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HYDE BAY HOME LETTER

VOLUME 43                   August 18,1969                         No. 7

WEATHER: The weather was really quite pleasant for camping with very little rain during the day but some brief showers at night with enough wind during the daylight hours for the sailboats to continue on with their wind—up competition.

IN—CAMP ACTIVITIES: Work continued on the construction of Eight-Inch Regatta boats for the Sunday Regatta. Most of the week was occupied by various wind—up events which involves the entire camp in one way or another. For the first time in many years, the Comet races have been completed and all other wind—up events have reached the final stages.
The Council, in their of time, have been busy preparing for their Tuesday night production on the Hyde Bay stage.
The horses have been groomed and readied for the Riding Show on this Monday afternoon. There will be a larger than usual number of boys desiring to participate so we are anticipating an interesting show....again with Colonel Acoutin judging for us. He is an old friend of the camp and a former Cossack rider so is well qualified to appraise the horsemanship.
ULs have also been busy collecting wood for the final bonfire. We will commence erecting it the first of the week and hope that there will not be any great storm during the week to prevent us from igniting it on Friday
evening.
Tents #53B and 15 were the neatest tents in camp and received their due reward of a trip to Cooperstown for goodies. There is a prize given at the bonfire for the boy accumulating the highest average during the entire summer.
The church service was led by the Director who spoke on the accomplishments during the summer by all of us...what we could expect to go home with in the way of newly acquired skills, ideas, and associations.

TRIPS: Monday and Thursday, Stewart Wise concentrated on taking as many boys on out—of—camp trips as possible. The last of the Beaver Valley overnight trips was sent out Tuesday. This was led by John Stidham, Peter Black, Sam Spragins, and Page West. It included campers Carl Brunsman, Lenny Gidlund, Skipper Miller, Peter Stickney, Whit Fish, Dave Lytel, Brett Schuler, Eric Reid, Chris Skerritt, Bill Dube, Dave Colson, Artie Hahn, and Micky McKee.
On Thursday, Rusty Pickett, Bob Tucker, and Steve Childs took the final Nebo trip. Among the campers were Jim and Joe Coulson, Hap Cooper, Jeff Nielsen, Blaise deSibour, and Billy Doolittle.
The ULs took their last trip to town on Friday night to see the movie and shop for goodies.
Sunday morning bright and early, Tom Ratcliff and Rusty Pickett took a group of avid water—skiers to Goodyear Lake south of Cooperstown to a water—ski meet. Tom and Rusty were the only actual participants...the others were spectators. Tom and Rusty were eliminated early in the tournament but they all enjoyed watching the procedures.

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ENTERTAINMENT: Wednesday night we had our weekly feature film entitled “Sancho, the Homing Steer”...a delightful film.
Saturday evening we had camp movies and miscellaneous colored slides. These were hosted by Warren Hills from Baltimore, a former camper and councilor and now in television production in Baltimore.
Sunday evening we saw the final episodes of the “thrilling” saga of Jesse James as well as assorted cartoons and short features.

ATHLETIC EVENTS: Friday brought a return engagement for the wrestling squad with Chenango. Hyde Bay remains undefeated with a score of 37—8. Everyone did a superb job under the fine tutoring of David Dube and Ted Mehl. The twelve—and—over baseball team traveled to Chenango on Friday afternoon. Unfortunately, the score was in favor of Chenango.

SPECIAL EVENTS: The special event of the week was the annual Hyde Bay Eight-Inch Yacht Regatta. Unfortunately, Commodore Walter Lord was unable to attend this year’s gala event, but be was well represented by his Deputy Commodore, George Radcliffe, who, as you know, is the head of our sailing department. Over sixty craft were entered and registered and the race began at approximately 4:30 p.m. Sunday afternoon. The wind was good, we escaped a thunder shower, and midst much pageantry, the race was won by David Dube. His winning vessel was registered under the name of “Happy Hog.”

THIS is the final weekly Homeletter for the season. You will, obviously, get the full details of this last week in person from your sons. Whatever we might have to say would certainly be old news. Likewise, the enclosed reports from the councilors will be the final ones for the summer. We have enjoyed each and every one of your boys and hope that they, in turn, have learned and benefitted from camp.

There will be another Homeletter during September sometime...whenever we can get all the incidentals and other information put together. This will include tuition and tutoring adjustments for all campers, both first and second month boys.

We are looking forward to seeing most of you at the Barbeque on Friday evening. Our only request is that you bring good appetites and good weather.

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