EB Stories! - YMCA Camp Eberhart

YMCA CAMP EBERHART
IN THE LATER WAR YEARS AND THE POSTWAR DECADE
Picture furnished by W ayne Cooper, photographer unknown.
Recollections by Robert C. "RC" Moore, c. 1945 -- 1955 (except 1954)
With Comments (in italics) by Clayton D. "Peanuts" Root, 1943 -- 1954
YM CA CAM P EBERHART, 1943 -- 1955
by RC Moore and Peanuts Root
Page 1
Although we heard about Cam p Eberhart's early history from the Director, George A. "Coop" Cooper, fairly
often, the only thing that I rem em ber is that at least part of Eberhart's acreage was once a m en's hunting
and/or fishing cam p.
Reportedly, the m en were rather careless in the disposal of their beer and whiskey bottles. Therefore,
since there supposedly was a lot of broken glass around, everyone was asked to wear shoes at all tim es.
I never did except when we played softball or capture the flag, and had no problem s.
This Cam p-area-occupancy story is not m entioned in either Tom Vance's 1999 revision of his 1984
booklet, "The Making of a Cam p..." [www.cam peb.org/history/m oac/m oacm ain.htm l, 6/1/09; see,
particularly, the first two paragraphs of Chap. 2] or in Lou Sandrock's 11/05 transcription of George
Cooper's 1967 Dave's House talk, "In 'Coop's' Own W ords..." [www.cam peb.org/alum ni/coopstories.htm ,
6/1/09].
_______________
Our fam ily m oved to W arsaw, Indiana (a sm all town in the northern part of the state) when I was about 5
years old (1942). Soon after, our new neighbors, the Millers, told m y parents about a sum m er cam p that
their son, Dick, attended: Cam p Eberhart, a part of the South Bend YMCA. Sounded really good to m e.
So, next sum m er, on a Visitation Day, m y dad and I accom panied Mr. and Mrs. Miller to C am p to look
things over. My father--who played college football in the era when there was no body padding and the
headgear consisted of nothing m ore than a thin leather cap--probably wanted to be sure that his only son
did not grow up to be a wim p. Dad m et Coop and the W aterfront Director, Gerald "Spit" Spitler, and that
sealed the deal. I was going!
Added by Peanuts Root: Spit lived in Southern California and drove out to Camp each summ er in a red
1938 Buick coupé. He was drafted into the army at some point and we never saw him after the w ar and
wonder if he survived the war. Spit was all of 5 feet 5 inches tall and probably w eighed 250 pounds, all
muscle, and was a football player. He apparently was recruited by Coop as a possible successor--his
charisma almost matched Coop’s, even to my 7 year old mind.
I was a Cam per for half-sum m ers from c. 1945 until the early 1950s. I then was a Counselor for a sum m er
or two. D uring m y last sum m er at Cam p (1955), I was a sailing-staff m em ber ("Staff"). [I was an
exchange student in Germ any during the sum m er of 1954 and, therefore, did not attend Cam p that year.]
I have not been back to Cam p since 1955.
I am writing these Recollections from m em ory--I have no diary and no notes. Therefore, there are bound
to be som e m istakes in what follows, particularly in the spelling of nam es and in dates--such phrases as
"in the beginning," "toward the end," etc. refer to m y decade at Cam p, and not to the 100-year history of
Cam p Eberhart itself.
Added by Peanuts Root: My father and his three brothers had attended Camp in the 1920s and, so, when
I turned six in 1943, I was told to pack my bags because I was going to Camp. My mother drove me to the
Greyhound Bus station in Gary, Indiana, and put me on the bus to Three Rivers. [There was gas rationing
then, and the drive from Crown Point used too m any stamps.] I arrived at Three Rivers and no one met
me as my parents had forgotten to call Camp about my travel plans--there was a war going on and the
adults had important things to take care of. So I called Camp on the pay phone and talked to someone at
the Mess Hall. Coop showed up an hour or so later to get me. In the meantime, I had bought a bag of
unshelled peanuts for lunch and was sitting on my trunk eating them when Coop showed up; hence my
nick-name, "Peanuts." I stayed all eight weeks that summer and every summer thereafter until 1954
except several times in the late 1940s and 1950s when camp was closed for short periods due to the polio
scare.
YM CA CAM P EBERHART, 1943 -- 1955
by RC Moore and Peanuts Root
Page 2
TYPE OF CAMP.
Cam p Eberhart
the cam p itself.
(four or five per
Counselors and
was what was called a "program cam p," m eaning that virtually all activities took place at
At Eberhart, there were very few exceptions to this "stay in Cam p" policy: Canoe trips
sum m er), sailing trips (two per sum m er), and trips to Three Rivers (with perm ission) for
Staff on their nights off.
