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VOLUME XII.    NUMBER SIX.                       August 4 – August 10, 1939.

SURVIVAL.  No bricks, verbal or otherwise have hit us since the “dangerous experiment” of last week.  As Typer Herbie is talking to the East Springfield Presbyterian church today we shall try once more to go direct from the cerebum or brum to the stencil.  We are just getting to writing this on the Thirteenth.  It will be mailed to you tonight along with that long letter your son wrote you.

WEATHER.  Continued warm and dry.  Northern Lights were the most elaborate and beautiful in camp history.  Not enough rain to mention.

TO TRENTON.  Last week we only inferred that the boys had been to Trenton.  Another expedition went out this Thursday and have returned reporting the usual good time.  No canoes were completely wrecked.  The gorge was as appealing as ever.  They all came back.  There is no more grateful sight in camp life to the eye of the Director than the return of the station wagons and trailers from these expeditions.  Trenton is unique.  The boys always like it.  But it is a trip!

IN THE SPRING ETC.  This time the quotation ends—- a young man’s fancy lightly turns to thoughts a dip.  The U. L. have made and concreted up a fine spring which may evenentually supply us with drinking water.  At present it comes from far out in the lake and is properly chlorinated.  It flows in this dry season which is an augury that it always will flow.  [transcribers note:  I don’t know that it was ever the camp main source but does fit in nicely with a family story about a state inspector wearing a linen suit that came to inspect and was knocked off of a 6” plank on the trail to the spring by a camp pet pig.  Apparently that fall into the swamp dampened the inspector’s desire to inspect]

TREASURE IN THESE HILLS.  The team lead by the intrepid Skelley, and composed of several doughty sleuths, won the late Treasure hunt.  The last feat was to tell Mrs. Russell the name of Mr. Russell’s aunt.  Two teams lined up at dinner for this test having made their way through all the other ten clues and codes.  Jake and his men had to take second money as “Francis” came in a shout from their rivals.

SAILING.  With a series of rotating crews several sailing races have taken place.  It is not reported that Hyde Bay won but perhaps they did.

VISITORS.  Up to our Thursday night dead-line the camp has had the pleasure of seeing Mrs. Dandy and the Ridgely’s.  The latter took away David with them.  Reddy Raleigh also went out on Thursday and Manly Jenkins came in on Monday.  Other changes are in store the end of the week.

THE MAIL.  In addition to an average of eight daily letter in the fine hand characteristic of beautiful girls to each councilor, we have had a delightful letter from Tollie Albert telling of life among the cowboys.  By wire we are assured that Bill Formwalt will be here to help tutor on Monday night.

SPORTS.  We have at last beaten Pathfinder at tennis.  Matt Atkinson downed their redoubtable star and his colleagues came through.  The Pirates and Robbers have both won games on Doublemarsh field.  All the final tournaments have started.  The Director has to play this afternoon or be defaulted by the Merciless Murph.

OCCASION EXTRAORDINARY.  Messrs. Lord, Madden, and L. Pickett gave a most enjoyable debutante party for their niece, Perl.  The Hyde Bay theatre appropriated for the event was tastefully decorated with colored lights and streamers.  A board groaned under pop and popcorn.  Other tasty commestibles were there.  A select group of the elite were invited.  Perl resplendent in a gown of pink silk bore her honors with becoming modesty.  She did eat some of her flowers. [transcriber here, again:  Perl’s full name was Perl Suscrofa.  Sus Scrofa being the scientific designation for Pigs – see earlier note on inspector]

ANOTHER ONE.  After supper the other night the same three mad men suddenly appeared with a fictious fire engine and appropriate suits.  The camp gathered for the purpose cheered the brave fire laddies to the echo and later followed in subdued silence the cortege of the brave chief Lord who was overcome by the flames.

MARIONETTES.  Again we have had the pleasure of seeing the Russian Puppets.  This time the talented Milovscroffs produced a delightful folk tale with a rabbit as the hero.  The setting and the story were artistic, well done and thoroughly enjoyable.  This has become a very pleasant annual feature.  As they did last year, almost the entire Pathfinder camp were with us.

MOVIE.  In the realm of more conventional entertainment we had within the bounds of this letters scope, the picture known as “King Solomon’s Mines”.  The fine singing of Paul Robeson shared honors with some authentic and exciting African sequences.  It was a British film.

YET MORE ENTERTAINMENT.  Two plays were given under Mrs. Dresser’s direction last Saturday.  Both again were well done.  When one thinks of the very short time available for preparation, the results are more than remarkable.  The “Ghost of Jerry Bundler” gave a number of older boys a chance to tread the boards.  It was very effective.  Then followed a very amusing comedy called the “Goose Hangs—no--#Not Such a Goose”.  Few will ever forget John Kinder’s rendition of a female role.

AND TOO: ---  The Turtle sprang her mast and was out for a few days.  Herbie and Jack repaired her and she now bounds the waves.  The St 37 was laid up with complications resulting from an operation by some of our local plumbers but she is running with great éclat now.  Travers has still to conquer Ralph Thomas’ miniature motor.  It runs now and again but ---.

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