From the Museum A Kia Kima promotional letter from 1928 sent to every Scout’s parents

FROM THE MUSEUM

In 1928, W. Gordon Morris, the new Scout Executive, sent this letter to every Scout’s parents in the Chickasaw Council to encourage attendance at Kia Kima. In addition to his role as Scout Executive, Morris was also serving as the Camp Director for the year.

Kia Kima operated for ten weeks with an average weekly attendance of 70 Scouts and a total of 211 Scouts in camp during the season. This was an increase from the 192 Scouts of the previous season. Scouts attended camp as individuals instead of with troops. Most Scouts stayed multiple weeks, and some stayed the entire season. The Kia Kima Committee reported: “Kamp Kia Kima closed its 13th season with the best financial record it has ever had, as the camp only had a deficit of $141.77 for the season.”

One of the most influential Scout Executives of the Chickasaw Council, Morris served from 1928 to 1959.

This letter, along with close to 1000 other documents, maps, pictures, and videos, are displayed in the Kia Kima Alumni Association’s online museum.

With Kia Kima as the centerpiece, the museum encompasses other relevant topics such as Camp Currier, the Order of the Arrow, the Chickasaw Council, and some of the former camps that impacted the heart of the Ozarks, including Camp Tallaha, Camp Daniels, Kamp Kiwani, and Camp Miramichee.

The items in the online museum are organized and tagged, and the text of the documents is fully searchable.

In addition, the museum has several “Exhibits,” which are short displays that explain aspects of the history, such as common symbols at camp, the Ma’kya Trail, and the origin of Kia Kima’s name.

With over a century of service, Kia Kima has provided countless memories for Scouts and Scouters along the banks of the South Fork River. The Alumni Association seeks to preserve these traditions and stories. ⛺

If you ask any Kia Kima Alum about their first year working at camp, nine times out of ten, they’ll crack a smile, shake their head, and tell you a story about how they “knew nothing” back then. And it makes sense. First-Year Memories BY: HANNAH WRIGHT (STAFF ‘10–’19)

The first year on staff is this incredible experience, where you’re shoved into a job, often your first, and have to quickly not only learn a new skill, but how to teach that skill to 20 or more Scouts.

You have no idea what you’re doing, but you’re so excited to belong to something as grand as the Kia Kima Staff. You work harder than you ever have, losing sleep and sometimes even bleeding

for this job that pays next to nothing.

But the rewards are endless. Time and time again, Alumni will talk about that first year when they “knew nothing,” and the incredible friendships they made, or how their first year helped them conquer a fear or develop a sense of belonging that they’d never had before.

As we approach the upcoming camp season, we asked Alumni to share their first-year memories with us as a way of remembering where we all came from and how that shaped us into who we are now.

I was 15 years old during the summer of 2008. It was my first year on staff, and I discovered, like most first-year staff members do, that it’s very easy to get caught up in work and screwing around, and never have time to sleep. Josh Weeden and I struggled with this, especially at the start of camp. late, we stayed up for hours talking until we finally drifted off to sleep. The next morning, I distinctly remember waking up, but keeping my eyes shut and feeling the dew on my face that had settled the night before. Adam Howard First Year: 2008 - Osage Nature Lodge - Black Staff Shirts

Towards the end of Staff Week, we woke up very late and missed Morning Flag completely. I remember Program Director Noah Feder, his fists on his hips, telling us that this was unacceptable and couldn’t be tolerated. We promised not to be late again. Which was a lie, because the next morning, while we didn’t miss Flag, we did come running up, literally in the middle of Flag. Once again, Noah came to us, and read us our rights, reminding us that it was expected that we show up with the rest of staff, and consequences were coming.

I felt terrible, and determined that It wouldn’t happen again. So a plan began to hatch. We couldn’t be late to Flag if we slept on the parade field. We went about our long day, and around midnight, Josh and I spread out our sleeping bags below the flagpole, knowing that there was no way for us to be late now. I even slept in my Class A, mainly because of some the training from that day, but nonetheless ready to go. The stars were gorgeous and even though it was already My next memory—much more jarring—was the clear, distinct call of Noah Feder: “Camp Aaaaah-ttttteeeent-chun!”

Pure panic and reflex, my body jerked upright from my sleeping bag, eyes still closed, and saluted. Josh popped up right next to me, no pants, just his staff shirt and blueand-white-striped underwear blowing in the morning wind. Laughter rang out from the rest of the staff as we processed what was going on.

While we had been at Flag on time, we had still managed to sleep through Flag... Well almost.

Noah made us stand at attention throughout the flag ceremony before we could scurry back to the staff line. And I would like to say that after this I was never late again— but a Scout is trustworthy, right? Josh and I were late many times, but from then on we always wore pants to Flag.