Toledo union journal. [volume] (Toledo, Ohio) 1942-current, 1948-04-16
Regional
Views
By Richard Gosser
Vice-President
international UAW~CIO

HOW many oil would ike to send your klddleS
to a summer camp? How many of you can
afford to send your child to a summer camp?
l imagine if 1 could go into all the homes
l think l would find the percentage of mem-4
bers having children would be far greaters
than those not having any. To those of you
who have, l feel 1 don't have to stress the
Importance of a Children's Camp as much as
1 do to those who don't. Whether you do or
don't, l think we all realize the Importance
of their future welfare. After ALL in serving
the child, he is better able to serve you.
don't know how successful l will be in
impressing you with the Importance of our
Summer Camp (the Donations Report on the
front page will tell me that, but am GER
tainly going to try l wonder how many of
you realize the great amount of good this
camp has done and will do for US? think you
all recognize the fact that it is one of our
greatest achievements to date, but do you
know it has won fame from coast to coasta
for Local IL? You should all be proud of the
fact that your Local Union was the first to
start venture of this kind, but like anything
in its infancy, it takes lot of money to get
it started and keep it going. am firmly con-
vinced if we can get by this year will be
on the road to having one of the finest camps
in the country.
CAMP EXPANSION
Last year the camp equipped for go
children per week. We had to turn away
hundreds of disappointed children This year
we have started an expansion program such as
building additional cabins and furnishing them
with COTS bedding, etc.
Purchasing additional dishes and silver
ware beautifying the grounds; building tennis
huildipQ a
pasteurization plant (and this might mention)
will be source of income at later date);
paying additional help required for the supeM a,
vision of more children and other incidental -
too numerous to mention requires consider
able outlay of money. To accommodate 225
children each week during the 1948 summer
we will need in the neighborhood of $780,
10000 to accomplish all the things necessary
to make this camp the best of its kind in this
part of the country
1t is my firm belief and am certain yours
too, that the children of the working men are
as much entitled to decent camping facilities
as the children of the rich. Let's all prove this
statement to be true by giving till it hurts.
/ feel this camp might be another way to
combat child delinquency. There seems to be
a great deal of conversation pro and con
that subject matter lately and different sugges-
tions on how to fight it. According to the
various articles l read, and radio sources too,
am leo TO DelleVe JndC CnllQ QellnQuency mas
increased by quite a large percentage theSeg
past few years Now, I'm not smart enough of
we'll Versed enough on the subject in order to
state just what is wrong or whose fault it is.
One thing l am sure OF though-bad children
aren't born, they have to be developed that
way.
I'm not child psychologist, but it seems
like common sence to me to give all kids an
outlet for their energy. The vast majority of
nhi af and
to me that the boys and girls who are more
adventuresome by nature get into mischief
more readily than others A child of that
nature isn't a bad child though. Moreover, he
doesn't want to do anything that actually hurts
anybody, but if his or her activities aren't
rounded out enough to the extent where they
satisfy their craving for adventure, then is
when they start seeking it outside the home
and of course is where they go wrong depend
ing upon the company they fall in with. R~r
leadership in other words.
GUIDANCE
The same curious child if given proper
guidance can be developed into a good citizen.
believe this is one of the things where the
camp do lot of good. At camp children
can satisfy their adventursome natures. 1t
gives them a chance to mix with large groups
and adapt themselves to tolerance, good sports
good leadership and above ALL good
l am sure the women readers of this column
will agree with me that they cannot keep a
child at home and feed them like they are fed
at the camp for any less than it costs their two
week period in the camp Their appetites are
ravenous and some of the children gained as
much ten pounds during their two week
stay last year. The letters l received from the
campers and parents, proof enough to me
that our time and efforts are not being wasted
You and as children would have felt prstty
lucky If we could have spent two weekly ih Y
such place In our time, and even nowadays
It is still little hard on the budget of the
average working family 10 afford to send
children to camp. Here again is where your
Investment (union) pays dividends Again |
tell you that your union is an investment
and urge you to protect that investment Go
urther-invest a few dollars in the future
eaders (union Leaders that is of tomorrow
l want to take enough of your time too. to
INFORM you that in addition to all the other
accommodations previously mentioned we
also have modern up-to-date hospital with
nurse or doctor in attendance at all times
Everything possible is being done to give the
children the best of care.
Come on out and see for yourself the time,
hought and money going into this project
Visit the camp any Sunday after it is opened
Bring picnic basket and spend the day enjoy
ng yourself If you don't come away Ana#A