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Courtesy Larry Pickett

VOLUME 22             August 17, 1948                   No. 6

VALEDICTORY These are the last reports. A week from Wednesday you should be listening to a complete recording of the season’s events as broadcast by your own private and animated station. I note that the councilors have added some words of hail and farewell to their reports. I can assure you that these remarks are sincere. There has been throughout the camp season a most obvious spirit of co—operation between boys and councilors. I, for one, view the approach of camp’s—end with real regret.

TRAINS I still think the boys will come through on the 2:30, or 3:3o p.m., standard time, out of New York, on Wednesday. It looks now as if Bob Pickett will once more be the custodian. A note from a parent today mentions “Pickett time”, as being a compromise between daylight and standard.

HEALTH The infirmary is empty and has been for several days. Our meticulous Head Councilor, one of the most remarkable masters of detail that I have ever encountered, says there are some mild fevers and aches going through camp. In my experience, in school and camp, somebody is always aching about something. So conditions would seem to be normal.

A WEEK TO GO The final week will be featured by the end of tournaments, the last trips, the horse show on Sunday, and a grand championship water meet, which we call the Windup. (Rhymes with mind, and not with sinned)

WEATHER I am going to run through the last week day by day, including weather as it occurs.

MONDAY Clear and cool, temperature seventy. Susquehanna trip number two pushed off, led once more by Heb, with Mac and Hobby as his lieutenants. In the meantime brother Puffy instigated and supervised a war game in which a strange craft, salvaged from the lake bottom, made gallant assaults on strongly held terrain, in and about Shadow Brook. This day Carroll Waters took his tent to Gravelly for the night. As the above mentioned darkness descended, Bob Pickett, Andy, and Phil came into camp with a section of elm log about four feet through to serve as a backlog. They made one more trip in the gloaming with another vegetable monster. These will last well beyond the end of camp. They were salvaged from the grounds of Cooperstown Academy.

COMES TUESDAY Up to eighty today. Clear and warm. A masterpiece of Chandlee’s super planning and stream lining, sent out Susquehanna number three, while number two was still abroad. Heb repeated, but his worn out assistants were replaced by Messrs. McCarthy and DeSibour. As night drew near Phil Fenton and Bob Russell chaperoned Phil’s tent on a Gravelly evening. Meanwhile Major Wider led another horse hike to our famous Mt. Nebo. Thetford, Powell, Rogers and Eddie Ruestow rode forth with him. (And back)

WEDNESDAY Seventy—seven degrees and clear. Do you recall how Antonio in the Merchant says “All my ships have richly come to port.”? Well, all our trips came safely back today. Only a camp director can know how Antonio felt. This day there was a swimming meet between two groups, chromatically divided into “Blues” and “Whites”, instead of the traditionally Hydes and Bays. One team must have won but my on-the-spot reporter fails to mention which. Maybe the dreaded Reds came in and carried off the honors. Doc Spencer, off the dock, caught a seventeen inch pickerel, sixteen ounces in weight. In the evening, with a rented projector, “Top Hat” was presented more audibly and visibly than is our custom in the Hyde Bay cinema. The infirmary echoed hollowly to the shouts of released boys.

RAINY THURSDAY One of those more or less blessed intervals of moisture, inertia, and retarded routine, which is a rainy day at camp, descended upon us. The winners of the nature hunt enjoyed their promised movie trip at night. The Susquehanna trip was postponed until.

FRIDAY when the indestructible Heb, taking on his third pair of adjutants in the persons of Louis Brence and Bob Russell rattled off toward their embarkation. Toward evening Andy and his tent paddled to Gravelly. Bill Dunn went along as supercargo, armed to the teeth, or shall we say, to the toes, with a pair of rubbers. The sailing races to determine our season’s champion took advantage of the wind which coursed over the lake producing a temperature of seventy. At intervals, ancient councilor, partner and meanwhile Doctor,Larry Pickett, and his family, arrived for the day only.

SATURDAY Overcast, windy, some rain, and seventy degrees. The annual treasure hunt destined to be won on Sunday by Mac Rienhoff and his team, began and continued until SUNDAY. The latter day rose to seventy—eight degrees. Puffy preached, Al ambled to the sing with a small group. Soap dips were “enjoyed” by all.

CARDS About twenty—five parents have sent back the post cards so far. Not bad as parents go.

AND FINALLY thus came to an end one of the happiest weeks of one of the happiest seasons of Hyde Bay. So until next year (or maybe next week) happy memories and pleasant experiences. As they say in the South, “Come back”.

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