"Father Time is a crafty man" indeed...I started this project to commemorate what I thought was a strange confluence of timing: two 50 year anniveraries relating to my summers at Camp Lenore. I knew I wanted to put something in writing. Somewhere. Prior to July 1, 2009, I had never even been to a blog before. But, then prior to July 1, 1959, I had never been to Camp Lenore before, either...As it turned out, each were new experiences that proved to be transformative.
In what was one of a series of coincidences, Ray Smith, a former waterfront counselor, contacted me through Facebook with the news that he (the only guy in an all-girls camp) had started a Camp Lenore group. What fun to reconnect with former campers and swap stories! Clearly, this was a touchstone. The fact that there was so much joy and excitement in our reminiscences encouraged me to take the plunge into the blogosphere.
So, here I was, committed to writing what had existed mostly in memory. And, after 50 years, memory isn't always reliable. Enter the "Lenorlog." Sometime after 1967, I was ambitious and nostalgic enough to make a scrapbook of my Lenore years, which included photos, memorabilia and ten Lenorlogs.
Those camper-edited journals offerd an amazing window into our lives at Lenore during a much simpler time. Each entry I read, evoked a new memory. Each name conjured up a picture of a girl's face, frozen in time. Like the lyric of "The Ashgrove": "The friends of my childhood, again are before me..."
Then there were the faces of friends in my photos: A picture of my bunkmate, Nancy Katzman, from 1964, her hair wrapped in gigantic rollers (No flat irons for us!) Or, from 1967, a shot of an adorable red-head, Lianne Weiss from Bunk1, the youngest camper that year. She would be 48 now!
This has been quite the trip down our memory Lane (Campus, Hill and Valley, too!). And I hope that it can continue. (Don't forget the Reunion!) Thanks to all who commented and/or followed this, and especially to the inimitable Nancy Kaye for filling in my memory lapses.
It has been 92 summers since Camp Lenore first opened its gates. I can think of no better way to close them than with the words of the woman who started it all: Mrs. Spec.
..."We felt and believed that camp was a wonderful opportunity for exposing our children to the beauty, not the names, of trees and stars, to good music, to good, interesting dramatics, to music and poetry. But most important, we felt that camp provided the opportunity to live together, to be concerned about those with whom you lived, to be understanding and sympathetic, to be aware of how others feel, to realize that to have a friend, you must be a friend....We meet frequently former campers who tell us of the influence Camp Lenore has had on their lives, due to the belief and conviction of the Directors that every one has some ability, some quality to give her a feeling of security, of being of value, and it was our task to discover it and bring it out..."
Camp Lenore may now just be a group on Facebook. But, I believe all of us, (whether writing or reading about it) are the legacy of those convictions.
So, here's to coincidences, and anniversaries,,,(Believe it or not, today happens to be my wedding anniversary, too!)
But, most of all, Here's to thee, Oh Camp Lenore!
Thursday, August 27, 2009
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
Wednesday, Augus 26- The Last Day
Scratch. The last reveille of 1959 would have us jumping, shivering out of our beds, with both excitement and chills. (If camp had lasted a day longer, we would have needed our winter coats...) The only items left in our cubbies were our traveling outfits, which we needed no encouragement to put on. Next, we stripped our cots, and packed the bedding into our duffles. This all was done in a matter of minutes, and was probably the fastest any of us ever moved all summer long. The last "warning"...The last "soupee." The last grace... Breakfast was always a little more subdued on the last day of camp. (But no less nutritious!) I'm sure there were last minute announcements and final "farewells" from the Directors. After our meal, we headed back to our bunks for final clean-up, And we couldn't slack on this, even if it was the last day of camp. All our floors were clear of dust bunnies before we left. I'm not sure if Bobby came by for a "final inspection." But, it wouldn't surprise me at all if she did.
A short time later, the buses arrived to take us to the train station, for our trip back home.* Last hugs to friends, counselors...Last looks. More tears. As the buses pulled away, we all started singing, "Here We Are" one more time, all of us waving to the Directors and staff through the bus windows. Down the tree-lined road and through the narrow stone gate, we kept singing. Most of us, already planning for our next summer at Lenore.
*(By 1962, Lenore had switched from trains to "motor coaches" for our trips to and from camp. No doubt for cost and convenience. Our buses left from the Roosevelt Field shopping center, on Long Island)
A short time later, the buses arrived to take us to the train station, for our trip back home.* Last hugs to friends, counselors...Last looks. More tears. As the buses pulled away, we all started singing, "Here We Are" one more time, all of us waving to the Directors and staff through the bus windows. Down the tree-lined road and through the narrow stone gate, we kept singing. Most of us, already planning for our next summer at Lenore.
*(By 1962, Lenore had switched from trains to "motor coaches" for our trips to and from camp. No doubt for cost and convenience. Our buses left from the Roosevelt Field shopping center, on Long Island)
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
Tuesday, August 25- Final Campfire
Since this was the last full day of camp, things were fairly unstructured. We spent most of it packing our trunks and duffle bags, and wondering how the clothes that came out of them so easily in July had suddenly become so difficult to get back in in August. (I swore that they somehow expanded...) Any free time was mostly devoted to getting signatures for our autograph books and Lenore photo albums. Whatever we did during the day, was simply marking time until our evening's culminating activity, The Final Campfire. After dinner, as the sun was setting, the entire camp would walk in a candle-lit procession, down to the lakefront. At sunset, the lake and waterfront took on an entirely different look. As the light faded, we'd listen to the Head Counselors and Directors reminisce about the past eight weeks, and of course, we'd sing; "Each campfire lights anew...", "Father Time"..."Camp Lenore, We Will Miss You..." With each song, the sniffling and sobbing would increase.
Now, I'm not sure which came first, but I do remember that campers would take their candles, (somehow affixed to small, floatable containers), and then launch them into the lake, along with our wishes to return for the following year. Watching our little flotilla of lights head off into the darkness was a beautiful coda to our summer. Then, at some point, we'd all sing, "1-9-5-9 at Camp Lenore." With this, counselors stationed in rowboats out in the lake would ignite a large, flammable representation of the numbers "1959." We all stood in awe and watched as the numbers burned brightly and then gradually faded to black, just as our summer had. It was truly magical. (Until I found out that those ephemeral, burning numbers were made up of women's sanitary napkins, soaked in gasoline.)
And then came the mother of all sob songs, which we'd sing with our arms around each other, swaying with tear-soaked faces:
"Remember the times we've had here.
Remember when you're away.
Remember the friends you've made here,
And don't forget to come back someday.
Remember the hills and woodlands,
The skies of heavenly blue.
For you, girls, belong to Lenore
And Lenore belongs to you."
With the last of our songs complete, we'd head back up the hill in near silence and take the sad walk back to our bunks, our flashlights dancing off the dark foliage like fireflies...
And waiting for us, would be milk and cookies.
Now, I'm not sure which came first, but I do remember that campers would take their candles, (somehow affixed to small, floatable containers), and then launch them into the lake, along with our wishes to return for the following year. Watching our little flotilla of lights head off into the darkness was a beautiful coda to our summer. Then, at some point, we'd all sing, "1-9-5-9 at Camp Lenore." With this, counselors stationed in rowboats out in the lake would ignite a large, flammable representation of the numbers "1959." We all stood in awe and watched as the numbers burned brightly and then gradually faded to black, just as our summer had. It was truly magical. (Until I found out that those ephemeral, burning numbers were made up of women's sanitary napkins, soaked in gasoline.)
And then came the mother of all sob songs, which we'd sing with our arms around each other, swaying with tear-soaked faces:
"Remember the times we've had here.
Remember when you're away.
Remember the friends you've made here,
And don't forget to come back someday.
Remember the hills and woodlands,
The skies of heavenly blue.
For you, girls, belong to Lenore
And Lenore belongs to you."
With the last of our songs complete, we'd head back up the hill in near silence and take the sad walk back to our bunks, our flashlights dancing off the dark foliage like fireflies...
And waiting for us, would be milk and cookies.
Two More for the Record-Songs we may have missed
Just in case anyone's been "keeping score" of the songs I've mentioned in past entries...there are two that I'm including here that for me, represent two extremes. One, "Oh Camp Lenore" was an "old standard" (sung to the tune of "A Pretty Girl is Like a Melody). Classic, Simple. Sentimental. I know it was sung at many of our final events, but I show no record of it in my Lenorlog programs. Here it is:
"Oh Camp Lenore, we sing to you once more
Our voices hushed in awe.
Ring out the praise of the glorious days.
We're true to you, saluting you,
A tribute as of yore.
Oh Camp Lenore, we sing to you again.
In each heart this refrain:
We will leave you and then, come back again.
It's not "farewell" we sing, but "Auf Wiedersehen."
The second, "The Spirit of Lenore", was a relative new-comer to our songbook. It first officially appeared in the 1960 Lenorlog Banquet edition. (No record of it in 1959. I believe we learned it on one of our outings, and upon our return, shared it with the rest of the camp.) Out of all the songs we sang, "The Spirit of Lenore" was my least favorite. Here's why:
1) It was ridiculously long, and took forever to learn and teach.
2) I totally disagreed with its premise: the idea being, Lenore had no spirit, so we literally needed hammers, beams and cables to create it.
3) It had no real ending, and it didn't really make sense. ("to keep Camp Lenore on high?')
4) It changed meters at least 4 times, making it really difficult to song-lead to. (And wouldn't you know I, along with Linda Schwartz, Denise Field and Cindy Steiner had to lead it at the Banquet in 1966. Ugh.)
5) Did I mention how long it was?
At any rate, lest anyone accuse me of the "sin of omission" here it is:
"On top of a peak our camp was built, Lenore was its name.
The architecture could not be surpassed, it brought us to building fame.
Soon our camp was completed, but something was still to be found:
Our camp was in need of spirit, so we picked up our hammers and started to pound!
We built the spirit of Lenore, and never will we let it die.
This thing we instilled only we could build.
So firm, so solid so tall!
Other builders were set to this task, but try as they may they all failed.
They didn't have the drive to keep camp alive, they didn't know what it entailed.
Bang went the hammers! Buzz went the saws! Our scaffolds they zoomed to the sky!
With beams and with cables, we knew we were able to construct a sight for anyone's eyes!
We built the spirit of Lenore, and never will we let it die.
So, watch us go, and forever you'll know
To keep Camp Lenore on high.
To keep Camp Lenore on high.
Yuk. At any rate, you be the judge...
"Oh Camp Lenore, we sing to you once more
Our voices hushed in awe.
Ring out the praise of the glorious days.
We're true to you, saluting you,
A tribute as of yore.
Oh Camp Lenore, we sing to you again.
In each heart this refrain:
We will leave you and then, come back again.
It's not "farewell" we sing, but "Auf Wiedersehen."
The second, "The Spirit of Lenore", was a relative new-comer to our songbook. It first officially appeared in the 1960 Lenorlog Banquet edition. (No record of it in 1959. I believe we learned it on one of our outings, and upon our return, shared it with the rest of the camp.) Out of all the songs we sang, "The Spirit of Lenore" was my least favorite. Here's why:
1) It was ridiculously long, and took forever to learn and teach.
2) I totally disagreed with its premise: the idea being, Lenore had no spirit, so we literally needed hammers, beams and cables to create it.
3) It had no real ending, and it didn't really make sense. ("to keep Camp Lenore on high?')
4) It changed meters at least 4 times, making it really difficult to song-lead to. (And wouldn't you know I, along with Linda Schwartz, Denise Field and Cindy Steiner had to lead it at the Banquet in 1966. Ugh.)
5) Did I mention how long it was?
At any rate, lest anyone accuse me of the "sin of omission" here it is:
"On top of a peak our camp was built, Lenore was its name.
The architecture could not be surpassed, it brought us to building fame.
Soon our camp was completed, but something was still to be found:
Our camp was in need of spirit, so we picked up our hammers and started to pound!
We built the spirit of Lenore, and never will we let it die.
This thing we instilled only we could build.
So firm, so solid so tall!
Other builders were set to this task, but try as they may they all failed.
They didn't have the drive to keep camp alive, they didn't know what it entailed.
Bang went the hammers! Buzz went the saws! Our scaffolds they zoomed to the sky!
