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HYDE BAY HOME LETTER           Volume XIV No 1                        July 6

     ONCE MORE.  It hardly seems possible that this is the fourteen edition of this publication.  I should have said fourteenth if there had been room.  This issue is late because the camp is large and a rush of duties kept the editor away from his machine.

     RECORD.  We started this year with forty—nine boys!  This is our best start and an eloquent testimony to the work of our good friends as we have made no unusual efforts this year.  As far as a week can cast its beam this seems to be a very good camp in quality as well as quantity.  Surely we have never had such an attractive group of very young boys.

     FIRST DAY.  The First of July was not a very fair day and gave us some qualms.  When all was over it was not such a bad day.  A few boys had come in as much as a week early and others came in by train and car all through Monday and Tuesday.  The larger part came in the afternoon.  Frank and Eddie Supplee came in at Fort Plain at five-forty-one or before with a party of about twenty-five.  We met them and ferried them over to dinner.  Many other parents had deposited boys while we were away.  With much hustling of baggage and rustling of bedding night at last settled down. 

     The Council.  ( Not that they do not rate caps , but I just forgot.)  Murph is married and not back with us.  A lawyer in Albany, Travers, who was with us for a week or so before camp is with the Bethlehem Steel.  Jake Madden is dickering with the army and may or may not be back.  Steve Porter has gone back to his native state.  Walter Geer has come to take Steve’s place.  Kent Tongue, an old friend of Travers Nelson’s has the tennis court and with the help of George Gillet, John Kinder, and Bobby Pickett have at last fought their way up through the ranks to full fledged councilorhood.  Fred Allner runs the U. L. John Chapman rules the boathouse and all three help out with night duty.

     FACULTY.  The expression, a happy faculty, while designed for other duty, might apply to the veterans of the college on the hill.  They are all back raring to drive ideas into heads aching to receive them.  All but Cap Hartzell have the same wives and live in the same places as last year.  Mr. Hartzell, let us hasten to add is still in single blessedness.  He has adopted a very charming cat of tender years.

     SPEAKING OF ANIMALS.  All the horses are the same as last year and Bumpo, the goat is as willing as ever to crack a horn.  Just before camp he broke off the volley ball post with a grand slam.

     SUPPER PARTY.  Bob and John have already taken their eight and nine year olds put for a dog roast under the willows.  Many trips are on the books for the near future.

     BOAT.  Walter Dandy came in trailing a Comet which he made personally sometime ago.  It has been painted a bright blue and is at anchor just ahead of Mr. Hartzell’s stout craft which he has once more towed to Hyde Bay.  Going about the roads he has become known as a pessimist protected against storm and flood.
     (A design without design.)          A parachute would round out complete equipment against all ills.

     MORE POWER.  We have traded in our various outboard motors save only the small one which propels the ST 37 and have a new(to us) Hacker some 22 feet long and fairly fleet.

     AFLOAT AND ASHORE.  Among our vast group of younger boys are no less than eight non-swimmers.  George and Lawry are converting them with all speed into human fish.  You will presently be reading of tests passed by this group.  Frank is giving all Junior Life Savers a review course which should be very useful.

     FIRST WEEK ACTIVITIES.  All of the usual interests of the early days have appeared.  Shadow Brook has been visited any number of times.  Several fish have already been caug  ht and some very large ones have escaped.  For three unusual days in a row there was not winf enough for sailing.  On a certain other day there was enough to upset veteran sailing councilor, Herbie.

     AMBASSADORS.  Al Kerr goes in every Sunday to play the organ at the First Presbyterian Church in Cooperstown.  Herbie goes some long and weary miles to a hamlet known as Shavertown to preach each Sunday.  Occasional councilors go out on less definite errands.

     FIRELESS FOUTH.  The quiet advent of the Fourth of July did not cause a ripple at Hyde Bay.  We worried a bit less.  It was more of a thanksgiving day for the staff.  The explosive holliday has always been a strain.  We observed it with a talk by the director at Breakfast and marshmallows at the fire in the evening.

     YOUNG.  All old campers will remember Jack Young.  All new campers will hear about this almost legendary figure.  Jack was with us for over a week before camp started and may return for a week-end.  There is more to Jack, figuratively speaking.

     Eight good men and true.  ( The lock slipped again!)  We have eight English boys with us this summer who have fitted very nicely into our life.  Mike Buchannan is a veteran of last season.  Julio Ortega comes from South America, Bogota to be exact.  Thus we are more widely representative than ever before.

     KITCHEN CABINET.  To the vast joy of all the hungrier of us Fielder, Jimmy, and Theodore are all back to keep us happy with good food.  We are starting off by consuming a modest eighty quarts of milk and that with milk strikes all about us.

     EXCLUSIVE SOCIETY.  Due to the juggling of age groups and the impending advent of other campers, George has in his tent but the Great Walter Lord.  They have advertised for a valet, with rumored success.  Such style must be deserved.

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