Timberlane is unique compared with most
other camps, because we have achieved something most camps never
experience. Over 90% of our staff is composed of former campers who
have come up through the ranks of our leadership traing program, and
this is probably the highest home-grown percentage of any
camp in the country. Most boys who attend private camps are given a
series of activities to take as they continue attending camp, and
they are exposed to as many new situations as possible. It is hoped
that during this time they will make new friends and become more
mature persons, but by the time they complete tenth grade in high
school, usually camp is over for them. Is this enough?
I have always felt that most camps make a mistake when they do all
the work for the boy in program planning. Whats wrong with
giving the young boy a chance to choose some activities and help make
some personal decisions? As the camper returns to camp, he should be
encouraged to speak out with any ideas he might have to improve camp.
For example, one year some boys came up to me with the idea of
creating a radio station, so that fall I gave them a budget of
$300.00 and let them develop the program. The next summer, radio
station KTIM was born. Trampolining presented a problem, so our
campers devised a complete set of rules for a game called tramp ball,
and it is one of the most popular activities at camp.
Staff members have suggested new ideas too. Lee Glicksman a counselor
who came up through the ranks, convinced me that pottery could be a
great activity, and in two years, weve built wheels for
spinning the clay, and we have a kiln to fire up and glaze the
products that the boys create. This magazine, Timberlife, is a
creation of Fred Bierman, another counselor up through the ranks. The
implementation of the publication must develop through the
creativity, ideas and love of the part of the campers who write
articles, take pictures, help write headlines and do the layouts.
Its just another in the continuing caravan of new ideas at
Timberlane. Nature Lore, backpacking and volleyball are ideas that
have becom more popular this year, and I know that many new boys will
participate in these new areas.
It is difficult to mention the countless new ideas that crop up each
season, and although some of them arent always successful, we
need never fear running out of new ideas at Timberlane. And this is
what makes Timberlane tick... Its each of you boys running up
to H.H. with new ideas (and some of them pretty far-fetched) that
ultimately makes us grow a little. If you come back to Timberlane
year after year without leaving a little of your spirit behind at the
end of your stay, or if you work with young boys and dont
implant some of yourself on their souls, then youve missed the
boat. Vance Liebman, Joe Shneider, Randy Wynn, Fred Bierman, Lee
Glicksman and on and on and on--- each of them has contributed so
much to Timberlane, yet each of them has spent just as much time
preparing new people to take their places when they dont return
to camp. Thats been their greatest contribution, and when camp
is over for them, Ill bet therell be a lot of young cubs
just itching to take their places. Some of you might end up doing a
bigger and better job than anyone every dreamed you could do.
H.H.