Afternoon Sports.
After the study period is over the teams go up to the baseball field for
a few games. What exciting times they do have! The boys are divided, and
for the sake of sport given colors. So instead of New York and Chicago
it is the Red and the Blue.
Thus early in the season they are only friendly games. It is only later
in the season, when the trophy and cups are to be fought for, that they
play with all their heart and soul.
Now it is fun, fast and furious, to see which side is the strongest.
Those who are not playing sit around, cheering or jeering as the case
may be. It is all good, healthy sport, and again when the bugle blows
for swimming they are ready.
What a rush for towels. The water is a little cooler this afternoon than
this morning, but when one has exercised so vigorously it seems just
right.
Courage comes to the timid. They strike out into deeper water, find that
it is friendly to them, and begin to do fancy strokes.
The good swimmers have started a race with other experts. They mean to
swim to the island opposite without any stopover, and are watched by an
admiring crowd of youngsters.
Care is taken that no boy goes beyond his depth unless he is a good
swimmer. Instructors, in boats, constantly patrol the course, watching
every move the boys make.
Well do I remember a funny incident that happened to a visitor last
summer. He was a grown man, who said he had been swimming in the Bay of
Fundy. As a starter he went in where the little shavers go, and, mark
you, in about four feet of water, he went down. One of the faculty, who
was watching the boys, saw him disappear. He jumped overboard with his
cigar still in his mouth, dived under, brought him up, climbed back into
his boat, and calmly went on smoking, leaving the Bay of Fundy hero to
wade out.
Some of the boys prefer a short swim, then a row; others just spend the
entire time on the chutes, sliding down, either head first or feet
first, diving, splashing and climbing back to the float, to do it all
over again, looking like a lot of Greek gods in their scanty swimming
trunks.
How careful one is in the city about covering up the body quickly for
fear of taking cold! Out here the greatest pleasure is after the swim to
be in the air and let the sun and wind dry and toughen one. No chill, no
cold, just a pleasant glow. Any boy who does this day after day cannot
take a cold if he tried to all winter. He is immune from the nasty colds
that beset one in this changeable climate.
Is it any wonder that the boys love to be in Camp, where they can strip
and get close to Nature?
I have often wondered what Heaven is like, and think it must at least
have most beautiful rivers, and flowing streams, where one can bathe.
That is my idea of what Paradise ought to be. Of course, there could be
a whole lot of things up there that we have wanted so badly on this
earth and could not get, yet for me, the blessed privilege of bathing
and swimming in waters pure is celestial.
Maybe the Lord in His goodness took a little bit out of Heaven and
planted it in the State of Maine. For where will you go, in this
country, outside of that State, and find such a harmonious blending of
climate, temperature, water, land, sky and sea as we find there?
But while I am rhapsodizing on the beauties of this State, let me not
forget that time flies, and again the bugle sounds the call, "All out."
This time the boys are willing to dress quietly, and spend the next hour
resting up after the many duties and pleasures of the day.
There is only a short period between the time we leave the water and the
call for supper. When the first call sounds every boy jumps up without
a second invitation from the faculty to get into line.
The signal is again given. The line turns right about face, marches to
the stirring music of fife and drum, keeping time and forming one of the
pleasantest sights we have to show to our visitors.
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