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Courtesy Larry Pickett

VOLUME 23             August 01, 1949                   No. 4

WEATHER I wish you could have been on our porch with me at 7 o’clock this morning. The thermometer said 56 degrees. There was not a cloud in the sky nor a ripple on the water. Our camp colors, light blue and dark green, were nevermore beautifully arranged. Not all our weather has been like this, but it has been a good week.

HEALTH As we go to press, the infirmary is empty. During The week, it has had three inhabitants, all with the, cold which seems to be going around. Aside from a cut on the nose obtained by Blaise during the “fire” on Saturday night, all has been well.

GUESTS Over the recent weekend, no less than ten families were represented. They were one and all delightful and welcome visitors. They fished and swam, observed and listened, and took huge parties of boys out to various meals.

MONDAY It rained in the morning but cleared in the afternoon. Three sets of parents arrived to bring boys or take them away. A small group went in to inspect Cooperstown’s famous museums under the illusion that rain was to continue. The inspectors were enthusiastic. By slow degrees the rest of the camp will have the same experience.

TUESDAY Tom Shaw, assisted by Herb and Angus, load the usual five canoe fleet around the lake on this hot and clear day. Harbinging the end of the beginning and the beginning of the end, numerous parents came in with even more numerous children. Herb started his Senior Life Saving class with an unusually large attendance of older boys and councilors.

TURTLE DERBY Although it occurred on Tuesday, this event deserves a paragraph. It was ushered in by a surprise buffet supper on the porch with Ernie barking enticingly, while Jimmy and Duffy passed out the viands to the boys and our numerous visitors. The ancient race was run this year in three heats, each devoted to turtles of various sizes. Then there was a grand final or the Derby proper where all turtle competed. This grand event was won by No. 23, owned by Messrs. Ruestow and slaughter. Later this night Spencer Merrick fell out of the upper apartment of a double—decker bed and thereby lost a tooth.

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WEDNESDAY It was hot and clear in the morning. Even more visitors were in to leave or take a boy. Now and then it rained, but it was not really a bad day. At night we saw the “Luck of the Irish” in our own theater. The horseback supper trip was rained out.

THURSDAY Once more it was hot and clear, varied by a rather violent rain storm at supper time. The horsemen went forth once more determined to dine on Lookout or die. They nearly did both because they were caught by a hail storm and thoroughly drench. The Murrays with Ricky Donahoe and Jimmy Young were the party. Others enjoyed aquaplaning in the afternoon. The day was featured by Dave Mohr passing his Junior Life Saving while veteran camper Tom Waxter passed his again.

FRIDAY The wind blew fair although once more it rained at supper time. Edo took his tent bravely to Gravelly where they spent the night. A hand of intrepid explorers, lead by Rob and Hobby, with only two canoes embarked at Milford to explore the Susquehanna from there to its mouth.

REGATTA The Twelfth Annual Eight Inch Regatta was accomplished on Saturday. This ancient festival with its moving spirit brought out many contestants. Eddie Ruestow won. The regatta was featured by a kazoo band which played most horribly, the erection of a band stand made of crates and drift wood, weird costumes, the Commodore’s barge, a splendid attendance and a terrific hubbub.

THE ANNUAL LORD PRODUCTION A musical play called South Shadow Brook composed by Messrs. Lord and Kerr was wildly received by a vast audience on Saturday night. The music was composed by our talented Al who wrote the lyrics to two of the songs while Walter wrote the third. It was a hilarious performance. As the play closed with a heavy downpour of rain, a synthetic fire broke out in the band stands giving the Hyde Bay Volunteer Fire Department (also a Lord creation) a chance to display their inadequacy. Reinforced this time by an ancient Evens owned Buick truck, the brave fire-laddies battled furiously, mostly with each other, while rain subdued the flames. Once more costumes were weird and various.

AND FINALLY SUNDAY This day was clear and windy, the sort of day we like to consider typical of Hyde Bay. Rob preached in the lodge where an inovation was a hymn accompanied with the piano. Tent 12 went off to town in the Hacker has a reward for being the neatest during the week. A soap dip was endured if not enjoyed by all at eight in the morning.

ACHIEVEMENT Jimmy Young, Mark Smith and C. B. Alexander passed their “D” tests.

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