Added by Peanuts Root: W heeler's Restaurant opened up on Corey Lake after the war (in 1946) in a
modern cedar-sided building just opposite Dave’s House. Those campers skilled enough to win some
event or contest were rewarded with a trip to W heelers for ham burgers and French fries, and were driven
over in the camp truck by Joe Peel, the one armed truck driver. The losers had to stay at camp and eat
cold cuts again. W e all, of course, rode in the open back of the truck singing 100 Bottles of Beer on the
W all. But Camp also had its work side as noted in my Comments under "Cabins."
There was a sm all gas station/grocery store/bait shop at the west end of Little Corey. It always was off
lim its to everyone. I usually went there only when there was no wind for sailing until I was hired-on to be a
Counselor (when getting caught m ight have m eant getting sent hom e).
The Island was not connected to the mainland by dry land. It, too, was off-lim its. [I assum e that the Island
was not owned by the Y during m y tim e at Cam p.]
DIRECTOR'S FAMILY.
George A. Cooper was the cam p's Director; as is generally known, everyone called him "Coop." He was
well-liked, adm ired, and respected and he seem ed to be everywhere at the sam e tim e and to know
everything that went on. More than once I looked up from som e piece of m ischief, and there he was, just
standing there, saying nothing. From his stern visage, I knew that I was expected to do better.
Added by Peanuts Root: Coop was a bit of a name dropper. From time to time he would tell stories about
Knute Rockne and George Gipp, friends that he worked with at Notre Dame.
I don't rem em ber that Coop was a warm -and-fuzzy type of guy. I never saw Coop laugh, and rarely saw
him sm ile. No m atter; one could not ask for a better cam p director or hum an being.
Coop m ade it quite clear to Staff, Counselors, and Cam pers alike that "we do not get any enjoym ent out of
the m isery of others." This philosophy set the tone for the relationship between Staff and Counselors on
the one hand, and Cam pers on the other: There was virtually no harassm ent.
Coop had som e problem getting around. After a few years, he needed a cane. Toward the end, som eone
provided him with a topless W W II Jeep. One tim e, when Coop had to go away from Cam p for a few days,
we fixed his Jeep. The m om ent Coop left Cam p, the Craft Shop crew rem oved the seats, and recovered
them with beautiful hair-out calf-hide. The Boat House crew sanded the Jeep's body, and painted it bright
red. Som eone else installed a claxon. Upon his return, Coop was m ost pleased. [Coop's Jeep m ade
absolutely no noise as he drove from place to place--we probably should have fixed that too!]
Years later, Coop's Jeep was found abandoned "back in the woods" by Donald H. Sm ith and his sons. It
was in bad shape, and m issing the windshield fram e (which they later found in Cam p's dum p). The
Sm iths bought the Jeep, fixed up, and drove it for m any years. [At som e point they added a Buick V-6
engine!] The last Sm ith-owner, Daniel, eventually sold it out of the fam ily to a guy in Edgerton, W isconsin.
[Inform ation provided by Daniel Root, Peanuts' brother, and by Kevin E. Sm ith, one of Donald Sm ith's
sons.]
YM CA CAM P EBERHART, 1943 -- 1955
by RC Moore and Peanuts Root
Page 3
Coop's wife (Elsa?) was the cam p nurse, and provided a shoulder to cry on for boys that were excessively
hom esick. Most of us just toughed-it-out or, as we say in W yom ing, "cowboy'd up." [Coop always said
that "every boy who com es from a good hom e will be hom esick" and that "hom esickness was nothing to
be asham ed of".]
I rem em ber when M rs. Cooper took care of m e: On a canoe trip, I slid down a slope covered with poison
ivy, and I was blistered everywhere as a result. She slathered on the Calam ine lotion and attended to the
TLC. My parents were very am used; I was not.
The Coopers had a daughter, Charlotte, who was several years older that I. W hen in Cam p, she ate in the
Mess Hall at Coop's (head) table, was often accom panied by a girlfriend or two, and som etim es used a
sailboat or canoe when the rest of the cam p was elsewhere (eating, playing softball, etc.).
Charlotte's presence at a boys' cam p caused no problem s except one that certainly was not of her
m aking: One evening, after athletics, the younger Cam pers were enjoying a chocolate dip, Cam p's term
for skinny-dipping. Som e fool started the rum or that Charlotte was watching from the shadows. The
squeals, scream s, and shrieks were m ost gratifying.