With beams and with cables, we knew we were able to construct a sight for anyone's eyes!
We built the spirit of Lenore, and never will we let it die.
So, watch us go, and forever you'll know
To keep Camp Lenore on high.
To keep Camp Lenore on high.
Yuk. At any rate, you be the judge...
Monday, August 24, 2009
August 24- The Big Banquet Blog!
The reality of camp ending was most likely punctuated by the arrival of our trunks and duffle bags-- a most depressing event. We still were involved in activities, but one of the notable sights was the pile of evergreen garlands outside the Dining Hall that were to be used for decoration for tonight's Final Banquet. We had been rehearsing many of the special songs all week. So, I am going to fast forward to this evening's activities, and enumerate as many as I can according to the agenda in the Banquet edition of the Lenorlog...
First, I believe we wore all white (or at least our camp uniform)... And we Inters would have entered the Dining Hall to see a lovely transformation: The pine garlands adorned the walls around us, and the tables were arranged for our bunks with table cloths (and perhaps other decorations, (like flowers? candles?) Of course, the Banquet edition of the Lenorlog would be at each of our places to record all the awards... Nancy Kaye would most likely have been playing the piano, We would then all stand as the Seniors marched in singing "Here's to Thee", led by Judy Lager and Alice Shapiro. (In 1962, I would have this honor.)
We then were seated, and sang: "Halls are Decked with Flowers" This was one of my favorite Banquet songs because it had really pretty harmony, In 1959, it was led by Ann Cappell and Sue Dickes; (My sister had the honor of leading this in 1967.)
"Halls are decked with flowers,
Spruce and pearly bowers.
Twined in joyous hours, linked with friendships firm.
Candles blending rays...
Eyes with brilliance blaze...
Voices echoing praise..
Excitement tense and high.
Soft now, all is ending.
All our thoughts are tending
Toward past visions sending
Dreams of you, Lenore."
In all likelihood, there was some sort of general welcome provided by one of the Directors. But, ultimately, it was Mrs. Spec who would preside over the night's activities.
Dinner was then served. The Banquet menu in 1959 was as follows:
Fresh fruit cup
Consomme with dumplings (weren't we fancy?0
Roast Turkey with stuffing
Swee Potato Rosette
Peas and Carrots (Good thing I wasn't at Bobby's table...)
Lettuce and tomato salad
Celery, Carrot sticks, Pickles (served in a relish tray...)
Rolls and Butter
Furst Pukler (What on earth was that? Sherbet maybe?)
Petites Fours (Albert would not disappoint!)
Punch
Nuts, candies, mints
Coincidentally, my last year at camp featured almost the identical menu. The only difference being, asparagus was smartly substituted for the peas, ice cream was listed instead of the "furst pukler", and "Albert's Fancy Cookies' made an appearance.
During little breaks in our meal service we would also sing:
"Father Time" (led by Patsy Goldstein and Bernice Rosenblum) Sure to start some sniffling...
Then Stacy Caplow and Joanne Witty led us in singing "1-9-5-9" (slightly louder sniffling...) (I had the privilege of leading this the following year.)
Next, we sang "High Upon..." led by Kris Camitta and Nan Prussack.
This last song provided some respite from the building torrent of tears.
In subsequent years, other songs might appear:
"From the green mountaintops to the shoreline of our lake,
we'll remember all the days we spent with you.
And as long winters pass us by,
Mem'ries will never die,
Summers of sportsmanship true.
And as camping days will pass,
Friends we made here still will last,
Though the times we get together are so few.
We'll recall all the days spent here,
Joys lasting through the years,
So, Lenore, we sing to you!"
Then Mrs. Spec asked Bobby to read the Inter Honor awards. These awards were given to campers in different major categories, and if your name was called, you stood up. (At the reunion, you would receive a felt circle with a picture of that speciality for you to sew on your Camp Lenore pillow...) After that, Mrs. Spec asked Bobby to read the name of this year's Best Inter Athlete.
The honor went to Abigail Fain. (Who was the niece of one of our neighbors in New York)
Zulie Lerner presented Abby with an impressive loving cup for her accomplishment.
We then sang, "We're from Camp Lenore." (Led by Julie Marsh and Lois Stalford)
Then, Mrs. Spec asked Sandy and the Senior counselors to read the Senior honor awards. Next, Sandy announced the best Senior Athlete. I didn't write down the name of the winner, but by all accounts, it should have been either Ronnie Durchlag or Bobbie Rosenheim. After the presenting of the loving cup to the winner, the Seniors sang "Marianina", led by "Ducky," our music director. All of this excitment must have been exhausting because there was actually an Intermission.
After our break, the Inters all got up and sang the rollicking tune, "Buy My Tortillas!", led by "Ducky" ( I have no recollection of this at all...) To contrast, In 1967, my last year at Lenore, our songs were led by "Scotty", and featured, 'Puff the Magic Dragon", "Exodus" and 'Everybody loves Saturday Night!")
Then, the moment we Inters had all been waiting for: Mrs. Spec asked Bobby to announced the Inter team points and winning captain. She went through every game score...Finally, she said: "And the winning team is the WHITE TEAM!" Just imagine close to 50 girls shrieking in happiness, and another 50 starting to tear up, and all of us rushing to our captains. The captains then had to extricate themselves so Marty Zamore could present Nora Roberts with her trophy.
In later years, the announcement of the winning teams were a little later in the program, with more singing and no intermission.
In 1965,66, and 67, "Oh Camp of Beauty" and "Oh Camp Lenore, We Will Miss You" made an appearance in the Banquet program...The latter being one of the "sob songs" that could induce a flood of tears with its very first phrase...
"Oh Camp Lenore we will miss you,
For we've grown a part of you.
And this feeling that is stealing
Over us is nothing new.
After eight weeks of friendship
After eight weeks of grand times,
Our hearts are heavy, campers truly,
Now the time has come for parting,
We will miss you til next July!"
After the Inters had their moment in the spotlight, it was the Seniors' turn. But, this was obviously a much bigger deal. Sandy read off the points, and... amazingly, It was a tie! This was unprecedented. The room went wild, with both teams jumping up and down screaming and crying at the same time. It was absolute bedlam. All the Seniors rushed to their respective captains, and then each team sang a special thank you song to them This never failed to elicit sobbing from all sides. But, this year, which was so unusual, most likely produced tears of joy.
After the captains accepted their awards, Susan Gross and Gae Ellen Zamore presented the gifts to the team officers and the Camp gift to the Directors. In this instance, Milton Schulman accepted the gift and spoke.
Following this, the choir, led by Ducky, sang "Seat thyself my Dearest Heart." (Again, another obscure song of which I have no recollection)
Now it was time for the Campus Honor Roll to be announced. This marked a part of the Banquet's tradition that was only repeated for one more year: Scroll- an honor whereby certain campers, who distinguished themselves over the summer, were recognized for their contributions by having their names inscribed on a parchment that was displayed...somewhere. It was such a big deal, there were girls who were given honorable mention in addition to the girls who actually achieved the honor. They were asked to stand in front of the whole audience.
This process was repeated for the Seniors, with Hill Honor Roll, Honorable Mention and Senior Scroll awardees.
Then, Mrs. Spec asked the four team captains to come up for a special candle-lighting ceremony, where they lit the candles of "Faith, Truth, Love and Knowledge."
The Council Presidents lit the candle of "Health"
Mrs. Spec then announced the name of "The Best Inter Camper", and she was invited to light the candle of "Beauty."
The highest Honor, "Best Lenorite" was announced. This was a camper who embodied the virtues of sportsmanship, kindness and athleticism (think Billie Jean King meets Golda Meir) and she then lit the candle of 'Service."
The Trio from Music Hour and Ducky led us in the following anthems: (Special thanks to Nancy Kaye, who graciously supplied me with the lyrics where needed)
"Faith, Truth and Love, Knowledge, Health and Beauty.
To higher service, now we dedicate.
Til our ideals shall reign o'er all victorious
And Light of Service, guide us on our way."
"Hail, comrade,in light arrayed
This garland bright will never fade
Hail guardian of the sacred flame
To thee we bring Lenore's proud high acclaim!"
After 1960, the Scroll tradition and its associated anthems were discontinued, along with "Best Inter Camper" and "Best Lenorite." Perhaps they seemed too exclusionary, or archaic (even for Lenore. ) However, the candle-lighting ceremony remained with some new candles. By 1967, the candles were: Faith, Truth, Service, Friendship, Sportsmanship, and Appreciation. Irv Golob, Lenore’s director, lit the candle of Unity.
This last anthem marked the Banquet's closure. In subsequent years, other songs were substituted. As a final act, the Seniors then collected the garlands that were on the walls and exited the Dining Room, followed by the Inters. The garlands then were burned in a magnificent, fragrant bonfire in front of the Dining Room. We all stood around it, our arms around each other singing and sobbing. And though this was the end of the Banquet, we knew that tomorrow night was the real capper: The Final Campfire. There were still more tears to be shed,
First, I believe we wore all white (or at least our camp uniform)... And we Inters would have entered the Dining Hall to see a lovely transformation: The pine garlands adorned the walls around us, and the tables were arranged for our bunks with table cloths (and perhaps other decorations, (like flowers? candles?) Of course, the Banquet edition of the Lenorlog would be at each of our places to record all the awards... Nancy Kaye would most likely have been playing the piano, We would then all stand as the Seniors marched in singing "Here's to Thee", led by Judy Lager and Alice Shapiro. (In 1962, I would have this honor.)
We then were seated, and sang: "Halls are Decked with Flowers" This was one of my favorite Banquet songs because it had really pretty harmony, In 1959, it was led by Ann Cappell and Sue Dickes; (My sister had the honor of leading this in 1967.)
"Halls are decked with flowers,
Spruce and pearly bowers.
Twined in joyous hours, linked with friendships firm.
Candles blending rays...
Eyes with brilliance blaze...
Voices echoing praise..
Excitement tense and high.
Soft now, all is ending.
All our thoughts are tending
Toward past visions sending
Dreams of you, Lenore."
In all likelihood, there was some sort of general welcome provided by one of the Directors. But, ultimately, it was Mrs. Spec who would preside over the night's activities.
Dinner was then served. The Banquet menu in 1959 was as follows:
Fresh fruit cup
Consomme with dumplings (weren't we fancy?0
Roast Turkey with stuffing
Swee Potato Rosette
Peas and Carrots (Good thing I wasn't at Bobby's table...)
Lettuce and tomato salad
Celery, Carrot sticks, Pickles (served in a relish tray...)
Rolls and Butter
Furst Pukler (What on earth was that? Sherbet maybe?)
Petites Fours (Albert would not disappoint!)
Punch
Nuts, candies, mints
Coincidentally, my last year at camp featured almost the identical menu. The only difference being, asparagus was smartly substituted for the peas, ice cream was listed instead of the "furst pukler", and "Albert's Fancy Cookies' made an appearance.
During little breaks in our meal service we would also sing:
"Father Time" (led by Patsy Goldstein and Bernice Rosenblum) Sure to start some sniffling...
Then Stacy Caplow and Joanne Witty led us in singing "1-9-5-9" (slightly louder sniffling...) (I had the privilege of leading this the following year.)
Next, we sang "High Upon..." led by Kris Camitta and Nan Prussack.
This last song provided some respite from the building torrent of tears.
In subsequent years, other songs might appear:
"From the green mountaintops to the shoreline of our lake,
we'll remember all the days we spent with you.
And as long winters pass us by,
Mem'ries will never die,
Summers of sportsmanship true.
And as camping days will pass,
Friends we made here still will last,
Though the times we get together are so few.
We'll recall all the days spent here,
Joys lasting through the years,
So, Lenore, we sing to you!"
Then Mrs. Spec asked Bobby to read the Inter Honor awards. These awards were given to campers in different major categories, and if your name was called, you stood up. (At the reunion, you would receive a felt circle with a picture of that speciality for you to sew on your Camp Lenore pillow...) After that, Mrs. Spec asked Bobby to read the name of this year's Best Inter Athlete.
The honor went to Abigail Fain. (Who was the niece of one of our neighbors in New York)
Zulie Lerner presented Abby with an impressive loving cup for her accomplishment.
