School is ending soon, and many kids will be heading to overnight camp. This post is for all of those who went to sleep away camp in years past, as well as those who are about to leave the comfort and convenience of air-conditioning and electronic devices for a summer of “roughing it” in the piney woods. (Although I suspect the current overnight camp experience is less Huck Finn – and more Hyatt Hotel).
My parents, being old fashioned, upper middle class urbanites felt that it was unhealthy for children to spend the summer in the city. Instead we were packed off to the “country” to engage in wholesome activities such as swimming, canoeing, horseback riding and breathing fresh air — so the adults could pursue their own activities involving martinis, night clubs and cocktail parties without having the kids under foot for all of June and July.
At the age of 7 I embarked on the first of five summers at overnight camp. These letters are from the first two (and by far best) years at my favorite camp, Pinemere in Minocqua, Wisconsin. It was owned by a little old lady, Miss Jones, who had once been my mother’s gym teacher at Miss Faulkner’s, the “all girls” school she attended in the 1930’s.
A Letter to My Cat
Did You Write to Punish Me? (side one)
(side 2)
Poison Ivy
We Didn’t Shoot the Rapids.
**note: Louise is my older sister (much, much older…she was in college at the time….)
jacullman 