Part 4

2. That unless the work is done conditions will be unbearable and camp will close.

3. That the work she does benefits herself as well as others. It is the waste and trash thrown or laid down where it does not belong, work half done that has to be done over, thinking of our own desires instead of the Scout standards, that are at the root of any trouble. Do not call the camp duties drudgery, call them opportunities for service.

4. The fact that the Girl Scout pays board does not absolve her from this work. If the Scouts do all that they can to be of service, and serve cheerfully, many opportunities are offered them that otherwise would be prohibitive.

Every girl entering a Scout camp has placed before her a camp program which if taken advantage of offers her the best the camp affords. There are always girls who accept the program and use it in full. They know that in order to BE PREPARED they must grasp every opportunity to develop along Scout lines. On the other hand there are girls who seem too lacking in interest, too blind to the opportunities, too inert to take advantage of it, and they leave camp having missed the very things for which they came.

The helpful Scouts who belong to the former group are real camp helpers, and the Director can always depend upon them, the Counsellors can depend upon them, and they are the power which makes or mars the success of the camp.

It is in camp that girls have the opportunity to express themselves along lines quite different from those used during their ordinary daily life. Entertainments are always hailed with delight, and any Scout who does a good stunt, takes part in a play, or gives expression through dancing, reciting, or singing, is contributing to the fun and joy of all.

Aside from parties and plays and other fun-giving times, there is Scout work which can be done in camp better than anywhere else. This work includes the study of nature lore, woodcraft, certain forms of handicraft, swimming, and hiking. The advantage of spending a part of each day on these subjects as well as the Grade Tests and Merit Badge tests, is found in the fact that the Counsellors are prepared to give the work in the best possible way and under the best conditions.

Also there is inspiration in seeing what other girls do and in trying to do as well if not a little better. Then too, what is learned in camp is taken back home to the girls who have not been privileged to go to camp, and they gain through the camper's experience. There are a few things which every Scout should know after living in the open for a few weeks. One is that we are dependent upon people, and that people are dependent upon us; therefore, we must equip ourselves to give; another is that the great out of doors is full of interesting things which can give us far greater happiness if we learn to know them and try for a time for each year to live with them, than the things to which we turn during the winter for recreation and excitement.

THE CAMP HOUSE

"Here's life: a slack rag of canvas 'twixt you and the stars.... Not penned in a thing four-square and murk, but free On your feet, a thumbed road-map your guide, worlds ahead, God above; For companions, the seasons; for events, the blue birds, the magpies, Butterflies, columbines, all the myriad throng of the road folk, Chance-met. That, I say, is to live."

TENTS

The kind of shelter which will be suitable and practicable for your camp depends more or less upon the number of people to be accommodated, the length of the camp season, and the camp site. For short time camps, for small groups, or for older people, or when building is impossible, tents only can be used. In such cases there would be need of a tent for a mess and assembly room, a tent for the kitchen, a small waterproof tent in which to store provisions, a small tent for covering a latrine and tents for sleeping quarters.

The main tent for a mess hall and assembly room combined, should be large, placed with some regard for a view of the surrounding country, sun, air and general camp scheme. (p. 25.) It should be furnished with tables, benches, and so forth, all of which can be moved out of the way when the room is to be used for recreational purposes. The kitchen should not be too far away, but back of the main tent and should be so placed that all of the air possible may blow through it. There should be a long cook table with a shelf over it, if possible, hung from the ridge pole, or supported with uprights fastened to the table. Also a table which can be used for dish washing. It would be well to have in addition to the kitchen stove which is in this tent, cooking fire places outside of the tent which could be used in pleasant weather. One of the most practical of these is built of stone, with a back wall and two sides, with two rods, the ends resting on the side walls and near enough together to hold the average size pots and kettles. If stones are not available two large logs can be placed V shape not quite meeting at the narrow end, 1-1/2 feet apart at the other end, and the fire built in between. Cross bars of iron or a grating can be put over the fire to hold the pots and kettles. While it is convenient and practical to use out of door fire places for cooking when the group is very small it is most difficult to do so when the group is large. The work can be done, however, with greater ease by the use of the iron bars already spoken of.