We then sang, "We're from Camp Lenore." (Led by Julie Marsh and Lois Stalford)
Then, Mrs. Spec asked Sandy and the Senior counselors to read the Senior honor awards. Next, Sandy announced the best Senior Athlete. I didn't write down the name of the winner, but by all accounts, it should have been either Ronnie Durchlag or Bobbie Rosenheim. After the presenting of the loving cup to the winner, the Seniors sang "Marianina", led by "Ducky," our music director. All of this excitment must have been exhausting because there was actually an Intermission.
After our break, the Inters all got up and sang the rollicking tune, "Buy My Tortillas!", led by "Ducky" ( I have no recollection of this at all...) To contrast, In 1967, my last year at Lenore, our songs were led by "Scotty", and featured, 'Puff the Magic Dragon", "Exodus" and 'Everybody loves Saturday Night!")
Then, the moment we Inters had all been waiting for: Mrs. Spec asked Bobby to announced the Inter team points and winning captain. She went through every game score...Finally, she said: "And the winning team is the WHITE TEAM!" Just imagine close to 50 girls shrieking in happiness, and another 50 starting to tear up, and all of us rushing to our captains. The captains then had to extricate themselves so Marty Zamore could present Nora Roberts with her trophy.
In later years, the announcement of the winning teams were a little later in the program, with more singing and no intermission.
In 1965,66, and 67, "Oh Camp of Beauty" and "Oh Camp Lenore, We Will Miss You" made an appearance in the Banquet program...The latter being one of the "sob songs" that could induce a flood of tears with its very first phrase...
"Oh Camp Lenore we will miss you,
For we've grown a part of you.
And this feeling that is stealing
Over us is nothing new.
After eight weeks of friendship
After eight weeks of grand times,
Our hearts are heavy, campers truly,
Now the time has come for parting,
We will miss you til next July!"
After the Inters had their moment in the spotlight, it was the Seniors' turn. But, this was obviously a much bigger deal. Sandy read off the points, and... amazingly, It was a tie! This was unprecedented. The room went wild, with both teams jumping up and down screaming and crying at the same time. It was absolute bedlam. All the Seniors rushed to their respective captains, and then each team sang a special thank you song to them This never failed to elicit sobbing from all sides. But, this year, which was so unusual, most likely produced tears of joy.
After the captains accepted their awards, Susan Gross and Gae Ellen Zamore presented the gifts to the team officers and the Camp gift to the Directors. In this instance, Milton Schulman accepted the gift and spoke.
Following this, the choir, led by Ducky, sang "Seat thyself my Dearest Heart." (Again, another obscure song of which I have no recollection)
Now it was time for the Campus Honor Roll to be announced. This marked a part of the Banquet's tradition that was only repeated for one more year: Scroll- an honor whereby certain campers, who distinguished themselves over the summer, were recognized for their contributions by having their names inscribed on a parchment that was displayed...somewhere. It was such a big deal, there were girls who were given honorable mention in addition to the girls who actually achieved the honor. They were asked to stand in front of the whole audience.
This process was repeated for the Seniors, with Hill Honor Roll, Honorable Mention and Senior Scroll awardees.
Then, Mrs. Spec asked the four team captains to come up for a special candle-lighting ceremony, where they lit the candles of "Faith, Truth, Love and Knowledge."
The Council Presidents lit the candle of "Health"
Mrs. Spec then announced the name of "The Best Inter Camper", and she was invited to light the candle of "Beauty."
The highest Honor, "Best Lenorite" was announced. This was a camper who embodied the virtues of sportsmanship, kindness and athleticism (think Billie Jean King meets Golda Meir) and she then lit the candle of 'Service."
The Trio from Music Hour and Ducky led us in the following anthems: (Special thanks to Nancy Kaye, who graciously supplied me with the lyrics where needed)
"Faith, Truth and Love, Knowledge, Health and Beauty.
To higher service, now we dedicate.
Til our ideals shall reign o'er all victorious
And Light of Service, guide us on our way."
"Hail, comrade,in light arrayed
This garland bright will never fade
Hail guardian of the sacred flame
To thee we bring Lenore's proud high acclaim!"
After 1960, the Scroll tradition and its associated anthems were discontinued, along with "Best Inter Camper" and "Best Lenorite." Perhaps they seemed too exclusionary, or archaic (even for Lenore. ) However, the candle-lighting ceremony remained with some new candles. By 1967, the candles were: Faith, Truth, Service, Friendship, Sportsmanship, and Appreciation. Irv Golob, Lenore’s director, lit the candle of Unity.
This last anthem marked the Banquet's closure. In subsequent years, other songs were substituted. As a final act, the Seniors then collected the garlands that were on the walls and exited the Dining Room, followed by the Inters. The garlands then were burned in a magnificent, fragrant bonfire in front of the Dining Room. We all stood around it, our arms around each other singing and sobbing. And though this was the end of the Banquet, we knew that tomorrow night was the real capper: The Final Campfire. There were still more tears to be shed,
Sunday, August 23, 2009
Sunday, August 23- The Final Assembly
This was it. The Final Assembly. Color War was officially over and this was our opportunity to put aside our team divisions and come together again as one camp in the Senior Social Hall. As usual, it was tradition that dictated the protocol that we followed. Phyllis Cohen, in the 1960 edition of the Lenorlog, explains it:
'Through the curtains of the stage in the social hall marched the senior teams; this time they were united as one.
While singing, "Here We Are", each and Greenie and Whitie shook hands and took her respective seat. As in past years, the teams interchanged places for the assembly." (The Green Team sat in the White Team's area and vice versa)
'Aftrer singing the traditional farewell songs, the seniors sang, "Go 'Way from my Window"in which janet Scholder sang a magnificent solo.
When the Juniors and Inters had left, Sandy, Judy and Ronnie led us all in team and camp songs. Our assembly was concluded with "I'm a Gnu (?). We couldn't have asked for a happier ending. This was our final assembly, and for some, the last they may attend, but the memories which we have will never be forgotten."
As an Inter, I do remember marching in for the final assembly, but I'm not sure if we came in as a group (singing the I-N-T-E-R-S song, or a general camp song. The Seniors definitely had the more dramatic entry. And I so remember rehearsing the timing of the handshake on the stage when I was a senior. ("Here we are (shake) we are the girls from Lenore...") The captains came through the curtains first; shook hands; followed by the officers, and then the rest of the team.. The process could take awhile...
The senior team "farewell" songs were really poignant, (I called them "sob songs" because they intiated the beginning of four days of nearly continual waterworks.) Here they are; (Tissues ready?)
Green Team Farewell; (Definitely the prettier and sadder one!)
"Green Team we're singing your praises on high
The clarions ringing, as we march proudly by
Green banners waving against the blue sky
Proclaiming our vic'try to all who pass by.
We'll give the best that we've got, and try to land on the top.
But, win or lose, we will 'ere be true!
To Green team ever we pledge loyalty
We'll all stick together til eternity."
White Team (Sung to the tune of "Autumn Leaves")
It is a song (White Team we're true)
That we'll remember (ever to you)
A White Team song (This is the team that we choose)
Of courage bright (Whether we win or we lose)
When summer's gone (Winter is nigh)
We'll still remember (Never to die)
The flame that guides us toward the light.
Though the sky is dark, and night may fall,
Still we'll follow White Team's call
And the torch of faith and loyalty we carry
Shall ignite...the spark of vic-tory."
Strangely, the 1959 Lenorlog calendar indicates that the Inters had their own banquet on this date, with the Senior banquet tomorrow. However, I would swear that both Inters and Seniors were at the banquet together, and my Lenorlog has the agenda written to include both. (My handwritten notes on my program seem to substantiate that, as well)
On a stranger note, and in keeping with the other coincidences of dates I've experienced while writing this, I receive both the Chicago Tribune and NY Times on Sundays. Since the Times is more interesting, I usually just skim through the Chicago paper, and pay more attention to the Times. As I was quickly flipping through the Trib, my eye caught something in the Travel section: a blow-up of a section of Western Massachussetts. Looking closer, I saw some familiar names: Mt Greylock, North Adams, The Clark Institute...Three locations with which we Lenorites would all be familiar. The connection was too obvious to ignore.- Sure enough, there was the headline: "Williamstown, a jewel in the Berkshires." - (See my blog entry from 7/10 about Williamstown) The author gushed about her visit to the area, (despite it being a rainy day) and closed with the following:
"When the rain stopped late that afternoon, I drove to the summit of Mt. Greylock and sat for a spell, trying to figure out why I love the Berkshires. Maybe it's the way they catch and hold the dying light of a summer day, like gold coins in a green pocket." Of course, we could have told her that...
'Through the curtains of the stage in the social hall marched the senior teams; this time they were united as one.
While singing, "Here We Are", each and Greenie and Whitie shook hands and took her respective seat. As in past years, the teams interchanged places for the assembly." (The Green Team sat in the White Team's area and vice versa)
'Aftrer singing the traditional farewell songs, the seniors sang, "Go 'Way from my Window"in which janet Scholder sang a magnificent solo.
When the Juniors and Inters had left, Sandy, Judy and Ronnie led us all in team and camp songs. Our assembly was concluded with "I'm a Gnu (?). We couldn't have asked for a happier ending. This was our final assembly, and for some, the last they may attend, but the memories which we have will never be forgotten."
As an Inter, I do remember marching in for the final assembly, but I'm not sure if we came in as a group (singing the I-N-T-E-R-S song, or a general camp song. The Seniors definitely had the more dramatic entry. And I so remember rehearsing the timing of the handshake on the stage when I was a senior. ("Here we are (shake) we are the girls from Lenore...") The captains came through the curtains first; shook hands; followed by the officers, and then the rest of the team.. The process could take awhile...
The senior team "farewell" songs were really poignant, (I called them "sob songs" because they intiated the beginning of four days of nearly continual waterworks.) Here they are; (Tissues ready?)
Green Team Farewell; (Definitely the prettier and sadder one!)
"Green Team we're singing your praises on high
The clarions ringing, as we march proudly by
Green banners waving against the blue sky
Proclaiming our vic'try to all who pass by.
We'll give the best that we've got, and try to land on the top.
But, win or lose, we will 'ere be true!
To Green team ever we pledge loyalty
We'll all stick together til eternity."
White Team (Sung to the tune of "Autumn Leaves")
It is a song (White Team we're true)
That we'll remember (ever to you)
A White Team song (This is the team that we choose)
Of courage bright (Whether we win or we lose)
When summer's gone (Winter is nigh)
We'll still remember (Never to die)
The flame that guides us toward the light.
Though the sky is dark, and night may fall,
Still we'll follow White Team's call
And the torch of faith and loyalty we carry
Shall ignite...the spark of vic-tory."
Strangely, the 1959 Lenorlog calendar indicates that the Inters had their own banquet on this date, with the Senior banquet tomorrow. However, I would swear that both Inters and Seniors were at the banquet together, and my Lenorlog has the agenda written to include both. (My handwritten notes on my program seem to substantiate that, as well)
On a stranger note, and in keeping with the other coincidences of dates I've experienced while writing this, I receive both the Chicago Tribune and NY Times on Sundays. Since the Times is more interesting, I usually just skim through the Chicago paper, and pay more attention to the Times. As I was quickly flipping through the Trib, my eye caught something in the Travel section: a blow-up of a section of Western Massachussetts. Looking closer, I saw some familiar names: Mt Greylock, North Adams, The Clark Institute...Three locations with which we Lenorites would all be familiar. The connection was too obvious to ignore.- Sure enough, there was the headline: "Williamstown, a jewel in the Berkshires." - (See my blog entry from 7/10 about Williamstown) The author gushed about her visit to the area, (despite it being a rainy day) and closed with the following:
"When the rain stopped late that afternoon, I drove to the summit of Mt. Greylock and sat for a spell, trying to figure out why I love the Berkshires. Maybe it's the way they catch and hold the dying light of a summer day, like gold coins in a green pocket." Of course, we could have told her that...
