Connecticut western news. [volume] (Salisbury, Litchfield Co., Conn.) 1871-1970, 1918-08-08
BOY SCOUTS HOME FROM
CAMP AT HATCH LAKE
Had Fine Outing With Their
Scout Master, Rev. r. M.
Undertake

The Boy Scouts are home again
from camp. They have had great
week at "Pootatuck" on Hatch Lake
Beside the six scouts from here
Douglas Adam, Perry Badgley, Peter
Foley, Thomas Foley, Henry Dodge,
and Edward Mcclure, Mr.. Timber
lake took also five scouts from
Salisbury, John Bell, Gerald Bau-
man, John Dubois, Harold Johnson
and Roland Thompson.
The first night in camp they all
had to go through the simple form
of initiation, to give their personal
history, do some stunt and receive n
camp nickname. Tom and Pete
Foley each gave an extra bit Of
amusement for the delight of the
crowd and were at once received into
the bosom of the camp-family. Some
of Canaan's damsels would undoubt-
eddy have blushed could they have
heard the names given when each boy
had to tell who was his "best girl".{
The camp was under the direction
of Pop, generally known as Mr..
o. G. Reumann, of Norwallx, Secre-
tary of the Fairfield County Y. M. C.
A, but the government was in the
hands of the Camp Council, composed
of the Leaders, and representatives
chosen by thhe boys of each tent,
Peter Foley was the selectman for the
Canaan tent, number six. This tent
won the greatest number of first
places in the daily tent inspections,
and as a reward the members on the
last day divided huge watermelon
among themselves.
"Bill' Tyler, the newly appointed
Secretary for Litchfield County Y.
NJ. G. A. was the camp cook, and
without doubt won his way into the
hearts of the Litchfield County boys
who were at Pootatuck. He took
this job because the professional
cook failed to come, but he satisfied
the therapeutics better than any
colored chef could have done, and he
did it, too, according to Hoover. The
Canaan and Salisbury Scouts sat to-
gether for meals and there again out
did the other fellows by winning for
the week the most points in table
inspection. The boys took turns by
pairs in acting as walters.
The work of the camp was al
done by the boys and each had a day
in turn on one of the four Squads
Campus, Dishwashing, "Silver" and
tinware, water and ice. Beside the
squad duty, the boys also put in some
time each day in the camp school,
taking up some branch of eamp-craft-
Mr.. Undertake had charge of the in
struction in First Aid. The rest of
the day was filled in with swimming,
boating, fishing, hikes, and bah
games. Every night there was n
campfire, with songs, stories, stunts
and talks by the leaders. One even
ing "tent six" gave the story of Gin
derella in dramatic form. Henry
Dodge was Cinderella, Perry Bade-
ley and Peter Foley her jealous hate
full sisters, Tom Foley the Prince and
Edward Mcguire a nobleman.
One of the most interesting things
in the camp was the effort of most
of the boys to win the coveted en-
biGih-lhG lSII6T inns WA9
awarded to those who proved that
they were all-round, regular fellers".
They had to know 15 trees, go on m
long hike, row and swim a certain
distance, get LIST or End place in the
athletic meet, pass an exam in camp
craft, do a piece of voluntary and
original work to improve the camp.
perform at least three hours of labor
in the regular work of the day, and
finally pass a very trying and mysti-
cal initiation. All our boys made
good" in this work. Three of them
won their "P's", and the others came
within one or two points of doing so.
They have learned much in the art
of getting on with. others and of TAX
ing care of themselves. The in
fiuence of the week with the men of
fine qualities and character who had
charge of the camp will be with them
long while, and not soonest for
gotten will be the great banquet
that Bill" prepared for the final
night.