Talk:E. Urner Goodman/Archive 1

Archive 1

July 2005–Jan 2008

Goodman a Mason

Uh, was Goodman a Mason? I was under the impression he wasn't, and that the masonic influence in the OA came from the 'third founder'. --Emb021 20:36, 14 July 2005 (UTC)

Googling on "E. Urner Goodman" + mason turns up 45 hits, many of which are not even relevent. These include one source saying he was: [1]

And one that says he wasn't: [2]

Given the small number of hits and the discrepency between sources, it is probably safest to leave out the line that says he was a mason unless better evidence can be found. We should also make a note at List_of_Freemasons Johntex 22:08, 17 August 2005 (UTC)

Well, I found one source that says he was a Mason, but gives a date for him joining AFTER the creation of the OA. --Emb021 22:35, 31 January 2006 (UTC)

Attention tag

Here's one user input on this article as of 23 July 2006: The article on E. Urner Goodman could use some attention. "While it mentions his many positions, it does not discuss their importance to Scouting nor what he did in those positions that made him outstanding. Independent of his founding of the Order of the Arrow, his work as an early Scout executive and first director of BSA's Program Division is probably worthy of discussion.

The article has a few points that take off from nowhere and go nowhere. The most glaring is the brief discussion of his membership in the Masons and other service clubs. While Masons like to know that their fellow members are famous people, Goodman's Masonic membership is really only important for the article because of the Masonic influences on the Order of the Arrow ceremonies. The article does not make that connection. Moreover, it is clear that, though Goodman was a Mason, the very simple first ceremony in 1915 was probably mostly written by Carroll Edson (also a Mason) and had no Masonic influences. The Masonic influences in the current OA ceremonies were added about 1921 under the authorship of Dr William Hinkle.

Readers might be interested in Goodman's "autobiography" (really just a collection of autobiographical stories) "The Making of a Life" and his biography, "A Thing of the Spirit: The Life of E. Urner Goodman." Both are available from the national Order of the Arrow office at BSA headquarters in Irving, Texas." Rlevse 14:23, 23 July 2006 (UTC)(not my input, I just posted it)

the article has been substantially re-written JGHowes 10:35, 1 March 2007 (UTC)

Infobox- convert / flags

• The infobox should be converted to {{Infobox Person}}. The Person template has more features than {{Infobox Biography}}, and it appears that Biography will soon be merged into Person.
• It is my opinion that the use of flags in the infobox is ugly and distracting. The particular state flag images used are useless as they are so small as to be unidentifiable. This might be a good opportunity to discuss this in general, as there is no particular standard on this.

--Gadget850 ( Ed) 15:01, 18 July 2007 (UTC)

Agree. The flags are a distraction and should be removed. 71.125.180.4 04:04, 1 August 2007 (UTC)

The flags have been removed, per WP:FLAG, as part of a major rewrite which added other info. to the Infobox and expanded cited material throughout. JGHowes ^talk - 02:55, 13 October 2007 (UTC)

ready for GA nomination?

I've recently beefed up this article in scope and depth of info, with as many references as I could find. There's a YouTube video of Dr. Goodman here, apparently produced for the 2006 NOAC. But, it's plainly labeled © Topkis Films and thus probably a COPYVIO which would make it unsuitable per WP:EL. Thoughts, anyone? JGHowes ^talk - 00:40, 23 October 2007 (UTC)

Review/Gadget850

User:Gadget850/FAChelp Lots of improvement here. Some recommendations:

Style

• Too many one-sentence paragraphs that interrupt the flow of text
• External links- work the atlas.com link as a ref; the other two are superfluous
• The two quotes are in different formats, one boxed and one not, be consistent

Content

• Expand WWI service
• 1937 jamboree- expand involvement
• WWII- be more specific about programs
• I think there was a Goodman scholarship until recently

Images

• Image:E urner.jpg- is this really PD? Who was the owner? Needs {{information}}
• Image:Scout Jamboree 1937.jpg needs {{non-free use rationale}}
• Image:E Urner Goodman 1917.jpg needs {{information}}
• Image:E. Urner Goodman Camping Award.png and Image:OA Founder's Award.png are non-free images that probably do not meet criteria for use in this article as the article is not specifically about those awards

--Gadget850 ( Ed) 02:08, 23 October 2007 (UTC)

Great review by Gadget. Take care of those and I can guarantee it'll pass GAC. Rlevse 10:04, 23 October 2007 (UTC)

Thanks for the comments and help, guys. Edits made accordingly... JGHowes ^talk - 02:00, 24 October 2007 (UTC)

No problem, go list it at WP:GAC, the honor is yours, you did all the work. — Rlevse • Talk • 02:02, 24 October 2007 (UTC)

WW I army service

There seems to be a contradiction between the sources as to when EUG was drafted into the U.S. Army in WW I. Bill Downs stated that he was appointed Phila. Council Scout executive in December, 1917. Nathan Block says "shortly after Goodman took charge as Scout executive, he was called to military service...in March, 1917". His footnotes quote various newspaper articles and correspondence regarding EUG's request for a draft exemption, but no dates are given. Obviously, both sources can't be right and since the U.S. didn't even enter WWI until April of 1917, maybe there's a typo in Block's book and perhaps "1918" was meant.