Saturday, August 22, 2009
Saturday, August 22 -Leaving our Marks
With only five days remaining to our summer at Lenore, we were all thinking about the various culminating activities we would be experiencing, as well as what we would be leaving behind for posterity.Today, marked the last Ritual for the season, and a final Senior Play was on the schedule, as well. As mentioned previously, we had "last wills and testaments" for both counselors and campers. We, the generous souls of Bunk 11, left our counselor, Debbie, an "automatic shower", and to Sue, we left "a bag of jacks and a ball." They, on the other hand, were a little more generous and bequeathed us "a giggling machine...for the long, silent winter," as well as "a big warm teddy bear that likes nothing more than to be cuddled." Aww. But, there were other tangible, things that we left to Lenore, that remained at camp. One of those was our bunk plaque. Each bunk spent the last few days of camp designing and decorating a small, square, wooden block that we would paint our names on, and hang on the rafters of our bunk, so all who stayed there in the future could see the names of the previous residents. Not only did this activity satisfy our need to be remembered, but it also was a way to avoid the possibility that campers would carve their names into every piece of wood in the bunk. At some point, the rafters must have become over-crowded, because there generally weren't more than ten plaques hanging at one time in a bunk. I often wondered what happened to the others. Perhaps they were in a room in the Lodge? Or, I used to imagine a huge storage shed somewhere on the property overflowing with hundreds of them. One would certainly make a great sounvenir today.
Another tradition that seemed to have gotten lost after 1960, was something called, "Scroll." The Inter Social Hall was decorated with animal skins on which were written the names of campers dating back, in some cases to Lenore's earliest years. This was clearly some kind of honor. And for at least 44 years, it was an important one. I don't remember if it was continued in some other form after 1960. (Perhaps the inscribing of an honoree's name in a book of some sort?) But, it was still a big deal in 1959, and the editor of the Lenorlog, Lisa Wald had this to say about it:
"...Scroll is a tradition in itself. The few campers attaining this honor are those who, in the eyes of the directors and counselors, have best lived up to the high standards and ideals of Lenore. Perhaps even more a part of Lenore's traditions is an intangible one--- the spirit of Camp Lenore. It is unseen and more often than not, uspoken of, yet it is an integral part of camp...As long as there is a Camp Lenore, we hope that these traditions will remain part of it."
Another tradition that seemed to have gotten lost after 1960, was something called, "Scroll." The Inter Social Hall was decorated with animal skins on which were written the names of campers dating back, in some cases to Lenore's earliest years. This was clearly some kind of honor. And for at least 44 years, it was an important one. I don't remember if it was continued in some other form after 1960. (Perhaps the inscribing of an honoree's name in a book of some sort?) But, it was still a big deal in 1959, and the editor of the Lenorlog, Lisa Wald had this to say about it:
"...Scroll is a tradition in itself. The few campers attaining this honor are those who, in the eyes of the directors and counselors, have best lived up to the high standards and ideals of Lenore. Perhaps even more a part of Lenore's traditions is an intangible one--- the spirit of Camp Lenore. It is unseen and more often than not, uspoken of, yet it is an integral part of camp...As long as there is a Camp Lenore, we hope that these traditions will remain part of it."
Friday, August 21, 2009
August 21- The Last Team Game & Lenorlog entries
"On the Line, on the line, on the (beat) side of the line
We're cheerin' for the White Team in the rain or the shine!
The White Team in the rain, we love you just the same,
On the line, on the side of the line!
Oh, we are the halo and the glory be
The pride of Lenore and the whole country (A weird lyric, because the stress was off and it came out as LEN-ore)
The pride of Lenore and the whole country,]
Wrapped up into one happy fam-i-ly"
Repeat
This, was one of my favorite songs. Probably because it had hand motions that went with it. And, the funny thing is, after all this time, when I sang it again, all the motions miraclulously came back with the words...
On this day in August of '59, our team captain, Nora Roberts would have been trying to extract every last bit of effort from our team. This was our last opportunity to try and win Color War. The stakes couldn't have been higher... I'm sure that we all tried our hardest, too. After today, Color War would be history for another summer, and all we could do was wait for the Banquet to hear if our efforts had paid off.
In the meantime, other preparations were underway. As a former Lenorlog editor (1965), I can tell you that we would have been busy collecting accounts from our reporters of the various outings for the summer, and getting bunk "sayings", and last will and testaments from both the campers and the counselors. We also would have assembled a list of attributes for "The Perfect Counselor", and the "Perfect Camper", along with letters from the various team captains to their teams. These would usually be a surprise, since the last Lenorlog would often appear at the Final Banquet.
The 1959 Lenorlog had an unusual category called, "Pipe Prophesies," in which counselors were asked to "smoke" from an imaginary pipe and prophesize what their campers and the camp would be like in the future. Some counselors dutifully admitted that they didn't generally smoke pipes. Another, wrote that she "took a drag from a King-sized Kent" to induce a state condusive to prohesizing. Interestingly, entries forecasted anywhere from 10 years to 25 years ahead. The accounts were, of course, cheerfully optimistic: The counselor's entry from Bunk 25 predicted that her camper, Julie Marsh, would be "the first woman president of the U.S.!" How sad and ironic, that by the time most of those predicted dates were reached, Lenore would no longer exist.
We're cheerin' for the White Team in the rain or the shine!
The White Team in the rain, we love you just the same,
On the line, on the side of the line!
Oh, we are the halo and the glory be
The pride of Lenore and the whole country (A weird lyric, because the stress was off and it came out as LEN-ore)
The pride of Lenore and the whole country,]
Wrapped up into one happy fam-i-ly"
Repeat
This, was one of my favorite songs. Probably because it had hand motions that went with it. And, the funny thing is, after all this time, when I sang it again, all the motions miraclulously came back with the words...
On this day in August of '59, our team captain, Nora Roberts would have been trying to extract every last bit of effort from our team. This was our last opportunity to try and win Color War. The stakes couldn't have been higher... I'm sure that we all tried our hardest, too. After today, Color War would be history for another summer, and all we could do was wait for the Banquet to hear if our efforts had paid off.
In the meantime, other preparations were underway. As a former Lenorlog editor (1965), I can tell you that we would have been busy collecting accounts from our reporters of the various outings for the summer, and getting bunk "sayings", and last will and testaments from both the campers and the counselors. We also would have assembled a list of attributes for "The Perfect Counselor", and the "Perfect Camper", along with letters from the various team captains to their teams. These would usually be a surprise, since the last Lenorlog would often appear at the Final Banquet.
The 1959 Lenorlog had an unusual category called, "Pipe Prophesies," in which counselors were asked to "smoke" from an imaginary pipe and prophesize what their campers and the camp would be like in the future. Some counselors dutifully admitted that they didn't generally smoke pipes. Another, wrote that she "took a drag from a King-sized Kent" to induce a state condusive to prohesizing. Interestingly, entries forecasted anywhere from 10 years to 25 years ahead. The accounts were, of course, cheerfully optimistic: The counselor's entry from Bunk 25 predicted that her camper, Julie Marsh, would be "the first woman president of the U.S.!" How sad and ironic, that by the time most of those predicted dates were reached, Lenore would no longer exist.
Thursday, August 20, 2009
Thursday, August 20 Tennis Doubles
(To the Tune of "Blue Moon", and performed with finger snaps)
White Team,(snap, snap...) we sing your praises on high
Of courage strong and true, we'll ere be loyal to you!
White Team, your captain's greatest by far.
Her leadership is supreme! You're really lucky, White Team!
Our sportsmanship is really super.
In volleyball and softball too...
It would be hard to find an equal to match the wonders of you!
White Team, and in conclusion we say,
We're glad we're with you today.
Good luck to you, White Team!
Good luck to you, White Team!
Good luck to you, White Team! (one snap!!)
Though less than a week of camp was left on our calendar, there was still much to do at Lenore. Color War for the Seniors was at a feverish pitch, and today's Tennis Doubles Match demonstrated just how fairly matched the teams were, and how exciting it was to watch. The two team captains were once again pitted against each other, and this was an opportunity for Ronnie Durchlag to exact some payback for her singles defeat...
Diane Lerner, daughter of owner, Zulie Lerner, penned this entry to the '59 Lenorlog:
"Thursday, the 20th of August was the date set for the senior tennis doubles. The skilled finalists were Bobbie Rosenheim and Laurie Jackson for the greens, and Alice Shapiro and Ronnie Durchlag for the White team as their competitors.
The match resembled a tense drama in three sets. Each point was a battle and many of the the games went t deuce.
The first set was won by the White Tea with a score of 8 to 6. The second and third sets were won by the Greens with scores of 806 and 6-4. The officials and spectators agreed that this was one of the most supense-filled and breathtaking doubles match that had been seen in a long time."
White Team,(snap, snap...) we sing your praises on high
Of courage strong and true, we'll ere be loyal to you!
White Team, your captain's greatest by far.
Her leadership is supreme! You're really lucky, White Team!
Our sportsmanship is really super.
In volleyball and softball too...
It would be hard to find an equal to match the wonders of you!
White Team, and in conclusion we say,
We're glad we're with you today.
Good luck to you, White Team!
Good luck to you, White Team!
Good luck to you, White Team! (one snap!!)
Though less than a week of camp was left on our calendar, there was still much to do at Lenore. Color War for the Seniors was at a feverish pitch, and today's Tennis Doubles Match demonstrated just how fairly matched the teams were, and how exciting it was to watch. The two team captains were once again pitted against each other, and this was an opportunity for Ronnie Durchlag to exact some payback for her singles defeat...
Diane Lerner, daughter of owner, Zulie Lerner, penned this entry to the '59 Lenorlog:
"Thursday, the 20th of August was the date set for the senior tennis doubles. The skilled finalists were Bobbie Rosenheim and Laurie Jackson for the greens, and Alice Shapiro and Ronnie Durchlag for the White team as their competitors.
The match resembled a tense drama in three sets. Each point was a battle and many of the the games went t deuce.
The first set was won by the White Tea with a score of 8 to 6. The second and third sets were won by the Greens with scores of 806 and 6-4. The officials and spectators agreed that this was one of the most supense-filled and breathtaking doubles match that had been seen in a long time."
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
Thursday, August 19- Miscellany from the "Mess Hall"
Since I'm writing this entry early in the morning, before breakfast, I thought I'd include some of the other "graces' that we sang each summer. One, in particular, "We Hail This New Morning" was sung during my earlier years at Lenore, and I've forgotten some of the lyrics. (I've enclosed them in parentheses) If anyone out there recalls the missing words, please let me know!) In addition to the graces, and usual camp songs, there were also some humorous songs we sang during our meals, particularly if we were served something special. (ie. Jello)
For Health and Strength (sung in a round):
For Health and Strength and daily bread, ,
We praise they name Oh Lord
Johnny Appleseed :
Oh, the Lord is good to me
And so I thank the Lord!
For giving me the things I need
The sun and the rain and the appleseed
The Lord is good to me!
We Gather Together
We gather together in all kinds of weather
To clasp with a smile the dear hands of our friends!
We gather to meet you, we gather to greet you.
As one to another, our welcome extends
We Hail This New Morning
We hail this new morning, that calls us on* our way
We hail this morning, and sing to greet the day!
Rejoice in our strength, rejoice in our youth
Rejoice in the open skies
Rejoice in the HOPE of the days to come
And each new sunrise.
We hail this new morning that calls us on* our way!
We hail this new morning, and sing to greet the day!
* Thanks to the memory of Nancy Kaye who corrected/supplied the lyrics: I had been incorrectly singing: "that calls the SUN OUR WAY!"
Here are two other songs that we sang- usually during lunch. And who knows how long they had been around by the time we sang them in 1959? My guess is that the "Jello" song was a commercial jingle...
"Oh the big red letters stand for the Jello family
The big red letters stand for the Jello family
Jello pudding, yum, yum, yum!
Jello pudding, yum, yum, yum!
Jello Ta-pioca pudding yessiree!"
No matter how young a prune may be, he's always getting wrinkled
A baby prune is like his dad, but he's not wrinkled quite so bad
We have wrinkles on our face, but prunies have them every place!
No matter how youg a prune may be, he's always getting
Stewed, stewed, stewed!
With the days of camp decidedly winding down, there was more of a sense of urgency to get things done. The weather was generally much chillier. -Definitely, Camp Lenore (CL) sweater days.. We would be learning a host of special songs for the Banquet. (More on this next week) But, according to the calendar, there was another Team Game to play. Go Whities!
