Back to The Lodge
Back to Home Letters

Hyde Bay
CAMP FOR BOYS

HERBERT E. PICKETT, DIRECTOR

COOPERSTOWN, NY

THIS SHOULD BE READ.
Plans for returning home are now made.  The supervised group under Mr. John N. Classen, (Jake) will leave Palatine Bridge at 8-57 A. M.  They should arrive Grand Central Station in New York at 1-20 P. M.   They cross the street and take 2-50 P. M. train on Baltimore and Ohio which should deposit them at Mt. Royal Station at 7-01 P. M.  All these times are Standard.Baggage will be expressed or checked as the boy or parent requests.ALL THIS ISSCHEDULED TO TAKE PLACE ON WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 28th.  Any other method of returning home must have the written sanction of the parent.  There are two or three exceptions to this rule on thepart of older boys whose plans are known now to the Director.

ACCIDENT.
At Hyde Bay we never have the presumption to hope for a season with no accidents.  We do try our best to care for any boy hurt.  On Friday our serious accident so far this season took place at seven P. M.  Bobby Pickett was climbing in the broad generous branches of the willow tree up on the shore where we have club meetings, church, and an occasional supper.  The tree is ideal for climbing with low branches out over shallow water.  Unfortunately a branch had been hacked with a hatchet or axe.  (We try out best to discourage hacking any living tree).  As Bobby was swing­ing on a substantial but weakened branch it gave way.  He put out a foot to save himself.  The result was that he fell about three feet directly on to a hard dry stub projecting from a big branch directly below.  The result was a most nasty wound, several inch­es long and two deep.  In addition he fell into the water below, which would have been a very trivial incident.  Fortunately Mrs. Pickett was returning to the camp with a load of boys, having forgotten a message to a councilor.  She rushed Bobby to Cooperstown with Charley driving the car.  A councilor had already immediate­ly placed a tourniquet above the wound.  At seven thirty he was in the hospital.  By nine the operation of cleaning and sewing was over and Bobby was back from the operating room.  At present writing he is doing very well still at the hospital where possible infection is being watched very carefully.  Though it was necessary to remove some shredded muscle the use of the foot will be un­impaired.  Again we are devoutly thankful to the ones who made this splendid hospital possible so near out camp.   There a call will always place a doctor at our disposal at any hour of day or night.

TRIPS.
Trenton Falls was invaded by two groups last week.  The first was a party of nineteen who had perfect weather and a great trip down the river clear to New Port.  The water was just about high en­ough.  The next day six of the smallest boys made almost the same trip with equally good fortune.  The director and several council­ors accompanied each trip.   Every time we make this sixty mile trip we feel well repaid for the trouble.

THE DIVINE DRAMA.
On Friday night we took the boys to the movies as the film was the famed Scarlet Pimpernell.  This gave room for a grand Thespian orgy on Saturday night.  As soon as supper was over an ex­cited group gathered about the make-up table where the inept fingers of the Director applied false whiskers and red noses in fearful ab­undance.  Each tent had a play in which all its members took part. First to appear was Ed Leedy's tent featuring that councilor and his boy in a black face radio program. Cab Callery and the Miller boys through whose burnt cork shone the visages of Pue, Ed Sup, J. Brown, Turnbull, and Gab himself.  Then, a fearful portrayal of primitive emotions by Charles and Jack Young's tents, Shorty the Mexican.  The scene was in a bar room of the lowest type. Don Tag and his men gave a faithful revelation of tent conditions which was the best skit of the evening.  Johnny Gott and his depleted group did another radio program followed by a folk drama by J. Classen entitled Diamond Lit. Murder at Midnight, a pleasant pastoral, of the movie age concluded the evening.  The Blood was counterbalanced by the Thunder.  Art shuddered, character building snored, the classics pretended to ig­nore us, but as is so often the case, we had a great time.  Parents will please cooperate by telling everybody that we put on excerpts from Midsummer's Night Dream followed by an adaptation of The Dolls House done by a seven year old camper.It would do us no harm if you would add that Councilor Gott of the Yale Glee Club rendered a few operatic arias.  As a matter of most confidential fact, he did excellently a burlesque of a lady singing Carry me

back to Ole Vir­ginia.We must have fun and we must be educational.  Please help us.

TOURNAMENTS.
This is the open season for tournaments.  We are fighting it out on the tennis court, the ping pong table and the horseshoe pits.  Winners will be announced next letter.

PATHFINDERS.
Wednesday we meet Pathfinder Lodge in the water.As this is a splendid girls camp near us you can imagine the number of requests for haircuts we have had this week.

VISITORS.
Mr. and Mrs. Clarke were here this week and to our sorrow carried off Dick with them.  Mr. and Mrs. Brunet carried off Freddie after a most pleasant visit here.  Thus they do come and go.  Mr. Huidekoper was here just long enough to take a dip and Huidey away with him.

TREASURE FOUND.
The alert team of Johnny Burwell, Frank Supplee, Vernon Root, and Jimmy Bryant were further out ahead of all other teams than has ever been the case here.  They won in a walk.  The last clue was to define Macropus Giganteus.  Do you know it on, parent? Vernon is a two time winner.  Quite unusual.

BEECHNUTS.
All those who, had not done so went to the Beechnut plant to see the marvels of modern business enterprise and get the free candy. OTHER THINGS.
Space fails for many other interesting events. LES.
With a great whoopla and furor into our quiet midst drove a
car.  In it was Les the Geologist who was on his way to the hunt for the fossil.  Camp was itself once more.  He will return later in the week.

Back to Home Letters
Back to The Lodge