Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1932-07-17


than the one hundred million dcllars
that American parents invest annual
ly in vacation camps for American
boys and girls.
During excessive prosperity values become
confused. and money is spent freely with dis
regard for relative returns. But when the sup
ply of money is diminished, folk become more
discriminating with its use. and only invest
ments made which pay real dividends.
The past two years have seen no reduction
in expenditures for vacation camps. nation
that dares to snap its fingers at declining stocks
and reduced incomes and invest one hundred
million dollars in educational recreation in two
months for its youth. apparently Is pretty
we'll sold" en- the vacation camp idea.
The Summer vacation camp is the greatest
development of the back to nature" move
ment. OF those first pioneer camps which are
still operating, one established in 1885. an
other in 1886, third in 1887. a fourth in 1898
and a fifth in 1898
With the beginning Of the twentieth CEN
fury, however, the Summer camp gained rap
idly in popularity. Regarding this increase.
DR.. Eugene H. Lehman. editoF-in-chief Ct
Camps and Camping" and director Of the
Highland Nature Camps, observes:
1.-THE hoodtide was reached during the period
Immediately subsequent to the World
War. and that fact may in itself convey a
meaning deserving of something more than .
moments notice.
ITO be sure, every one abhors . national ap-
peal to arms, and possibly all the good that
issues from such a devastating conflict can be
secured by more peaceful methods: yet, never
theless if We are to face reality fearessly-as
the psychiatrists bid us do-then We ask whether
there may not be some truth at least in the as
sertions of the war lords that it Is only through
strife that mankind advances.
1T was the Civil War that suggested the
camping idea to the founder of the movement;
1t was Immediately after the Spanish War that
camps spread most rapidly in New England; it
was directly subsequent to the World War that
they covered the entire land"
The movement seems to have reached its sat-
uration point with the peak Of prosperity, for
the number of new camps gradually decreased
each year after 1924, with the exception of the
year 1927 when economic graphs show, there
was a brief, new zenith Of prosperity In
1924 there were registered 81 new camps, 80
In 1925, % in 1926. 80 in 1927. IL in 1928 and
IL in 1929. Even today, the development is
still on the upward trend, II somewhat slower
IN the organization known the Girl Scouts
] the registration of members November 80
1881, showed an increase of q. 720 new members
for the first II months Of 1881 It was esti-
mated that the active membership of this organ
ization would approach 100000 by the end of
the year
There are now more than 500 Girl Scout
camps, of which the majority are permanent
Last Summer $4,000 Girl Scouts enjoyed part
or all of their vacation time living working and
playing out of doors
The cost of camping per Girl Scout varies
throughout the country, but the average cost
based on 1881 statistics is about $7.40 week
Allowing each camper only one-half her vaca-
ton time. this would total 81 500 900. Full
time for $4,000 girls would cost 100000.
OF the total Boy Scout membership of 1885,
663 in 1881 there were 125, 566 who lived m
Summer camps for long short periods at
an average weekly cost of $7.22 These boys
were accommodated by SCI stationary camps