For Health and Strength (sung in a round):
For Health and Strength and daily bread, ,
We praise they name Oh Lord
Johnny Appleseed :
Oh, the Lord is good to me
And so I thank the Lord!
For giving me the things I need
The sun and the rain and the appleseed
The Lord is good to me!
We Gather Together
We gather together in all kinds of weather
To clasp with a smile the dear hands of our friends!
We gather to meet you, we gather to greet you.
As one to another, our welcome extends
We Hail This New Morning
We hail this new morning, that calls us on* our way
We hail this morning, and sing to greet the day!
Rejoice in our strength, rejoice in our youth
Rejoice in the open skies
Rejoice in the HOPE of the days to come
And each new sunrise.
We hail this new morning that calls us on* our way!
We hail this new morning, and sing to greet the day!
* Thanks to the memory of Nancy Kaye who corrected/supplied the lyrics: I had been incorrectly singing: "that calls the SUN OUR WAY!"
Here are two other songs that we sang- usually during lunch. And who knows how long they had been around by the time we sang them in 1959? My guess is that the "Jello" song was a commercial jingle...
"Oh the big red letters stand for the Jello family
The big red letters stand for the Jello family
Jello pudding, yum, yum, yum!
Jello pudding, yum, yum, yum!
Jello Ta-pioca pudding yessiree!"
No matter how young a prune may be, he's always getting wrinkled
A baby prune is like his dad, but he's not wrinkled quite so bad
We have wrinkles on our face, but prunies have them every place!
No matter how youg a prune may be, he's always getting
Stewed, stewed, stewed!
With the days of camp decidedly winding down, there was more of a sense of urgency to get things done. The weather was generally much chillier. -Definitely, Camp Lenore (CL) sweater days.. We would be learning a host of special songs for the Banquet. (More on this next week) But, according to the calendar, there was another Team Game to play. Go Whities!
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
Tuesday, August 18- The last Cairn and Final Track Meet
Today's Color War event was another huge one: The Track Meet. This involved just about every kind of running exercise you could imagine: Dashes of all sorts and lengths, long jumps, and the culminating event: a huge relay race, complete with batons.. Running was something I could do pretty well, so this was always one of my favorite events. The day culminated in our last "official" cairn of the summer, since next week would be the Final Campfire. I'm sure that was running through all our minds, as we ate our s'mores. It, of course, would also be an occasion to sing:
Friends, friends, friends
We will always be!
Whether in fair, or in dark stormy weather
Camp Lenore will keep us together
The green and white,
We will always be!
The camp that unites us,
The camp that delights us
We're friends, friends, friends...
In 1959, this next song probaly was reserved for the Final Campfire and Banquet because of its ability to make us all cry. In subsequent years, we sang it more frequently:
Father Time is a crafty man
And he's set in his ways
For we know that we never can
Make him bring back past days!
So, comrades while we are here
Let's be friends firm and true.
We'll have a gay time, a happy play time,
For we all love to play with you.
Friends, friends, friends
We will always be!
Whether in fair, or in dark stormy weather
Camp Lenore will keep us together
The green and white,
We will always be!
The camp that unites us,
The camp that delights us
We're friends, friends, friends...
In 1959, this next song probaly was reserved for the Final Campfire and Banquet because of its ability to make us all cry. In subsequent years, we sang it more frequently:
Father Time is a crafty man
And he's set in his ways
For we know that we never can
Make him bring back past days!
So, comrades while we are here
Let's be friends firm and true.
We'll have a gay time, a happy play time,
For we all love to play with you.
Monday, August 17- Weather
This date in 1959 was apparently a rainy one. A good downpour would not only put a literal damper on our activities, but it would turn the Lane into a muddy river. Because of the camp's hilly location, we were occasionally on the receiving end of some pretty dramatic summer storms. I remember one huge thunderstorm that occurred during the night, and the thunder was so loud, it frightened us all out of bed. Sleepy counselors and campers all scrambled to get their bunks' flaps over the screens.The lightening flashes were so bright, they lit up everything around us. With every clap of thunder, you could hear a hundred girls scream. I remember burrowing down into my bed as far as I could, just waiting for the storm to pass. The rain storm that occurred on this day, in 1959, was not quite as dramatic. However, it still neccessitated some form of alternate activity. As Lynne Gnaizda reported in the Lenorlog, the Hill went bowling:
"Yippee! Strike!' Such was the sound of mingled voices, shouting as the bowling balls zoomed down the alleys.
On the rainy evening of August 17th, the Hill enjoyed an evening of bowling. Though it was raining, our spirits remained undampened and everyone emerged from the bowling alleys with smiles on their faces.
After two hours of bowling, we went to Friendly's, where we had delicious ice cream cones. All had a most memorable evening, and hope that next summer, we may enjoy a similar activity again."
How easy we were to please: Bowling and ice cream cones!
"Yippee! Strike!' Such was the sound of mingled voices, shouting as the bowling balls zoomed down the alleys.
On the rainy evening of August 17th, the Hill enjoyed an evening of bowling. Though it was raining, our spirits remained undampened and everyone emerged from the bowling alleys with smiles on their faces.
After two hours of bowling, we went to Friendly's, where we had delicious ice cream cones. All had a most memorable evening, and hope that next summer, we may enjoy a similar activity again."
How easy we were to please: Bowling and ice cream cones!
Monday, August 17, 2009
Sunday, August 16- The Archery Meet
One of the more interesting majors at Lenore was Archery. The Archery range was located safely out of the way from all other activities, across the entrance road, not too far from the lower playing field. We picked up out bows and arrows from the activity shed, and then walked across the road to where ther targets were situated. I liked archery because it didn't require alot of physical strength or great coordination. And, it was refreshingly quiet. You did, however, need to have good eyesight and be able to aim. As with all other sports, there was an Archery event during Color War, and here's how it was reported in 1959 by Liz Seley of Bunk 26.
"Knock arrows...shoot."
It was Sunday, August 16, and the archery meet was under way. From each senior team, five of the best archers were chosen.
In all, a total of 15 ends were shot. The first end from each set was for practice. The archers first shot from forty yards, then from thirty, and finally, from twenty yards. Excellent sportsmanship was shown among the players. Archers and spectators extended congratulations to the high scorere, Laurie Wilson, who shot 340. Members of the green and white teams, directors, and counsellors will agree that this tournament was interesting and memorable." (The) Archers featured were:
Green: Bobbie Rosenheim White: Ellen Karlitz
Sheila Sadin Jo Kramer
Janet Scholder Alice Shapiro
Laurie Wilson Nancy Steel
Laurie Jackson Lisa Wald
In honor of the Native American tradition of the bow and arrow, here's a fitting White Team Song:
By the crystal lake of Ashmere,
Where lives the White Team, the White Team (clap, clap)
Leaders past have led us onward.
Here at Lenore Camp, at Lenore Camp (clap,clap)
Following the standards made, White Team's spirit will never fade.
We'll strive onward to victory
Hail the White Team, the White Team (clap, clap)
Hail the White Team, the White Team (clap, clap)
Hail the White Team, the White Team (clap)
"Knock arrows...shoot."
It was Sunday, August 16, and the archery meet was under way. From each senior team, five of the best archers were chosen.
In all, a total of 15 ends were shot. The first end from each set was for practice. The archers first shot from forty yards, then from thirty, and finally, from twenty yards. Excellent sportsmanship was shown among the players. Archers and spectators extended congratulations to the high scorere, Laurie Wilson, who shot 340. Members of the green and white teams, directors, and counsellors will agree that this tournament was interesting and memorable." (The) Archers featured were:
Green: Bobbie Rosenheim White: Ellen Karlitz
Sheila Sadin Jo Kramer
Janet Scholder Alice Shapiro
Laurie Wilson Nancy Steel
Laurie Jackson Lisa Wald
In honor of the Native American tradition of the bow and arrow, here's a fitting White Team Song:
By the crystal lake of Ashmere,
Where lives the White Team, the White Team (clap, clap)
Leaders past have led us onward.
Here at Lenore Camp, at Lenore Camp (clap,clap)
Following the standards made, White Team's spirit will never fade.
We'll strive onward to victory
Hail the White Team, the White Team (clap, clap)
Hail the White Team, the White Team (clap, clap)
Hail the White Team, the White Team (clap)
Saturday, August 15 More Songs
The '59 Lenorlog indicates that the major activity for today was War Canoe. I wrote about this unique exercise in synchronized canoeing in a past entry. But, it's interesting to note that the themes of that event in 1959, were a mirror of the innocence of the time period, as well as the pop culture of the day. The White Team's theme, was the "Old Woman and the Shoe" (With Captain, Ronnie Durchlag as the "old" woman) The Green Team went more contemporary, with Sargent Bilko as its inspiration. (Captain Bobbie Rosenheim, obviously played the role of Bilko.) As Ann Capell reported, " Both teams displayed wonderful form and sportsmanship, and the judges will certainly have a tough time determining the winner of the eight points for this event." As color war events went, this was a plum one to win, and the results would be announced at the Banquet. And, as the reality of the end of camp began to set in, there was more and more chatter about it.
The Banquet, like the Camp's Birthday also had its own unique songs... (We'd learn those soon enough...)
But," here we are", almost three quarters of the way through the summer, and there are still more songs to include. Though Lenore was about as far from a Workman's Circle Camp as you could get, many of the older songs that probably dated back to the thirties or forties had a decidedly WPA-ish feel to them, with lyrics extolling the virtues of comradeship,hard work, and unity. One of the more notable ones was "These Things Shall Be", the concluding song after Ritual, which, considering the somberness of all that preceded it, was most likely selected for its uplifing melody and tempo:
These things shall be a loftier race than 'ere the world has known shall rise!
With flame of Freedom in their souls and light of Knowledge in their eyes!
Nation with nation, land with land
Unarmed, shall live as comrades free
And every heart and soul shall throb
With the pulse of one fraternity!
Another rousing anthem, that quite literally required that we get up out of our seats on cue, was "No Common Task." When I first heard this song, I actually thought it was some sort of one word Latin phrase: "No commontas" Seriously! All through the summer of '59, that's how I sang it. And, like so many others, there were other words in the song that I botched, as well. It wasn't until the following year, when I was a song leader, that I actually learned the correct words.
No common task, is ours to praise you Camp Lenore
Best in the land, your fame has spread from shore to shore
Yo ho! Yo ho!
Forever camp of our hearts, we will be true ever more!
No common task, is ours to praise you Camp Lenore
Hearken unto the words we sing,
Holding our heads up high
Hear our voices ring,
Everyone stand up and cry: (All stand- Can you hear the rumble of all thsoe chairs?)
L-E-N-O-R-E, Camp Lenore,
We're singing to you... (repeat first verse)
The Banquet, like the Camp's Birthday also had its own unique songs... (We'd learn those soon enough...)
But," here we are", almost three quarters of the way through the summer, and there are still more songs to include. Though Lenore was about as far from a Workman's Circle Camp as you could get, many of the older songs that probably dated back to the thirties or forties had a decidedly WPA-ish feel to them, with lyrics extolling the virtues of comradeship,hard work, and unity. One of the more notable ones was "These Things Shall Be", the concluding song after Ritual, which, considering the somberness of all that preceded it, was most likely selected for its uplifing melody and tempo:
These things shall be a loftier race than 'ere the world has known shall rise!
With flame of Freedom in their souls and light of Knowledge in their eyes!
Nation with nation, land with land
Unarmed, shall live as comrades free
And every heart and soul shall throb
With the pulse of one fraternity!
Another rousing anthem, that quite literally required that we get up out of our seats on cue, was "No Common Task." When I first heard this song, I actually thought it was some sort of one word Latin phrase: "No commontas" Seriously! All through the summer of '59, that's how I sang it. And, like so many others, there were other words in the song that I botched, as well. It wasn't until the following year, when I was a song leader, that I actually learned the correct words.
No common task, is ours to praise you Camp Lenore
Best in the land, your fame has spread from shore to shore
Yo ho! Yo ho!
Forever camp of our hearts, we will be true ever more!
No common task, is ours to praise you Camp Lenore
Hearken unto the words we sing,
Holding our heads up high
Hear our voices ring,
Everyone stand up and cry: (All stand- Can you hear the rumble of all thsoe chairs?)
