The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-04-18


Ir,oderu miracle.
| \ hays camp director, describing 10
Ip.s same layman the JOY Of his work
IrJ Of a lad whose selfshness at the
Ihecr,niug of the summer had been in
Eerse Toward the end of the season
Itsis boy had been one OF party upon
- nigh mountain caught AT dusk with
| "r, eautpment for the night This diff
,Inlt hut not dangerous situation me-
I,.s.itatei sleeping around campfres.
Ev9i,h were none too large. In the cold-
M.si mart of the night the erstwhile self
Ian I'D was observed by the director to
rise from the spot which he had been
Ibugsirr c,ose to the embeis. to drag
smother boy into his place and himself
|, 10 take the less heated position
That" said the same layman. III
bnrre out in other instances of self
.,crifico, is further modern miracle.
! He : right For boy in less than
eva months to change from selfish ten
Idencies To- those OF generosity ~ moth
ling short OF marvellous. Yet that IL
ItypfCal Of what happens in every good
Icamp not merely in Isolated instances,
lhut commonly. The situation need not
he one OF seltishness, though this is all
too frequent II may we'll be needless
mess carelessness. Indifference to uuty
o. 20 the finer influences, helplessness.
the right any one of the thousand
growing pains to which character in the
forming = heir Whatever the pueerness
toward which the average lad leans. two
months In the woods In close associt-
Iton with MS fellows and with sympa-
lthetic. wholesome men of nature VIII
almost certainly restore the balance.
| NJ first thought il is odd that this
should be so. often when | contrast our
of work he
two months at camp | feel sure that
lrroportiona;ely. the effort expended dur
linz the year for character results IL
Itar less effective than in the summer.
When one considers. this Is not so
Iruch to he wondered At. However well
The school day may he balanced as be-
tween work and play it is still true
That the whole souled, bounding boy is
o. Gagged lion. Fetters bind him---too
r1Jny clothes, stiff desks. long hours OF
confinement. enforced unnaturalness.
calm peace and quiet" These are. 10
No sure, the necessary concomitants of
selt-l scipline. OF learning 20 work with
fellow pupils. OF the civilities, II YOU
vi but they are nevertheless handi-
caps
s. amp there is OF course routine
W 80 At a definite hour, exercise
,oge,hp.. take our early plunge and our
az. have our morning prayer out under
the pines observe the rules Of courtesy
srd Of Jhoughtfulness at the table do
our chores we'll. tents. campfire. boats
I'D 3 host Of other little duties and
take up our Boy Scout work in earnest,
Al 'his and much more is AS regu-
lar and AS eNacting as at school. yet II
gains the sympathy and the complete
cooperation Of the boys-'it is the nat
Iura' wsr OF living.
Then. too the life Is entirely in the
open air. Every breath throughout the
twenty -four hours j. health laden, Char
so'er is uurtured by sound health as
the plant is by the sun.
The lake, the great. deep woods, the
mountains these. too. unconsciously IN
fleu,e the heart of boy and make
hin more responsive to his best inn
pulses
Most important Of all. 4 great sou'ed
man is In his clement among boys IN
'1r woods. Swimming with them pad
ding ln the same little canoe for hours,
rtchug camp out under the stars, teach
iug them by a suggestion here and
there how to take care OF themselves on
The water Or in the woods, sharing
their fun and their hardshps. he has
Ic0lNt,ess chances for those little un-
remembered acts OF kindness and OF
love which readily reflect themselves
In hearty boy nature.
| These sdelghts, among others, are
abundant reason why the shorter camp
l'e is proport!onately more educatve
t0tn the longer period at school They
AIN Indicate how important TO any
lNE IS 'u" opportunity for summer in
q good camp. The growth Of this dis
tu. t".N American institution OF the
tITUer camp Tor boys j., indeed, one
~ tho most encouraging aspects or our
national development.
TIC question II the most advantageous
GUNNER for a boy is readily solved in
t"e family which can lead its own
simple NE far off in the woods or on
me seashor". away from resorts ana
otA.r ar'.Acial,ies. Tn" vacation is, OF
course, the time of times for the father
- come to know his son, to be his COM
'sn.on u fun, and for the mother 10
spread ahou, him those refining inf,u-
'.reS e respect for wopanhood OF gem
'trHesS and Of care for the best things
VWun o. mother can most effectively EN-
rstS2" II is also the one great pc
rod 'Nr me hoy 20 contribute his share
10 'he comfort ana the happiness OF the
hone
q. 'H. absence of such happy cirCum-
Na..s- mat family rs fortunate which
car uul a uldc" for the boy in n good
camp There his development in health
~ r.'h. edge ana in character Is bound
'" n' nn.t"Iy greater than In an at
n'.''"." = clf-indulgcnce and OF arti'
rrtt,.
.N' ulrcut the great problem is l.
mo superior camp
j. .. 20 n' assumed in the first place
MA tI,s lf general are good. For q