I've emailed Nathan about this apparent discrepancy and, in the meantime, have weaseled by changing the article to just say, "he was drafted into the U.S. Army shortly after his promotion to Scout executive" without a specific date. JGHowes ^talk - 17:58, 18 December 2007 (UTC)

Nathan advises that the correct date for EUG's Army entry is probably March, 1918, not 1917 as his book states, but he's still checking his notes to make sure. I will see him in a couple of weeks' time, so maybe he'll have a definitive answer by then. In the meantime, I suppose I'm walking a fine line here with WP:NOR...! JGHowes ^talk - 18:45, 15 January 2008 (UTC)

I don't think so; you are checking the source. I don't see this date as a problem, but you could add a footnote that the date is in question. --— Gadget850 (Ed) ^talk - 20:55, 15 January 2008 (UTC)

A-class review

Currently being reviewed for A-Class by ScoutingWikiProject. Post comments here please or edit the article. See creteria. — Rlevse • Talk • 11:20, 15 January 2008 (UTC)

I did some minor style fixes and rolled in a link. This article is ready. --— Gadget850 (Ed) ^talk - 12:24, 15 January 2008 (UTC)

I should check Rowan's bio of West to see if there is any good info, but any additions will probably be minor. --— Gadget850 (Ed) ^talk - 17:38, 15 January 2008 (UTC)

Nothing in Rowan, but Peterson's book backs up the Seton influence- the guy got around. --— Gadget850 (Ed) ^talk - 01:26, 16 January 2008 (UTC)

JG - I don't think you're supposed to keep referring to the subject as "he", but by last name. This is how the FAs are normally done that I've seen on people. But we made need to check on this more. — Rlevse • Talk • 01:08, 16 January 2008 (UTC)...PS how'd you edit conflict me when you were 47 minutes later? — Rlevse • Talk • 01:10, 16 January 2008 (UTC)

Alternating between the proper name and pronoun relieve repetitiveness. But I'd agree that at the beginning of the paragraph, the last name should be used, then within the paragraph a pronoun is OK, e.g., Franklin D. Roosevelt. About the 47 min., after I started editing there was a lengthy phone call, by the time I resumed where I left off and uploaded my version, it had changed in the interim. JGHowes ^talk - 02:01, 16 January 2008 (UTC)

And that was a surprise when you'd ask for review? — Rlevse • Talk • 02:10, 16 January 2008 (UTC)

We went over to friends for dinner, else my hand would have been in earlier. 8) --— Gadget850 (Ed) ^talk - 02:15, 16 January 2008 (UTC)

JG-I'm sure it was inadvertent. — Rlevse • Talk • 11:17, 16 January 2008 (UTC)

FA review

• Gadget and Rlevse- Many, many thanks for your help in getting this article to "A"-class. It is very rewarding to contribute to Wikipedia, and the Scouting WikiProject is an especially pleasant corner of the 2+ million articles at en-Wikipedia. But then, how could it be otherwise when we've all subscribed to the Scout Law? For me, having worked on E Urner Goodman off and on for the past year, this has been a labor of love and I'm grateful to have an A-class article for Dr. Goodman, an A-class man, for those who never knew him in person to read. JGHowes ^talk - 23:10, 16 January 2008 (UTC)

No problem. If you want to go for FA, let us know. — Rlevse • Talk • 23:18, 16 January 2008 (UTC)

I think it is ready for FA. --— Gadget850 (Ed) ^talk - 17:57, 18 January 2008 (UTC)

My one concern here is that there is nothing critical of Goodman. Is there anything in any source that criticizes him? — Rlevse • Talk • 18:27, 18 January 2008 (UTC)

I've not come across any published sources that criticized him. Certainly, within Scouting's professional ranks in the 1920s there was much criticism of, and opposition to, the OA as a "secret fraternity" or "clique". But the criticism was levelled at the concept, not Goodman himself. JGHowes ^talk - 18:59, 18 January 2008 (UTC)

