Camping For Boys | Page 3

for boys are springing up like mushrooms. Literally thousands
of boys who have heretofore wasted the glorious summer time loafing
on the city streets, or as disastrously at summer hotels or amusement
places, are now living during the vacation time under nature's canopy
of blue with only enough covering for protection from rain and wind,
and absorbing through the pores of their body that vitality which only
pure air, sunshine, long hours of sleep, wholesome food, and
reasonable discipline can supply.
Character Building
In reading over scores of booklets and prospectuses of camps for boys,
one is impressed with their unanimity of purpose--that of character
building. These are a few quotations taken from a variety of camp
booklets:
"The object of the camp is healthful recreation without temptation."
"A camp where boys live close to nature, give themselves up to play,
acquire skill in sports, eat plenty of wholesome food, and sleep long
hours ... and are taught high ideals for their own lives."
"To give boys a delightful summer outing under favorable conditions,
and to give them every opportunity to become familiar with camp life
in all its phases. We believe this contributes much to the upbuilding of
a boy's character and enables him to get out of life much enjoyment
that would not otherwise be possible."
"A place where older boys, boys of the restless age, may live a happy,
carefree, outdoor life, free from the artificialities and pernicious
influences of the larger cities"; a place where "all the cravings of a real
boy are satisfied"; a place "where constant association with agreeable
companions and the influence of well-bred college men in a clean and
healthy moral atmosphere make for noble manhood; a place where

athletic sports harden the muscles, tan the skin, broaden the shoulders,
brighten the eye, and send each lad back to his school work in the fall
as brown as a berry and as hard as nails."
"A camp of ideals, not a summer hotel nor a supplanter of the home.
The principal reason for its existence is the providing of a safe place for
parents to send their boys during the summer vacation, where, under
the leadership of Christian men, they may be developed physically,
mentally, socially, and morally."
Whether the camp is conducted under church, settlement, Young Men's
Christian Association, or private auspices, the prime purpose of its
existence should be that of character building.
"Because of natural, physical, social, educational, moral, and religious
conditions, the boy is taught those underlying principles which
determine character. The harder things a boy does or endures, the
stronger man he will become; the more unselfish and noble things he
does, the better man he will become."
No Rough-house
The day of the extreme "rough-house" camp has passed. Boys have
discovered that real fun does not mean hurting or discomforting others,
but consists in making others happy. The boy who gets the most out of
camp is the boy who puts the most into camp.
Mottoes
Many camps build their program of camp activities around a motto
such as "Each for All, and All for Each," "Help the Other Fellow," "Do
Your Best," "Nothing Without Labor," "A Gentleman Always," and "I
Can and I Will."
Scout Law
Endurance, self-control, self-reliance, and unselfishness are taught the
"Boy Scouts" through what is called the "Scout Law."

(1) A Scout's honor is to be trusted; (2) Be loyal; (3) Do a good turn to
somebody every day; (4) Be a friend to all; (5) Be courteous; (6) Be a
friend to animals; (7) Be obedient; (8) Be cheerful; (9) Be thrifty.
All these are valuable, because they contribute to the making of
character.
In the conduct of a boys' camp there must be a definite clear-cut
purpose if satisfactory results are to be obtained. A go-as-you-please or
do-as-you please camp will soon become a place of harm and moral
deterioration.
Results
Camping should give to the boy that self-reliance which is so essential
in the making of a life, that faith in others which is the foundation of
society, that spirit of altruism which will make him want to be of
service in helping other fellows, that consciousness of God as
evidenced in His handiwork which will give him a basis of morality,
enduring and reasonable, and a spirit of reverence for things sacred and
eternal. He ought to have a better appreciation of his home after a
season away from what should be to him the sweetest place on earth.
CHAPTER II--LEADERSHIP
THE DIRECTOR ASSISTANT LEADERS THE TERM LEADER
HOW TO GET LEADERS VARIETY OF TALENT SUGGESTIONS
TO LEADERS OPPORTUNITY OF LEADERSHIP
The success or failure of a boys' camp depends upon leadership rather
than upon equipment. Boys are influenced by example rather than by
precept. A boys' camp is