New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-08-20


mer-so excellent indeed, that they are the
envy Of the Dartmouth College boys from
nearby Hanover y. H. (who cannot be pre-
vented from watching. though they are
never allowed TO form the acquaintance OF
the campers-a great trial TO them Inc
girls swim the width Of the lake. three
quarters of a mile. and come back without
undue fatigue. a feat few Of the college
youths are equal TO- This excellence III
swimming is a direct corollarY 10 the camp
rule that no girl shall go out alone in
canoe until she can swim this distance.
Assurance about ability to swim makes Tor
skill in handling the canoe. too, and IL is
another grievance OF the college youths
that the Aloha girls go out in canoes when
the water Is so rough that none OF the
otherwise superior sex dare venture OUT.
Mrs. Harriet +. Gulick. who is mother
and mentor Of these girls. says that she
has found girls invariably stronger In the
water than boys. They learn TO swim more
easily and are exhausted less quickly. An
older brother of one of the camp girls VINO
came to visit went in swimming on rainy
day with the girls. and had to be sent in'
purple and shivering, to sit by the open fire
and drink hot milk. which the girls were
still sporting merrly in the lake.
Riding horseback is another favorite
amusement at many OF the girls camps.
and this. too. has been made 10 fit most in
geniously into the purpose II the associa-
ton. In addition TO the fun, the exercise,
the fresh air and the glorious scenery be-
yond the limits of walk from camp,
horseback riding teaches the Pioneer Girl
Resourcefulness with q capital R) She
| learns to saddle and care for her horse.
| A veterinarian comes up from White River
! Junction (the last outpost of culture, upon
which Vermont depends for everything
not home grown and gives them talks on
the anatomy and hygiene Of horses. All
this takes a firm hold too. on the girls
minds. as can be seen from the conclusion
Of this description Of picnic quoted from
the same naive chronicler in the Tnetfo-d
camp
went 10 the mountain for picnic, car
rying eats and freWood. When We reached
the top everybody started to work. The
table was distinctly the most beautiful
table ever seen, for it abounded in ferns
and had a gorgeous centrepiece Of lovely
I pink wild roses. There were splendid
things TO eat. after clearing up We did
stunts. and then most Of the girls went
down TO the swimming pool, but those who
were on horseback didn't go swimming.
for they had pity on the horses and went
home to feed them
! Be il remembered. too, by any who are
not impressed by the statements above,
! that these are not native Nermonters
! farmers daughters who learn TO drive and
care for the family mare soon after grad
uating from the task Of driving the COWS to
pasture. No; these are daughters of the
wealthy. most OF them from New York,
| girls whose experience with horses has been
limited TO riding with a groom in Central
| Park and when the lesson was over see
! ing the horse led away into the mysteri-
Gus recesses at the back Of the stable.
, The Pioneer Girls learn to be resourcefui
/ in the home, too. even as were the daugh-
tiers in the homes of the real American
pioneers long ago. They do not II is true.
do the cooking for the camp family OF
nearly a hundred, these delcately reared
Fcity girls but they do set the tables, change
the plates. bring in the dessert and wash
the glasses and silver after each meal.
/ -Four girls work together for one day. and
the next day another four. Each girls turn
comes once in ten days. Some Of them
make laughable mistakes in the beginning,
due to lack OF previous training, but every
! thing is excused in the happy-go-lucky at
mosphere Of the camp. Mrs Farnsworth
meantime. serene at her post. exults in
wardly at the dociie attitude of the girls
toward this uneXacting work. She tells al
most with tears in her eyes Of how one
girl, an only child in a family which main
tanned seven servants. came 10 her shame
faccdly and I'm private 10 apologize for not
knowing how TO set table.
/ Il know that l ought TO know" she said,
but there have always been the maids 70
do these things. and / have just been care
less and not noticed about them"
The girls keep their own tents IN order.
and at various unexpected times the au-
thorties appear TO inspect them. Honors
are given for neatness and Cor beauty in
the arrangement of the tent furniture
beauty consisting Of a display Of blue wrap
Per and blue toilet articles to match or a
handsome bunch OF wild flowers in d con-
spicuOus place
| The honor most coveted, however, is that
given for excellence in camp spirit'-an in
definable something. having elements Of
loyalty, resourcefulness, unsenshness ana
good influence" The girl who can make
all the others happy on a rainy afternoon
when they had planned picnic is Dromis-
! ing material, from the point OF view OF
camp spirit