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HYDE BAY HOME LETTER
VOLUME 42 July 8, 1968 No. 1
THE HOMELETTER: is our method of informing you of your son’s weeks’s events. The boys write home each week but many items of interest are omitted. This edition begins the forty second season of this pleasant tradition. We will be glad to send the Homeletter to any grandparents 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. The format of the Homeletter will be somewhat different this year to avoid the repetition that we feel has been prevalent in the past.
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 the parents so desire.
TENT LISTS: A tent list for July is enclosed with the intention that it will assist you 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 plays for this Saturday will be coming from Tents # 6, 7, 8, and 53B.
BILLS: The bills that are enclosed include the full camp fee - both full time and the first four weeks. If it is more convenient for those here all summer, half the tuition may be paid now and the remaining at the second billing sometime the last of July. If your son is registered for July and wishes to stay on for the second month, the tuition will remain at the eight—week rate. The tutoring fee is based on a projected figure. The final figure will be adjusted on the final billing after camp closes.
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 fundamentals in 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 Clarke’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.
WEATHER: After fourteen days of steady rain we greeted the campers on Opening Day with bright sunny weather, and this prevailed throughout the week except for one small thunder shower late in the day on July 1. The councilors spent five days in the rain and mud working well beyond the call of duty in order to ready the camp for the campers. There are still some minor jobs to be done, but, essentially, all facilities are in full gear.
IN—CAMP ACTIVITIES: The horses arrived a few days before the campers and have been in constant use all week. Mike Whedbee reports that they are the best horses we have had in many years. The tennis courts were a bit damp
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for the first two days of the week, but since then, they have made up for lost time. The sailing department had three boats ready for sailing, and they, too, have been active all week. As is the case in all opening weeks, many swimming tests have been passed and all but a few campers have passed their “D” tests. Bill Ewing and Eric Reid have lost little time and have completed all of their swimming tests. Later in the week Duncan Kinder also went as far as his “A” test. Archery, ,crafts, and wrestling were equally active.
TRIPS: On Tuesday we sent out our first two trips: Susquehanna in the morning and Beaver Valley in the afternoon - both of overnight durations. The Susquehanna was led by Rusty Pickett, Dave Gotshall, and Harry Turner. Campers joining the councilors on this trip included Phil Claussen, Paul Pickett, Matt Skinner, Dieter Snell, Marty Sutton, Roger Wood, Flip Johnson, Wiff Wein, and Bunky Wehr. The Beaver Valley group left with Chris West, Peter Mehl, Rick DeVantier, and Fran Huidekoper in charge. Some of the campers on the trip were Steve Pickett, Mark Whittlesey, Dave Schwartz, Andy Magill, and Chris Skerritt. We also sent out another Beaver Valley trip on Friday led by Dave Gotshall, Bob Tucker, and Kelley Sullivan with campers Tim Sager, Andy Evans, Paul Mangano, Todd Sisto, John Murray, Rusty Case, Gordy Donovan, Marbury Wethered, Tom Fisher, and David Magill. Following our custom of past years we sent out two trips to Snow Clutch on July 4. It is always fun to see how much snow there is in a crevice in the rocks a short distance away from camp. The boys found positive evidence and brought some back to camp.
SPECIAL_EVENTS: There were two special events of the week: one - the Fourth of July, and two - the arrival of our new ski boat. The Fourth was celebrated with boom—boom novelties and marshmallows for everyone. The new ski boat arrived on Thursday. It is a 14-foot fiberglass Chrysler boat carrying a 55 horsepower Chrysler engine and is bright yellow in color - very handsome. The ardent skiers profess it to be a fine craft.
ENTERTAINMET: The planned entertainment for the week started with Sunday when we had a full length feature film entitled “The Cat.” During the rest of the week Tents #l2, 4, 2 and 3 wrote, cast, and rehearsed their plays for Saturday evening. The best actor awards went to Flip Johnson and Bunky Wehr. The best actresses were Larry Jerome and Cullen Dwyer. Tent #12 was judged to have the outstanding play of the group. A Bob hope - Jane Russell comedy, “The Son of Paleface” provided the Wednesday night entertainment. There is also a large organized game of one sort or another on the campus each evening that is not involved with some other activity.
The week started with a church service led by the Director who spoke on the reasons, for being at camp. Hunt Hilliard led the following Sunday service. His topic was loyalty: to God, to others, and to ourselves. Both Sundays were somewhat relaxed days: mild trunk inspections, letter writing, outdoor supper, comedy films and movie serial at night. The tent inspection winners for the week were Tents #11 and 63B.
ATHLETICS: Both the twelve—and—under and twelve—and—over baseball teams practiced throughout the week, and on Saturday, we had our first encounter with Chenango. The twelve—and-over team was bombed. Enough said!! The intramural program is getting organized and under way with several teams involved.
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