Babcock-Hovey Alumni Association

A Movie Treat for you – More coming soon, we promise, just have to work out some technical issues… From the 1940’s and 1950’s we believe.

In 1952 the fire site behind Hovey lodge (Eagle Lodge 2012) was created during its use as a regular site the legend of the Dying Chieftain came about and was used to open our program as it is basically a fire lighting ceremony. It was staged by the Order of the Arrow. It is in two parts, one the narrative and the second the portrayal of the narrative. The narrator says the many years ago there was a tribe of Indians living here who dearly loved their chief. This chief had always lit the ceremonial fires to give thanks to the Great Spirit for whatever battle the tribe had engaged in. Now it cam to pass that the tribe fought a battle during which the chief was mortally wounded. He asked that he be taken home that he might light the ceremonial fire one last time. What you are about to see portrays that plus the struggle between the forces of life and death. The narrator departs and from in back of the audience comes the slow beat of a tom-tom, then a procession with a torch bearer, then two braves supporting the wounded chief, the medicine man in all his finery and a final torch bearer. Upon reaching the area between twin unlit council fires the braves drop the chieftain and with the torch bearers standing in back of the unlit fires. The medicine man begins to dance around the chief to give him the strength to rise. The chief starts to get up about as far as a pushup when out of the black ahead of you “The Angel of Darkness” comes dressed all in black and using a black feather causes the chief to collapse. This is accompanied by the tom-tom beating very rapidly. The medicine man drives off the Angel and returns to the chief where he resumes his dance. This time the chief gets about half way up before the angel reappears and puts him down again. Once more the medicine man drives off the Angel and starts his dance. This time he is successful. The chieftain staggering goes to one torch bearer and takes the torch and inserts it into the fire, when it starts to burn he staggers to the other torch bearer and repeats the process. When his fire has caught the Angel puts in his appearance and down goes the chief. After driving off the Angel the medicine man returns to the chief and must show through his actions he know his chief is dead. The braves come forward and putting the arms of the chief around their necks proceed to drag him back up the path through which they had entered, the medicine man walking morosely behind. When all are once again in back of the audience the camp fire program begins.

(As told by Skip)

We have had a busy week and have been working hard at update the posts even after they were originally posted. There are several additional pictures and updates to the list. Take a second look back even if you read the post the first time around. Bill Lawence has made a very interesting comment on the post about the letter of walt. I never knew that Finger Lakes Council through Joe Davis had such a stong connection with Philmont. Jason Dunham has provided even more pictures of Walt. Matt Crance finall found the Hovey Lodge Picture he had already scanned and the Vigil list have been updated.

Hovey Lodge- (UPDATED!)

https://bhalum.org/2012/02/20/18-hovey-lodge/

Ganeodiyo Lodge-

https://bhalum.org/2012/02/21/19-ganeodiyo-lodge/

Ganeodiyo Lodge Vigil List (UPDATED!)

https://bhalum.org/2012/02/22/ganeodiyo-lodge-vigil-list/

Ganeodiyo Lodge Chief’s and Advisors (UPDATED!)

https://bhalum.org/2012/02/23/ganeodiyo-lodge-chiefs-and-advisors/

J. Walter Keating (UPDATED!)

https://bhalum.org/2012/02/24/22-j-walter-keating/

A Letter about J Walter Keating (UPDATED!) WITH NEW COMMENTS!!!

https://bhalum.org/2012/02/25/731/

This is a nice treat for you that may have never seen this letter before. This letter mentions Walt Keating several times. I especially like how the Philmont Staff Association started in 1975. The Babcock Hovey Alumni Association got its start 35 years latter. I think we have a little catching up to do before we can catch to them! The Babcock-Hovey Alumni Association concept started after I visited Philmont and heard of the Philmont Staff Association.

Letter about Walt

J. Walter Keating was born Feb. 17, 1910, in Farmington, youngest son of Jeremiah and Catherine Sullivan Keating. He graduated from Brockport State Teachers College in 1937 and received a master’s degree from Cornell University in 1950.

J. Walter Keating taught grades one through eight at a one-room rural schoolhouse in Billsboro and then became a junior high social studies teacher at Marcus Whitman Central School, Rushville, from which he retired in 1976, after 33 years of service. Although retired, he continued to volunteer at the school daily until 1990, including teaching swimming to elementary students. To celebrate his 80^th birthday, school officials honored Mr. Keating with a limousine ride to school, a red carpet, and a brunch.

Mr. Keating became involved in Boy Scouting in 1945. Mr. Keating was also one of the first member’s of Ganeodiyo Lodge and served as one of the earliest Lodge Advisors. He was the first Vigil Honor member from Ganeodiyo and his Vigil name was “The Reformer”. Mr. Keating was best known as “Mr. Philmont.” For 34 years he coordinated annual four-week trips for about 40 older Scouts from Ontario, Seneca, Wayne and Yates counties to Philmont Scout Ranch, near Cimarron, N.M., beginning in 1954.

During those years, about 1,500 Scouts and their adult leaders visited the ranch for 10-day, 50-mile hiking and camping trips. Mr. Keating is believed to have taken more Scouts to Philmont than anyone else in the history of the ranch as of 1992.

Mr. Keating received numerous civic and Scouting awards, including the Silver Beaver Award, the highest award a Scout council may bestow on a volunteer leader; the Saint George Award, presented by the National Catholic Committee on Scouting; and many commendations for service to youth and the community. In 1979, he was the Rushville Lions Club’s Man of the Year.

Mr. Keating was an active member of St. Stephen’s Church in Geneva, and an usher for many years. He was a member of the executive board of the Finger Lakes Council for several years, and was its High Adventure Coordinator for 35 years.

An Interesting Letter about Walter Keating

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