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HYDE BAY HOME LETTER           19th SEASON              Week of July 19 - 25

Weather. This week has produced two consecutive days of uninterrupted sunshine. Other days have alternated between rain and sunshine. We are comforted by the thought that the variable nature of the climate of the temperate zone is responsible for the energy of the residents of that region. Just about every day has given us drying intervals, but it has to be classed as a wet season. Last year, by way of contrast, no rain fell in the day time from the start to the close of the camp. Mr. Emerson has treated this topic more fully for those who are interested.

Health. The infirmary has been empty for the whole week. Our ills and injuries have been limited to splinters and very mild colds, Health is variable like the weather, so we get these two perennial topics off our chest at the start of this letter.

Internal Disorder. This has been the week of change. Twenty boys departed at the end of their alloted four weeks, while fifteen came in for the last half of the camp. While our amiable custom of taking boys for a four—weeks period introduces more boys to the camp, and is extremely convenient for many parents. I often question the wisdom of such leniency. Every year, boys perfectly happy and contented See others leave and become filled with a vague and aimless wanderlust. Dick Williams took the boys to New York, while the incoming campers either come in by car, or fought their way manfully through the vicissitudes of war time train travel. Eventually they all did arrive.

Change. The aforementioned revolution enabled us to effect some changes. The tent which had “sheltered” Buddy Gilpin and
his campers was relegated to an empty platform, while one of our newest and best tents took its place between Buddy, his gang and the angry heavens.

New Things. Many years ago, Councilor Donald Tag, now fighting in Mindanao, built a blue kayak which always sank. It has been one of the land marks on our beach for some years. This week, we remodeled it, a simple process involving discarding all of the craft except the bottom. On this basis, Mr. Clapsaddle and his boys reared a completely new boat which has been christened “Red Apple.” It has been in constant use since it was launched. Also new to the camp is a mammoth spotted horse named King, which has been added to our stud. This versatile beast equally at home beneath the saddle, or slightly in advance of the plow.

Lord & Co. Rested from the rigors of his European sojourn, Commodore Lord has begun to exert his well known influence on the Camp.  Not only as the ??? of the Eight-Inch Regatta, but hitherto peaceful citizens have been divided into Rangers and Commandos, who have fought fearful battles over most of the surrounding countryside. Our erstwhile civilian roster now bristles with generals and all the verbal gold braid of military affairs. The score when last we knew it was even, but the battle still rages. The Commodore has also stimulated interest in turtles. These convertible quadrupeds have been captured in considerable numbers. A turtle derby has already been announced.

A Game. The director distributed throughout the camp some 100 stones daubed with yellow paint. Announcement was then made that the boy who retrieved most of them would get $1.00, second place man, fifty cents, while the third collector would receive a quarter. Jerrie Cherry won. Bobby Hobbs was second, while Jo-Jo Walsh finished in third place if memory fails me not.

The National Game. On Tuesday last, a team of councilors and older boys went to play on the field where baseball was invented. The result was a splendid victory over the Cooperstown team to the tune of 5 - 4. Meanwhile our softball team interred another playground aggregation with twenty—three runs to the losers three. It was a grand day of sport which we hope to repeat in the near future.

Little Dippers. Because they were about to leave camp, Dippers Maude, Waxter, and Little made the trip to Cooperstown in the Hacker to see our participation in the ballgame. There is quite a list who still have this reward in the offing.

Through the Celluloid. Our movie this week was “The Oxbow Incident.” In some strange way, the boys enjoyed it, although the machine could not have worked worse. On Sunday, the director dashed over to Utica, and has returned with a completely renovated outfit which is implored to transmit perfectly the offering of Wednesday, which is, “Take a Letter, Darling.”

Stark Reality. Our dramatic offering this Saturday, was known as, “The Vi1lain Still Pursued Her.” The actors were all councilors. The result was uproarious and entertaining. As usual, our great impressario, James M, Barriskill, produced the play and such lines as, for the moment, slipped the mind of the actors.

Graduates. Henry Vollmer and David Tibbetts have passed the D Test, while new boys Kenny Van Cott, and Jimmy Joslin has also performed this feat.

Exp1anation. The director led forth a mammoth group to climb Strawberry Mountain to explore the lookout. He then took seven of the strongest and bravest in to hack their way to Nebo. This exalted peak six miles from camp will be the site of frequent hikes through the last half of camp. The weather has previously been too moist to admit the scaling of this lofty peak. Nebo’s fifty acres of wild land grows better every year as the vegetation climbs higher and higher.

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