L-E-N-O-R-E, Camp Lenore,
We're singing to you... (repeat first verse)
Friday, August 14- The Team Tennis Finals
Even though it was a Senior event, today's Team Game was something even the Inters got to watch: The Senior Tennis Finals. This was truly a clash of the Titans, because it pitted the Captain of the White Team, Ronnie Durchlag, against the Captain of the Green Team, Bobbie Rosenheim. This was something that rarely happened. So, this match was looked on with great anticipation. Even from my lowly Inter standpoint, I could see that Ronnie Durschlag was an amazing athlete. Strong and muscular, she clearly was good at everything. And all the younger campers looked at her with nothing short of awe. We literally stopped talking when she walked by. Bobbie Rosenheim, on the other hand, seemed to me to be more glamorous and graceful, so it was going to be interesting to see how this match would turn out. My money was on Ronnie. Here's the entry from the '59 Lenorlog, written by Judy Lager and Ellen Karlitz
"Linesmen ready? Players ready? Begin! This was the familiar call which started off the 1959 Annual Tennis Finals.
the finalists were Ronnie Durchlag of the White Team, and Bobbie Rosenheim of the Green
Team.
After an exciting two sets, Bobbie emerged victor. The scores of the matches were 6-0 and 6-1.
It was agreed that both players showed great skill in this tournament."
So, beauty and grace triumphed. And it wasn't even close.
"Linesmen ready? Players ready? Begin! This was the familiar call which started off the 1959 Annual Tennis Finals.
the finalists were Ronnie Durchlag of the White Team, and Bobbie Rosenheim of the Green
Team.
After an exciting two sets, Bobbie emerged victor. The scores of the matches were 6-0 and 6-1.
It was agreed that both players showed great skill in this tournament."
So, beauty and grace triumphed. And it wasn't even close.
Sunday, August 16, 2009
Thursday, August 13 -Changes in Ownership
Somwhere around this time in mid-August, I always had a feeling of excitement and melancholy. There were all these culminating activities: Big team meets, and finals in many sports.There was still a full two weeks of camp left, but, there was also a sense of things winding down. And, if you looked carefully enough, you could even start to see some of the trees starting to fade... As a camper, you knew your day would be just as full and busy, and yet you also knew that these days were numbered. As color war moved into its final phases, there was also much talk about the Final Campfire, and the Banquet, where the winning teams would be announced.
It was also around this time in 1963, as we headed back from the lake, that we heard the words, "The camp has been sold!" The news rebounded from one girl to another, in disbelief and dismay. What? How was this possible? What would happen to us and the camp? We should have seen it coming. As early as 1962, in the Banquet edition of the Lenorlog, a man named Milton Sicherman bestowed an award on a camper. I guess the plan was for the old director team to gradually ease out and try to segue in the new foursome of directors, (Milton and Sylvia Sicherman and Irving and Dorothy Golob) as seamlessly as possible. By the summer of '63, the new team was obviously in place, though not readily visible to us. Both couples had daughters who had attended Lenore, and who were, at the time, counselors. I have no doubt that the new directors were operating from a position of great affection for the camp. From what I could tell, the Sichermans were the "outside" faces, and The Golobs were behind the scenes, working in the kitchen and the office. - A decision that was clearly regrettable. Even Mrs. Spec sensed it. (A few years later, Irving Golob mentioned to me, that Mrs. Spec advised him, "Irving, get out of the kitchen!") By the end of the '63 season, many of the campers and parents were justifiably concerned about Lenore's future. As a result, some girls didn't return in 1964, despite assurances that all would remain as it was. It didn't.
Change is not always good. Part of Lenore's cachet was that it had STAYED THE SAME. Lenore offered stability, continuity, and the unique assurance that a contemporary camper could experience the same traditions that her grandmother did. Among those traditions was Color War. It was literally woven into the fabric of our CL sweaters, and was an integral part of our day to day existence. Its elimination was akin to pulling the foundation out from under a house. ( And a rather shaky house, at that.) Those of us who did return in good faith, felt betrayed and outraged. The summer of '64 was a disaster. Enrollment dropped even further. And ultimately, the partnership of the Sichermans and Golobs broke up. By 1965, Irving and Dorothy Golob, and Howard and Risa Golob (their son and daughter-in-law) became sole owners of Lenore, and attempted to put things back on track, with the promise that the "old Lenore" would return exactly as it was, traditions intact. Irv Golob finally followed Mrs. Spec's advice; emerged from the kitchen; took the helm and attempted to right a sinking ship. It took a great deal of courage to do so. The Golobs made a huge effort to reach out to my family and others and bring us back. Because of his honesty and earnestness, we returned. And for the following two summers, Lenore was once again the camp on that "lonely, lofty mountaintop" that we loved.
It was also around this time in 1963, as we headed back from the lake, that we heard the words, "The camp has been sold!" The news rebounded from one girl to another, in disbelief and dismay. What? How was this possible? What would happen to us and the camp? We should have seen it coming. As early as 1962, in the Banquet edition of the Lenorlog, a man named Milton Sicherman bestowed an award on a camper. I guess the plan was for the old director team to gradually ease out and try to segue in the new foursome of directors, (Milton and Sylvia Sicherman and Irving and Dorothy Golob) as seamlessly as possible. By the summer of '63, the new team was obviously in place, though not readily visible to us. Both couples had daughters who had attended Lenore, and who were, at the time, counselors. I have no doubt that the new directors were operating from a position of great affection for the camp. From what I could tell, the Sichermans were the "outside" faces, and The Golobs were behind the scenes, working in the kitchen and the office. - A decision that was clearly regrettable. Even Mrs. Spec sensed it. (A few years later, Irving Golob mentioned to me, that Mrs. Spec advised him, "Irving, get out of the kitchen!") By the end of the '63 season, many of the campers and parents were justifiably concerned about Lenore's future. As a result, some girls didn't return in 1964, despite assurances that all would remain as it was. It didn't.
Change is not always good. Part of Lenore's cachet was that it had STAYED THE SAME. Lenore offered stability, continuity, and the unique assurance that a contemporary camper could experience the same traditions that her grandmother did. Among those traditions was Color War. It was literally woven into the fabric of our CL sweaters, and was an integral part of our day to day existence. Its elimination was akin to pulling the foundation out from under a house. ( And a rather shaky house, at that.) Those of us who did return in good faith, felt betrayed and outraged. The summer of '64 was a disaster. Enrollment dropped even further. And ultimately, the partnership of the Sichermans and Golobs broke up. By 1965, Irving and Dorothy Golob, and Howard and Risa Golob (their son and daughter-in-law) became sole owners of Lenore, and attempted to put things back on track, with the promise that the "old Lenore" would return exactly as it was, traditions intact. Irv Golob finally followed Mrs. Spec's advice; emerged from the kitchen; took the helm and attempted to right a sinking ship. It took a great deal of courage to do so. The Golobs made a huge effort to reach out to my family and others and bring us back. Because of his honesty and earnestness, we returned. And for the following two summers, Lenore was once again the camp on that "lonely, lofty mountaintop" that we loved.
Wednesday, August 12 The Counselors
Since I've been reminscing about staff members, I probably should take some time to talk about the counselors we had over the years. For the most part, the bunk counselors were young, college students. (Of course, to us, they seemed really OLD.) Many of them were Phys, Ed majors, and they came from all over the country, mostly for one summer. But, there were a few, key, "upper level" counselors (like the head counselors), who returned year after year. These women were tough. And they had tough names like, Sandy, Rusty, Foxy and Bobby. In fact, I spent my first week of camp in 1959, thinking Sandy was a guy. However, no one instilled more fear in me than Bobby Schammel. She was the head counselor of Inter Camp when I started and was still Head Counselor my last summer. Oddly enough, the 1959 Lenorlog had a section called, "Dirt from the Dustpan", which mentioned that Bobby was once a can-can dancer. A fact I find surprising and almost surreal. Bobby was so intimidating that even at the Camp Lenore reunion at the Yale Club in 2006, I was still a little afraid to talk to her...At any rate, one fateful summer, I had the bad luck to randomly be assigned to Bobby's table in the dining room. Now, the head counselor's table was usually reserved for the trouble-makers and miscreants of the Camp. But, usually, even the best behaved, got assigned there once. That's how I got there.
Bobby was a stickler for table manners and "taste portions." (a required tablespoon of whatever was being served.) One evening, we were served peas and little diced carrots. I dutifully took my taste portion. But, while I was spooning it into my mouth, some accidentally spilled onto the floor. Just as I finished the few remaining peas, Bobby noticed, and said, "See? You liked them after all! Would you like some more?" Something vindictive inside me prompted me to say, "Yes!" I then proceeded to take my new, full portion of peas, and discreetly drop them, one by one, onto the floor. I couldn't wait for us to be excused, thinking I was the first girl in Camp Lenore history to pull a fast-one on Bobby Schammel. However, just as we prepared to push in our chairs in and leave, Bobby decided to make us check under the table for napkins, thus revealing the pile of peas under my chair. I spent the rest of that summer seated right next to her.
There were other counselors of note. Some were in my bunks, and others were simply memorable human beings. Like my counselor in Bunk 33, Lucy Browder, who was from Sweetwater, Tennessee, and was the Nature Counselor. She kept killing jars, filled with dead bugs and butterflies in our backroom. There wer Drama counselors, like Shelley Schulman, who was the main counselor in Bunk 18 when I was a CIT. I have fond memories of Fran Streiter, who was a counselor the whole time that I was at Lenore, and was a wonderful, kind and motivating force during our summers. She was so attached to us and Lenore, that in 1967, when she had to leave camp early for some surgery, she wrote a long and poignant letter to us that was published in the Lenorlog.
And then there was Ellen Greenfield, my counselor in Bunk 34 in 1965. Maybe it was our age, her age, or the fact that we all were New Yorkers, but, to us, Ellen was the greatest counselor a sixteen year old girl could have had. Pretty, with beautiful strawberry blond hair and freckles, Ellen was funny, athletic, and was really the first counselor to whom we all could totally relate. She came to Lenore from Camp Tamarack to teach tennis, along with her sister Jane. They were quite the dynamic duo. Jane was a counselor in Lower Camp, whie Ellen was my counselor in the Valley. And, in what had to be a first for Lenore, their brother, George, also worked at Camp, too. George was a little older than us, very handsome, and as such, was quite the center of all the girls' attention. My bunkmate, Nancy Katzman ended up capturing his.
At the time she was our counselor, Ellen was engaged to marry a young, soon-to-be attorney named Roger Rosenberg. She graciously let us in on all her plans. We were even invited to her wedding. Several years later, Ellen came to mine. Time passed, and though I lost touch with her, I thought I'd try and reconnect with her when I heard about the reunion plans in 2006. Sadly, I learned that Ellen was suffering from a form of brain cancer, and was gravely ill. She passed away shortly after that.
So, here's to you, Ellen along with all the wonderful women (and men) who taught us how to swim, canoe, water ski, play tennis, golf and volley ball, and helped us grow up to be responsible, caring adults.
Bobby was a stickler for table manners and "taste portions." (a required tablespoon of whatever was being served.) One evening, we were served peas and little diced carrots. I dutifully took my taste portion. But, while I was spooning it into my mouth, some accidentally spilled onto the floor. Just as I finished the few remaining peas, Bobby noticed, and said, "See? You liked them after all! Would you like some more?" Something vindictive inside me prompted me to say, "Yes!" I then proceeded to take my new, full portion of peas, and discreetly drop them, one by one, onto the floor. I couldn't wait for us to be excused, thinking I was the first girl in Camp Lenore history to pull a fast-one on Bobby Schammel. However, just as we prepared to push in our chairs in and leave, Bobby decided to make us check under the table for napkins, thus revealing the pile of peas under my chair. I spent the rest of that summer seated right next to her.
There were other counselors of note. Some were in my bunks, and others were simply memorable human beings. Like my counselor in Bunk 33, Lucy Browder, who was from Sweetwater, Tennessee, and was the Nature Counselor. She kept killing jars, filled with dead bugs and butterflies in our backroom. There wer Drama counselors, like Shelley Schulman, who was the main counselor in Bunk 18 when I was a CIT. I have fond memories of Fran Streiter, who was a counselor the whole time that I was at Lenore, and was a wonderful, kind and motivating force during our summers. She was so attached to us and Lenore, that in 1967, when she had to leave camp early for some surgery, she wrote a long and poignant letter to us that was published in the Lenorlog.
