Whenever possible it is most desirable to erect for the main camp
building a house, rustic in design if built in the woods, (p. 23.) which
includes a large room for mess hall and recreational purposes, kitchen,
store closet, ice room. (Cut A.) The types and floor plans of such
houses vary greatly, but certain things are essential in all. They
should afford protection in bad weather, some warmth in cold weather,
ample space for serving mess, room for entertainments, meetings and so
forth; a conveniently arranged kitchen, and proper facilities for the
care of food. Some of these houses are built with the main room simply
roofed over and railed in. As delightful as these open mess halls are in
pleasant weather, they are not altogether practicable in all climates,
and under all weather conditions.
Some protection is gained by enclosing the room to a height of 3-1/2 or
4 feet and having the eaves overhang for 3 feet, or by having canvas
curtains which can be raised or lowered in bad weather. If the room is
enclosed entirely it should have many large windows, and wide outside
doors.
The main feature in the room should be the fireplace. (p. 27.) The
larger it is the better so long as it is in keeping with its
surroundings. The benches and tables should be made and arranged so they
can be easily moved out of the way when extra floor space is needed.
There should be a door leading into the kitchen and a serving window
near the door, with a broad shelf on either side of it. The kitchen
needs many windows and a back door conveniently placed. (p. 29.)
[Illustration: A. Floor Plan for Mess Hall for Camp of 150 to 200 Girls]
The kitchen should be equipped with a good stove having ovens and hot
water tank and be large enough to admit of holding big boilers and
kettles. If there is no hot water tank a large boiler can be kept on top
of the stove in which to heat water. Better still, when possible, use a
Standard Oil oil heater and boiler, and have hot water pipe connections.
This of course is only possible when there is a tank and power of some
kind to pump up the water. There should be in the kitchen ample table
space, convenient places for keeping all pots and kettles, hanging
spoons and other small articles, a generous wood box that there may
always be dry wood at hand, and if there is running water a sink
conveniently placed.
The store closet should open out of the kitchen and be on the north side
of the house. It should have a raised platform 18 or 20 inches wide,
against the wall on one side of the room, on which should be placed all
barrels, large boxes, etc. holding food. There should be ample shelf
space, a broad table, plenty of ventilation, and all windows should be
covered with netting.
If possible to have an ice box it can stand in this room. Better than a
portable ice box is an ice room which is built into one corner of the
store room, the walls, floor and ceiling of which are double, lined with
tar paper and the space of four inches between them filled with sawdust
or cork. The door into the store room should be very heavy, made double
and fitted closely. The small ice door can be on the outside of the
building, made like the large door, fitted closely and opening into the
ice compartment. The ice compartment should be lined with zinc and a
slatted door should open into it from the ice room. The bottom of the
ice compartment should tip slightly to one corner from which an overflow
pipe should be run to the outside of the building. A slat bottom made in
sections and placed in the compartment protects the zinc and helps to
preserve the ice. The ice compartment can be high enough from the floor
to admit of large milk cans, tubs of butter, etc., being stored under
it. Shelves can be placed along the sides of the walls. The ice room
should be ventilated by means of a vent pipe up through the roof to the
open.
Such a building as described makes housekeeping for a family of one
hundred and fifty or two hundred possible, with only one cook and a
squad of Scouts.
In place of tents for sleeping quarters small cabins made of wood and
screening, or wood, canvas and screening, can be used. They add greatly
to the expense of building the camp, but being permanent do away with
the expense and labor of taking down and storing.
It is sometimes possible to find an old house or a barn which can be
utilized for camp quarters, and with a little ingenuity made most
attractive and practical.
There is a great deal to be learned by living in a well-planned,
well-ordered house or camp, much of which is of lasting value. For this
reason no opportunity should be lost to give these advantages to the
Scouts.