New-York tribune., 1907-09-01
FLAPJACKS IN CUBA
Help SolUe Work Problem in Cubms
Boys' Camp.

FIapJacks must be sort Of natural boy food
the world over. for q New York City organfza-
ton has found itself compelled TO provide this
American dish at its boys camp at Lake Mem
bosha, New York. and also at another boys
camp, the first OF its kind In Cuba, which is
helps the Association de Jovenes Cristianos, OF
Havana. to run for Cuban youngsters. at Mariei
Bay And apparently the fapJack diet has tbs
same effect on the Cubans the New York
boys In some mysterious way. fapjackS
whether combined with fritoles and torti1las La
Cuba or with beef and or steak IN America.
vastly increase the boys capacity for fun. and
his willingness to work for that fun and mako
himself useful In America. at the boys camps
the potency OF fapjacks to make a fellow willing
TO help with the dishes has long been known
And now In Cuba, the same dish has worked
miracles. for il has led a number OF Cuban boys
of good family TO think II is part Of the fun TO
help cook make their cots, gather hrswood and
wash their camp clothing 1t Is thing unheard
of in Cuba, and was entirely unbelievable until
it was actually seen. And for days It was the
subject of much conversation and countless ex-
pressive shrugs Of unbelief ar the clubs on ths
Prado.
The boys life IN the camp az Mariel Bay. run
by the Havana association, which IS aided fnan-
ciaIly by the West Side Young Mems Christian
Association. OF this city. IS practically q semi
tropIcal duplicate of that at the Orange County
boys paradise Instead OF the canvas tent IN
which the boys 1--we upstate. the Cuban boys
have built for themselves large bahio or native
hut made Of palm trunks and thatched with
main, leaves with a. wide opening all around the
caves for ventilation And the name OF the
camp is Camp SkidOo." which certainly mas
fapiacky sound There are other "insteadS-
The bows swim and row around the beautnut
sandy beach of the bay instead OF IN pIacl9
lake They are hauled TO camp by OK carts anu
they have near them a wreck on Wnlcn 0esp So
divers ara working who tell stories for ooys-
better than most Of the story books. AlSo' IN
stead OF drinking deep from a spring Oy ths
shady lake, the Cuban boys use MONKEY Jug,
which takes skill and space for quench1ns
thirst For the rest, with the exceptlOh Inal
the Cuban yOungster has a psycaoLosy % ,Ilt, nr1
own which must be reckoned with before ne WLA
mitch in and work the fun at Mariel is Jus1 Ilks
that at Membosha. U > A
There is the patriotic flag raising; there Is me
1rorlx about camp TO be done promptly and
cheerfrIly Then there Is the long day and ena
evening OF fun and sport They nave tneE
swimming running and athletic contestss tnefr
ball games their walking trips. tnelr HdpJdcAS.
AND in the evening there are the caIrpnre or
drift wood the singing, the story telling: tns
Informal and interesting Bible study and tnS
talks about good things by the camp director:
The Cuban boys also have a camp dog ana
when they are too tired 10 do anything else tney
watch his battles royal with the os Deacn
in which the pup tries TO make dog meat Q. IS
crabs and the crabs to make crab meat OF tne
dog. And always there is an appetite Cor Zap
iacks-just as in the other boys camp tHoo-
sand miles away
Now among the American boys at their laEe-
side camp this spirit OF work and play COM
bined Of outdoor democracy, OF beiieT tnae IL -
most fun when you are helping the whole Duncns
or the gang" is natural. but TO Cuban BOYS +
camping is new idea, and its absolute equanty
a somewhat novel experience In an Arnerlcao
bovs' camp the director can call out 70 q poys
"SIoppy weather. What way 70 leave tenti
or ".Iiu1' get on the job In the dishwashirg ern-
porit1uo" and Jim will get But In CUBA tns
custom bars any such form of address. ana COM
Doands must be couched in most diplomatic and
honeyed words. At Mariel Bay, therefore, tho
language and practice OF diplomacy prevaii wnen
work Is to be done. and. in fact. even N tne
days fun. II captain Of team yeiied a. sec.
one base Get in the ganeP second base WouIa
stop playing. There must always ne many
'.pleases'' and "do me the favors" 70 get Wiling
acnuiescence. Finally. self-goVernnenr soNeo
the labor problem in the Cuban camp. 1nree
af their own nunber-boys skilled IN suaV1ty- |
were nut in charge OF the public WORKS. anu
before they knew 1t the twelve boys were Work
inc inst as hard to keep the camp spick and
span and enjoying 1t just as mucn as 90 me
fftv bovs at the lake to whom d1shwasnlnS -
NOT a newly discovered continent 4