Campward Ho! Part 2

Nearly all children have a dramatic instinct and love to act. Help them to act the part of a Scout. In this way they are forming a habit that means something.

III

THE CAMPER

A Girl Scout camp is the Scout's own camp, and she should feel the responsibility of making it and keeping it in as Scout-like a way as possible. There are two things for her to work for, the Camp spirit and the maintaining of Scout standards. It is said that with a group, "morale" is in importance to work, as _three_ is to _one_. This theory has been proved by experts who have experimented with small and large groups. It is well to make the Scout Laws the Laws of the camp. They must, however, be understood and lived up to to be effective and for this reason time must be taken each day to talk about them, discuss them and make them of practical value.

Fortunately in every Scout camp a group of girls will be found who are born leaders. Those in that group who are awake to the Scout ideals are of the greatest help in all matters and should be encouraged. They can accomplish much by way of example and in some cases can handle a situation as well if not better than a Director. Work delegated to them should be explained carefully and inspected for their sake as well as others, and any lack of thoroughness or judgment pointed out and explained that they may learn the better way.

[Ill.u.s.tration: This Mess Hall is open to wind and sun, but rolled up canvas walls are ready to be dropped.]

Those girls who are negative in thought and action, should be watched and every effort made to help them to come into line. They are bound to have followers and this group causes trouble generally through misunderstanding and ignorance. There should be but one interest on the part of each camper and that is _to be a Scout_, not only in looks but in thought and deed. This is sometimes hard, for conditions are not all as they are in one's home, and to adjust one's ways of living, especially in regard to eating, is not easy.

It might be well for the camper to realize that the object of a Scout camp is to give the best and as much as can be paid for by the income from board, and that the price of board is small in order that all Scouts may share in the joys of living in the open. With these facts in mind it is easier to accept conditions that may not be just to our liking. Wherever we choose to live, indoors or out of doors, alone or as one of a group, we have to face certain facts which must be dealt with and not ignored if we would be healthy and happy and have our surroundings livable.

In dealing with these facts there is certain work to be done which a good many people call "drudgery," but if this work were neglected those very people would be the first to complain.

We must eat to live, therefore, food must be prepared, cooked, and served, dishes washed and wiped, tables set, and kitchen and mess hall kept clean in every respect.

We must sleep to maintain health so beds and bed-clothing are necessary.

These need care as well as the sleeping room, and all personal belongings in it.

We must be clean to be decent, and try as hard as we will, trash collects and must be properly disposed of. Wash houses and latrines are necessary and they must be kept clean.

Who should be more interested in doing this work and in doing it well than the Scout herself? She should take the greatest pride in keeping her camp up to the highest standard always. It can be done without great effort on the part of any one Scout if each one tries to remember a few things, among them:

1. That thoughtfulness reduces the amount of work to be done and saves time and money.

[Ill.u.s.tration: "BY THE s.h.i.+NING BIG SEA WATER." A Mess Tent for use in clear, dry weather.]

2. That unless the work _is_ done conditions will be unbearable and camp will close.

3. That the work she does benefits herself as well as others. It is the waste and trash thrown or laid down where it does not belong, work half done that has to be done over, thinking of our own desires instead of the Scout standards, that are at the root of any trouble. Do not call the camp duties drudgery, call them opportunities for service.

4. The fact that the Girl Scout pays board does not absolve her from this work. If the Scouts do all that they can to be of service, and serve cheerfully, many opportunities are offered them that otherwise would be prohibitive.

Every girl entering a Scout camp has placed before her a camp program which if taken advantage of offers her the best the camp affords. There are always girls who accept the program and use it in full. They know that in order to BE PREPARED they must grasp every opportunity to develop along Scout lines. On the other hand there are girls who seem too lacking in interest, too blind to the opportunities, too inert to take advantage of it, and they leave camp having missed the very things for which they came.

The helpful Scouts who belong to the former group are real camp helpers, and the Director can always depend upon them, the Counsellors can depend upon them, and they are the power which makes or mars the success of the camp.

It is in camp that girls have the opportunity to express themselves along lines quite different from those used during their ordinary daily life. Entertainments are always hailed with delight, and any Scout who does a good stunt, takes part in a play, or gives expression through dancing, reciting, or singing, is contributing to the fun and joy of all.

Aside from parties and plays and other fun-giving times, there is Scout work which can be done in camp better than anywhere else. This work includes the study of nature lore, woodcraft, certain forms of handicraft, swimming, and hiking. The advantage of spending a part of each day on these subjects as well as the Grade Tests and Merit Badge tests, is found in the fact that the Counsellors are prepared to give the work in the best possible way and under the best conditions.

Also there is inspiration in seeing what other girls do and in trying to do as well if not a little better. Then too, what is learned in camp is taken back home to the girls who have not been privileged to go to camp, and they gain through the camper's experience. There are a few things which every Scout should know after living in the open for a few weeks.

