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May 12, 1928 WINNETRATALK 13 Summer Camps By Charles A. Kinney Editor's Note: This is the fourth of a series of four articles by Charles A. Kin- ney on boys' camps. As a camp director for the past six years, and as a teacher for nine years in three internationally recognized progressive schools, Win- netka, Francis W. Parker, and the Marietta Johnson school at Fairhope, Ala., Mr. Kinney has had an unusual opportunity for intimate study of the pre-adolescent boy. Why the Boy Goes to Camp A boy goes to camp, if he goes of his own choosing, primarily for one rea- son--adventure. In its earliest stages, and always until the highly organized institution that now goes by the name of camp came into existence, camping meant adventures, adventures in the woods, on the water, cruising, swim- ming, sailing, exploring the woods. The boy who has had anything like a normal childhood lives very close to nature. He responds to seasonal changes quite as do the birds. Society, the school, his home, all conspire to weave a net work of fetters about his spirit, but not until he reaches adoles- cence, and in many cases never, does he lose his spiritual and physical kin- ship with the world of nature. Boy Natural Camper Observe the boy of nine, ten, twelve when the first warm days of spring arrive. Note him with his gang digging caves, building tree houses, making shacks out of old boxes. Watch him around his bonfire, boiling eggs in a tin can, roasting potatoes in the coals. In his spirit you will find the same great natural forces that are express- ing themselves in the burst of renewed life in the trees, flowers, and the nest- ing of the birds. The boy of twelve, better than anyone else, knows the true significance of "spring fever." All nature is making a fresh start, and seems intent on throwing off all evidences of a past life. All about him is this renewing of life visible, and the spirit of the boy is attuned in sympathy. Instinct For Adventure He feels an instinct for breaking away from the restraints that life has put upon him. He longs for a cave with a secret entrance known only to his chosen few, or a tree house where he can pull up the rope ladder and bar out all but the "gang." How shall we interpret this annual recurrence of primitive and barbaric impulses on the part of pre-adolescent boys, a phenomenon universal to boys of all races, red, yellow, black, white? Is it not the primitive elements in the natural boy in their eternal strug- gle against those social mechanisms, the school, the home, the community, which he instinctively feels are separ- ating him from a direct, life-giving contact with mother earth? Camp a Complete Change If this be true then the unique value of the camp lies in its power to restore to the spirit of the lad those direct-to- nature experiences that he most needs if he is to reach his complete physical and spiritual growth. For nine to ten months each year the boy lives in a highly organized home, spends his days in a highly organized school, and moves in a high- ly organized community. The camp that largely duplicates the home comforts and the home experi- ences of the boy is to just that extent missing its greatest opportunity of being of value to him. The camp that in its program re- peats the usual school and playground activities is to iust that extent de- priving the bov of the very experiences he is most in need of. What he most needs is a complete change to an entirely different en- vironment, where school work, grades. promotions, awards and such external stimulations are forgotten, where, movies and radio have no place as entertainment, and where he will par- take somewhat of the joyous spontan- iety that comes from a simple whole- some life, close to elemental nature. Boy Needs New Experience Every normal boy craves and needs just this experience. His self respect demands that he "make good" on a freely competitive basis with his fel- lows. He needs the satisfaction that comes from being on his own with his "gang," and winning their esteem and praise through his own accomplish- ments, unaided by family prestige or outside assistance of any kind. Give the boy such an environment, with hikes through the woods, cruises on the water, canoeing, sailing, swim- ming, building tree houses, shacks, caves, singing camp songs, and the endless other joyful activities of the real camp and he will carry home with him a wealth of happy experiences that will be his most valued treasures through the whole of his life. Hundred Year Candle to Be Lighted Wednesday Annual candle