Angell Receives Great-Grandfather's Merit Badges

Thomas Angell, great-grandson of Dr. Warren M. Angell, Oklahoma Baptist University's legendary Fine Arts dean emeritus, recently received his great-grandfather's Boy Scout memorabilia in a surprise visit to campus the day after his 12th birthday.

"Our father loved to tell us, when we were growing up, about going to Boy Scout camp and earning his Boy Scout awards," Dr. Angell's daughters, Sally Angell Moore and Julie Angell-Nadeau, wrote in a message to Richard Cheek, dean of library services and acting university historian. "But because he had an accident the last day of camp all those many years ago, he never received his awards."

The daughters said OBU Alumni, having heard the story numerous times, thought it would be great fun to try to finally get the awards Angell earned and present them to him at a Homecoming celebration. The head of the Oklahoma Boy Scouts of America came to OBU and presented Dr. Angell with four framed merit badges. Angell was dean of OBU's College of Fine Arts, which is named in his honor, for 37 years.

"Our father was so surprised and pleased, you can't imagine!" Angell's daughters reported. "He finally had his Boy Scout Awards he had worked so hard for, when he was young, 70-plus years later! That gave him an even better story to tell his great-grandchildren!"

Thomas Angell's parents, Kirby Warren and Michelee Angell, brought their children to Bison Hill Friday, May 25, to retrieve the badges and to tour the facilities housing the Warren M. Angell College of Fine Arts, including Ford Music Hall. The badges were part a collection of music and memorabilia in the OBU archives provided by the Angell family and organized by former OBU historian Tom Terry.

Thomas Angell (left), the 12-year-old great-grandson of Dr. Warren M. Angell, receives merit badges -- earned decades ago by his great-grandfather -- from Richard Cheek, dean of OBU library sciences.

Cheek presented the badges to Thomas Angell, who attends Summit Middle School in Edmond, Okla., in OBU's Mabee Learning Center, which houses the OBU archives. A Tenderfoot Boy Scout, Angell said receiving the badges, cherished by his family, was a great surprise.