the induction process there was strictly limited to an observation role only, and the invitations and knowledge of the Illinois ritual were controlled by a small group of Indiana Firecrafters. This group ensured that only Indiana Firecrafters who were willing to comply with the unspoken "no participation" rule were permitted to make the trip to Flora for the Ritual.
In 1999, there were several conditions added to the Minisino Code which explicitly prohibited the wear of Southern Illinois insignia at Crossroads functions or even within the Crossroads boundaries and considered violations of the policy punishable by a council Minisino Disciplinary Committee, a controversial body composed of the Council Chief, the Council Minisino Chairman, and the Council Minisino Adviser. The 1999 Minisino Code revision made a few other changes to the Minisino program without approval by the Council Committee, specifically to administrative succession and the nomination and approval of adults for Minisino. The changes were written by the Council Chief, the Minisino Chairman, and the Minisino Adviser, without comment from any other members of the organization. This led to a temporary crisis within Firecrafter and an overhaul of its governing documents.
These amendments, coupled with changing attitudes towards females in Scouting, particularly female Scouters, led to major review of the Firecrafter Constitution and By-Laws, including the Firecrafter Code and the Minisino Code. The 2000 revision of all four documents clarified inconsistencies in the administration of the program, made all language gender neutral, and provided for Firecrafter's growth into the next century.
Rank system Firecrafter is divided into two Cub Scout ranks, three Boy Scout ranks, and one honor. Each rank is established so that advancement through the system is a process of building upon knowledge that a scout learned in their last camp rank and increasing their skill in scoutcraft. It is also designed to teach the scout personal responsibility and serve as a tool to encourage advancement and attendance at summer camp. Webelos Camper is the first Cub Scout camp rank of Firecrafter, designed to be the introduction for a First-Year Webelos Scout to Boy Scouting. It is administered at either a council day camp or Webelos Adventure Camp by staff Firecrafters to a group of scouts. Webelos Firelight is the second and final Cub Scout camp rank of Firecrafter, designed to serve as a foundation for the Arrow of Light and the young cub's transition into Scouts BSA. It is only administered at Webelos Adventure Camp as the last requirement is to participate in the Spark of Interest Trail, which introduces Firecrafter in true form. Firelight is the most recent rank added to the Firecrafter rank system. Camper is the first BSA camp rank of Firecrafter. Camper is designed to supplement and support the programming for a young scout's first year of camp. It is a basic review of the Scout/Tenderfoot requirements and introduces the new scout to long-term camp.
Woodsman is the second BSA camp rank of Firecrafter. Woodsman is designed to give the young scout a taste of Firecrafter at its best, as well as serve as a review of Second Class and First Class requirements and reinforce Firecrafter's core values to them. Woodsman is slightly harder than Camper, naturally. The scout must build a fire which will burn for fifteen minutes without the addition of any new wood and with only two matches. They must also be able to tie several knots used around camp, and fix a meal for themselves without using utensils. Firecrafter is the third BSA camp rank. Firecrafter is the mountain top experience for the third-year camper in which their attentiveness to the core values of Friendship, Leadership, and Service will be put to the test. Firecrafter requires preparation before camp - a scout must have several elements of their candidacy planned prior to that point. It is designed to encourage a Scout to push themselves to create personal growth, as well as to encourage the scout to progress further on the path to Eagle, and therefore, serves as a critical element of any Scouting program within the Crossroads of America Council. A candidate has seven days to complete the Firecrafter card, with the exception of requirement 13 (that of the Firecrafter Ritual), and the requirements provide a learning experience unique to each young man's character and skill level. Firecrafter carries with it several prerequisites: the scout must be 13 years of age, they must hold First Class rank, must have earned Camper and Woodsman, and they must not be 21 years of age by the time of the Firecrafter Ritual. There are several requirements for Firecrafter that serve to provide long memories for the Scout. They must make a fire-by-friction unassisted, complete five successive uniform inspections, and plan, lead, and execute a campfire program of specified format and design. At the conclusion of the in-camp candidacy, the Scout is invited to attend the inductions weekend, the Firecrafter Ritual, which is similar in form and fashion to the Order of the Arrow Ordeal and is discussed briefly below.
Minisino is the honorary camp rank of Firecrafter. Named from a Miami word meaning "Tried and Proven", a Minisino is a Firecrafter selected for the honor based upon their service to Firecrafter and to Scouting. The setting for most Minisino ceremonies is when all the campers are gathered together for flags or at a campfire. There is a skit, song or announcement by a Minisino. At the conclusion of the skit, the Minisino "popping" the ceremony will say, "May your tongues be silent, and your minds attentive, you are about to witness a Minisino ceremony!" As the beginning of the Minisino crowning ceremony states, "To him alone, who by his service, devotion, and achievements, proves himself worthy of high trust, comes recognition. Many may aspire, but the Gifts of Manitou are precious and descend only upon those who efforts and achievements most nearly meet his requirements..." The specific requirements for the honor are known only to Minisinos and Minisino candidates (some health professionals know the requirements to prevent hazing) but it is publicly stated in the selection ceremony that the candidate is on trial for two camping weeks to prove themselves to the Minisinos in camp and their fellow Scouts.
Becoming a youth Firecrafter