The Coopers lived in a house between Little Corey Lane and the place where we assem bled for a head
count before m eals. As with the store at the west end of Little Corey, that area was off lim its. To help
"enforce" this keep-away edict, Coop had several signs on and around his house warning that poison gas
would be set-off by trespassers. I don't know of anyone who tested the warning.
OTHER PERSONNEL.
Aside from Coop and his fam ily, everyone in Cam p was part of one of the following groups:
C Non-program Staff. This group included...
B Cooks. Most or all of the cooks were wom en. They largely kept to them selves.
B Dining room supervisor. He had charge of the KPs, the dishwashing m achine, etc.
B Truck Driver (for m any years, Tom Singer). He picked up the trash, pulled the grader to
sm ooth the m ain road, Corey Lane [Spit or one of the Scannell brothers operated the
grader itself.], took Cam pers and their leaders on canoe trips, fetched supplies and the
occasional Cam per, and so forth. Studebaker gave a new pick-up truck to Cam p every
year or two.
B Bugler. One of the very best buglers that Cam p had was a slightly-built, freckled kid
nam ed Billy Britain.
B Caretaker. He lived som ewhere away from Cam p. I never saw him .
B Store, Boys' Cam p. One or two of the few Staff wives in Cam p worked at Cam p's store
and/or office.
C Program Staff. This group is described below and included...
B Boys' Cam p. A few of the staff wives worked at the Craft Shop. During one sum m er, a
young fem ale worked at the Boat House (and she was treated just like one of the guys).
YM CA CAM P EBERHART, 1943 -- 1955
by RC Moore and Peanuts Root
Page 4
B Girls' Cam p, Most of the m ore senior staff m em bers in Boys' Cam p were hired to work
at Girls' Cam p. [I worked at Girls' Cam p only once or twice.]
C Counselors--at Boys' Cam p, there was one Counselor for each nine boys. [The ratio at M orris
Lodge m ay have been slightly different.]
The difference between "Program Staff" and "Counselors" was that Program Staff (usually just referred-to
as "Staff") spent m ost of their tim e at one of the program areas teaching skills and m aintaining equipm ent.
[I don't rem em ber where the m arried or unm arried staff m em bers lived.] Staff also filled-in for Counselors
on their nights off.
Counselors, on the other hand, had charge of nine Cam pers: They lived with "their" Cam pers in the sam e
cabin, and stayed with them during m ost of the day and evening. Counselors earned about $7.00 per day;
Staff, som ewhat m ore. Counselors and Staff also received "three hots and a cot" (board and room ).
From tim e-to-tim e there were "Junior Counselors" who were like counselors-in-training. These younger
counselors got "three hots and a cot" but no salary. [I m ay have been a Junior Counselor during the fourth
period of Boys' Cam p at the end of the sum m er before I was hired to be a Counselor.]
C Cam pers, Boys' Cam p.
In the beginning, Cam pers were divided into two groups, Juniors and everybody else. Juniors were six,
seven, and eight years old--I should have been a Junior during m y first year at Cam p, but wasn't: Since
m y older neighbor, Dick Miller, agreed (probably under duress) to "look out for m e," I was assigned to his
cabin with the bigger kids.
Juniors (and their Counselors) were under the general supervision of Phil Barkley, and had som ewhat
different activities.
After Morris Lodge was built in the early 1950s, all of the older boys were assigned to Morris Lodge.
These Seniors were 17, 16, and m aybe 15 years old. I was their Counselor when I was 16.
Although a few boys cam e from poorer fam ilies and som e of these were on Cam perships, Cam p was
m ostly m iddle-class, white, and Protestant. In 1955(?) Coop recruited som e Cam pers from Chicago's
South Side housing projects. Coop told the Counselors and Staff what he had done but, quite wisely, did
not identify these Cam pers by nam e or say in what cabins they would be placed. Coop m ade it quite clear
that these boys were to be treated just like every other Cam per. I don't rem em ber any problem s.
Added by Peanuts Root: Actually camp was integrated in the late 1940s by African-American boys from
South Bend sponsored by the YMCA. From my perspective as a 10-12 year-old, this wasn’t a big deal
because of the camp culture created by Coop. It would be interesting to know what brought the YMCA at
that time to be such a trail blazer and what the exact dates were. It may have been 1947 when Jackie
Robinson broke in with the Brooklyn Dodgers. Other boys in the same program at that tim e have already
written about the life changing impact camp had on them posted on Camp’s website, www.campeb.org.
DISCIPLINE.
