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VOLUME 24             August 14, 1950                   No. 9

TRAVEL: A special stop will he made at Fort Plain of “The Mohawk”, Train #10. This arrives in Albany at 11:59, in New York at 2:55 p.m. On time, the southern group might make the 3:30 out of New York on the Pennsylvania, arriving in Baltimore at 6:24; Washington, 7:05. They are much more likely to get the 4:30 arriving North Philadelphia, 6:01; Baltimore, 7:42; WashIngton,8:25. ALL THESE TIMES ARE EASTERN STANDARD TIMES TO WHICH YOU WILL ADD ONE HOUR.  Councilor Herb Eckert will be in charge of the group through to Washington.

INFORMATION PLEASE: In response to my request of last week I have had very few answers. Again I request you to let us know at once the travel plans for your son. Please tell us if you plan to be present at the final banquet.

HEALTH: John Long has gained third place in the mumps contest. He had them on one side, emerged briefly, and then went back to have them on the other side. So far no other cases have developed but it would not be surprising if there were not several cases before camp closes or shortly thereafter.

REPORTS: You’ll find enclosed the final report of the season. You’ll find very sincere expressions of appreciation on the part of the councilors. I happen to know that they have enjoyed very much indeed being in charge of your son.

MONDAY: Cold in the morning, fair and calm, comfortably warm, closing with a brilliant display of Northern Lights in the late evening. Dyer Michell passed his D Test. Bob and Heb lead out the second Trenton Pails trip. Scarcely had the canoes rattled out of camp when the Director and Blaise took seven boys on a lunch trip to Mount Nebo. They carried also the blankets and food for Sid and campers Sandy Cochran, Bobby Trigg, and Terry Donahoe who that afternoon set out on horseback to spend a delightful night on Nebo’s lefty summit. Down the lake went Cub and Shep, his assistant, to sleep on Gravelly. The warm afternoon gave an opportunity for acquaplaning. This afternoon a rival to the acquaplane came in from Utica in the form of water—skis which have been used once so far, Sandy Cassatt being the only one to ride them successfully.

TUESDAY: Even our discriminating Head Councilor in his notes admits that this was a perfect day. Lou with Dave Andrews as an assistant took Tent 6 to Gravelly. Another lunch trip went out to Nebo with Herb and the Director in charge.

WEDNESDAY: Clear and warm with a spanking breeze, the Trenton trip rattled back into camp after a glorious three days. Wo saw an excellent movie at night called, Captain Caution. Between dawn and dusk

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the camp was a bee hive of activity. Sometime during the week Cub and Herb cut down a bee tree and have been busy ever since sampling its sacharine content.

THURSDAY: There were a few very brief showers. The long awaited judging of the canes took place. The Director had offered small prizes for the best natural cane selected and carved by boys. Eddy Ruestow won the first place, Frank Watkins took second, while Rusty Bolognino captured third. In the highest Hyde Bay tradition on Doubleday Field our team was nosed out by the champion Cooperstown Little League Club to the doleful tune of 27-5. Shep pitched, Dave Andrew caught. Before the game Blaise admitted that he was the coach. We never win on Doubleday against those local experts but it’s always lots of fun. Peter Elliman and his crew took the ST into the unexplored regions at the northern end of the lake where they consumed their milk and crackers in solitude.

AND SO TO FRIDAY: Bob lead another flotilla around the lake. Another Nebo lunch trip was hugely enjoyed. We cooked hot dogs in the fireplace at the summit and made a circumnavigation of the mountain, in the course of which we throw apples fearful distances with the help of throwing sticks. Mother horse hike set out but Danny, the little gray, threw a shoe causing his disappointed rider, George Ruestow, to bring him back to camp. Jan Rozendaal and Dorsey Brown completed the trip with Sid. Herb took Tent 17 to Gravelly. The addicts ambled off to the movie in town. A Star sailboat bearing a beautiful blonde ran aground off our camp. Chivalrous Paffy and an enthusiastic volunteer crew towed the stranded ship to deeper waters. Our finals in sailing and wrestling started this day.

COMMODORE LORD ARRIVED AT FORT PLAIN ONE HOUR AND THIRTY MINUTES LATER THAN SCHEDULE.

TREASURE: All Saturday was given over to our annual search for clues leading to the treasure. After prodigious feats of the mind and miracles of the foot, our aged Head Councilor assisted by Tu, Jan, Jimmy Baltimore Young, and Dyer Michell out-distanced all their competitors, in a formidable and somewhat illicit syndicate uniting the teams of
Bob, Puffy, and Angus.

DRAMATIC FINALE: In a play replete with bar rooms, prospectors, cowboys and slinky dames and all of the panoply of the western plains, Al’s part, with Al himself as a dapper bartender, gave us a magnificent night of laughs. Sandy Cassatt was a shade the most authentic in the
brilliant cast. The return of siren Mehr was warmly greeted. There wasn’t a weak bit of acting in the whole performance.

SUNDAY: Puffy started the events of this clear and sunny day by preaching at our service. He subsequently might have been seen supervising the sailing races. The Redhots defeated the Mudhens by a score of 15-1 in softball. Tent 10 went to town dramatizing their superiority in the realm of sanitation, order, and efficiency. In other words, they were the neatest tent. At night two short films were shown.

FAREWELL (?) I never am quite sure I am going to write a home letter after the boys leave. I sometimes do. Anyhow I hope you will all be reading pages such as this in 1950.

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