Tisquantum Lodge 164

Tisquantum Lodge has a rich history; the lodge was formed in 1969 when the Old Colony Council and the Squanto Council merged. Tisquantum and Manomet Lodge also merged to become the Tisquantum Lodge we know today. Prior to the merger, Manomet Lodge was #164 and to show the spirit of cooperation between the two councils/lodges, the name of one and the number of the other was used. Tisquantum Lodge #164 was formed in 1969.
A major change in the lodge took place in the early 80's when the scout executive and the lodge advisor (John Larney) agreed to two major changes in how the lodge operated. The first was to conduct OA elections at summer camp, they were being done at troop meetings in the spring of each year. The percentage of troops which were running elections was less than 20%; after doing it at summer camp, that percentage jumped to over 95%. The second change was to stop collecting dues. The lodge funds itself by asking each member to attend at least one lodge activity a year. These two major changes have caused Tisquantum Lodge to become one of the largest and strongest in the Northeast Region.

Another key factor in the lodge's success is the philosophy that the lodge will be youth led; adults are involved to help and guide the youth under 21 who run the lodge but they take a back seat most of the time. Lodge Executive board meetings are held at the council office and there are two tables set up, one for the youth and two lodge advisors and another for the rest of the adults-that table doesn't get to talk most of the time. Occasionally, the chief will direct a question to one of the adults but it is rare and normally for a short period of time.

The lodge and the council operate in complete harmony! This is not the case in many other councils. The youth leadership and the scout executive meet yearly to review the lodge's charter and it is a give and take meeting.

The founder Dr. E. Urner Goodman said the OA is a thing of the spirit and of the camps; Tisquantum Lodge operates under that philosophy.

-John Larney, Tisquantum Lodge Advisor