THE DIRECTOR
ASSISTANT LEADERS
THE TERM LEADER
HOW TO GET LEADERS
VARIETY OF TALENT
SUGGESTIONS TO LEADERS
OPPORTUNITY OF LEADERSHIP
The success or failure of a boys' camp depends upon leadership rather than
upon equipment. Boys are influenced by example rather than by precept. A
boys' camp is largely built around a strong personality. Solve the problem
of leadership, and you solve the greatest problem of camping.
The Director
No matter how large or how small the camp, there must be one who is in
absolute control. He may be known as the director, superintendent, or
leader. His word is final. He should be a man of executive ability and
good common sense. He should have a keen appreciation of justice. A desire
to be the friend and counsellor of every boy must always govern his
action. He will always have the interest and welfare of every individual
boy at heart, realizing that parents have literally turned over to his
care and keeping, for the time being, the bodies and souls of their boys.
To be respected should be his aim. Too often the desire to be popular
leads to failure.
Leaders
Aim to secure as assistant leaders or counsellors young men of
unquestioned character and moral leadership, college men if possible, men
of culture and refinement, who are good athletes, and who understand boy
life.
"They should be strong and sympathetic, companionable men. Too much care
cannot be exercised in choosing assistants. Beware of effeminate men, men
who are morbid in sex matters. An alert leader can spot a 'crooked' man by
his actions, his glances, and by his choice of favorites. Deal with a man
of this type firmly, promptly, and quietly. Let him suddenly be 'called
home by circumstances which he could not control.'" The leader must have
the loyalty of his assistants. They should receive their rank from the
leader, and this rank should be recognized by the entire camp. The highest
ranking leader present at any time should have authority over the party.
In a boys' camp I prefer the term "leader" to that of "counsellor." It is
more natural for a boy to follow a leader than to listen to wise
counsellors. "Come on, fellows, let's--" meets with hearty response.
"Boys, do this," is an entirely different thing. Leaders should hold
frequent councils regarding the life of the camp and share in determining
its policy.
The most fruitful source of supply of leaders should be the colleges and
preparatory schools. No vacation can be so profitably spent as that given
over to the leadership of boy life. Here is a form of altruistic service
which should appeal to purposeful college men. Older high school boys who
have been campers make excellent leaders of younger boys. A leader should
always receive some remuneration for his services, either carfare and
board or a fixed sum of money definitely agreed upon beforehand. The pay
should never be so large that he will look upon his position as a "job."
Never cover service with the blinding attractiveness of money. The chief
purpose of pay should be to help deepen the sense of responsibility, and
prevent laxness and indifference, as well as to gain the services of those
who must earn something.
Do not take a man as leader simply because he has certificates of
recommendation. Know him personally. Find out what he is capable of doing.
The following blank I use in securing information:
Leader's Information Blank, Camps Durrell and Becket
Name
Address
College or school
Class of
Do you sing? What part (tenor or bass)?
Do you swim?
Do you play baseball? What position?
Do you play an instrument? What?
Will you bring it (unless piano) and music to camp?
Have you won any athletic or aquatic events? What?
Will you bring your school or college pennant with you?
Have you ever taken part in minstrel show, dramatics, or any kind
of entertainment; if so, what?
What is your hobby? (If tennis, baseball, swimming, nature study,
hiking, photography, athletics, etc., whatever it is, kindly tell
about it in order to help in planning the camp activities.)
[Illustration: A Leader's Pulpit--Sunday Morning in the
"Chapel-by-the-Lake"--Camp Becket.]
Leaders should not be chosen in order to secure a baseball team, or an
athletic team. Select men of diverse gifts. One should know something
about nature study, another about manual training, another a good
story-teller, another a good athlete or baseball player, another a good
swimmer, another a musician, etc. Always remember, however, that the chief
qualification should be moral worth.
Before camp opens it is a wise plan to send each leader a letter
explaining in detail the purpose and program of the camp. A letter like
the following is sent to the leaders of Camps Durrell and Becket.
SUGGESTIONS TO CAMP LEADERS.
READ AND RE-READ.
The success of a boys' camp depends upon the hearty cooperation of each
leader with the superintendent. The boys will imitate you. A smile is
always better than a frown. "Kicking" in the presence of boys breeds
discontent. Loyalty to the camp and its management is absolutely necessary
if there is to be harmony in the camp life.
Personal
Your personal life will either be a blessing or a hindrance to the boys in
your tent. Study each boy in your tent. Win his confidence. Determine to
do your best in being a genuine friend of each boy. Remember in prayer
daily each boy and your fellow leaders. Emphasize the camp motto, "Each
for all, and all for each." Study the "tests" on pages 8 and 9 of the
booklets, and be helpful to the boys in your tent who are ambitious to
improve and win the honor emblems.
Tents
Neatness and cleanliness must be the watchword of each tent. Sweets draw
ants. Decayed material breeds disease. Insist upon the observance of
sanitary rules.
It is unwise to have all the boys from one town or city in one tent. The
tendency is to form clans, which destroy camp spirit. Get the fellows
together the first thing and choose a tent name and tent yells.
Appoint a boy who will be responsible for the boys and the tent when you
are not present.
Too much attention cannot be given to the matter of ventilation. When it
rains, use a forked stick to hold the flaps open in the form of a diamond.
In clear weather, tie one flap back at each end (flap toward the feet),
allowing a free draft of air at all times. On rainy days encourage the
boys to spend their time in the pavillion. Whenever possible, insist upon
tent and blankets being thoroughly aired each morning.
Three inspectors will be appointed for each day; fifteen minutes' notice
will be given and boys will not be allowed in or around their tents during
the period of inspection. Leaders may suggest but not participate in
arranging the tent.
The Honor Banner is to be given to the tent showing the best condition and
held as long as marks are highest.
