A MORNING PRAYER
REQUISITES OF A CAMPER
7.00, "REVEILLE"
7.15, THE DIP
7.30, BREAKFAST
8.30, CAMP DUTIES
9.30 TO 11, EDUCATIONAL RECREATION
11, "BLANKETS IN"
11.30, SWIMMING TIME
12, NOON INSPECTION
12.30, DINNER
12.45 TO 2, "SIESTA"
2 TO 4.30, SPORTS
4.30, PREPARATION FOR THE NIGHT
5, GENERAL INSPECTION
5.45, "COLORS"
6, SUPPER
6.45, MEDITATION AND STUDY
7.15, CAMPUS GAMES
8, CAMP FIRE AND ENTERTAINMENT
8.45, "TATTOO" AND HYMN
9, "TAPS" AND "GOOD NIGHT"
A Morning Prayer
The day returns and brings in the petty round of irritating concerns and
duties. Help us to play the man, help us to perform them with laughter and
kind faces. Let cheerfulness abound with industry. Give us to go blithely
on our business all the day. Bring us to our resting beds weary and
content and undishonored, and grant us in the end the gift of sleep.
--Robert Louis Stevenson.
Requisites
All the major habits of life are formed during the teen period of life. If
camping teaches a boy anything it teaches him the habit of being
systematic. The day's program should be built upon a platform calculated
not only to keep the camp running smoothly, but to develop within the boy
and man those qualities requisite for a good camper, viz., truth,
sincerity, self-control, courage, energy, skill, mental capacity, justice,
patriotism, stamina, efficiency, executive power, consideration,
kindliness, cheerfulness, self-reliance, good temper, good manners, tact,
promptness, obedience, helpfulness, and cooperation. Camping has as good
an effect on a boy's character as it has upon his health. It teaches him
to be self-reliant, to look after his own wants, and not to be abnormally
self-centered. It is marvellous how much more tidy and considerate a boy
becomes after he has had a season in camp, looking after himself and his
own belongings, as well as sharing in keeping his tent neat and clean, and
having his part in the day's work. From "reveille" at 7 A.M. to "taps" at
9 P.M. the day's program should be definitely planned. In order to make
this chapter of practical value the different periods of the day and its
activities will be described very fully and enough suggestions given to
make the day purposeful, educational, recreational and attractive in
either a large or small camp.
Seven o'clock is usually the hour of beginning the day, although some
camps make the rising hour six-thirty o'clock. The first morning in camp
boys want to get up around four o'clock, thinking it about three hours
later, on account of the sun streaming into their tent. After the first
morning boys who wake early should be expected to keep silent and remain
in their tent until "reveille" sounds. Consideration should be shown
toward those who desire to sleep.
7.00
When the bugle sounds "reveille" everybody turns out in pajamas or
swimming tights and indulges in a brisk ten-minute setting-up exercise.
This should be made snappy, giving particular attention to correcting
stooping shoulders and breathing. Boys should not be excused from this
exercise unless ill. At the end of the exercise the flag is raised and the
campers salute the stars and stripes as they are flung to the morning
breeze. A small cannon is fired in some camps when the flag is raised. The
honor of raising the flag may be given to the boys of the tent having won
the honor tent pennant of the preceding day or to boys specially assigned.
The spirit of patriotism is fostered by respect to the flag.
7.15
Flag-raising is followed by a dip in the lake. It should be understood
that this is to be a dip or plunge and not a swim. Five minutes is
sufficient time to be in the water. Place some responsible person in
charge of the dip. A safe rule is never to permit boys in the water unless
supervised. The boys should take soap, towels and tooth brushes with them
when they go for the dip. A good morning scrub of the teeth with a brush
saves many hours of pain. Boys are woefully negligent (because ignorant)
of the care of their teeth. Saturday is "scrub" day in many of the large
camps when all are required to take a "soap scrub." Marvellous how the
"tan" disappears after this scrubbing period!
7.30
By this time every fellow is hungry enough to devour whatever food is set
before him, whether he is fond of it or not, and there is an alacrity of
response to the Mess Call of the bugle which only a camper understands and
appreciates. When the campers are seated there is either silent or audible
grace before the meal is eaten. Take plenty of time for the eating of the
meal. Forty-five minutes is not too long. Encourage wholesome conversation
and good natural pleasantry, but discountenance "rough house" and
ungentlemanliness. The announcements for the day are usually given at the
breakfast table followed by the reading of a chapter from the Bible and a
short prayer.
8.30
A boy should be taught that all labor is noble, that "no one can rise that
slights his work" and the "grand business in life is not to see what lies
dimly at a distance, but to do what lies clearly at hand." With this kind
of a spirit, blankets are taken out of the tent to be aired and the sides
of the tent tied up, the camp is cleaned and put in a sanitary condition,
the tents are put in order, and kitchen work, if part of the boys' duties,
is attended to. All work should be finished by 9.30. No matter whether the
boy pays twenty dollars a week or three dollars a week for the outing,
labor of some sort should be a part of his daily life while at camp, for
when one gets to love work, his life becomes a happy one. The world
despises a shirker but honors a worker.
