NON—SWIMMERS, ETC.: We started with twenty—five non—swimmers. Fourteen have passed the “D” test, six the “E” test, while only five are still to be classed as beginners. “A” tests have been passed by Alexander, J., Hawks, Long, D., Rozendaal, Merrick, S., and Webb. Nine “B” tests, twenty-four “C” tests, nineteen “D” tests.

JUNIOR LIFE—SAVING: Eleven Junior Life-Savers of last year are in camp again. Twelve more have been added to this important organization during the first four weeks.

TIMING: All campers are being timed for the twenty—five yard swim. This will be repeated from time to time. Prizes will be awarded for the most improvement. Waterfront man Pratt says that sprinting twenty-five yards helps the waterfront men to discover flaws in the individual stroke. Timing for this distance is the universal measurement of swimming progress in school and college. You will note that this is an unusually fine record in a vital part of a boy’s training. During the next four weeks much further progress will be made.

TRENTON FALLS DAY, JULY 16: A clear day, although there was rain and thunder at night. Bob Pickett, assisted by councilors Geist, Russell, deSibour, and Williams, led out the first Trenton Falls trip which returned on Wednesday. Cubby, assisted by McRae Williams, took Tent 8 to Gravelley for a rainy night. Snug under canoes, they reported a wonderful time. The whole of this bright, clear day was given over to photographic activities. Every phase of camp was photographed by a professional. Small albums of ten pictures will be on sale presently. We used our water skis this day.

TUESDAY: This This was a great swimming day. Briscoe, Boone, and Lewis passed their “D” tests. Bob Zeller, both Greenes, Morgan, and Crossman passed their “E” tests. The day was warm and overcast, with about an hour’s rain in the afternoon.

WEDNESDAY ARRIVES: Hyde Bay, by a score of 51-9, defeated Cooperstown in swimming. The now return board, with the lanes marked off by ropes, was used for the first time. Somewhat prematurely labeled “The Pickett Memorial Pool,” it is a great addition to the camp. The outstanding star of the meet was Eddie Brown. At night we enjoyed a great movie entitled, Father Was A Fullback.

TRENTON FALLS: The return of the first of the two trips to this famous resort calls for a paragraph to itself. The expedition rattled off with five canoes on Monday. They found Mt. Fort Noble blocked by fallen trees, so they went on to Lake Piseco, instead. They swam in the unique
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Ohio gorge, camped all night on Iwo Hinkley, as they call the small island in that lake. Then followed an exploration of the marvelous Trenton gorge, all night at the falls, and down the West Canada’s rapids the next day. Only boys over twelve, who are Junior Life-Savers, are allowed on this expedition.

THURSDAY: We had a thunderstorm with breakfast. A fierce wind blew. Down went the hickory which had supported one side of the volley ball net. Then began an alternation of rain and sun for the rest of the day. Some of the rain was very heavy. Some of the Junior Life-Savers passed their examinations. Hawks, Jimmie Young, Benjie Jones, Field, Derr, and Slaughter were the successful candidates in this group. Puffy took a trip with a gang to the mud slide far up Shadow Brook. Anon, they returned well mudslidden.

CLEAR, WINDY, COOL, AND FRIDAY: Councilor Leslie Manning spoke at the Rotary group of nearby Morris. The guard—of-honor was composed of high brass, Bob Pickett and George. There was a baseball game down at Camp Chenango. Coach Offutt, with his clever battery of Hawks to Schwartz, brought home the pennant to the tune of 14-11. The team was composed largely of la-crosse players. Many fervid fans walked down and back under the stimulus and leadership of the usually aquatic sons of J. Harvard, Pratt and Cooke. Later in the evening, down to Gravelley went Tents 15 and 17, owned and operated by councilors Pratt and Cassatt. The usual Friday sop to civilization, in the form of a carload of older boys to the movies. Most of the rest of the camp either participated in or witnessed some thrilling wrestling bouts.

SATURDAY: Fair and warm. The “Beezers” beat the “Meatballs” at softball by a score of 10-7. The evening was given over to the second group of tent plays which deserve a second paragraph.

THE PARAGRAPH: Perhaps, we have never had a bettor Hyde Bay play than that presented by Tent 9, wherein councilor Rouse appeared as his corpse, and later, as an unsuccessful candidate for the status of angel. His tent fluttered about him as, first, his campers, and then, angels. There wasn’t too much margin between this winner and the other three. Robb and his men portrayed a western very effectively. The faculty and other dignitaries were lampooned by George Callard and his Tent 4 thespians. George was the best “Director” so far, in a long series of such portrayals. Other faculty and staff members were ably portrayed; while Chick Michell was a fear—inspiring wild man. Blame It on the Moon was a variant on the Dr. Jekyll story. Horrible monster Severance and his tent mates thrilled and amused us.

SOCIAL NOTE: On Saturday the epicures hold a short dinner meeting. It was well run off.

SUNDAY: Cloudy, and rain in the morning, but with some respite in the afternoon. Councilor Geist preached. Bowdoin, Cochran, A., Donahoe, T., Graham, W., Smith, M., and Brown, E. became full—fledged Junior LifeSavers. The “Plumbers” overcame the “Crocks” to the tune of 11—3. Goodie Cooke took his tent, augmented by John Hurst and campers Holten and Sargent, to Gravelley. The Director and a bevy of ladies took Tent 9 to town in the Hacker. This tent had been neatest during the week. We had a short, but very fine, movie in color, describing American wild life.