HAPPY AND SANE SUNDAY IN CAMP
It is a good idea to carefully plan for your Sundays in camp, have every
hour mapped out and never allow the time to drag. Make special effort
and determine that the day shall be the very happiest day of each week,
a day in which every one of the campers will be especially interested
and will look forward to with genuine pleasure.
Sit down quietly and think it all out. You will want the day to differ
from week-days; you will want it filled with the real life, not
half-life, the life only of the physical and mental, but the true,
entire life for each camper; you will want to emphasize this higher,
inner life, which is the spiritual.
To this end, when you arise in the morning, form the resolution that the
day shall be a peaceful, enjoyable one for all the girls. When you take
your morning plunge resolve that not only will you be physically clean,
but you will also be both mentally and spiritually clean; then all
through the day keep in mind that you _can_ rule your thoughts and that
you _will_, for power to do this will be given to you from the source of
all power. Allow not one thought to remain which is not kind, friendly,
cheerful, and peaceful. Should other thoughts intrude be firm and severe
with them, have no mercy on them, talk to those thoughts as you would to
robbers and thieves, tell them to go, _go_, GO, BEGONE, that you have
nothing in common with them and you _command_ them to _go_; then
immediately busy yourself with active work, building the fire, cooking,
tidying up the camp, etc.
Have your Sunday breakfast especially nice, with a few flowers, vines,
leaves, or grasses on the table for a Sunday centrepiece, and keep the
conversation on wholesome, happy topics.
After breakfast is over and the camp in order, with all the campers go
for a short walk to some attractive spot either by the water or inland,
and when the place is reached, having previously selected certain songs
containing cheerful, religious elements, ask the entire camp to join in
the singing. If one of the girls can sing a solo, let her do so, or it
may be that two can sing a duet; then sit quietly while one of the group
reads something helpful, interesting, and beautiful, which will be
verses from the Bible probably, but may be one of Emerson's essays, or
extracts from other thoughtful and helpful writers.
Close the simple exercises with another hymn and return to camp.
In addition to the camp dinner prepare some one dish as a pleasant
surprise for the other girls. When dinner is over, the dishes washed,
and camp again in order, the girls should have one hour of quiet, to
read, write letters, sketch, or lie down and rest. Each camper should
respect the demands of the hour for quiet and rest and _not talk_, but
leave her companions to their own thoughts and occupations. If you
should see your special friend seated off by herself, do not disturb her
during the rest hour; it is each girl's right to remain unmolested at
that time.
When the hour is up, the campers can each pack her portion of the
evening meal, and in a moment's time be ready to hit the trail, or take
the canoe for a paddle to the place previously selected where supper is
to be enjoyed, and if the trip be on land, all may play the observation
game while on the way.
=Observation Game=
The leader counts 3 to the credit of the girl who first sees a squirrel,
2 for the girl who sees the second one, and 1 for every succeeding
squirrel discovered by any member of the party. A bird counts 6, if
identified 12. A wood-mouse counts 4, when identified 8. A deer 20,
beaver 12, muskrat 8, chipmunk 10, porcupine 14, eagle 30, mink 16,
rabbit 1. The player holding the highest record when reaching the supper
grounds is victor. Keep your records tacked up in your shelter to
compare with those you will make on the following Sunday.
In this game every time a player stumbles on the trail 5 is taken from
her credit; if she falls, she loses 10.
It is a rule of the game that the winner be congratulated by each camper
in turn, that she be crowned with a wreath of leaves, grasses, or vines
and sit at the head of the table. Keep this game for your Sunday
afternoons and play others during the week.
In the evening, as the campers sit quietly around the camp-fire, if the
camp director will talk to the girls gently and seriously for a little
while on some phase of their real life, the talk will be welcome and
appreciated; then just before retiring all should stand while singing
the good-night song.
It is hardly possible to present Sunday plans for each variety of camp
and campers. The suggestions given are for helping girl campers to look
upon Sunday in its true light, and to aid them in working out plans in
accordance with the purpose of the day, that they may enjoy happy, sane
Sundays in camp.
* * * * *
Transcriber's Notes:
Obvious punctuation errors repaired.
Hyphen added to bow-line twice in list of illustrations to conform to
text usage.
Hyphen added to illustration of High-Bush Blueberry to conform to text
usage.
Hyphen was removed from illustrations involving footprints to conform to
text.
Page 27, hyphen added to fire-wood to conform to rest of text. (chop
fire-wood)
Page 78, hyphen removed from cheese-cloth to conform to rest of text.
(piece of new cheesecloth)
Page 221, double word "the" changed to one. (stand near the edge)
End of Project Gutenberg's On the Trail, by Lina Beard and Adelia Belle Beard