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Volume 34                        August 8, 1960                      Number 7

RECAPITULATTON: The barbecue will be served around 6:30 p.m. on the evening of Thursday, August 18th, and at the conclusion of the feast, the bonfire will be ignited. After it has fallen, but still burning, speeches will be made and prizes will be awarded. Boys may stay until anytime Friday, or they may leave, at their convenience on Thursday night.

TRANSPORTATION: Not enough cards have come in to enable us to make a final decision on the moot question of bus or the lone train which stops at Fort Plain, en what was “once” the New York Central railroad system. Cards will be sent to all parents of boys, in the train group. In the interim be advised that the train leaves Fort Plain at 8:46 a.m. with the hope of arriving in the Grand Central station at 1:35 p.m. It is train #2 with the optimistic title, the Pacemaker. If the bus is used we will leave Cooperstown at 8:30 a.m. to arrive in the Port of Authority Terminal at 2:05 p.m. The party should have a chance to catch train #l49 leaving at 2:30 p.m., and arriving in Baltimore at 5:40 p.m. and Washington at 6:40 p.m. A more optimistic connection would be the Potomac, #105 leaving New York at 3:20 to arrive in Baltimore at 6:33 p.m., and Washington at 7:15 p.m. Way station times will be supplied by card where needed.

REPORTS: The enclosed reports are the last you will receive from the councilors who have tenderly cared for your sons during the 1960 season. We hope that most of you will have a chance on Thursday and Friday, August 18th and 19th to have a nice chat with the guide, councilor and friend of your son. In all events you are sure to get from the camper a much more full account than either he or the councilor would ever dream of writing to you. Boys tutoring will get one mere report.

HOME LETTER: You will get another edition of this popular publication dictated next Monday. There will be yet another at a very indefinite time following camp, when we have finally figured up the multitude of tiny charges which make up the incidental bills. Many of you have expressed such flattering sentiments in regard to the Home Letter that our editorial chest is thrust out in pride.

MONDAY AUGUST FIRST: Clear and warm. The third Trenton Falls trip went out under the general command of Mouldy. Shortly after their departure, pedestrian Steinzig and associate ambulatory councilors walked 29 boys to Cooperstown to see a team known as the Indianapolis Clowns do their stuff against the Cooperstown Indians. The return trip started on foot, but in the environs of Cooperstown, our cars began picking them up and returning then more luxuriously to camp. We again defeated Chenango in the sailing races to the tune of 69—56. Scott Carlton won all three races. David McManus picked up valuable points by adroit seamanship. Dick Koppisch took his tent to spend the night on Gravelly, carrying along fond father Herbert Pickett (not to be confused with this scribe), who rose from camper to U.L. to councilor, to partner, to parent. Meanwhile, Dr. Larry Pickett was enduring the rigors of Trenton Falls with his son and other campers.

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August 2: The same weather plus a breeze with clouds appearing tardily. The atmosphere of Hyde Bay was enriched by the return of councilor Garver who had been off for six weeks painting in Mexico. Hyde Bay beat Chenango 9—4 in softball with a grand slam home run by Dave Revell. The tireless Steinzig and his tired clients who dwell in Mouldy City walked to the summit of Rum Hill where they spent the night. From the 1200’ surface of the lake to the 2200’ peak their time was one hour and forty—five minutes. Utilizing gravity on their return they consummed but an hour. Bill McEwan took his tent to Gravelly while councilors Coupe and Wilber spent the night with their devoted followers on Lookout. Showers during the night dampened all but the spirits of these sleepers—out.

DRIZZLY WEDNESDAY: It rained during which downpour all the trips returned. Appropriate to the weather, a shuffle—board tournament was run off. Expert Goldsmith and McKenna won the etching of George Washington offered by the Director. Via celluloid we crossed the Broad Missouri that night.

THURSDAY: Clear, calm and cooler. Another Susquehanna trip under Steinzig et al departed. A photographer immortalized our citizens and surroundings during the early part of the day. In a hotly contested match, Camp Lenape defeated us on our wrestling mat by a score of 19—16. The match was up on the final bout where Peter NcManus encountered a gladiator of great skill, who after a hard fight allowed him to look at the rafters. Coach Art Brooks had the affair beautifully organized. His charges reflected his enthusiastic and skilled coaching. Councilors Coupe, Singley and Gilmore took a group to Nebo for the night while their colleague, John Hendee, ferried his tent to Gravelly.

AUGUST 5th: More rain. The trips all came back. We sent a group to the Farmers Museum. The older boys who crave such entertainment attended the movie in town.

THE SIXTH DAY OF AUGUST: Clear again, also warm and calm. The eminent Mexican refugee conducted an Up—the—lake trip. We had water skiing tests and finally came to the climax of the day with the last series of tent plays, attended by an unusually large and extremely welcome bevy of parents. They saw tent 18 win the contest, best actor Ned Atwater, and winning actress, Eric Murray. Special award of 50 cents was made to Peter McManus for his interpretation of a juvenile. His acceptance speech, superior in one respect to both Kennedy’s and Nixon’s, won another half dollar which is more than one of the distinguished candidates will get out of his.

THE SABBOTH: Atmospherically similar to Saturday plus afternoon breeze stimulating sailing races. Bill Brooks conducted our church service using his specialty swimming to emphasize sundry ethical principles. All afternoon our annual Nature Hunt was conducted by naturalists Carlton and Pine. The budding Burbanks who won are Burwell, McCay, Peet, High, and Bergstrom. For their outstanding cleanliness, tents #9, #12, and #l4 journeyed to town along with the mail. To close the day we watched a movie supplimented by some old camp films, which are always riotously received especially when they portray Mouldy as a fair—haired urchin of ten.

ADDENDUM: Our fashion editor advises that barbecue dress is informal, and warns that it becomes cool after sundown. He prophesied the festivities will terminate around 9:30 p.m.

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