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VOLUME 31             August 5, 1957                   No. 6

MEMORABLE MORNING: As this is dictated after breakfast on Monday, we can look back on an interesting occasion. At one o’clock this morning, a councilor reported that he was not fooling well. Immediately thereafter, he was followed by a continuous stream, all of whom had identical symptoms. There was universal diarrhea and occasional nausea. The disease was of very short duration. The vast majority of the sufferers joined those of us as yet immune at a hearty breakfast. Betty, Bob, Jim Main, Kent Dumont, Nat Cravener and the Director were up supervising and assisting until morning. For many of us, it was our first experience of that lovely phenomenon, sunrise on Otsego.

CAUSE: As we go to press, there is nothing available other than conjecture. The pattern excludes food or water as proved by a careful check of several test cases. We assume, until more expert opinion may be secured, that this is a not too uncommon incidence of some sort of “bug”. There seems cause for anxiety, according to our doctor.

APPROACHING TERMINUS: Once more may we say that the boys will leave Hyde Bay for the summer of 1957 at various times on Tuesday, August 20th. Some will probably depart with their parents after the banquet on Monday night. The group by train will depart at 7:12 a.m. arriving in New York at 12:20. This should enable then to catch Pennsylvania train #129 leaving at 2:00 p.m. for Philadelphia, Baltimore and Washington. All times Daylight Saving. The group will be properly supervised by a person who will be named next week.

INVITATION: You and the members of your immediate family are invited to the chicken barbecue, giant bonfire and awarding of prizes which will start at 6:30 on Monday evening August 19th.

CARD: We must ask you to return the enclosed card as promptly as maybe. On it, please state: (1) How your boy plans to return home, ie., by train or by auto. (2) The names and ages of the children in your immediate family who will be attending the barbecue. For our plans, the age is very important. I regret to say that our facilities do not permit our extending this invitation to embrace anyone beyond the charmed circle of your family.

LAST MONDAY: Ushered in by thunder storms in the early morning, followed by a hard morning rain, the day cleared up eventually. It was ominous enough to stimulate many “Baseball Hall of Fame” trips and expeditions through the “Farmers Museum”. There was a swimming meet for boys 12 and 13 years old in the afternoon. John Groat passed his “E” test this day. Because the second Trenton Fells trip was postponed a day, thus keeping them away on Wednesday night, the movie was shown this evening. It was called “Cloak and Dagger”.

TUESDAY, JULY 30th: A clear morning punctured by a hard thunder storm around 10 o’clock. The Trenton Fails trip went out trustingly and was rewarded by good weather after the first night. Bob Pickett, with

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Jack Garver, Bry Danner and Jeff Williams to assist him, was in charge. Sundry sailing races were started until the storms interrupted. An epidemic of “Frisbees” broke out all over camp with the arrival of a new supply. The downpour supplied the material for the numerous dams, the small boys love to build, in the intermittently dry water course which runs by the theater.

WEDNESDAY: As this day reluctantly became clear and pleasant, sailing races ensued. In softball, the “Roadrunners” beat the “Mouldybirds” 8—3.

BEAUTIFUL THURSDAY: Sailing races, the happy return from Trenton Falls and the unusual feature of a trip by the baseball team to Worcester, the town in which the Director was born. We won by a score of 8—4 in an excellently played twilight game. The son of the famous Jim Kenstanty gathered three hits from the otherwise extremely  parsimonious pitcher John Slater. Tent #4, shepherded by Phil Webster, spent the night on Gravelly.

FINE FRIDAY: A day of exodus. Sandy, assisted by councilors Brooks and Classen, went off on a Susquehanna voyage. Nick Lamont took his tent to Gravelly, while Eddie Brown, with the able assistance of councilors Dumont and Mellor, spent the night with a numerous group on Mt. Nebo. Pitcher Archie Coupe limited Chenango to four hits in a softball game which we won by a score of 18—6.

SIMILAR SATURDAY: Beautiful beginning with an evening thunder storm, (Never in all my three score years on the shores of Otsego have I experienced so many electrical storms.) All the trips returned as did Ricky Donahoe, who had been away for a couple of weeks convalescing his injured shin. The treasure hunt which groaned to a halt the Sunday before was finally won by Sandy Jencks and his team of hunters Hendde, Urban, Wagner, Wilson and p. Winne. Each received two actual silver dollars.

DRAMA: The final series of tent plays was won by Tent Eight with a beautifully conceived and executed show in which our smallest campers ably took the part of so many puppets. A sort of man bites dog arrangement. It was a close competition with three other of our youngest tents in hot pursuit of the winner. John Deitz was acclaimed best actor while Phil Smith was the most charming actress. The evening also witnessed the first appearance, on any stage, of that promising actress, Kristen Garver, age four.

SUNDAY: This day was pitifully undecided as to weather. Cloudy and humid, then clearing and windy. Jerry Downs conducted our morning religious service with a talk on the proper use of that unruly member, the tongue. The watermelon was won this day by the “Barracudas” who defeated the “Dinosaurs” in softball. Brief movie on bowling followed hard upon our usual outdoor supper which took place on our fourteenth consecutive pleasant Sunday afternoon. For their neatness, Tents #4 and. #9 were ferried to Cooperstown and back by dauntless skipper, Doug Parker.

FOR CHICKEN’S SAKE: Return that card!

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