(Reflections of the 100th summer of Camp Timanous "The Hundy")
School starts in a week, the students will pour into the classrooms with excitement, maybe some good stories, curiosity and anxiety about the new school year ahead. What will this group of students be like? Will I be able to help anyone learn a skill in the art room? will I be able to help them be a better person? I often wonder at this time of year when I transition from Camp counselor to Art teacher and advisor how I can create community in my classroom. It is much easier at Camp Timanous but we spend a lot more time at school and in the classrooms. Cabins are crowded and living with others in close spaces forces us to learn how to respect each others things, differences and have tolerance for others not exactly like what we are used too. Maybe we should give students more responsibilities as they earn them kinda like the Woodsman and Voyagers Club. Camp is great because the teachers are not much older than the campers but teachers cannot stay young forever. Allowing students to be heard, fresh air as much as possible, and positive reinforcement are the keys. Being outside where kids can move walk and run. This is why I spend my whole summer at Camp, because we can make a difference in such a short time. Teaching to the Body, Mind, and Spirit.
Body-
Pineman. Campers run to the bell the bell rings somebody yells "That's the Bell!" Swimming in the Lake, Loons driving underwater, the mist rising up into the dawn sky. ducks diving for water snails who leave cryptic messages for us in the sand underwater. The eagle that flies overhead near main dock and someone always yells "the eagles are coming!" dips diving into the lake coming out and seeing the sun come through the pines. Swimming from main to Crows Point to beginners beach. Sailing on Panther Pond. Watching for the sail boats to come back in so we know it's the end of the period. Flag raising mingle with campers and in line with counselors excited about the night before but more about the day ahead with the kids. The capture the flag barn announcement. 40 campers and counselors making a charge on the field or infirmary hill in the green and gray capture the flag game. This years games ending up Gray 8 Green 6. Shushing the barn at lunch and the hammer being turned to Gray. Counselors suddenly turning into Gorillas in the barn for the Grand Daddy Gorilla Hunt game. The head counselor "Murder" game started 50 some years ago. The whole camp starting the fire at council fire. "8:45 bring a buck". Cabin clean up, cookouts, sports, twilight league, and camping trips help the body become stronger and more connected to the community of camp.
Mind-
Dave Suitor, Linda Suitor! Learning to get along with others who are different from us. Learning how to swim, sail, shoot a gun or a bow, make a basket, an Adirondack chair, build a fire, set up a tent cook a meal etc...Managing your time at camp. Working towards an award as a camper, working with a homesick camper as a counselor. Helping campers learn how to make their beds and keep a clean area all day. managing campers who won't get out of the water at dips or campers who won't get ready for bed. Barn announcements, birthday speeches, sports "west coast!"Suitcase trivia, and the most important of all what to say about a camper's commendation speech at council fire.
Spirit-
Sandy Tattersall, council fire, chapel talks, chapel songs, seeing old timers come back to camp with big smiles on their faces. Chippy Hatch! Camp songs! story telling, Herman Schwartz! Shushing the barn "Great Chapel Jake Congleton and Dick Howlett!" The pine trees, the tears that roll down camper and counselors eyes at the end of camp and at chapel after singing any camp favorite. The energy of the 100th anniversary with 300-400 alumni wandering around camp with wide eyes and happiness beaming out of them like a disco ball at night. The spirit of Timanous is the most important and the loyalty that Timanous has among it's counselors who come back year after year to learn teach and experience camp for just one more year. It's the greatest learning environment in todays troubled world of too much technology, hate and the me firsters! The spirit of Timanous, the spirit of adventure, the spirit of learning, and the spirit of living well.
After 100 years Timanous is live and well on Panther Pond in Raymond Maine!
Man I love camp! and I hope I can somehow carry the energy of Timanous into my classroom!
To the Hundy!