The work of the day is sometimes done by tent groups or by boys grouped in
alphabetical order, each group being under a leader whose part is assigned
daily by the Camp Director (see chapter on Organization). In the writer's
camp, work is considered a great privilege. For instance, if three bushels
of peas must be picked from the camp garden for dinner, a call is made for
volunteers. From forty to fifty hands will go up and after careful
choosing, six boys are selected to do this coveted work, much to the
disappointment of the others. It is all in the way work is presented to
the boys, whether they will look upon it as a privilege or an irksome
task.
9.30 to 11.00
If tutoring is a part of the camp's plan, the morning will be found a
desirable time for tutor and boy to spend an hour together. Manual
training, instruction in woodcraft, field and track athletics, boating,
life-saving drills, rehearsal for minstrel shows or entertainments,
photography, tennis, baseball, are some of the many activities to be
engaged in during this period. One day a week, each box or trunk should be
aired, and its contents gone over carefully. A sort of "clean up" day.
11.00
About this time the Life Saving Crew will be getting ready for their drill
and patrolling of the swim. The other campers will be taking in their
blankets and after shaking them well and folding, will place them on their
beds for the inspection, which usually comes at noon. At 11.20 boys who
cannot swim should be given instruction by those who can swim. If this is
done before the regular swim there is less danger and greater progress is
made.
11.30
This seems to be the popular hour for swimming in nearly all the camps. It
follows the ball game, the tennis match, the camp work, and usually the
temperature of air and water is just right for a swim. Allow no swimmer to
go beyond the line of patrol boats. Have some one on shore who is keen to
observe any boy who may be in need of assistance.
Twenty minutes is sufficient length of time to be in fresh water. When the
boys come out of the water, have a towel drill, teaching the boy how to
use the towel so that his back may be dried as well as every other part of
his body. This rubbing down induces circulation of the blood and gives
that finish to a swim which makes the boy feel like a new being. It is
unwise to permit boys to lie around undressed after a swim, for
physiological as well as moral reasons. Swimming tights should be wrung
out dry, either by hand or by a wringer kept near the swimming place, and
hung out on a rope or rustless wire, stretched back of the tent. Do not
permit wet clothes to be hung in the tent, on the canvas or tent ropes.
12.00
Beds or bunks should be made up for inspection. Three men or boys may be
appointed as inspectors. Considerable interest and pride is taken by the
boys in having their canvas home look neat. This training in neatness,
order and cleanliness is invaluable. (See chapter on Awards.) The
inspection should not take over twenty minutes. While this is going on
those who have kitchen or table duty will be busily engaged getting tables
in readiness for dinner.
12.30
Mess call for dinner. This meal should be the heartiest meal of the day,
and plenty of time given to the eating of the food. Mail is usually given
out at this meal in camps where there is but one delivery a day.
1.15, "Siesta."
"Siesta," or rest hour, follows dinner. In the early days of boys' camps
this suggestion would have been laughed at, but today it is looked upon as
highly hygienic and considered one of the best things of camp and strongly
to be commended. The boy is advised to lie down flat on his back, in his
tent or under the shade of a friendly tree, and be quiet. He may talk if
he wishes, but usually some one reads aloud to his fellows. This gives the
food a chance to digest, and the whole body a nerve and muscle rest before
the active work of the afternoon.
2.00 to 4.30
These hours will be spent in various ways. Usually it is the time for
athletic sports, baseball games, quoit[1] tournaments, tennis tournaments,
excursions afield, boat regatta, archery, water sports, scouting games and
other activities in which most of the campers can engage. The big outdoor
events should occupy this time of the day.
[Transcriber's Footnote 1: Flat rings of iron or rope are pitched at a
stake with points for encircling it. A ring used in this game.]
4.30
Where daily inspection is a part of the camp plan the boys will begin
getting everything in readiness for that important event. A general bustle
of activity will be in evidence and every boy on the qui vive[2] to have
his tent win the coveted honor pennant, usually given for the neatest
tent,
[Transcriber's Footnote 2: Sentinel's challenge. On the alert; vigilant.]
5.00
Inspection is conducted during the absence of the boys. While the
inspectors are making the round of tents, the boys should assemble either
in the permanent building of the camp or under some big tree, to listen to
a practical talk by the camp physician, a demonstration in first aid work,
the reading of a story, or to something equally educational in character.
This is a valuable hour when occupied in this manner. (See chapter on
inspection, awards, etc.)
