The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1920-07-02

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but In summer II Is more dine
still. Until the rise Of the summ
camp IN it, various forms, thoS
was practically no organized
fort to take care OF the boys d.
Ing this period Of heat and idSI
ness. And meantime the growi11
cities have offered steadily less q
less to the boy. The natural tea
dency Of boys at this age is to baa
together like savages, choose
leader. more or less definitely red
ognized, and go forth in search 81
adventure. This quest In . en-
usually leads to the breaking
windows. to swims In forbid
waters. to raids on the ice Gre
freezers Of garden parties and r
MICS. and to inevitable conflict "
police and parental authority. e
pressing upon the boy the idea u
the enjoyment Of life is essentialE
a problem in breaking of rules q
laws.
Summer Resort No Place for HI
Around the summer resW
hotel. where Jimmy goes ~
mother II he does not stay at holk
in the city. his lot is even IN
happy. Resort hotels are orgniI
lied almost without excsption I'd
the entertainment of adults. Te1
Of them welcome. children with 81
thusiasm, and some bar, thea
Nearly all request that they
kept quiet. Jimmy takes on int
est whatever in sitting on the FRI
porch and gossiping, in fanni
himself with palm leaf. in drel
ing for dinner. He probably d
not play golf. He may flirt,
other great summer sport
America, but 1t is Just as we'll,
to say better, If he postpones
inevitable conflict with the
sex for a few years. At q sunni
resort Jimmy is pretty much
against it, and pretty sure to Cd
in conflict with organized SOCIETY
his efforts to get some fun out
life.
Life In Camp.
The summer camp, which is
one other chance, endeavors to b
his natural tendencies toward tri
organization and physical adv
ture and turn them into cham
which will not injure either hims
or others. A typical summer ca
contains about seventy-iive bq
These are organized into groups
six or seven each, with "counl
lor" at its head. The councilloy
! a college trained man of 81
| more. He is the responsible lea
of these boys. Boys at this age q
NIT naturally to leadership, and
the councillor knows his busins
he becomes simply the natuf35
leader Of the gang, rather than 4
schoolmaster or disciplinary
These seven boys and their cout|
cillor occupy one tent and act d
a unit in everything. There an|
certain necessities and regularids|
about their life. Each boy mux
keep himself clean, must brush b.
teeth and wash his ears. He mus
do his share toward keeping IN
tent in order. He must rise at
certain time and go to bed at ces'
ftain time. But the bulk of his day
is devoted to pursuits after his Own
heart. There is an athletic haA
and tennis courts. 8,
Practically all outdoor games
played, and there are teams to-
made and prizes to be won. tn
! are expeditions into the Wild
ness in which mountains
climbed and fish caught and ca
is made at night under the tre
There IS swimming and trips
canoe. Movies and music a.
pass the evenings. There is a 81
|. where he may work at mechan1
, or carpentry If he wants to, but
is not compelled to do SO, and ]
; may also go in for photography =
, develop his own film in the canl
dark room. He is given a char
to study woodcraft and natuil
; history. He is given an outlet !
, his natural savage propensity Z
, ward struggle, adventure, and
, steal prowess, and he is also Civ
q chance to develop his buddll
powers as scientist, builder, arr
, or engineer. "a
J He is given as much freedom
! possible, but it does not include I
, freedom to be dirty or lazy. 81.
/, is the summer camp at IS best
/ may have its short comings but
) certainly beats the city or the SUI
3 mer resort as an environment \
: Jimmy. The trouble is that so e
: Jimmies can afford summer CANT
Y and every Jimmy in the natia
! needs one as much as any oth'
: boy. Perhaps the time will con
5 when a summer camp will be re-
D ognized as the necessary ad1un
of every public school.