Scouting, Volume 78, Number 4, September 1990 Page: 28
98, E1-E12, [8] p. : ill. (some col.) ; 28 cm.View a full description of this periodical.
Extracted Text
The following text was automatically extracted from the image on this page using optical character recognition software:
Scouting
"College
Goes
to
WHEN A SCOUT GOES OFF
to college, his commitment
"to help other people at all
times" goes with him. If he
finds a chapter of Alpha Phi
Omega on campus, he has a ready made vehicle
for putting flesh on the bones of that commitment.
That's because Alpha Phi Omega is a service
fraternity—the largest in the nation with nearly
20,000 members in 300 chapters across the coun-
try. The fraternity's charter calls for members to
serve the campus, the community and its youth,
especially Scouting, and the nation. In probably
half of the chapters, aiding Scouting is an impor-
tant element of the service program.
Alpha Phi Omega's roots are in Scouting. It
was founded 65 years ago at Lafayette College in
Easton, Pa., by Scouters and former Boy Scouts
and was grounded in the Scout Oath and Law. A
Scouting background was a requirement for
membership. That requirement was dropped in
1967, although a majority of members continued
to come from Scouting's ranks.
In 1976 women were allowed membership in
the fraternity thus further extending the opportu-
nity for them to share in the ideals of Scouting
and service. Still, it is important to note that even
today a majority of male members still come from
Scouting, many of them Eagle Scouts; and among
women members there is a high percentage of
former Explorers and Girl Scouts.
Alpha Phi Omega never completely severed its
ties with the Boy Scouts of America. Throughout
its history, many chapters have put Scouting high
on its list of service priorities.
"But," said Dr. Stan Carpenter, the national
president, "it would be fair to say that Alpha Phi
Omega and Scouting had drifted apart. Now we
are very definitely interested in coming back into
a closer relationship with the Scouts."
APO's re-emphasis on its Scouting heritage
began in late 1987 when leaders of the National
Eagle Scout Association proposed an alliance
28
Alpha Phi Omega,
a national college
fraternity with
members in 300
chapters across
the country, is a
revitalizing link
with the Boy
Scouts of America.
BY ROBERT
PETERSON
Illustration by Bart Forbes
with the fraternity. NESA is a service-oriented
organization of Eagle Scouts and has many
members of college age.
"At any given moment, there are 100,000
Eagle Scouts on college campuses, NESA Direc-
tor Jay Heim pointed out. "We felt it would be
smarter to support Alpha Phi Omega rather than
to organize NESA chapters on campuses," he
said. "More important, if we had NESA chapters
in colleges, they would be too exclusive since Life
Scouts, Star Scouts, and so on would be ex-
cluded."
Chief Scout Executive Ben Love added im-
petus to the alliance by appointing Jay Heim as
his representative on Alpha Phi Omega's board of
directors. "As a result," Heim said, "the rela-
tionship between Alpha Phi Omega and NESA is
closer than it has been in the recent past."
Both organizations have enjoyed the fruits of
cooperation. NESA's Eagleletter urges Eagle
Scouts in colleges to join APO or form a chapter
if none exists at their campus. Alpha Phi Omega
returns the favor by advising its Eagle Scout
members of the value of NESA membership.
Chuck Bowen, chairman of APO's Scouting
and external relations committee, welcomes the
alliance with NESA because, he said, "you really
can't ask for a better brother in Alpha Phi Omega
than someone who is an Eagle Scout."
He himself is an Eagle, having earned Boy
Scouting's highest award in Troop 10, chartered
to Eastminster Presbyterian Church, in Colum-
bia, S.C., before attending the University of
South Carolina and joining its Iota Mu Chapter of
APO. A veteran Scouter, the 33-year-old Bowen
is now an executive board member of the Indian
Waters Council in Columbia and holds the Silver
Beaver award for outstanding service to youth.
His Scouting and external relations committee
has, he said, "been given as one of our first
directives the job of improving relations with
Scouting." APO and NESA joined in spreading
the word of the opportunities (continued on page 76)
September 1990 rfc Scouting
Upcoming Pages
Here’s what’s next.
Search Inside
This issue can be searched. Note: Results may vary based on the legibility of text within the document.
Tools / Downloads
Get a copy of this page or view the extracted text.
Citing and Sharing
Basic information for referencing this web page. We also provide extended guidance on usage rights, references, copying or embedding.
Reference the current page of this Periodical.
Boy Scouts of America. Scouting, Volume 78, Number 4, September 1990, periodical, September 1990; Irving, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth353668/m1/28/: accessed May 1, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Boy Scouts of America National Scouting Museum.