And then there was Ellen Greenfield, my counselor in Bunk 34 in 1965. Maybe it was our age, her age, or the fact that we all were New Yorkers, but, to us, Ellen was the greatest counselor a sixteen year old girl could have had. Pretty, with beautiful strawberry blond hair and freckles, Ellen was funny, athletic, and was really the first counselor to whom we all could totally relate. She came to Lenore from Camp Tamarack to teach tennis, along with her sister Jane. They were quite the dynamic duo. Jane was a counselor in Lower Camp, whie Ellen was my counselor in the Valley. And, in what had to be a first for Lenore, their brother, George, also worked at Camp, too. George was a little older than us, very handsome, and as such, was quite the center of all the girls' attention. My bunkmate, Nancy Katzman ended up capturing his.
At the time she was our counselor, Ellen was engaged to marry a young, soon-to-be attorney named Roger Rosenberg. She graciously let us in on all her plans. We were even invited to her wedding. Several years later, Ellen came to mine. Time passed, and though I lost touch with her, I thought I'd try and reconnect with her when I heard about the reunion plans in 2006. Sadly, I learned that Ellen was suffering from a form of brain cancer, and was gravely ill. She passed away shortly after that.
So, here's to you, Ellen along with all the wonderful women (and men) who taught us how to swim, canoe, water ski, play tennis, golf and volley ball, and helped us grow up to be responsible, caring adults.
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
Tuesday, August 11- Sally #2
Anyone who was ever in a camp play, or Ritual, or anything that required a real costume, would have to meet the camp costumier/seamstress, Sally. (Creighton?) The costume shop, which also served as Sally's living quarters, was located behind the Senior Social Hall, in a very wooded area, And, it was accessed (even in 1959,) by a rickety wooden bridge. The effect was sort of fairy-tale-like, and one couldn't help but think that at any moment, a troll might appear. And it did...in a slightly altered state. Once you opened the door to the costume shop, you belonged to Sally. The first thing that hit you upon entering was the smell of 40 years worth of musty fabric, mixed with rancid make-up, and what I now believe was probably Bourbon. And then, from behind a fabric curtain, a tiny, old woman appeared, who resembled a walking cewpie doll. The effect was quite startling: bright orange hair, rheumy blue eyes, white pancake make-up, and red-rouged cheeks. "Hello darlin', she'd drawl at you." Come on over and let Sally get some measurements..." Depending on what role you were playing, Sally would pull out specific old burlap or canvas togas from her storage area and throw them over you with great flourish. Then, she'd pull out pins from a pin cushion she wore on her wrist, and start pinning away. Over the years, I'd have little conversations with her, while she pinned and pulled at me. Invariably, she'd send me on my way with a, "Now, you just let Sally take care of it..." Considering the age and fragility of what she was working with, the fact that Sally managed to have everything all ready when anyone needed to wear it was nothing short of amazing. She was quite the miracle worker. Or, fairy godmother.
I had heard from someone that Sally was a former chorus girl in vaudeville, which, judging from her make-up, made perfect sense. Moreover, at the end of any of our productions, when we acknowledged the people who helped in the production, our last call was always, "We want Sally! We want Sally!" At that point, Sally would emerge from the wings and do a little can-can or jig. It always brought down the house.
I had heard from someone that Sally was a former chorus girl in vaudeville, which, judging from her make-up, made perfect sense. Moreover, at the end of any of our productions, when we acknowledged the people who helped in the production, our last call was always, "We want Sally! We want Sally!" At that point, Sally would emerge from the wings and do a little can-can or jig. It always brought down the house.
Monday, August 10, 2009
Monday, August 10 The Canoe Meet & "The Sally" #1
According to the calendar, in 1959, today was the Canoe Meet. As water events went, this was a big one, and a challenging one from both the competitor's and judges' standpoint. The Green Team and White Team faced off in a variety of events: Different length races, different numbers of girls in a canoe, etc. There were a few novelty events as well. I remember there was one where you had to capsize your canoe, right it, get back in it and paddle back to shore, and I think there was some sort of relay race as well as some form events. As a new camper in 1959, I was still a "rower." So, watching the more advanced teammates compete in this was a good incentive to improve...This was one of those events where the winning team wasn't officially announced until the Banquet, so we were all kept guessing until then. If anyone out there has additional recollections, I'd welcome them.
This brings me to my second subject: "The Sally" (the first one, that is...) All this talk about the Waterfront, reminded me that we used to call the building/boat house where we went to change, "The Sally." I vaguely recall that, in true Lenore fashion, it was a corrupted version of the word, "Sailing." True or not, it's as good a guess as any. More on Sallie #2 later...
This brings me to my second subject: "The Sally" (the first one, that is...) All this talk about the Waterfront, reminded me that we used to call the building/boat house where we went to change, "The Sally." I vaguely recall that, in true Lenore fashion, it was a corrupted version of the word, "Sailing." True or not, it's as good a guess as any. More on Sallie #2 later...
Sunday, August 9, 2009
Sunday, August 9- Come Campers Mark This Day!
Usually, on the first or second Sunday in August, the Camp Birthday was celebrated. This was a huge event, often with costumed skits performed by campers and counselors, special activities, and of course, special food. The culmination was a banquet-like dinner, which included a humongous, beautifully decorated cake by Albert. The cake was so special, that we all had to line-up in order to take pictures of it. The day even started specially. In 1959, Mrs. Spec was still quite lively, and always had a significant role in making the day's announcements. On a typical day, when she would stand, the entire dining room would have to come to a complete standstill. She would totter around the Director's Table, and say, 'Good morning everybody." We would dutifully reply, "Good morning, Mrs. Spec." She would then proceed to tell us what was in store for us. However, on the Camp's Birthday, when Mrs. Spec would say " Good morning, everybody.", we could respond, "Good Morning, Mrs. Spec-torrrrrrr-SKY!!!" This was apparently quite hilarious, and we would have to be calmed down by the counselors in order for Mrs. Spec to continue. Starting from breakfast on, there was singing. Special songs that only could be sung on the Camp's Birthday: Ho Lenore, Come Campers Mark This Day, We're From Camp Lenore,- along with the "standards' of No Common Task, Here's to Thee, 196_, The Spirit of Lenore, and many others. An entry from the 1960 Lenorlog, by Judy Klimpl, captures some of the ambience:
"The usual Sunday program was altered on August 7, due to the celebration of Lenore's 43 birthday. After the Assembly, which consisted of team, and numerous camp songs, we were divided into three groups according to our individual birth months. This year's theme was "Happy Birthday!" The sound of the bugle at 3;30 summoned the three groups, arrayed in colorful costumes, to the front lawn for the presentation of the skits. The skits were delivered as part of the birthday celebration of Margie and Eloise, played respectively by Sandy and Foxie (head counselors) Artistic flats, designed by Penny and Fifi, represented each of the three skits, "King Size Birthday", "Out of this World", and "Witches Escapade." The cutting of the cake by the oldest campers completed the enjoyable tradition."
I had forgotten that if you were a returning camper of at least four years, (I think) you could cut the cake. And the camper who had attended Lenore the longest was saved for last, and got some sort of special recognition. So, Lenore, in honor of your birthday, here's a rousing 'Ho Lenore" to you! (There are two different lyrics printed in past Lenorlogs!)
Ho Lenore! Honor and glory to your name
Ho Lenore ! Brighter and brighter grows your fame!
With love sincere, shouting your name so clear
Sounding a chorus with resounding cheer
Ho Lenore! Sing it aloud of it we're proud
Our camp, dearest of all Lenore!
"We're From Camp Lenore":
Group #1:We're From Camp Lenore!
Group #2; (We're from Camp Lenore!)
#1: Lots of things to do
#2: (Lots of things to do)
#1: Here at camp
#2: (Here at camp)
#1: We're from Camp Lenore!
#2: (We're from Camp Lenore!)
#1: Joys and laughter
(Together) Mem'ries ever after
Of our camp!
"The usual Sunday program was altered on August 7, due to the celebration of Lenore's 43 birthday. After the Assembly, which consisted of team, and numerous camp songs, we were divided into three groups according to our individual birth months. This year's theme was "Happy Birthday!" The sound of the bugle at 3;30 summoned the three groups, arrayed in colorful costumes, to the front lawn for the presentation of the skits. The skits were delivered as part of the birthday celebration of Margie and Eloise, played respectively by Sandy and Foxie (head counselors) Artistic flats, designed by Penny and Fifi, represented each of the three skits, "King Size Birthday", "Out of this World", and "Witches Escapade." The cutting of the cake by the oldest campers completed the enjoyable tradition."
I had forgotten that if you were a returning camper of at least four years, (I think) you could cut the cake. And the camper who had attended Lenore the longest was saved for last, and got some sort of special recognition. So, Lenore, in honor of your birthday, here's a rousing 'Ho Lenore" to you! (There are two different lyrics printed in past Lenorlogs!)
Ho Lenore! Honor and glory to your name
Ho Lenore ! Brighter and brighter grows your fame!
With love sincere, shouting your name so clear
Sounding a chorus with resounding cheer
Ho Lenore! Sing it aloud of it we're proud
Our camp, dearest of all Lenore!
"We're From Camp Lenore":
Group #1:We're From Camp Lenore!
Group #2; (We're from Camp Lenore!)
#1: Lots of things to do
#2: (Lots of things to do)
#1: Here at camp
#2: (Here at camp)
#1: We're from Camp Lenore!
#2: (We're from Camp Lenore!)
#1: Joys and laughter
(Together) Mem'ries ever after
Of our camp!
Saturday, August 8- PVD 2
I had completely forgotten about this, but for many summers, there were 2 Parents' Visiting Days- one during each month. Somehow, I seem to recall, that in the late 60's it was changed to only one, but I could be wrong about this. At any rate, there definitely was a second one in 1959, which also meant the likelihood of me enduring another long-suffering wait at the Lodge for my parents to arrive. I do remember one year, they were so late, the counselors let us sit on the Lodge porch so we'd have a better view when they finally showed up. According to the Lenorlog, during the second PVD in 1960, we had our encore performance of Robin Hood, in which I got to portray the Sheriff of Nottingham for the parents. This was probably the most thrilling experience of my summer that year. Usually, by the second Visiting Day, we were all far more self-assured in our social standing at camp, as well as in our activities. And it was always fun to show off our newly honed skills. I remember my parents always commenting about how "healthy" my sister and I looked. At least they knew we were well-fed. For most campers, the second Visiting Day went much easier in terms of separation anxiety. We knew there were only a few more weeks left of camp and we'd be seeing them soon enough. In keeping with tradition, there would be a Music Hour at the "shell" to help wind us down from all the day's excitement.
Friday August 7- Bunk Night 2
More team games and then another "bunk night" was planned for this evening. Now that I think of it, Bunk Nights were strategically placed on the evening before Parents Visiting Days, so we wouldn't be exhausted for our parents. (PVD was stimulating enough as it was...) One of the perennial favorites of bunk night, was some sort of in bunk activity that culminated in us all getting together in one of the social halls. One that comes to mind, was a 'crepepaper ball." This involved us using crepe paper in the most clever ways possible to create costumes for a grand parade that would take place across the stage of the social hall. I'm not certain, but I think we usually dressed up one poor bunkmate as our mannequin, and made her our "entry" for the evening. At any rate, the winners of the crepe paper balls were often posted in the Lenorlog.
It was that big a deal. On one bunk night in 1959, we all dressed up in large, decorated, brown grocery bags, placed over our heads, with openings cut around the eyes so we could see. We were called "Tritzels" and sang a song, with lyrics that ended, "All around the world we've been, Camp Lenore's Bunk eleven." Were it not for someone's helping hands, I almost walked off the stage... Somehow these sorts of activities were supposed to have a calming effect on us. Not so much. Most of us were still too excited to sleep.