The storage tent can have portable shelves and a low platform on which to place barrels, boxes, and so forth. This tent should be pitched under a large tree where it will be in the shade all of the time. A good store closet can be made by digging into the side of a hill, boarding the inside or facing it with stone and putting in shelves, and having a very thick, well fitted door.

A more simple storage room, but not advisable except for a small camp, is to dig a hole in the ground, line it with stone, place boards over the top, leave a small opening for a lid or a hinged trap door and cover the boards with earth, leaving the door free. If ice is available a piece put into a pail can be set in this compartment.

In all of these out of door store places great care must be taken that no animals, insects or flies get at the provisions. Covered tins, or dishes and bags can be used for safety. When the camp is to be opened only for a short period it is quite possible to put provisions into pails tightly covered and set in running water in the shade.

Type of Tents

Whenever tents are to be used in a camp, they should be purchased with care and pitched properly. There are on the market several different types of tents: the army wall tent (p. 10.) which should always be pitched with a fly and be opened at both ends, the conical and the pyramidal tents. The two latter are not recommended for general use. They are erected with one center pole, which is always in the way, and have to be pegged to the ground, thus making guy ropes a nuisance rather than a convenience. These tents are, however, picturesque in effect. (p. 12.)

When ordering tents always stipulate the size and the weight and width of the material to be used. Army duck, 10 oz. double fill for the tent and 8 oz. double fill for the fly, width 29 inches, will give the best satisfaction.

The size of the tents for sleeping will depend somewhat on the character of the site. Where the ground is very sloping, trees close, space limited, small tents will have to be used; either 7 x 9 or 9 x 9's. These tents which will accommodate two people, should always be used to house counsellors, but are not recommended for children as a general thing. The larger tents, 14 x 14 or 14 x 16 will accommodate eight cots and give ample space for personal equipment.

For short trips there are small lightweight, waterproof tents which can be rolled so that they take up very little space in transportation. They are pitched over ground cloths, with one pointed rod and metal spikes for pegging the tent to the ground. These tents hold two people. (pp. 78, 80, 82.)

The Tent Floor and Support

Tents should always be pitched over wooden floors which are raised well from the ground. (p. 16.) They should be built with square corners and braced on the under side. The dimensions of each floor should be the same as the length and width of the tent to be pitched over it. They should only be put into place after considering the direction of the sun, the prevailing winds, their relation to each other and the general camp plan.

Large floors should be raised several inches from the ground and supported with posts or flat stones at each corner, at the center of each side and at intervals under the center of the floor to keep them from sagging. When putting up a wall tent instead of using pegs, build a frame work running parallel to the sides of the tent to which the guy ropes can be fastened. (p. 18) This frame is made by driving into the ground opposite the two sides of the tent floor, and 3 feet from it, three posts, each 3 or 4 inches in diameter, and long enough to extend when set, above the tent floor a distance equal to the height of the tent wall, plus five inches. One post should be placed opposite the center of each side, the others on a line with it and opposite the corners of the floor. Nail securely to the outside of the posts and two or three inches from the tops a strip which will extend beyond the end posts 6 or 8 inches. Unless the ground is rocky the posts need not be braced. If care is taken to measure and place the posts correctly the frame will be evenly made and look trim. Small tree trunks can be used for posts and strips, where wood is plentiful; otherwise 2 x 4's can be used.

Where tent floors are found to be prohibitive, tents must be pitched over dry, well drained ground. In addition a ground cloth should be used and a ditch dug on either side of the tent to carry off rain water.

Tents without floors are of course used when hiking or camping for a short time only, or in exceptional climates. (p. 20.) Specific directions for pitching tents are given in a later section.

A small group of girls wishing to build their own camp could make two or three lean-tos, using trees five or six inches in diameter, saplings, boughs and vines, the latter for binding the thatch roof to the beams. The lean-tos should be faced so the sun will shine into them some part of the day, turned away from the prevailing winds and each one should have in front of it a fireplace to be used for cooking as well as for keeping the lean-to dry and warm. (pp. 105, 110, 112.)

A group of girls could also build a slab house with a good floor, a wooden roof covered with tar paper, windows, door and even build a fireplace, the completed building giving them permanent camp quarters. (pp. 96, 118, 122.)