Back to The Lodge
Back to Home Letters
VOLUME 35 July 3, 1961 No. 1
THIS PUBLICATION: Since 1931, the year your present Director joined the camp as a full fledged camper, the original Director began to write this weekly letter. We intend to carry on this fine tradition. It aims to tell the story of a week at camp often overlooked by the boy in his letter home. We hope it will be interesting as well as informative.
MAILING LIST: We will send the Homeletter to the parents of all campers. When requested, we will also be happy to send it to all grandparents or other relatives, to former campers, and to old councilors.
BILLS: The bills for the camp fee will be sent out at the end of this week. We allow the boys to charge various small items at the camp store, and the bill for these will he sent soon after the close of camp.
REPORTS: With each succeeding Homeletter, the report from the tent councilor will be included. Reports for the tutoring boys will also begin with the next Homeletter.
ENROLLMENT: We have 104 boys enrolled in camp for the first half, which puts us just about at capacity. We have been able to fill all requests for spaces. At this writing, we still have a few places open for the second half. We anticipate several of the first month boys to elect to remain on to the end of camp, which will decrease these present vacancies.
TENT LIST: following our practice of last year, we are including the Tent List for July. This will assist in introducing you to the other boys in your son’s tents as well as to the councilor. It will also aid in the identification of the tents participating in the tent plays that we will be listing each week. The tents producing plays this week will be Tents #1, 3. and 5. The plays begin at 8:30 P.M. in the theater. All visitors are welcome.
SWIMMING TESTS: We will be referring frequently to various swimming tests in the future. To interpret our terminology, we describe the tests as follows -- the progression in distance being from "E” to “A”:
“E”--around the float and back--about 50 yards.
“D”--around the tower and back--about 150 yards or a little better.
“C”--swimming along the shoreline towards Cooperstown—about 400 yards. This test includes mastering a few fundamental strokes as wel as diving fundamentals.
“B”--a yet longer swim with more emphasis placed on the mastery of some advanced strokes and advanced diving.
“A”--from Clark’s Point to camp--a distance of about three-fourths of a mile.
All our swimming tests are done with a councilor rowing a boat along with the boy in the water.
___________________________ Back of page _____________________________
ARRIVALS: Our new system of train and bus transportation from points south was most satisfactory. The boys arrived in camp at the expected hour just before supper. There was a total of thirty four boys who made the trip with Mr. Hilliard. We enjoyed visiting with the remainder of the parents and boys who came by car. After a cloudy morning, the weather man was most cooperative. He cleared the skies by afternoon.
SATURDAY: A fine camp day. The morning was spent settling the tents and their occupants along with passing many swimming tests. In the evening we were all entertained by a stirring western movie, “The Fastest Gun Alive.”
SUNDAY: As is our usual custom, we have a brief church service in cur theater. It consists of two hymns, scripture reading, a short talk by a member of the staff, and a prayer. The first and last Sundays have always been lead by the Director. It was thusly this first Sunday. Sailboats were busy, rowboats were busy, kayaks were busy, canoes were busy, and swimmers were busy--an active day which ended with an outdoor supper and a few short films on pertinent educational subjects.
TWO ALUMNI RETURN: Saturday we were pleasantly surprised by a visit from our distinguished “Commodore” more commonly know known as Walter lord, lately of “The Good Years” and “A Night to Remember.” Walter always adds great color to cur meals and camp life, and we anticipate his arrival with great enthusiasm.
He was joined by “Bucky” Turner who left his son with us. Both “Bucky” and Walter were campers here twenty four year ago.
TUTORING STAFF: Mr. Jim Dresser, head of the Math department at Gilman School in Baltimore, is returning as the senior member of the Hyde Bay staff in terms of years aat camp. He resides at his own home across the lake with his family in “Sevens Heaven.”
Mr. and Mrs. Jerry Downs, with their three children, Jennifer, Mike, and John, have a cottage here in camp. Jerry is in the English department at Gilman and wi11 do English and Latin tutoring.
KITCHEN: We are again very fortunate to have Henry and Joe joined by John in the kitchen. Henry has been with us for many years and spends the winter months cooking at Episcopal high School, a Private school in Alexandria, Va.
We will be glad to include any additional information you night want in any of our future Homeletters. Please let us know.
* * * * * * * *
Back to Home Letters
Back to The Lodge
|
