Back to The Lodge
Back to Home Letters

VOLUME 31             August 7, 1957                   No. 7

HEREDITY AND ENVIRONMENT: To any who are interested in these controversial subjects, it should be of interest to know that the percentage of parents, who forget to return cards or are slow to do so, is in our experience just about the same as would apply to a group of boys. This is just another invalidation of that abused term, juvenile. However, a gratifying percentage of the cards have already reached us indicating an equally gratifying number of Hyde Bay families planning to attend the barbecue on the night of Monday, August 19th. Other cards have conveyed patently sincere expressions of regret. Cut to the quick by the fore-going harsh words, I am sure that the rest of the cards will reach us no later than Thursday. The banquet time, incidentally, is 6:30 p.m. But you are welcome at any earlier time.

DATA: On the card we expect to see how both the boy and his baggage are to return home, if by car, when. If by train, to what destination.

ATMOSPHERE: This missive is tinged with pardonable sadness. Seven weeks have passed with increditable speed. There is but one more week of this extremely pleasant association left to us.

HEALTH: It is a pleasure to report that all of the participants, in the orgy meticulously reported to you last week, have fully recovered; yea, they even seen to have benefited by the experience. There has been no further outbreak (as the newspapers love to say).

DATA REPEATED: The supervised group, under the able direction of veteran councilor Phil Schwartz, will depart from Ft. P1ain at 7:12 a.m. Tuesday August 20th, to arrive in New York at 12:20 p.m. and depart for Washington and way stations en train #129, arriving in Philade1pbia (30th St.) at 3:55 p.m., Baltimore at 5:30 p.m. and in Washington at 6:15 p.m. All times are Daylight Saving Time.

FINAL REPORTS: The enclosed are the last reports you will get from those who have had your sons in their care. The details of the final week will he related to you by your representatives in these parts. It will be clear, explicit and animated.

MONDAY AUSUST 5th: A cold and windy sequent to the exciting and darker hours of the early morning. Hyde Bay proceeded to beat Chenango in baseball by a score of l2-4. Toby Reed and Andy Smith shared the pitching burden, topped off by first string varsity pitcher, John Slater. Because the Trenton Falls trip as delayed a day, we showed the Wednesday movie this evening. It was the famed “Naked Spur” featuring James Stewart and sundry bits of the landscape of southwestern United States.

THEN TUESDAY: Clear, cold, windy with occasional evening showers. The Trenton Falls trip braved the elements under the supervision of

_______________ Back of Page ________________

Bob Pickett, Sandy Jencks, Eddie Brown and Charlie Classen. Pat, Nat and Jim Main led out another Beaver Dam trip. One can hear Mrs. Beaver breathe a sigh of relief when these pesky campers have gone back to their homes. Jack Carver finished a re—made golf course, more ingenious, artistic and challenging than its famous predecessor. We had to put Larry Bilodeau back together with five stitches after a fall.

THE SEVENTH OF AUGUST: This day dawned clear, warmer and breezy. The golf course resembled a bee hive in clover time. Architect Carver led another ‘round—the—lake flotilla. His lieutenants were Don Campbell and Phil Schwartz. The surviving swimming councilors clocked many times in the swimming events.

CLEAR STILL WARMER AND THE EIGHTH OF AUGUST: The eight and nine year olds indulged in a swimming meet. Bry Danner assisted by Beaver Knight emulated the intrepid Garver by circumnavigating the Glimmerglass. In that same beautiful and placid element, John Groat passed his “D” test. On land, an important ball game with the little league team of Cooperstown was won in extra innings by a score of 8-6 when slugger Caskey fabricated a home run. Hunt Walker obtained three hits in as many visits to the plate. Timmy Allen pitched successfully to Bad Damon. That night, Mouldy and his sons, aided and abetted by Pat Cravener, Frank Pine and Jim Main, departed for Nebo on which lofty peak they spent a pleasant night. In the other direction, went Neale Smith and his tent, with U.L. Charlie McManus as assistant, with destination Gravelly.

FRIDAY: Cloudy, humid, but failing to deliver the threatened rain. another Susquehanna trip under Bry with Phi1 and Jeff as lieutenants took off. Inveterate ground—sleeper Eddie Brown took tent 3 to Gravelly. Before they left that afternoon, Hyde Bay was victor over Chenango in softball. Utilizing the harder spheroid, after an early supper, our baseball team beat the Cooperstown Little Indians by a score of 8—3. Once more John Slater demonstrated his pitching prowess.

A RAINY SATURDAY: We hired a big school bus so that Jack Sarver could take a large group to the Farmer’s Museum  this afternoon. Some campers joined the Susquehanna trip to enjoy the rapids down below the dam. insatiable Bry Danner lept from the Susquehanna bus to his canoe bound for Gravelly where he spent the night with his boys. Instead of the usual drama, we had an interesting talk by Director Sid Neener of the famous Baseball Hall of Fame. After his formal address he answered innumerable questions.

NEXT TO OUR LAST SABETH: in this clear, warm and breezy day, our head councilor acted as pinch—preacher for the scheduled speaker who suffered a deficiency of petrol en route to camp. A runner by trade, he jogged calmly a few miles to the nearest filling station but arrived too late for the services. Sailing races on the water and miniature golf on land were worthy twin features of the day. Archie Coupe was the only camper to break 30 on the course. This incidentally follows a high family tradition. After our outdoor supper on the 15th consecutive rainless Sunday evening, tents #2 and #5 were taken to town in the Hacker by Sandy as a reward for their conspicuous neatness. Off to Gravelly with Tent #15 went that mattress—bating Eddie Brown.

L’ENVOI: I think this word is approximately correct. I am three miles away from my dictionary. Anyhow, it has been fun writing to you this season and the fan mail you have sent me has been very pleasant to read. You will get one more letter but that will he largely of a factual and business—like nature.

Back to Home Letters
Back to The Lodge