Shu Shu Gah Lodge #24 Sacut Chapter

I just remembered this item while searching some old emails for an unrelated topic. It is a chapter piece from Sacut Chapter of Shu Shu Gah Lodge. The earliest know patch of any sort from the Lodge. Gene Berman uncovered it, in his words…

There had long been rumored a Sacut Chapter patch, most notably Hal Rosenfeld recalling his own Scoutmaster in the early 50’s wearing such a patch as well as other members of the group stating they had seen those older than they, wearing such a patch in the 30’s.. However, we never had a patch nor anyone connected with it until this weekend. Jack Ornstein was the director of Brooklyn camps in the 1930’s and early 40’s. He is deceased for many years but apparently he had given a set of Brooklyn patches to his brother-in-law Seymour K, another active Scouter but not a professional, which included the Brooklyn teepee, with canoe, chenille in both the green and maroon colors and black and orange of an earlier vintage, perhaps Kanowhakee Lakes era. Also included in the set were some nature patches with tulip leaf and acorn but most important for the first time the Sacut patch appeared.There was also a similar troop patch in the grouping. Altho Jack and Seymour are long gone, the weekend was attended by their sons, Peter O … and his cousin, Steve K, from Long Island, the owner of his father’s collection of these patches.

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Hal Rosenfeld has always told the story that his Scoutmaster earned the patch at the concluding ceremony when he was inducted into Shu Shu Gah Lodge circa 1930 and his tasks included blazing the wildcat trail as part of his Ordeal. Jack Ornstein, led the blazing and creation of the Wildcat Trail and besides being Camp Director of all of Camp Brooklyn (the 100 boy camps at the time) was active in the OA. Morty Fink led a hike up the wildcat this weekend which Peter and Steve participated in as well as some of the other members.

This, then, is likely the oldest Shu Shu Gah chapter patch known and probably one of the earliest chapter patches, period.

You can google more about Jack Ornstein from the TMRMuseum Website or Archival site.

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“He that goes a borrowing goes a sorrowing.” –Benjamin Franklin