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The Order of Sir Galahad
Mr. Dennen developed a character-building program modeled after King Arthur’s court which he called The Order of Sir Galahad. In fact, Camp O-AT-KA grew out of the Galahad organization —it was an ideal spot for Mr. Dennen to bring the boys of his parish up from the city to reward them for their efforts in the Galahad program. Mr. Dennnen’s motto was, “It is easier to build boys than to mend men.” Within this Order there are five degrees. Each one serves as a building block leading a boy towards a better life. The degrees are: Lads, Pages, Esquires, Knights, and Knight-Counselors. Each degree has its own motto, vow, and prayer. The mottos are, respectively, helpfulness, obedience, truth, chivalry, and service. Each step in the Galahad program reflects the developmental challenges of the boys and young men of that degree. For instance, middlers, age 11–13, take on the vow of obedience—something that can be a challenge for that age group!