lighting ceremony of Northwestern university in which thousands of alumni groups all over the world participate will take place Wednesday, May 16. A huge purple candle, 4 feet tall and 6 inches in diameter, large enough to last more than 100 years, will be lighted for the first time on this year's candle lighting night. y At 8:01 standard time President Walter Dill Scott will light the candle which will be placed in the cupola of Old college, the first building on the campus. At the same hour smaller purple candles will be lighted by alumni over the country and world. One of the graduates of the first class at the university, Horace Goodrich of Chicago, '59, will take part in the dedi- cation of the candle room and the ceremony of lighting the 100-year candle. Old college cupola will henceforth be used exclusively as the candle light- ing room for the annual ceremony. A plaque on the wall will give the date of the first lighting of the huge candle. Should Old college ever be torn down, the cupola with the candle will be pre- served. President Scott will address alumni over WMAQ at 10 that night. ADDRESSES CONGREGATICN Rabbi Solomon B. Freehof of the K. A. M. Temple, Chicago, addressed the members of the North Shore Con- gregation Israel last evening, May 11. His subject was 'The Pope and the Chosen People," the history found in a news item. ADVENTURE J ISLAND WIE Ne AR WISCONS WRITE FOR BOOKLET CHARLES A. KINNEY WINNETKA, ILL. Building Eskimo kayaks, row boats, and sail boats in the camp shop; cruis- ing among the islands in Green Bay, camping and exploration trips on the mainland; building cabins, shacks and tree houses In the woods; horse back riding along the miles of forest trails; swimming and diving; nature hikes, wooderaft, camp music, and pageantry are some of the activities of this unique camp. Adventure Island is limited to forty boys, seven to fourteen. Seventh season. Trained councilors, one to each four boys. Nine hours' drive frem Chicago. CHARLES A. KINNEY, Winnetka, Ill. Tel. Winnetka 914 Frolic for Teachers Is in Form of Artist's Ball The Winnetka Parent-Teacher asso- ciation gave its annual frolic for the teachers Wednesday night, Mav 9 The affair was in the nature of an artist's ball this year and Matz hall in Community House, where the event was held, had been transformed by Mrs. Hobart Young, chairman of the social committee, and her assistants into a festive place with gayly decorat- ed tables, beach umbrellas and a pro- fusion of balloons. There were a great many guests, most of them attired in the traditional smock of the artist to be in keeping with the idea of the frolic, who enjoyed the dinner and dancing which combined with other varied entertainment made a delightful evening. The Art classes of Northwestern university visited Wilmette gardens last Wednesday afternoon. For BOYS and CAMP Onargaygore men Near Spooner, Wisconsin Tutoring for Individual Boys For catalogue write to CAPT C. H. LUDWICK Onarga Military School. Onarga. Tllinois RETURNS FROM MEETING Mrs. C. W. Hubbard returned to her home at 849 Foxdale avenue early this week after attending the annual con- vention of the Garden club of Ameri- ca. The first four days of the con- vention were held in Cincinnati, from there the delegates went to Dayton, Charleston, West Virginia, and Hum- phrey. Mrs. Hubbard reports that "It was a wonderful convention, the weather was perfect and that the delegates were ~ 'killed with kindness and attention' by the members of the clubs in the various cities." Special Offer of $175 for 8 weeks in one of the finest camps in Michigan, 5th season-- Limited to thirty girls -- Open June 29. Register now so as to secure a place-- Catalog by request KUM-AGEN KAMP Juniper Beach, Mears, Mich, Luthera Seymour, Direetor 400 Dixie Highway, Homewood Phone Homewood 193 W. X. 'or 942 Straus Bldg., Chicago Phone Wabash 5590 interesting sequence. lessons that combine studies work. made easy by carefully plan and our work. Summer School PEN AND INK or pencil drawing, water color or oils -- in fact, every medium of artistic expression is brought to the student in Through problem after problem the student is taught the methods and principles of art practice in carefully planned Drawing, composition, perspective, color and design are We invite critical inspection of our School, our methods School Exhibit May 17 to 19 Inclusive. THE EVANSTON ACADEMY OF FINE ARTS CARL SCHEFFLER, Director Carlson Building Tower, Church and Orrington Telephone Greenleaf 1674 gin iA ; Student's Drawing from the model with creative ned teaching methods. Begins July oth. Hmmm