One is that we are dependent upon people, and that people are dependent upon us; therefore, we must equip ourselves to give; another is that the great out of doors is full of interesting things which can give us far greater happiness if we learn to know them and try for a time for each year to live with them, than the things to which we turn during the winter for recreation and excitement.

[Ill.u.s.tration: THE CAMP LIVING ROOM]

IV

THE CAMP HOUSE

_"Here's life: a slack rag of canvas 'twixt you and the stars....

Not penned in a thing four-square and murk, but free On your feet, a thumbed road-map your guide, worlds ahead, G.o.d above; For companions, the seasons; for events, the blue birds, the magpies, b.u.t.terflies, columbines, all the myriad throng of the road folk, Chance-met. That, I say, is to live."_

TENTS

The kind of shelter which will be suitable and practicable for your camp depends more or less upon the number of people to be accommodated, the length of the camp season, and the camp site. For short time camps, for small groups, or for older people, or when building is impossible, tents only can be used. In such cases there would be need of a tent for a mess and a.s.sembly room, a tent for the kitchen, a small waterproof tent in which to store provisions, a small tent for covering a latrine and tents for sleeping quarters.

The main tent for a mess hall and a.s.sembly room combined, should be large, placed with some regard for a view of the surrounding country, sun, air and general camp scheme. (p. 25.) It should be furnished with tables, benches, and so forth, all of which can be moved out of the way when the room is to be used for recreational purposes. The kitchen should not be too far away, but back of the main tent and should be so placed that all of the air possible may blow through it. There should be a long cook table with a shelf over it, if possible, hung from the ridge pole, or supported with uprights fastened to the table. Also a table which can be used for dish was.h.i.+ng. It would be well to have in addition to the kitchen stove which is in this tent, cooking fire places outside of the tent which could be used in pleasant weather. One of the most practical of these is built of stone, with a back wall and two sides, with two rods, the ends resting on the side walls and near enough together to hold the average size pots and kettles. If stones are not available two large logs can be placed V shape not quite meeting at the narrow end, 1-1/2 feet apart at the other end, and the fire built in between. Cross bars of iron or a grating can be put over the fire to hold the pots and kettles. While it is convenient and practical to use out of door fire places for cooking when the group is very small it is most difficult to do so when the group is large. The work can be done, however, with greater ease by the use of the iron bars already spoken of.

[Ill.u.s.tration: BUSINESS END OF THE CAMP HALL]

The storage tent can have portable shelves and a low platform on which to place barrels, boxes, and so forth. This tent should be pitched under a large tree where it will be in the shade all of the time. A good store closet can be made by digging into the side of a hill, boarding the inside or facing it with stone and putting in shelves, and having a very thick, well fitted door.

A more simple storage room, but not advisable except for a small camp, is to dig a hole in the ground, line it with stone, place boards over the top, leave a small opening for a lid or a hinged trap door and cover the boards with earth, leaving the door free. If ice is available a piece put into a pail can be set in this compartment.

In all of these out of door store places great care must be taken that no animals, insects or flies get at the provisions. Covered tins, or dishes and bags can be used for safety. When the camp is to be opened only for a short period it is quite possible to put provisions into pails tightly covered and set in running water in the shade.

Type of Tents

Whenever tents are to be used in a camp, they should be purchased with care and pitched properly. There are on the market several different types of tents: the army wall tent (p. 10.) which should always be pitched with a fly and be opened at both ends, the conical and the pyramidal tents. The two latter are not recommended for general use.

They are erected with one center pole, which is always in the way, and have to be pegged to the ground, thus making guy ropes a nuisance rather than a convenience. These tents are, however, picturesque in effect. (p.

12.)

When ordering tents always stipulate the size and the weight and width of the material to be used. Army duck, 10 oz. double fill for the tent and 8 oz. double fill for the fly, width 29 inches, will give the best satisfaction.

[Ill.u.s.tration: The Wash House for Personal and Laundry use. Faucets hang from above. Inclined trough between two shelves, the whole, zinc covered, runs length of house. Two soapstone tubs for extra hard scrubbing at right. Special compartment at left for officers.]

The size of the tents for sleeping will depend somewhat on the character of the site. Where the ground is very sloping, trees close, s.p.a.ce limited, small tents will have to be used; either 7 x 9 or 9 x 9's.

These tents which will accommodate two people, should always be used to house counsellors, but are not recommended for children as a general thing. The larger tents, 14 x 14 or 14 x 16 will accommodate eight cots and give ample s.p.a.ce for personal equipment.

For short trips there are small lightweight, waterproof tents which can be rolled so that they take up very little s.p.a.ce in transportation. They are pitched over ground cloths, with one pointed rod and metal spikes for pegging the tent to the ground. These tents hold two people. (pp.

78, 80, 82.)

The Tent Floor and Support