It was that big a deal. On one bunk night in 1959, we all dressed up in large, decorated, brown grocery bags, placed over our heads, with openings cut around the eyes so we could see. We were called "Tritzels" and sang a song, with lyrics that ended, "All around the world we've been, Camp Lenore's Bunk eleven." Were it not for someone's helping hands, I almost walked off the stage... Somehow these sorts of activities were supposed to have a calming effect on us. Not so much. Most of us were still too excited to sleep.
Thursday, August 6
Geez... ANOTHER trip to Tanglewood? This time, it was for "Tanglewood on Parade", which was generally a crowd-pleasing evening of Boston Pop favorites. It also was, most likely, our last trip to Tanglewood for the season. As August progressed, the evenings became increasingly cooler, often requiring the addition of our green CL jackets and pants. (How lovely were those green gaberdine numbers?) There was such a wealth of cultural activities all around us, it was easy to become jaded about it. The younger campers were far more interested in the possibility of going to Friendly's.
To Lenorites, Friendly's was the be-all and end-all of rewards. It was the ultimate "carrot on a stick" incentive, but in this case, the stick was encased in ice cream. The deal was, if you received the green flag every day for an entire week, you'd get to leave camp and go to Friendly's in Pittsfield for ice cream cones. If you received the flag for two weeks in a row, you'd get sundaes. Three weeks: something more elaborate. Now, most bunks didn't get the green flag for clean-up two weeks running. However, when I was a Valley Senior one year, I remember we got the green flag every day for the entire summer. This was a huge deal, because we went to Friendly's every week. We finally ended up with our big reward of having dinner there one night. Patty melts, and Awful-Awfuls. (a giant milk shake, whose name was later changed to the Fribble...) I don't doubt that the rules were modified slightly after that...
To Lenorites, Friendly's was the be-all and end-all of rewards. It was the ultimate "carrot on a stick" incentive, but in this case, the stick was encased in ice cream. The deal was, if you received the green flag every day for an entire week, you'd get to leave camp and go to Friendly's in Pittsfield for ice cream cones. If you received the flag for two weeks in a row, you'd get sundaes. Three weeks: something more elaborate. Now, most bunks didn't get the green flag for clean-up two weeks running. However, when I was a Valley Senior one year, I remember we got the green flag every day for the entire summer. This was a huge deal, because we went to Friendly's every week. We finally ended up with our big reward of having dinner there one night. Patty melts, and Awful-Awfuls. (a giant milk shake, whose name was later changed to the Fribble...) I don't doubt that the rules were modified slightly after that...
Saturday, August 8, 2009
Wednesday, August 5 - Activities
In going through all my Lenorlogs over the years, I was struck by the wide range of activities that we were offered on a daily basis. ( In addition to our daily swimming classes.) And though this date in 1959 indicates another team game, which was more than likely a field event of some sort (volleyball, kick ball, soft ball, cage ball), there were a slew of other non-competitive activities that occupied our time. Many activities were added over the years as girls tastes changed. By 1966, the roster included: Arts and crafts, Fine Arts, Dance, Guitar, Drama, Waterskiing, Sailing, Rowing, Canoeing, Campcrafts, Archery, Golf, Tennis and Nature. In 1967, fencing was added. All of these activities were included in our camp tuition. The only "extra' was horseback riding, which was something that I really wanted to do. One accessed the riding rink by entering a heavily shrubbed area between Bunk 16 and the Lodge, and following a path which passed a large equipment garage. The path eventually opened to a clearing which revealed the stable and a large, enclosed riding corral. By and large, the horses were old and generally foul-tempered. I remember I always seemed to get Cinnamon, whose pleasant name unfortunately didn't match his disposition. Since we rode "English", I learned to walk, post, trot, canter, and eventually, even take a jump or two. Though there were some lovely trails around camp that I eventually saw in the following years, I spent most of the summer of 1959 just trying to get Cinnamon to move forward...
Tuesday, August 4 The DDT truck
At some point during our summer, usually around dusk, a truck would appear, spewing beautiful billows of smoke in its wake. It would usually be heralded by the gleeful cries of, "DDT!, DDT!" As the truck made its way down the roads behind the bunks on Campus, or down the Lane, some prudent campers would wisely hold their noses and run into their bunks. However, the braver souls among us would take turns running in and out of the grey clouds that followed the vehicle, cheerfully losing themselves in the vapors. In 1959, no one seemed too terribly concerned.
Afterall, it wasn't like we were running with scissors...
Afterall, it wasn't like we were running with scissors...
Monday, August 3, 2009
Monday, August 3 Senior Swim Meet
As the month of August started, the Color War "battles" became more heated. Here's Anita Turenshine's* account from the '59 Lenorlog
'Early in the morning of August 3rd, the Seniors held their annual swim meet. Besides, the usual races and form events, special extras were the water melon relay, Camp Lenore Block event, and teh cap relay, adding to the excitement of the meet.
After all the events were finished, everyone agreed the meet was very exciting and very close."
A few things struck me about this entry. One, was that several years later, Anita Turenshine moved into my neighborhood, and had changed her name to Anita Turen. Two, this entry reminded me how cold that water was early in the morning! My favorite events were form diving and the breaststroke. But, I had completely forgotten about the Lenore Block event: dozens of floating baby blocks with all sorts of letters were set free in one of the cribs on the waterfront. The first team to find the letters that spelled out Camp Lenore in their team colors, and return them to the dock was the winner. I don't remember too many details about the water melon relay, other than the melon was greased, bobbed around a lot, and you had to get it from one side of the crib to the other. I think the cap relay entailed swimming with something in a bathing cap and passing it from one swimmer to the the next. There was alot at stake here, because the swim meet was worth quite a few points to the team that won.
After all that, we had to walk back up the hill for the quarter of a mile hike back to camp. And that was just the beginning of the day.
'Early in the morning of August 3rd, the Seniors held their annual swim meet. Besides, the usual races and form events, special extras were the water melon relay, Camp Lenore Block event, and teh cap relay, adding to the excitement of the meet.
After all the events were finished, everyone agreed the meet was very exciting and very close."
A few things struck me about this entry. One, was that several years later, Anita Turenshine moved into my neighborhood, and had changed her name to Anita Turen. Two, this entry reminded me how cold that water was early in the morning! My favorite events were form diving and the breaststroke. But, I had completely forgotten about the Lenore Block event: dozens of floating baby blocks with all sorts of letters were set free in one of the cribs on the waterfront. The first team to find the letters that spelled out Camp Lenore in their team colors, and return them to the dock was the winner. I don't remember too many details about the water melon relay, other than the melon was greased, bobbed around a lot, and you had to get it from one side of the crib to the other. I think the cap relay entailed swimming with something in a bathing cap and passing it from one swimmer to the the next. There was alot at stake here, because the swim meet was worth quite a few points to the team that won.
After all that, we had to walk back up the hill for the quarter of a mile hike back to camp. And that was just the beginning of the day.
Sunday, August 2, 2009
Sunday, August 2- The Winds of Change & The Valley Trip
It's hard to believe that we're at the mid-way point in our summer. Just four weeks of camp left. In 1959, eight weeks of sleep away camp was the only option camps offered. Today, due to the high cost of overnight camps, along with the variety of other recreational activities available to kids, most camps offer a one, three, or four week session. Back then, we were all on the eight-week plan. Little did we know, in a few short years, there would be a variety of external and internal forces that would not only affect our summers at Lenore, but camps in general.
The late fifties to the early seventies were probably the Golden Years of sleep away camps. That's certainly due to the fact that we Baby Boomers, the largest portion of the population, were growing up during that time. So, there were alot of us going to camp. But, starting in the early sixties, camps had to compete with a new phenomenon: the Teen Tour. These tours included teenage girls and boys, and involved travelling by bus to different destinations around the country.(often to visit colleges) They became quite popular with those girls who were ready for a change from "traditional" camp.
As we all learned in biology, those that can't adapt, soon become extinct. The Directors of Lenore wisely saw this looming trend, and chose to counter it with: The Valley Trip. As early as 1962, the Senior Valley girls spent a good portion of a week travelling by bus to visit some of the top colleges in the area. It was received quite enthusiastically, And was alot of fun.( I distinctly remember sleeping in one of the dorms at Wellesley on a very warm night...) This strategy, though not perfect, must have worked for a while, at least. Because I don't remember losing too many of my Lenore friends to teen tours. But, Lenore was a "generalist" camp in an ever-increasing field of "specialist" camps. Tennis, Drama, co-ed and "Work" camps were now all competing for kids' attention and parents' wallets. This, no doubt, was also a contributing factor to declining enrollment during the mid-sixties.
But, Lenore had to face a far more difficult challenge: old age. In 1959, ithe camp was already a middle-aged 42 years old, and I have no doubt that maintaining it, or repairing it was becoming increasingly expensive. The three "active" Directors were getting on in age, and Mrs. Spec was already ancient...By 1962, some unfamiliar faces began to appear at the Lodge and some of our lunches and activities...
But, none of us was thinking that far ahead. This was 1959, the first Sunday in August, and like every prior Sunday, we went to Music Hour. The only thing on most of our minds was what comic book we were going to read.
The late fifties to the early seventies were probably the Golden Years of sleep away camps. That's certainly due to the fact that we Baby Boomers, the largest portion of the population, were growing up during that time. So, there were alot of us going to camp. But, starting in the early sixties, camps had to compete with a new phenomenon: the Teen Tour. These tours included teenage girls and boys, and involved travelling by bus to different destinations around the country.(often to visit colleges) They became quite popular with those girls who were ready for a change from "traditional" camp.
As we all learned in biology, those that can't adapt, soon become extinct. The Directors of Lenore wisely saw this looming trend, and chose to counter it with: The Valley Trip. As early as 1962, the Senior Valley girls spent a good portion of a week travelling by bus to visit some of the top colleges in the area. It was received quite enthusiastically, And was alot of fun.( I distinctly remember sleeping in one of the dorms at Wellesley on a very warm night...) This strategy, though not perfect, must have worked for a while, at least. Because I don't remember losing too many of my Lenore friends to teen tours. But, Lenore was a "generalist" camp in an ever-increasing field of "specialist" camps. Tennis, Drama, co-ed and "Work" camps were now all competing for kids' attention and parents' wallets. This, no doubt, was also a contributing factor to declining enrollment during the mid-sixties.
But, Lenore had to face a far more difficult challenge: old age. In 1959, ithe camp was already a middle-aged 42 years old, and I have no doubt that maintaining it, or repairing it was becoming increasingly expensive. The three "active" Directors were getting on in age, and Mrs. Spec was already ancient...By 1962, some unfamiliar faces began to appear at the Lodge and some of our lunches and activities...
But, none of us was thinking that far ahead. This was 1959, the first Sunday in August, and like every prior Sunday, we went to Music Hour. The only thing on most of our minds was what comic book we were going to read.
Saturday, August 1, 2009
Saturday, August 1 -Look Park!
For every year I was at Lenore, we always took a trip to a recreation facility called Look Park. It was one of the most popular outings of the summer. Look Park was the closest thing we had to today's water parks. Only not nearly as elaborate and high tech. But, it was huge (or,so it seemed to us), and featured enormous swimming pools with twisting slides. There were other attractions as well. But, I just remember those swimming pools. Here's the Lenorlog entry for this date, written by Patsy Goldstein
"On the sunny after of August first, most the Inters took a long-dreamed of trip to Look Park- a paradise enjoyed by every active child. A few of its many attractions are tamed wild animals, peddle boats, and a large heated pool.
After an enjoyable bus ride, we arrived at the park. When we got settled, we had a delicious picnic lunch. After lunch, we eagerly explored the many sights.
The climax of the day, was when we went swimming in the huge heated pool, at the end of which was an enormous slide. Many campers had fun zooming down it.
We returned to camp tired, but happy with many pleasant memories of Look Park."
"On the sunny after of August first, most the Inters took a long-dreamed of trip to Look Park- a paradise enjoyed by every active child. A few of its many attractions are tamed wild animals, peddle boats, and a large heated pool.
After an enjoyable bus ride, we arrived at the park. When we got settled, we had a delicious picnic lunch. After lunch, we eagerly explored the many sights.
The climax of the day, was when we went swimming in the huge heated pool, at the end of which was an enormous slide. Many campers had fun zooming down it.
We returned to camp tired, but happy with many pleasant memories of Look Park."
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