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HYDE BAY HOME LETTER

VOLUME 25             August 6, 1951                   No. 9

AN OMINOUS SHADOW: I suppose I have used this heading every year, but it does seem appropriate. Camp will be over in just two weeks from next Wednesday, or August 22. On this same August 22 (in past years I have had letters asking me when camp closed) the supervised group will leave in the morning in time to catch at least the 3:3OP.M. (Standard Time) on the Pennsylvania from New York. Sometime ago, I wrote to the New York Central, asking to have a train stopped which will enable us to catch at least this train, and perhaps, an earlier one. Up to date, I have had no answer. If a train is not stopped for us, we will send the supervised group to Albany by bus and catch the same train. I hope in the next Homeletter to have more specific information.

FINAL BANQUET: You are cordially invited to attend the final banquet, award of prizes, and giant bonfire. As we usually have a capacity crowd, please let us kmow your intentions on the enclosed card.

RETURN CARD: On the card you will find enclosed and addressed to me, please tell us: A. how your son is to return, that is, his method of transportation; B. your acceptance or regrets for the final banquet. It will be quite all right to say, “banquet, yes,” or “banquet, no.”

BAGGAGE: If it is convenient or essential to have your baggage prepaid or checked on the railroad ticket, please put on the card, “prepay” or “check.” Otherwise, the baggage will be sent collect, by railroad
express.

MONDAY, JULY 30: A very special trip set off to explore the west branch of the Delaware River. This is a new trip, devised to care for those boys who have been with us for several years and have made the Trenton Falls trips. It is so important that I will call the roll: Bob Pickett, Puffy, Dave Mohr, and campers Rozendaal, Schwartz, Powell, Jencks, Long, and Williams. In the evening Cubby and Steve took their tents for a supper trip. After several calm days, the breeze was very welcome to the sailors. There is a lot of interest in sailing this year. I heard that twenty—four races would be required to settle the camp championship Old camper, just returned, Rusty Bolignino, passed his “D” test.

ATMOSPIRIC VARIETY AND TUESDAY: Clear, cloudy a brief shower, considerable heat. Must have pleased someone for a few moments, at least. Goody and Tom took their tents out for a supper trip. The Delaware trip rattled back into camp, reporting a marvelous time. The Director appeared with a new aluminum canoe, raising our fleet of trip canoes to five. He also brought a replacement motor for the ST. Another good sailing day. Sandy brought in a new horse to take the place of Queenie, still suffering from her overindulgence in cereals. Teddy Cochran cut his arm this day to the extent of four stitches. His style seems very little cramped.

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AUGUST STARTS: With rain in the morning, clearing under the influence of a very high wind in the afternoon. We rescued the overturned sailboat of Camp Chenango. The “Plumbers” beat the “Meatballs” 15—11 on Dwarf Field. The first ball was thrown in eponymously by Mr. Edward T. Russell. One of our best movies, Down to the Sea in Ships, entertained us at night.

AUGUST’S FIRST THURSDAY: Susquehanna #4, under Geist, Robb, and Severance, launched their frail craft in mid-morning. The Director took Sandy and a carload of boys to Nebo to lunch. (This is our mountain top in the center of fifty acres eight miles from the lake. Cubby with the ST took a group of pioneers around the north end of Otsego. This day was clear and cool.

FRIDAY: Cloudy, windy, scattered showers. There was much sailing today. Bob Pickett took a lunch trip to Nebo with the incidental purpose of carrying the packs and supplies of a horse hike. This expedition, under Sandy’s watchful eye, consisted of another Sandy (this one a Cochran), Fringer, Hawks, and Peter Smith. The usual movie migration of the elder statesmen went off with due decorum. The Handicrafters erected a tent for their activities and built a kiln to finish the numerous clay products they have been modeling for days. Bud and his men found an inexhaustible supply of blue clay near Shadow Brook.

WEEK’S END: Clear, windy, and cold. The “Crocks,” by a score of 20—6, put the “Beezers” in their presumable place, thus leaving the league in a tie. Much sailing.

DRAMATIC DATA: Tent 6 won the competition on our stage, in spite of the efforts of three other similar organizations. The winner portrayed in pantomime the sad fate of the lighthouse keeper’s daughter. Steve Bullock narrated and directed his puppets. Winky gave a life—like presentation of a dog in another excellent play by Goody and his tent. The dog was ably supported by the entire cast. The Haystack family, impersonated by Tom Offutt’s tent, with the councilor in the role of a remorseless financier, entertained us mightily. The evening opened auspiciously with a drama by Cubby’s men, in which Sherman Murphy was a very horrible witch, indeed. All in all, drama of a high order.

THE SABBATH: There was the usual rigid general inspection, followed by church, conducted by Goodwin Cooke. After the chicken and corn had been cared for by Mother Nature, the “Plumbers” won the league by beating the “Beezers” 11—5. A case of pop was their reward. The final sailing races divided into seniors and juniors, began this day. We have never had more interest in sailing, with many new skippers appearing. The final tournaments  started with the open tennis doubles, in which those aged “athletes” Pickett and Chandlee, overcame councilors Blaise and Bobby. Tent 6 won the inspection prize and went to town by Hacker. We saw a pair of good movies in the evening on the contrasting subjects of petroleum and milk. This night, like the last one, was cold. Some veracious eyes saw 42 on their thermometers.

PLEASE: Return that postcard, even if you have given us verbal or written instructions previously.