CAMP CLOSES: on Tuesday, August 21t. On the evening of Monday, August 20th at 6:30 p.m., there will be a barbecue, followed by the usual bonfire at which prizes and ribbons are awarded. You may count on the festivities being over by 10:00 p.m. You and your family are cordially invited to attend:, but we are compelled by increasing numbers, to limit our invitations to the family. Most boys will leave on Tuesday.
CARDS AGAIN: On the enclosed, card. It is extremely important for you to tell us the following facts, as soon as possible: (1) Travel plans for your son. It is permissible where convenient for him to leave Monday night. Please tell us if he is to do so. (2) Names of the member of your family attending the barbecue, with ages of children. (3) How baggage is to be sent. Express collect is easier for us; we can prepay where this is convenient to you. Baggage may be checked, which involves some charges for transfer and getting it to the station.
TRAIN TRIP: The supervised group under the care of Councilor George Ruestow will leave Ft. Plain at 5:57 a.m., Tuesday, August 21st, that is Standard time, to arrive in New York City at 11:05 a.m., Standard time. This should enable the boys going beyond New York to Philadelphia, Wilmington and Baltimore to catch The Potomac, #129, which leaves New York at 1:15 p.m., Standard time, arriving at Philadelphia, 3Oth Street Station at 3:04 p.m., at Wilmington at 3:41 p.m. and at Baltimore at 4:44 p.m., all Standard time. While I know of no complicated change in train schedule, parents would be wise to check all train times. If your son is to go by train, please he sure to specify his destination.
ENCLOSURE: You will be finding a document enc1osed which is labeled Importance Notice. It describes a time honored custom at Hyde Bay. Please feel under no compulsion or obligation to emulate others. Like so many things at Hyde Bay, I regard this as part of the boys education.
MONDAY, JULY 30th: This initiated our clear, windy and cool to cold days — no rain this week. Heb departed with his assistants George Ruestow and Jeff Williams for the last two—day Susquehanna trip. They went and came back under splendid weather conditions. Councilors Brown and Garrett took their tents to Gravelly this night, while numerous boys under the watchful care of councilors Barker, Cravener and Woodward scaled the frosty heights of Mt. Nebo. This peak, nine miles from camp, the center of 50 acres of cutover woodland has been the Hyde Bay Mecca for many years. Jack Garver this day led out a talented sketching group to immortalize our countryside. The second Junior Life Saving course started and the tennis tournaments began.
TUESDAY, OF COURSE: Nat took out another geology expedition while Jack went sketching, well accompanied by embryonic artists. Bob
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Pickett took the younger boys to the remarkable Beaver Dam, hard by our home known as Craig Lynn. To Gravelly went Bry Danner with tent #53A and sundry guests. Bill Brooks and Jim Main went along for the ride. Former councilor turned Marine, Pete Powell, came this evening.
FAIR DAY LABELED WEDNESDAY: Dave Root passed his “E” test while Rufus Bayard and Danny Wilson passed the “D” requirement. Softball found Captain Tom Mercer’s Mosquitoes superior to Budge Gere’s Gnats by a score of 18—3. On the basketball court, Dougie Coupe led his Midgets to a 21 to 14 victory over Captain Gabel’s Squirts. There was much sailing and a hugely enjoyed display of the movie version of Dragnet.
THURSDAY: Councilor Powe11 with assistants Classen and Ian Macky circumnavigated the Glimmerglass. Dicky Kemp passed his “E” test. Heb was off again down the Susquehanna with assistants Murphy, Smith and Washburn. Our local experts on the Sunken Islands, Garver and Danner, led another trip to this marine wonderland. On the field, where the pastime was invented, as befits athletes steeped in such tradition, the Cooperstown boys beat us 11—5. The battery of Scharf to McQuilkin did nobly. Don Abbott hit a home run right on Doubleday Field. For variety’s sake, Admiral Jencks and stowaway Ruestow took their tents by sail to Gravelly for the night.
FRIDAY FOLLOWS A COOL NIGHT: The last Susquehanna set out, top-heavy with councilors to make sure that all qualified boys had a chance to follow General Clinton down this stream. The General went down in 1779, so was not overtaken. Admiral Jencks and his flotilla, after a visit to Cooperstown and other spots on the lake, came late in the afternoon back to camp by various motive powers. The hungry mariners enjoyed a special belated set forth by the Directoress, as all the cooks had gone to town with Bob. The older toys took the usual movie trip to town, while Pete Macky transferred his Mouldy City charges to the salubrious surroundings of Gravelly.
SATURDAY: Chuck Campbell passed his “E” test. The Shrimps beat the Midgets 27—12 in baskbtba1l. The afternoon was given over to a nature hunt, a locally invented variation of the scavenger hunt which was won by a score of 926 by team #5, composed of hunters Gere, Mercer, T. and C. & W. McManus abetted by Bill Whitman. They got a free movie trip to town. Space does not allow immortalizing the four other teams who finished in the other four positions.
DRAMA: Tent #18 led by Jack Murphy won the last of our dramatic competitions. It was a fitting climax to a series of tent plays which sheds luster on producer, coach and inspirator Al Kerr.
SUNDAY: Chuck Campbell and David Root both passed their “D” test this day. Following the usual late breakfast (8:30), President Edward T. Russell of the summer school conducted our church service, relating impressively several relatively modern parables. A rigid inspection brought to a close a week of such ordeals which produced as neatest of campers, tents #7 and #12. On the field the Gnats beat the Horseflies 10-5 while on the court the Beasts under Captain Morgenstern proved superior to the Giants under Captain Clapp by a one point margin. Educational movies were enjoyed in the late evening.
OH YES: I said something about returning a postcard, remember?
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