5.45
Rather than depend upon "sunset" as the time to lower the flag, it is much
better to set an hour for "colors." Promptly at this hour the bugler blows
"colors." No matter where a camper may be he should stand erect, uncover
and remain attentive until after the playing of the "Star Spangled Banner"
and firing of the cannon. The flag is lowered very slowly during the
playing of the "Star Spangled Banner" and camp should be a place of silent
patriotism. Those who have witnessed this ceremony in a boys' camp will
never forget its impressiveness. The flag should never be permitted to
touch the ground, and should be carefully folded and in readiness for
hoisting the next morning.
6.00
Supper hour cannot come too promptly for active boys. The announcement of
the day's inspection should be made at the meal and the honor pennant or
flag presented to the successful tent, and accepted by one of the boys.
This occasion is usually a time of rejoicing, also a time of
resolve-making on the part of tent groups to "do better tomorrow." The
record of each tent is read by one of the inspectors, and at the end of
the week the tent having the best record gets a special supper or
"seconds" on ice cream day.
6.45
About this time, with the going down of the sun, nature seems to quiet
down, and it is the psychological time for serious thought. Many camps
devote twenty minutes to Bible study (for suggested lessons, see chapter
on Religion and Moral Life). Tent groups under their leader study
thoughtfully the meaning of life and the great lessons taught by God
through nature. Night after night the boys consciously or unconsciously
acquire through this study the requisites of a good camper mentioned in
the first part of this chapter.
7.15
Campus games, boating, preparation for the bonfire, etc., will occupy the
time until dark. Every boy should be engaged in some recreative play,
working off whatever surplus energy he may have at hand so that when the
time for "turning in" comes, he will be physically tired and ready for
bed.
8.00
The evening program varies. Some nights there will be a minstrel show,
other nights a camp fire, or mock trial, an illustrated talk, or "village
school entertainment," or a play, or a musical evening or "vo-de-ville."
Leave about two nights a week open. The boys prefer to have occasional
open evenings when they are free to loaf around, and go to bed early. Plan
the evening "stunts" very carefully.
8.45
The bugler blows "tattoo"[1] which means "all in tents." After the boys
have undressed and are ready for bed, the leader reads a chapter from the
Bible, and in many camps the boys lead in volunteer prayer, remembering
especially the folks at home.
[Transcriber's Footnote 1: Signal on a drum or bugle to summon
soldiers to their quarters at night. Continuous, even drumming or
rapping.]
From a hill near camp, or from a boat on the lake come the notes of a
familiar hymn such as "Abide With Me," "Lead, Kindly Light," "The Day is
Past and Over," "Sun of My Soul," or "Nearer, My God to Thee," played by
the bugler. Every boy listens and the ear records a suggestion which helps
to make the night's sleep pure and restful. Try it. Taps played slowly,
follows the hymn. As the last notes are being echoed upon the still night
air the lights are being extinguished in the tents, so that when the final
prolonged note ends the camp is in darkness and quiet, and all have
entered into a nine-hour period of restoration of body and mind. Who
knows, but God himself, how many of the boys, and even leaders, while
wrapped warmly in their blankets have silently breathed out that old, old
prayer so full of faith, which has been handed down from generation to
generation:
Now I lay me down to sleep
I pray Thee Lord my soul to keep.
A prayer echoed by the camp director, for now is the only time of the
day's program when he begins to breathe freely, and is partially able to
lay aside his mantle of responsibility. A cough, a sigh, and even the
moaning of the wind disturbs this ever vigilant leader and he thinks of
his charges, until finally, weariness conquers and sleep comes.
THE WELL-ORDERED DAY
How shall the day be ordered? To the sage
The young man spoke. And this was his reply:
A morning prayer.
A moment with thy God who sends thee dawn
Up from the east; to thank heaven for the care
That kept thee through the night; to give thy soul,
With faith serene, to his complete control;
To ask his guidance still along the way.
So starts the day.
A busy day.
Do with a will the task that lies before.
So much there is for every man to do,
And soon the night when man can work no more.
And none but he to life's behest is true
Who works with zeal and pauses only when
He stretches forth his hand to help the men
Who fail or fall beside him on the way.
So runs the day.
A merry evening.
When toil is done, then banished be the care
That frets the soul. With loved ones by the hearth
The evening hour belongs to joy and mirth;
To lighter things that make life fresh and fair.
For honest work has earned its hour of play.
So ends the day.
--John Clair Minot in the "Independent"
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Association Boys' Camps--Edgar M. Robinson. Association Boys, Vol. I.,
No.3, 1902.
The Day's Program--C. Hanford Henderson. "How to Help Boys," Vol.
III., No.3, 1903.
The Camp Conference--Secretary's Report, 1905-06 (out of print).
The Camp Conference--"How to Help Boys," July, 1903.
[Illustration; The Story Hour--Sunday Afternoon--Camp Wawayanda]