Evening star., 1936-05-02

Flexibility of Program
Permits Short or Long
Term of Attendance
Midsummer Separation Beneficial to Both
Parent and Child During the
Warm Weather.

PUT, of course, time, as usual, has
changed all that. along with so
many other pleasant things. For
some reason or other. modern grand
parents are apt to live in the city,
too, in apartments or houses too small
to take care of young and lively
family. Mothers and fathers may
both be working-in any event. city
streets in the hot Summertime are
not the most ideal Fairgrounds for
the youngsters: even If there is a
small back yard, that doesn't solve the
problem, either.
What to do? OF course, if you have
plenty of money, it is easy to send for
the booklets of the best recommended
camp, in New England, or some other
invigorating spot-pick out the one
that seems to best suit your child's
needs, mail fat deposit check, and
that's that On the other hand. if
you are happily situated. financially,
the chances are that you can afford
to take house at the seaShore, or in
some resort where there is a good
country club at your disposal, and give
the children their Summer right at
home. And I am firm believer in
the theory that home is the very best
place for children, when the .Arcum-
stances and surroundings are right.
But, if you are unable to get away
yourself, and take the children where
it is cool. with ample opportunity for
the healthy, out-of door sports and
activities that are so beneflcial-then
camp is the answer And it is not
necessary to mortgage the old home
in order to send your child to one,
either.
TN MARYLAND, Virginia and the
nearby sections of Pennsylvania
there are number of adequate. we'll
run camps. that take children between
the ages of 10 and 18. Some of these
are privately owned, with paid coun-
cilors and fancy equipment-others
are run by Washington organizations
of various types, and most Of the
councillors are volunteers. In either
case, the fundamentals are good, the
camp sites we'll chosen and the sani-
tation governed by Board of Health
standards. Some of the camps on
Chesapeake Bay offer sailing and salt
water swimming as their greatest
sports-others, in the mountains,
stress riding, nature studies, hiking
and so on.
On looking over the average list
of equipment required was pleasant
ly surprised to find that in the ma
jority of cases the parent is given some
leeway in the matter. Therefore,
if child has clothing approx
mating that which the camp calls
for, he or she may use it instead of
buying the new, regulation garment.
AS a rule, most of these camps have
two sessions, lasting anywhere from
three to four weeks each. Camps
| open around the end of June and close
about September /. Often arrange
ments can be made to send child
for one or two weeks only. That will
mean that the child whose parents
cannot afford to send him for a whole
term can at least get week or so of
outdoor life and fun during the hot
test part of the Summer.
IT'S WELL worth thinking about.
You might even motor out one
Sunday and look over one or two
places in which you become inter-
ested. And the cost will very likely
be balanced by the fact that your
child's health will be built up to a
pitch where doctors bill will be
minimum.
There's another point, too. Parents
as we'll as youngsters will benefit by
the separation. The heat of the
town will be easier for mother to
bear if she is not having to worry
about its making her child i'll or to
spend hours toiling over hot stove
in order that the growing body get the
wholesome cooked food which it
should have. And she can rest, happy
in the knowledge that the young one
is in good hands, safe in the open
air, instead of haunting the hot
streets with doubtful companions.