Dear Parents and old campers,

I’m limp as a wet rag...--- This weekend was Parent’s weekend, and Friday during the day, the weather was cloudy but fairly nice. At 4:00P.M.dark clouds rolled in and within one hour we were greeted by a tremendous deluge of rain and rolling thunder... We scurried into our cabins and then my mind began to race backwards and forwards as I began to have dire dreams about what would happen if it rained all weekend..We had a group of 22 boys up in the Porcupine mountains and I was worried about them also.. at 7:00P.M..M. the parents have came into camp and it was still raining to the extent that we would have to have our program indoors in our large recreation building... I asked our drama class if they could move up their skit presentations to tonight’s program, and they said that they would be ready... Well, our Friday night program started off with our drama class putting on a wonderful set of skits complete with makeup and costuming and my own daughter, Nancy, opened up the show with a baby doll song act and she was cute as could be and most talented--- she was followed by the best drama presentation we’ve ever had... We then had everybody sing songs and I taught the Parents, “Ich Bin Ein Musihaner, “ (An old German song entitled, I am a Musician” It was very funny because we imitate instruments and some of the fathers got carried away--- when we were singing the part of “I play the tuba,” Dr. Maxwell Weingarten of Milwaukee, and Steve Jacobs of Indianapolis leapt from their benches and thought they were symphonic tuba players--- in fact they go somewhat blue in the face, and fortunately their songs were around to help restrain them from having heart attacks--- (I might add, it was somewhat embarrassing)... Randy Wynn gave a wonderful talk on what camp means to him and about the tradition of having a Wynn at our camp from it’s inception 11 yrs. ago... We then had our key log ceremony and Phillip Perlson thanked his Folks for sending him to this wonderful camp, and I basked in the glow of his praises, he approached me silently and asked me for two canteens as a payoff...

All the rest of the evening I kept looking at the skies, and I couldn’t sleep that night because I could hear the wind whistling in the trees and rain pounding on the roof of our house... at 5:00 A.M. I padded out on the roadway in front of our house and looked at the gray and leaden skies--- then back to my office to plan a series of rainy day activities... I was going to start off with a progressive game party indoors-- then truth or consequences-- then bingo --- then I’d be in trouble--- at 7:00 A.M. the skies were darker and finally at 8:30 A.M. the campers came into the lodge for breakfast, and then it happened- a message from above or something- because someone shouted “ I see a patch of blue sky.” I jumped from my bench and ran outdoors and the kid was right-- there was a trace of blue sky, and then more and more of it and Mr. Sun peeked out from behind a cloud and by the time breakfast was over, the sky was sunny and blue, and I was up in the clouds myself. Needless to say we had a wonderful Saturday for Parents’ weekend and I know that everybody had a wonderful time. One of the highlights was a circus day in which the boys built booths and set up games and special attractions and we all got tickets and had the time of our lives... One of the cabin groups had set up a gambling casino in the recreation building and they called it “HAROLD’S CLUB.” They had different games of chance including “Craps”. Dr. Sam Perlson and his son, Mike entered the casino and Mike, (aged 10) decided to throw the dice. He asked his Dad, “What do I do, Dad?” “Just roll the dice”, Sam replied. Mike rolled a four, and then said, “Now, What, Dad?” Sam said, “You’ve got to shoot a four before a seven comes up, or else you lose.” With this reply, Mike hugged the dice, threw then on the table and shouted gleefully, “C’mom dice, GIVE ME BOXCARS or LITTLE FEVER,” Well, Mike’s father made Mike do a lot of explaining about his language... The Timberbats put on a great show in spite of rough water, and when the day was done the parents indicated to me that they’re boys were most happy with camp... I had a wonderful feeling in my heart and a very humble one also because I realized how lucky I really was to have had such wonderful weather on Saturday.

I received a call from the porcupine trip and they are having such a wonderful time that they want to stay until 4:30 P.M. today, so I gave the O.K. Right now I’ve been talking to 6 of our campers who are riding in the Oneida County Horse show....They are eating breakfast early and then departing for the horse show in which they are entered. Later in the morning our riding classes will watch the boys compete and will root for the Timberlane boys... We have a two day canoe trip leaving this morning and it will be our last canoe trip of the summer... Last Wednesday we had probably our best social with Camp Agawak and I was so proud of our younger boys who visited Agawak... The counselors at the other camp fell in love with our boys, and one of the older women at their camp said, that this group of boys was the best behaved and the most neatly groomed group that they had ever seen at a social, and I felt good about the comment. Our older group at our camp had a marvelous time and almost every girl was asked to dance during the evening. Tonight is movie night and we’re hoping to show, “Marooned,” if the movie gets here in time... We’re going to just relax and watch the movie and regain our strength... Tomorrow morning we will have our last Lazy Breakfast and at the same time all hands will start recouping our energy for------------THE GREATEST DAY OF THE SUMMER.

