21 AT FIRST SESSION
Our plans and circular for the camp had contemplated a maximum enrollment of 25 boys for each of the two two-week sessions. An enrollment of 21 youngsters for the first session and of a somewhat smaller group for the second term was highly gratifying for a new camp, in view of various discouraging predictions which we had received from camp owners and directors. Needless to say, the project was undertaken in the D.O.C. way, without high pressure, discounts from the camp fee, or special incentives of any sort in order to attract an adequate number of boys.
Ross and the committee that formulated the camp plans through the winter months set up a number of principles, some of them rather novel, which were put to test in this first camp season. On the whole, we are mighty pleased with the results, so that the pattern should remain the same, with only minor changes for the 1941 season of Camp Jobildunc.
One of the distinct features was the brief duration of the camp session. Eight weeks of camp bankrupt some parents and become somewhat of a bore to the boys. The majority of our boys stayed for two weeks, about half a dozen were en- rolled for the entire four weeks, and they all wished that they could have stayed longer. Those who can return another year will be eager for more of the various woodcraft activities which Ross can make so fascinating. Trips away from camp, particularly the overnight trips, offer adventure and a wonderful practical application of camp making, following a trail, cooking outdoors or in some D.O.C. cabin, fishing, canoeing, and swimming, not to mention the mountain views. Accordingly there were many of these trips, and the boys are pretty well acquainted with Mt. Moosilauke and the surrounding D.O.C. country. It was amazing how these lads developed stamina, self-confidence and resourcefulness in a brief two-weeks period. All of these excursions, incidentally, at Camp Jobildunc are a part of the regular program, covered by the camp tuition. At the camp the good weather activities stressed archery, riflery, fishing, swimming and making all sorts of things of leather or wood. Luckily there was hardly any bad weather, but it would have found us equipped with a large camp library and a bag full of tricks for entertainment and instruction. The woodcraft program left, no room for competitive athletics sito as are practiced during the school year, and we also avoided all this rating o(fe "best camper" and "showed the biggejl improvement," etc. We grownups would not enjoy spending our vacation with such contests to measure up to, and we con eluded neither would these young lads. It happened much more naturally when the boys at the end of the first session made an informal poll of this kind on their own initiative: and their first and second choices, which brought cheering and ex cited congratulations, were more honesti and popular than the staff could have: made them.
