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1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of
3Representatives are pleased to honor John Norman Brown of Park
4Forest on his many accomplishments in scouting and service to
5youth and the 63rd anniversary of his membership in the Order
6of the Arrow, scouting's National Honor Society; and
 
7    WHEREAS, John Brown grew up in West Woodlawn, a vibrant,
8predominantly African American neighborhood on Chicago's south
9side that included poet Gwendolyn Brooks, playwright Lorraine
10Hansberry, University of Iowa All-American football player
11Duke Slater, and the family of Emmett Till; and
 
12    WHEREAS, John Brown began his scouting career in 1945 when
13he joined Troop 1542 sponsored by Woodlawn African Methodist
14Episcopal Church; his first summer camp experience came in 1946
15at Camp Belnap, a camp for African American Scouts at the
16Owasippe Scout Reservation, the Chicago council's camp on Lake
17Michigan; he earned the rank of Eagle Scout in 1949 and was
18inducted into the Order of the Arrow in 1950; he became a
19member of the Takodah Chapter that served the Douglas District,
20which comprised all African American units in the council; and
 
21    WHEREAS, John Brown entered the U.S. Army in 1953 and
22served as a Signal Corps intelligence specialist in Germany

 

 

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1until 1955; he attended Rocky Moutain College in Billings,
2Montana, and then began his 32-year teaching career at Carter
3Elementary School on the south side of Chicago; he remained in
4scouting throughout this time; he sealed his Brotherhood
5membership in 1964, kept his Vigil in 1972, and was given the
6name "Tall Pine Tree"; he attended every national Order of the
7Arrow conference since 1965, having sung in the Brotherhood
8Chorus several times; he served as a national jamboree Order of
9the Arrow Service Corps Scoutmaster in 1973, 1981, and 1993; he
10was scoutmaster at the 1971 World Jamboree in Japan and served
11on the staff at world jamborees in Holland, England, and
12Sweden; and
 
13    WHEREAS, John Brown was honored with the Order of the Arrow
14Distinguished Service Award in 1994; he has also received the
15Silver Beaver and Silver Antelope Awards and the Founder's
16Award from Michigamea Lodge serving northeast Illinois and
17Northwest Indiana; and
 
18    WHEREAS, John Brown continues to devote time and energy to
19scouting; he worked on the National Scoutreach Committee from
201997 to 2009 and served as trainer at Philmont Training Center
21in Cimarron, New Mexico; he serves on the Calumet Executive
22Board and with Troop 120's committee sponsored by New Faith
23Baptist Church in Matteson, where he attends; therefore, be it
 

 

 

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1    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE
2NINETY-EIGHTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that
3we honor John Brown on his commitment to scouting and helping
4the youth of the State and we wish him well in all his future
5endeavours; and be it further
 
6    RESOLVED, That as suitable copy of this resolution be
7presented to John Brown as an expression of our esteem and
8respect.