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HYDE BAY HOME LETTER  No. 7                                    SEASON 1947

RECAPITULATION: Confirming the initial paragraph of Home Letter No. 6: The Railroad has graciously consented to stop Train No. 10 on Tuesday morning, August 26th. This train is known as the Mohawk arriving at Albany 11:45; Harmon 1:47; Grand Central Station 2:45. All of these are Standard Tine, one hour earlier than Daylight Savings. According to your clocks, the train will arrive at New York at 3:45. We should be able easily to get the 4:30 train, Standard Time, from the Pennsylvania Station due to arrive Baltimore 7:42; Washington at 8:25. Councilor Dick Terrill has consented to pilot the returnees as far as Washington.

DEPARTURES AND READJUTSTMENTS: To the sorrow of everyone in camp, Al Kerr had to leave us on Sunday, August 10th. He is missed on a tremendous number of counts including piano, dramatics and social administration. The morning after Al’s departure instead of Kip’s customary “Kerr”, we awoke to the melancholy sound of “Ghost of Kerr.” Dick Terrill has gone over to take Al’s tent; Mickey Stephenson is pinch—hitting for Jim Waters, who had to go back to the hospital to pass a re—examination. These changes may mystify you parents in regard to the names signed on the reports. You may be sure, however, it is a person closely associated with your son.

BANQUET: A gratifying number of parents have already let us know that they are not allergic to fried chicken and sweet corn from our garden and will therefore be present at the final banquet. I hope more such replies come in during the week.

RESPONSE: Quite a few parents have already let me know of their travel plans. I expect the mail this week will produce a sizeable crop of additions.

DOWN THE WEEK: August 11th saw Cooperstown emerge triumphant in a baseball game on famous Doubleday Field. Clarke Magruder pitched well abetted by Star fielding on third base Bobby Russell, but how can you beat the descendants of the Inventors of our National Game? The JV’s overcame this handicap to the tune of 7—3 with Joe Walsh on the mound. This day Councilor Jim Waters came back from the place where he lost his appendix.

TUESDAY: A really hot day! The Susquehanna trip set off under Generalissimo Heb, assisted by Puffy and Ollie. They had a grand trip and returned in safety on Wednesday. On this day a precedent of twenty years standing was shattered when Mrs. Pickett went to the hospital to cater to an insurgent gall bladder. (Note: The lady returned to camp on Sunday in such fine condition that she attended the “Sing” in Cooperstown and went out to dinner that night.

WEDNESDAY: Another hot one! The climate drove us all into the lake. Among other pleasures, aquaplaning was enjoyed. Mr. and Mrs. Geer, parents unto Walter, visited the camp. In the evening, we showed a movie depicting the rise of Mr. Swift, founder of the Meat Company, with a machine borrowed from the Telephone Company. Results were highly satisfactory.

THE NEXT DAY: Thursday was a hot, lazy day. I can scarcely recall three such days in succession. The heat did not deter certain hardy parents from visiting us. The list included Dr. and Mrs. Rogers, Mrs. Magruder and Clark’s two sisters and Mr. Riepe who came to bear Charlie away for a sojourn with his father in New Hampshire. Heart-broken sobbing of the horses could be heard for hours after Charlie left.

FRIDAY: Walt rode out on horse hike to Mt. Nebo. Rouse, Williams and Barker were his colleague-centaurs. Mr. Hill visited Dicky while Mrs. Youmans was in to see Arthur. In the afternoon, the climate was subjected to a moist variation in the form of a heavy shower. The Director drove a station-wagon load to the Farmers’ Museum where the boys listened to Author Webb talk about his interesting book for boys and subsequently surfeited themselves with innumerable ice cream cones. A supplementary group piloted by that famous Otsego guide, Tony Bogatko was unable to distinguish Three Mile Point from its surrounding shore and so missed the show, Mr. Sabin came in and took Tommy off for a Western trip.

RAINY SATURDAY: We had a sailboat race in spite of the heavy dew. The wrestling tournament was started with great eclat at night. Bob Pickett showed a technicolor picture of the Army—Navy game and some camp movies. Syracuse Varsity Wrestling coach and old 121 pound National Champion, Joe McDaniels was here for the weekend. He was constantly followed by our Latin-Wrestling coach E. T. Russell with notebook in hand. The Hacker which had performed admirably all year chose this day to lose its crank shaft packing thus introducing an alarming amount of pure Otsego water to the hitherto sacred precincts of the hull.

SUNDAY: Heb preached locally while Hunt took a group to church. The Director went in with a station-wagon load bound for the Catholic Church and brought back Mrs. Pickett on the front seat. We had corn out of our garden for the first time. This season is about two weeks late all along the line. Tony very bravely drove the ailing Hacker with Tents and 3 & 8, the honor tents of the week. Exhibiting great showmanship, he located the other end of the lake and returned. There was a sailboat race featured by the maiden victory of Blaise. Kenny Palmer entertained his parents.

HEALTH: Billy Harkness had to spend the night in the infirmary. Otherwise, the variation from the normal Hyde Bay health has been duly chronicled.

REPORTS: These will be the last reports you are going to get from the Councilors. There may be another Home Letter if the post camp let—down doesn’t completely floor the Editor—Director.

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