The Coolidge examiner., 1945-08-10
Today and Tomorrow
CAMP
BY Don Robertson

CAMP parents
THE greatest problem in running
boys camp" a camp director
told me. lis teaching parents to
behave"
In general. the men who run
camps. or who work at them as
counselors or instructors. know
how to get along with boys and
have little difficulty in getting the
boys to toe the mark and comply
with the camp rules.
But parents. according TO my IN
formant. constantly are seeking
special privileges for their OIL
spring. Mrs. Smith writes the di-
rector that Johnny Smith has a
very fussy appetite and mustn't De
forced TO eat anything but those
things on his special diet tat
tached.)
Mrs. Jones thinks the camps ban
on packages of candy from home
Is a little too much OF a Hardship
and hides large box OF fudge In
Tommy's trunk. thus encouraging
her son TO diobey the rules.
Mrs. Thompson is afraid that
some of the boys may be too rough
with her little darling and seeks
special protection for him by tell
ing the camp authorities that he
has "a heart condition"
And Mr.. Brown tfor many Ia
theirs are as bad as mothers)
comes rushing up TO camp to raise
the roof because his bully son has
been punished for beaoting up one
OF the smaller boys.
LETTERS telephone
II is easy TO sympathize with
both the camp authorities and the
parents In many cases.
To many parents. camp Is the
first break In their constant con-
tact with their youngsters. and
they are naturally uneasy. Junior
has been under the parental eye
for eight. nine or ten years ana
-suddendly-he is left with
a group of total strangers where
he must shift for himself.
Write to me often, dear. are
usually the last words which a
mother has with her son after de-
iivering him to camp. And when
she gets home and day after day
goes by without as much as a post
card. she can't help getting wor-
ried. Is he sick? dead? unhappy
or. she hopes--having too good a
time to write. But many mothers
can't stand the ordeal OF waiting
for letters. They telephone.
Perhaps you heard the story
about the mother who did tele-
phone. think 1t appeared recent
ly in one OF the popular magazines
The gist OF 1t was: she got the
camp authorities on the phone
They said they would try to locate
her boy. She waited for a Ions
time. Finally. after contemplating
. the loving conversation she woulC
have with her son. she heard hi
breathless voice speaking TO her
Hello mom-what do you want?
he painted. hurry up--Im on thir'
base"
DON'TS confidence
Don't telephone" perhaps shoul'
head the list OF don'ts" for par
ents. which would make in mucl
easier for the men who spend eael
summer trying to give millions o
boys a healthful. pleasant vacation
other important "don'ts" are;
Don't send candy. cakes or othe
goodies" unless you send enough
to supply the whole camp.
Dont@load your son with advic'
about what TO do at camp (wha
to eat, what TO wear In the rain
low many blankets TO use. how Il
choose friends, etc.. Turn hin
over TO the camp leaders without
any preconceived notions or in
structions which may conflict witt
the camps method ofdoing things
Don't tell his counselor how Il
handle him-but do tell him faults
OF your boy which you would like
him to try to correct.
Don't tell your boy to write you
about difficulties he has with camI
life. While he is away he shoulc
go TO his camp leaders rather thar
TO you with his problems.
Don't write your boy letters talk
ing too much about how you miss
him. II he Is homesick those let
tiers will make him more miser'
able than ever. Write him cheer
full news and keep him popped III
about campbell him how lucky ht
is TO be there.
Don't send him to camp at al
unless you have complete conf
ac,,oa tkat 10 mill ha In oood handS