Hyde Bay Logo Hyde Bay Camp For Boys
Home Letter Volume 37, No. 1, July 8, 1963

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VOLUME 37                 July 8, 1963                 No. 1


THE HOMELETTER: is our method of informing you of our week's events. The boys write home each week, but many items of interest are omitted. This edition begins the thirty-seventh season of this pleasant tradition.

ADDITIONAL COPIES: We will be glad to send the Homeletter to any grandparent or other interested members of the camper's family when requested. We will also continue to send this publication to former campers and councilors who have indicated their desire to receive it.

REPORTS: Included with this letter are the weekly camper reports. Reports for tutoring boys will also be included with this letter as well as with all subsequent letters. We will be glad to send a copy of the tutoring report to the respective school if parents so desire.

ENROLLMENT: We have a completely full camp this year with no vacancies in the first month; and, at this writing, we have only about four places to be filled in the second month. We expect these to be taken in the next week or so by those wishing to stay on for the second half of camp.

TENT LISTS: A tent list for July is enclosed with the intention that it will assist in introducing you to the boys in your son's tent as well as to his councilor. It will also aid in identifying the tents that will be performing on the stage in the tent plays on successive Saturday evenings throughout the summer. The curtain rises at 8:30 p.m., and. we welcome all guests. The tents producing plays this Saturday will be Tents #63B, 11, 1, and 2.

SWIMMING TESTS: Frequently throughout the summer, we will be referring to various swimming tests. To interpret our terminology, we are describing 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 more.
"C" -- swimming along the shoreline towards Cooperstown about 400 yards. This test also includes mastering a few fundamental strokes as well 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 3/4 of a mile.

All our swimming tests are done with a councilor rowing a boat along with the boy in the water.

OPENING DAY: The weather man was good to us and to all incoming campers and parents by providing a sunny although rather unusually warm day for this part of the country. All but about thirty-odd boys arrived by car, so things hummed most of the late morning and during the afternoon. The waterfront was the busiest area of camp all day long.

SATURDAY: A carbon copy of our opening day, weatherwise. Getting acquainted, swimming tests, and unpacking involved most of the morning. Sailing was Inaugurated and water-skiing was undertaken in the afternoon. The entire camp enjoyed the l6 mm. color film, "Action of the Tiger'' in the evening.

SUNDAY: Without too much housekeeping and inspecting to be done this first Sunday, all activity got off to a rather early start. each Sabbath we have a brief church service conducted by various members of the staff. The Director leads the first and final Sundays. Today's thoughts were on the importance of human relations as exemplified in camp living. Activity on the baseball field, sailing, swimming, and water-skiing occupied most everyone. Many boys visited our new 1963 program of archery. This has proven extremely popular throughout this past week. The day ended with our supper out-of-doors in buffet style followed by our usual Sunday night educational films. The supper alternates between hot dogs one week and barbequed hamburg the next Sunday. Our big meal is always in the middle of the day.

MONDAY: Hot and clear. This began one of our busiest first weeks of camp in some time. The first Susquehanna trip went out shortly after breakfast under the guidance of Doug Coupe, assisted by Eric Murray and Bruce Northrup. This trip consists of a nine-mile auto ride to a point on the Susquehanna River where we launch the canoes. From there the campers paddle about seventeen miles down the river to an overnight camping spot. After breakfast the next morning, the boys are picked up by car and returned to camp. Late in the afternoon, the first Lookout group hiked up the hill in back of camp. The boys hike up, cook their supper and breakfast, and return the next morning. The food is taken up in the truck and left on a plateau area overlooking our end of the lake. An after-supper game entertained the rest of the camp, after a busy day.

TUESDAY: Again hot and clear. A second Susquehanna trip left and the first one was picked up. McKee Lundberg and Bill Howland joined Doug Coupe on this second excursion. A riding group met with the Lookouters for breakfast. There was sufficient wind for a great deal of good sailing today. The other camp activities were well attended all day.

ICE CREAM DAY: The day man reported this as a cloudy, windy, and chilly day with too much gusty wind for the sailboats to be out in the afternoon. The second Susquehanna returned in the morning. With the somewhat inclement weather, the archery range was busy as was handicraft and the baseball field. We also had a trip to Snow Gulch (an area of large rock crevices in which snow remains in the bottom about all year long.) Snow was found in abundance in one of the deeper crevices. A small entourage went to the Woodland Museum across the lake. This is a museum in its second year, the theme of which is based on James P. Cooper's historical novels. It consists of nature trails, an old fashioned steam railway, and horse trolley. The movie for this night was "The Sheepman" starring Glenn Ford. (We have ice cream on Sundays and Wednesdays!!)

THE FOURTH: This day saw a Susquehanna out with Tom Mercer, Perry Winston, and Bill Bergstrom leading the group. Two Snow Gulch trips found more snow; a softball game got in more practice for our upcoming contests with neighboring teams; and George Chandlee took a small group to see the nearby covered bridge. The usual holiday celebration of fireworks and roasted marshmallows ended the day.

FRIDAY: Cloudy and cool--a few showers. Susquehanna returned. Walt Rogers, Bob Pine, and John Young took twenty-two boys up to Nebo for the night. This .is a forty-five acre small mountain about seven miles from camp, which we own. It is a very popular trip--it provides wilderness along with a panoramic view of the surrounding countryside. A group of UL's went to town to see "Fifty five Days at Peking". Another group went to a nearby town for bowling.

SATURDAY: Sunny, pleasant, and a gentlebreeze. The main activity of the day was our annual Hot Rock contest. This consists of a number of rocks, specially marked rocks, being hidden in and around camp where rocks are not usually found--each of which has a specific value. Billy Jordan was the big winner. The other usual activities functioned all day. In the evening we had our opening night at the theater. Former councilor, Jim Main, was visiting and contributed his talents to the evening's entertainment. The best actor award went to John Northrup; the counterpart award for the best actress was to Tom Rudd. Tent #53B was judged to have the outstanding play of the evening.

SUNDAY, ONCE MORE: We started our complete trunk inspection, showers, and general cleaning up. Mr. Hilliard led our church service, speaking on the importance of forgiveness, humility, and sincerity. He presented many good thoughts and ideas. In the afternoon, we had an intra-camp swimming meet in which practically all of the camp participated. Tents #8 and #4 went to Cooperstown after supper as the tent inspection winners. Outdoor supper and the movies concluded the day. We hope you will enjoy these Homeletters, and we will welcome any suggestions
.

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