Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1919-09-02
THE JEFFERSON AND BERKELEY
COUNTY BOYS AND GIRLS
CAMP.
By C. A. Hughes, County Agent for
jefferson County, w. Va.

Jefferson County, w. va.
Many Agricultural Extension ac-
tivities have been carried through
successfully in the Eastern Pan
handle of West Virginia, cooperativ-
ely. The last and probably most
successful of these was a joint Boys
and Girls Institute and Camp for
Club Members at Opequon Park
August 26 to 20.
On the the Opequon, named for an
Indian band, park was begun some
time ago, but never finished. The
few cabins afforded shelter, the hills
added beauty and furnished shade,
and the opequon good place to
battle and SWIM
About rs boys and girls came to
the encampment with four days pro-
visions from home, blankets and
change of camp clothes. Immediate
ly the Berkeley county boys were or
ganized into the Miami Tribe with
Louis Fulk chief, and the Jefferson
county boys into the Tuscaroras with
Mark Horn, chief. The girls from
both counties formed the Powhatans
with Goldie Writ chief. These In
dian tribes were once denizens in this
section of the Valley of Virginia.
At the first evening camp FIRE, Miss
Marion Hepworth, State Home Eco
nomic Agent gave an account of
pioneer life of the Jefferson and Ber-
kelley County section, describing a
good" and a dad" Indian.
The contest for individual and tri-
bal honors were soon on. The water
tug-of-war ended when the rope
broke in the middle. Two interest
ing games of ball were also played.
The "squaws" found the treasure"
large box of marshmellows, which
they divided with the braves" After
the second camp fire the three tribes
were instructed to find the treasure.
Each tribe was sent out on a separate
trail. Each chief was given a slip
directing him to point on bridge,
building, tree, ETC., where further in
structions would be found. The
"braves" got rather swift two mile
hike, which proved to be good sleep
producer that night. Miss Margaret
Bishop waded the Opequon twice and
won the prize for the girls.
On einteresting feature of the en-
campment was the pageant by the
camp directed by Prof. Orvald, of
North Dokota University. In prep
aration the boys built an Alter of
Liberty Of logs and evergreen boughs
and the pagent, Gathering
was a patriotic play, depicting the
human elements that have made our
country great. Mother Earth, cos
tuned dark, green and brown, led in
the spirits of the garden, orchard and
field-boys and girls costumed to
represent potatoes, corn, apples, ETC.,
before the alter. Autumn patomined
in as the most beautiful season of the
year. Around these in large circle
gathered the children of the earth,
all nationalities. Story, art and song
in turn danced in before the children
of the Earth and made the Indians
and other nationalities eat and play
and love each other, and all gathered
around theAlter of Liberty to pledge
alleigence by singing the National
Anthem. At one time wheat pan
tomined in but was overtaken by
Black Rust stalking in like death and
almost subdued until he was driven
out by science.
Each tribe did stunts after the
pagent around the camp fire. Pos
sibly the best was the acting out OF
the legand of Lovers Leap along the
Shenandoah River by the girls from
Kabletown. A white man made love
to an Indian maid, but afterwards
was untrue to his vows and was we'd
ded to a white woman. The girl
witnessed this from a cliff now on
Shannondale farm and sprang to her
death on the rocks below.
Glasses were formed and instruc-
tions given in the formation and con-
duct of boys and girls clubs by Miss
McGuire, Home Demonstration Agent
of Wood County. Miss Thompson
Home Demonstration Agent of Berke-
ley County, had classes in first aid
and hygiene. Mr.. p. C. Rouzer, of
the State Extension Department con-
Quoted the Four Fold Life lectures.
County Agents Gents, Teal and
Hughes had classes in seed corn Sc
lection in the field, wheat diseases
and treatment, soil testing and rope
splicing.
Visitors declared the commissary
department was the best found in any
camp. Special thanks is due to Mrs.
P. H. Teal, Mrs. G. A. Hughes, Mrs.
Ella Rehner, Miss Jane Henson, Miss
Lucy Miller ably assisted by Miss
Marion Hepworth, Home Economics
State Agent.
Merit badges were awarded to four
club members from Jefferso nand five
club members from jefferson and five
State Club Agent, VIM. H.. Kendrick,
for diligent work and personal efforts
in making their first camp success.
Merit badges were given to Mark
Horn, Mary Hammond, Kearneys-
Vile; Goldie Writ, Kabletown;
Franklin Hardy, Shenandoah juno
ton; Margaret Trussell and James
Trump, Kearneysville received the
Four H Buttons.