It’s POW WOW DAY on Tuesday and it’s an all Indian day in which the entire camp is split up into four tribes-- the Cherokee, Chippewa, Navajo, and Sioux tribes and all during the day we compete in a host of events... To try to explain the entire day would take me hours, so at the end of this newsletter I am listing every event and every minute of our Pow Wow Day... We will all put on war paint and the boys will be awakened by riders coming to their cabin on horseback with wild war hoops and then we go go go go during the entire day. At night we’ll have sweet corn, steaks and lot’s of fun. At night we’ll have a special campfire program with lot’s of fun. At night we’ll have a special campfire program with lot’s of stories and singing and marshmallows and maybe some hot dogs... By the way on Saturday night we had only 50 people left in camp when the parents took their boys out for dinner and almost 40 other boys with them... So we had Paul, our cook, make up tons and tons of pizza and we had an old fashioned pizza party.... Then any boys who rode in our program went on a twilight trail ride, and they got back we took 50 boys in our bus and all had a malt, (paid for by the old man) it was really very nice, and I know that the boys felt good about the whole affair.

Wednesday, we’ll be having morning activities and testing for awards, and on Wednesday afternoon we’ll have a partial cruiser day... Wednesday evening we’ll be having our final Blue and White competition... I almost forgot that on Monday we’ll be playing Camp Interlaken in two all star softball games, a staff basketball game, camper tennis matches and a 10 man archery contest in which our boys will be shooting from 15 yds. and then 20 yards. It should be a lot of fun. Thursday morning is packing day for the trip home, and the boys will be loading up their foot lockers. They should have it done by 11:00 A.M. and then we’ll run morning activities. We’ll continue activities in the afternoon and I might add that at the lunch table we’ll be giving out awards, achievement charts. First year campers will get Timberlane banners and emblems, 2nd year campers get Timberlane coaches jackets and emblems, and third year or more boys will be getting gorgeous basketball uniforms with the Timberlane insignia. The shirts are reversible and I know that the boys will treasure these outfits. We’ll be giving out our camper of the year award, which is given in memory of the late “Andy Brickman”, who died two years ago of Leukemia. We have a beautiful plaque and the camper who earns the honor has name inscribed in the plaque. On Thursday evening we will have our last campfire and we’ll recount all the wonderful things that happened at camp during the summer, and we’ll tell stories and sing songs, Then each boy will be given a candle mounted on a paper plate and we will go down to the swimming area and each boy will make a wish in front of his lighted candle and he will set the candle into the water and we’ll all stand around and watch the candles float out onto the lake...It’s a beautiful sight and if the wind is right, the candles will head out towards the center of the lake.. It ‘s about time that the boys begin to realize that this is it--- camp is over, and I know that they’ll be a lot of lumps in the boy’s throats and sadness in their hearts...

Speaking of sadness, I’m sorry to report that I finally got rid of that darn crow or raven, Sambo... Four days ago I was heading for the main lodge when suddenly I heard a whoooooshing sound and Sambo made a pass at my “HAIRPIECE.” Now that crow or raven must have rocks in his head--- I don’t mind if he pecks at campers or staff members... I don’t mind if he scares my daughter--- but when he goes after my hairpiece--- then he’s gotta go.... So, I gave him a piece of bread and he reached for it, I grabbed him... He started to sputter and to peck at me, but I held firm.. Just then there was a call on the loudspeaker, “Long Distance call for H.H.” I ran with the bird to my office and tried to take the phone, but Sambo latched onto the chord of the telephone and almost cut it in two... I need three staff members to unpry that dumb crow or raven. I answered the phone and after the call was over, we put a bag over the bird’s head and drove him out 4 miles and let him go. After the boys returned, I was pleased with the knowledge that the dumb bird wouldn’t be around to bother me. Next morning as I visited the infirmary, “Whoosh, Sambo dropped in front of me and seemed to be glaring at me, and I swear I could almost read his beak saying, “H.H you’re a dirty old man.” Well, I grabbed him, took him to the arts and crafts building, painted him gray with a slight stripe and we took him into the town of Minocqua and they were having a CRAZY DAY SALE in which anyone can sell anything for any price. We passed Sambo off as a PIGEON and some local native now owns a crow or a raven or a pigeon. I might add that I told my counselor to tell the people that he (the salesman) was from Ironwood Michigan......(End of tale)

On Friday morning all of the boys will be getting up very early to get ready for the trip home. The Milwaukee boys will be coming home by chartered Greyhound bus, (with 3 exceptions) and all other boys including the Chicago contingent will be coming home via plane with their luggage with them on the plane.. Each of you will get a special letter today or tomorrow letting you know the time of arrival for your son. If you don’t hear from me by Wednesday, call me at 715-356-6022. Some of the boys whose families will be up for Post camp will stay on, and I might add that we now have only one opening left for Post Camp so if you want to come call me at the above telephone number. Once the boys get home I’ll send you one more newsletter and then I’ll be coming home on Aug. 28th. Then I teach school on Monday-- how’s that -- I get one day for my vacation. But really, my vacation has been this summer and it’s been a great one thus far. Your comments have indicated that the boys love camp, and when I come during the fall and winter months with the camp movies, you’ll see the many things that I’ve described in my newsletters. So that’s it for now, and I feel so good about the Parent’s Weekend, and it was extra nice and we all had a wonderful time.... Again, lot’s of words, some funny things too, and I think this is a good newsletter.

Best Regards---------
H.H.

P.S. Pow Wow events sheet is enclosed and transportation information home will be sent out later today.