Swimming
The U. S. V. L. S. C.[1] crews' in boats will patrol whenever the boys are
in swimming, and the leader of swimming must give the signal before boys
go into the water. Boys who cannot swim should be encouraged to learn. The
morning dip must be a dip and not a swim.
[Transcriber's Note 1: United States Volunteer Life Saving Corps.]
Boats
No boats are to be taken unless an order has been issued by the tent
leader (or by the superintendent). The man at the wharf always has power
to veto orders at his discretion.
Order of Day
It is the leader's part to see that the order of the day is carried out
and on time, including the setting up drill. (See Camp Booklet.) "Follow
the leader" is an old game which is still influencing boys.
Work
Three tents and their leaders are responsible for the work at camp, and
will be expected to report to the assistant superintendent after breakfast
for assignment of work. These tents are changed each day, so that the boys
and leaders come on duty only one day in seven.
Each tent is under its respective leader in doing the following work:
Tent 1. Sanitary work, such as policing the campus, emptying garbage cans,
sweeping the pavillion, disinfecting, etc.
Tent 2. Preparing vegetables for the cook, drying dishes, pots, pans,
cleaning up the kitchen, piazza, etc.
Tent 3. Cleaning the boats, supplying wood for the kitchen, putting ice in
the refrigerator, etc.
The next day tents 4, 5 and 6 will come on duty, and so on until each tent
has been on duty during the week.
Leaders for the day will call the squad together after breakfast and
explain the day's plans. Encourage the boys to do this work cheerfully.
Lead, do not drive the boys when working. Not more than three hours should
be consumed in camp work.
Sports and Pastimes
Bring rule books on athletics. Study up group games. Bring any old clothes
for costumes; tambourines and bones for minstrel show, grease paint, and
burnt cork--in fact, anything that you think will add to the fun of the
camp. Good stories and jokes are always in demand. Bring something
interesting to read to your boys on rainy days. Think out some stunt to do
at the social gatherings. If you play an instrument, be sure to bring it
along with you.
Bank
Encourage the boys to turn their money and railroad tickets over to the
camp banker instead of depositing them with you.
Camp Council
Meetings of the leaders will be held at the call of the superintendent.
Matters talked over at the council meeting should not be talked over with
the boys. All matters of discipline or anything that deals with the
welfare of the camp should be brought up at this meeting. Printed report
blanks will be given to each leader to be filled out and handed to the
assistant superintendent each Thursday morning. Do not show these reports
to the boys.
Bible Study
Each leader will be expected to read to the boys in his tent a chapter
from the Bible and have prayers before "taps" each night, also to take his
turn in leading the morning devotions at breakfast table. Groups of boys
will meet for occasional Bible study at sunset under various leaders. Each
session will continue twenty minutes--no longer. Sunday morning service
will be somewhat formal in character, with an address. The sunset vesper
service will be informal.
Praying that the camp may prove a place where leaders and boys may grow in
the best things of life and anticipating an outing of pleasure and profit
to you, I am Your friend, (signature)
Opportunities
In securing men for leadership, impress upon them the many opportunities
for the investment of their lives in the kind of work that builds
character. In reading over a small folder, written by George H. Hogeman of
Orange, N .J., I was so impressed with his excellent presentation of this
theme of opportunities of leadership that the following is quoted in
preference to anything I could write upon the subject:
"The opportunity of the boys' camp leader is, first, to engage in the
service that counts most largely in securing the future welfare of those
who will soon be called upon to carry on the work that we are now engaged
in. Most people are so busy with their own present enjoyment and future
success that they pay little heed to the future of others. They may give
some thought to the present need of those around them because it more or
less directly affects themselves, but the work of character building in
boys' camps is one that shows its best results in the years to come rather
than in the immediate present.
"In the second place, the opportunity comes to the camp leader to know
boys as few other people know them, sometimes even better than their own
parents know them. When you live, eat, sleep with a boy in the open, free
life of camp for a month or so, you come in contact with him at vastly
more points than you do in the more restrained home life, and you see
sides of his nature that are seldom seen at other times.
"Finally, the opportunity is given to the man who spends his vacation in
camp to make the time really count for something in his own life and in
the lives of others. To how many does vacation really mean a relaxation, a
letting down of effort along one line, without the substitution of
anything definite in its place! But he must be a dull soul, indeed, who
can come to the right kind of boys' camp and not go away with his muscles
harder, his eye brighter, his digestion better, and his spirit more awake
to the things that pertain to the Kingdom of God.
"Then again the camp leader must have the ability to forget himself in
others. Nowhere can the real play spirit be entered into more completely
than in camp life. A watchman is the last thing he must be. That spirit of
unselfishness which forgets its own personal pleasure in doing the most
for the general good, is the ideal camp spirit. As Lowell puts it in the
Vision of Sir Launfal, it is:
Not what we give, but what we share,
For the gift without the giver is bare.
"The results of all these points which I have mentioned are some very
positive things. One is the very best kind of a vacation that it is
possible to have. How frequently we hear in response to the question about
enjoying a vacation, 'Oh, yes, I had a good enough time, but I'll never go
back there again.' To my mind that indicates either that the person does
not know what a really good time is, or that his surroundings made a good
time impossible.
"Another result of camp is the real friendships that last long after
camping days are over. Of these I need not speak. You and I know of many
such and what they mean in the development of Christian character in the
lives of our men and boys. And, after all, there is the greatest result of
all, the sense of confidence in the ultimate outcome that comes with
having a share in the work of bringing others to the measure of the
stature of the fullness of Christ."
"The ideal life for a boy is not in the city. He should know of animals,
rivers, plants, and that great out-of-door life that lays for him the
foundation of his later years."
--G. Stanley.
[Illustration: Camp Becket]