I ask because someone will say "it's not balanced--all positive", so be ready for it. If you are ready, JG, nom it for FA, but be ready, it can be a brutal process. The key is to stay calm and reply/act swiftly to all concerns. JG did most of the work here, he should nom it. — Rlevse • Talk • 20:14, 18 January 2008 (UTC)

OK, will do after one more edit I'm working on now (about his post-BSA service with NCC). JGHowes ^talk - 21:51, 18 January 2008 (UTC)

• Have finished section on NCC and put into separate section apart from "Later life". Made a few other minor tweaks for FA review. Gadget850, I've reverted the {{cite news}} date for pre-1970 cites back to bracketed format due to known bug (see discussion here) and added hidden text note should an FA reviewer pounce on this. Rlevse and Gadget850, kindly look over today's changes to make sure it's OK before I submit to FA review. Also, Evrik suggests here that the EUG highlighting on Image:Urner Goodman and Troop1.jpg be removed. I can remove the green circle, but I'm worried that the average reader might be uncertain as to which person is EUG, without some form of highlighting or identification. Do you prefer: (1) removing the highlighting and just add to caption, "2nd row, 4th from left", or (2) have image both with and without highlighting (see Gerald Ford, Image:Ford Scout.jpg as an example)? JGHowes ^talk - 18:44, 19 January 2008 (UTC)

The green circle is not a big deal. There's a similar pic of Ford with a red circle. — Rlevse • Talk • 18:49, 19 January 2008 (UTC)

I noticed you guys, mostly JGHowes, Gadget850 and Rlevse, have worked a lot on this lately. Nice work. I just ran this through the peer review script and all it said was to make sure it had a good copyedit. I think you should go ahead and put it on the FAC page. Sumoeagle179 (talk) 12:28, 21 January 2008 (UTC)

Thx, I've put it on FAC page! JGHowes ^talk - 15:18, 21 January 2008 (UTC)

NYT articles

With the New York Times archive now online, I decided to do a quick check:

• EUG officiated at Dan Beard's funeral [3]
• EUG's obituary [4]

--— Gadget850 (Ed) ^talk - 12:38, 15 January 2008 (UTC)

Wonderful idea, the NYT archive is a real treasure trove of info., especially for early 20th century people. I've used it for other bios, such as Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, and S. Parkes Cadman and will roll up my sleeves and work on it this afternoon! JGHowes ^talk - 17:26, 15 January 2008 (UTC)

I've been tempted to do a citation template for the NYT so all you have to enter is the reference. --— Gadget850 (Ed) ^talk - 17:40, 15 January 2008 (UTC)

That would be nice to have, and a lot better than {{cite news}}. I've incorporated both cites inline. JGHowes ^talk - 04:27, 16 January 2008 (UTC)

Images

About forgot to check images:

• Image:E urner.jpg and Image:E Urner Goodman 1917.jpg should have {{information}}
• The other non-free photos seem to be neatly tagged
• The two non-free award images are problematic; they are not central to the section and probably fail use on WP:NFCC.

--— Gadget850 (Ed) ^talk - 02:35, 16 January 2008 (UTC)

Done, {{information}} added. About the non-free award images: they are a legacy from an earlier editor; I didn't add them myself, someone else did. I just added the non-free media template to 'em. I quite agree, they add little to the article and can go, as far as I'm concerned. What do you think, Rlevse? JGHowes ^talk - 04:22, 16 January 2008 (UTC)

I'll move the two PD ones to WikiCommons. — Rlevse • Talk • 10:57, 16 January 2008 (UTC)

E. Urner Goodman Scholarship Fund

Looks like this only lasted from 2000–2004.[5] --— Gadget850 (Ed) ^talk - 11:46, 16 January 2008 (UTC)

Ed, that's an informative page which might be good to cite inline — do you think I should do so? Also, I see you've worked the atlas.com link as a ref, which is fine by me. I was reluctant to do so myself re WP:COS. By the same token, maybe it should still be shown also as an EL, since there's other material there such as .swf visuals and EUG soundbite, apart from NOAC ref? But, I happily defer to the team's views either way. JGHowes ^talk - 20:52, 16 January 2008 (UTC)

Cite it. I was so engrossed in the process I did not notice! --— Gadget850 (Ed) ^talk - 23:20, 16 January 2008 (UTC)

Done. Thoughts on putting back the EL, anyone? JGHowes ^talk - 04:48, 17 January 2008 (UTC)

No—don't duplicate cited links in ELs. --— Gadget850 (Ed) ^talk - 15:40, 17 January 2008 (UTC)