The Washington herald., 1915-07-04
HAPPY DAYS At
CAMP GOOD Will
Community Spirit Exists
Among the Children and
Mothers.
BEGINS ELEVENTH YEAR
All Vegetables for Table Are Raised
in Garden in Rear of the
Grounds.
BEGINS ELEVENTH YEAR

A place where comradeship, con-
tentment, and freedom unite to form
that mighty power. community spirit
such is Camp Good Will For com
\ munity spirit is not a myth at this
| summer outing camp of the Asso-
ciated Charities. Here Servians, AUS
| TRANS. Russians, Germans. Irish, Scots.
Italians, Syrians and Americans all
learn the meaning of comradeship,
and later. friendship.
Twelve years ago. Commodore Da-
venport took small group Of boys
| from Noel House on a camping trip.
| That started the summer camps. Now.
| Camp Good viii is beginning its
eleventh season. The Baby Hospital
Camp has three years to its credit.
and Camp Pleasant. the colored camp.
! four.
All during July and August. groups
of 100 children and mothers who other
wise never would see the country
spend two happy weeks at Camp
| Good Will.
Children Shy at First.
Wednesday. June 80. was the open
| ing day Long before the appointed
time Wednesday morning, the campers
began to gather at Neighborhood
House. the starting point From there
automobiles carried them to the camp.
where the camp superintendent, her
six trained helpers, and eight VOL
unteer workers greeted each arriving
party. The mothers were glad to rest
in the shady pavilion and soon were
talking together. The children were
shy at first, but led by those who
! had been before" they became in
terested in the see-saws. swings. and
sand pile. and by dinner time were
friends with the camp and all 1t con-
tains.
At twelve o'clock a bugle gave the
signal for lines to be formed. and all
marched in to the first camp meal in
the big community dining room. The
camp prayer which preceded the meal
is truly American:
For peace and for plenty. for freedom, for rest.
For Iog in the land from the east to the west
For the dear starry flag with its red. white. and blue
We thank Thee from hearts that tender and
true.
After dinner, tents were assigned.
baggage unpacked, and the campers
were "at home
The camp consists of forty tents
loaned by the government, a dining
porch with kitchen ATTACHED. a covered
pavilion, a frame house fer the SUI
perintendent- and her assistants. ano
the barn and stables. Awnings and
screens on the pavilion and dining
hall. and wooden flooring for .he tents
add to the general comfort of the
campers Back of the grounds is the
vegetable garden which furnishes all
the vegetables for the table Last wear
the garden was so successful that
vegetables were shared with .he Baby
Hospital Camp, across the road.
Everything Up-to-date.
Everything is as up-to-date as the
limited funds of the Associated Chari-
ties can make it. The camp even boasrs
a drinking fountain! Besides the reg
ular Waterman a mounted policeman
visits the camp daily and brings mail
from Brightwood. And always the
American flag. promising liberty and
protection to all under its folds waves
from the top of a fifty-foot staff.
Every morning. first the girls. and
then the boys, go swimming in the
creek. From 3 to IL the little children
learn songs, stories. and games: while
the older ones are taught playground
work, including basketry, crocheting,
sewing and games of all kinds. A di-
rector supported by the Playground
Association, assisted by six volunteer
boy scouts, has charge of the boys.
The girls are taught by the regular
camp workers. Some days there are
walks and drives through Rock Creek
Park And there are gala days when
the Navy Yard Band plays it's best
for the children. At other times a
graphophone and piano furnish music
On special days. too. plays, recita-
tions, games. and races vary the reg
ular program. From $50 in the morn
ing until o'clock at night the days
are full at Camp Good Will.
Besides having good time, the
girls and boys learn the lesson of neat
ness Each one learns to make his own
bed: and on the days when all the beds
of tent are perfectly made that tent
wears an American flag. The boys also
take charge of keeping the grounds in
good condition.
Three Clubs in Camp.
There are three Camp Good viii
clubs: Mothers Club, Boys Club, and
Girls Club. Each person who comes to
the camp joins one of these groups
At first, the clubs were only temper
airy, but the members passed a unani-
nous vote to continue the meetings
during the winter. So now the clubs
are fixed institutions of the camp life,
and afterwards, of the city life. The
Mothers Club has sixty-seven menu
bers. the Boys Club 102. and the Girls
Club 14S.
Here is the pledge Of the Mothers
Club-a pledge perfect: I'VE are happy
in Gods greatest gift, Mother Love,
and will be true to our trust
The camp might well be called the
most beautiful spot around Washing
ton-and also the coolest. Everywhere
are shade trees, and all about the hills
of Rock Creek Park, with the ragged
outline of the trees against the sky
line. 1t is an ideal camping ground.
and therefore, it is not strange that
joy is contagious. that every ono is
happy, and that every one wears q
smile. Camp Good Will itself is cure
for the blues.
Across the road from Camp Good
Will is the Baby Hospital Camp, a life
saving station for babies under two
years Here a trained force consisting
of a superintendent, resident doctor.
three trained nurses, and four maids
care for fourteen of the city's sickest
babies, and in almost every case with
complete success. There is no limit to
stay at Baby Hospital Camp; and
while the babies are gaining strength
with proper treatment. the mothers
are learning how to keep them well
after leaving camp.
Sanitation In Watchword.