Tim e-and-again Coop rem inded everyone that horseplay resulted in the only death at Cam p, "Horseplay
will not be tolerated," he said (and it wasn't, although Cam pers som etim es did try to swim off the rowboats,
to deliberately capsize the canoes and sailboats, and to turn over the heavy raft anchored in the deep-
YM CA CAM P EBERHART, 1943 -- 1955
by RC Moore and Peanuts Root
Page 5
water part of the swim m ing area).
Although I m ay have shut down a few card or dice gam es in Morris Lodge that involved m oney, gam bling
was not a big problem at Cam p. There was no problem with alcohol or other drugs (although som e Staff
and a few Counselors probably sm oked--no big deal in the decade after W ar Two). I don't rem em ber any
fights, and I never heard of a Counselor or Staff striking a Cam per (although one Counselor did get sent
hom e, but I never knew why).
The Cam pers did, however, play flinch (not the card gam e), and I occasionally had a black-and-blue
shoulder to show for m y inattention.
Just as the children in To Kill a Mockingbird had an irrational fear of their neighbor, so, too, did we boys
have an irrational fear of som e of the Staff. W e were afraid of the dining room supervisor (whom we
thought had served tim e in reform school for som e heinous crim e) and of John Scannell. John was about
nine feet tall (or so it seem ed) and carried a riding crop (which I never saw him use). Many of us were so
terrified of the riding instructor, Mrs. Delhant, that we becam e physically ill on those days that we were
assigned to ride. But, in retrospect, I'm sure that her "bark" was just her way of keeping our attention and
of being sure that there were no accidents in riding class. These fears of 60 years ago seem rather
hum orous today.
Added by Peanuts Root: Mrs. Delhant taught the English flat saddle riding style and, with it, proper
manners in the ring and out of the ring. It was always "no ma'am" or "yes ma'am," and--if sitting--to stand
up when she came up to address the next class before it mounted. She had very serious horse shows
each year that were divided into three levels with professional judges and with ribbons for the first three
places. The riding classes were lessons preparing for the horse shows, and riders were constantly
criticized for their mistakes in riding techniques and style, all with the goal of improvement in all phases.
All Campers were required to attend her classes. Big horses, little boys and a demanding instructor were
a challenge. Her husband, The Colonel (W W I Calvary), showed up from time to time to sympathize with
the boys which was much appreciated. In looking back on this particular experience, it becom es apparent
that the attitudes of the times were colored by an awareness by these adults that the country was at war-first as a hot war and later as a cold war--and that, in a way, we kids were in training. So there was not a
great deal of concern expressed for our feelings or self-esteem.
THE SUMMER.
Although a few people probably visited Cam p during the non-sum m er m onths to use the ice boat (sitting
at-the-ready in the entrance to the Boat House), to fish, or to just enjoy the woods, Eberhart was a
sum m er-use-only cam p until Morris Lodge was built. The sum m er was divided into seven or eight periods:
C W ork Cam p. This was the week or so before the first period of Boys' Cam p. During W ork Cam p
the sailboats were put in the water, the piers were carried from the beach to their place off-shore, etc.
There was lots of work and som e free tim e. [I attended W ork Cam p only once, if at all.]
C Boys' Cam p. This included four two-week periods from the m iddle of June until the m iddle of
August. Each period began on a Sunday afternoon, and ended on a Saturday, 13 days later.
The Sunday afternoon at the m iddle of each period was Visitation Day. Parents, brothers, and sisters had
tours with a m eet-and-greet at each program area followed by an aquatic show at the Swim m ing Area.
They were allowed only very lim ited use of Cam p's facilities--I was able to take m y father sailing only
once, but he m ust have been im pressed (we didn't capsize) because next m onth he bought an old sailboat
which we rebuilt using m y Cam p-learned skills. [As a Cam per, I usually attended Cam p during the second
and third periods; better weather.]
YM CA CAM P EBERHART, 1943 -- 1955
by RC Moore and Peanuts Root
Page 6
C Girls' Cam p. This included the two or three weeks from the end of Boys' Cam p until about Labor
Day. I don't rem em ber if it was divided into two or m ore periods.
C After Girls' Cam p. Equipm ent storage (m ostly in the Boat House) began a few days before the
end of Girls' Cam p and continued for the next several days after the girl-Cam pers went hom e. [This postGirls' Cam p period didn't have a form al nam e. I was present only once or twice.]
THE DAY.
Each day's activity was announced by a bugle call. In the beginning, the bugler used a m egaphone
m ounted on a swivel adjacent to the place below the Mess Hall where we assem bled for a head count
before each m eal. Later, as the new cabins were built on Corey Lane, the bugler used a m icrophone with
loud speakers m ounted on the Mess Hall.
After talent becam e scarce, the bugler becam e a disk-jockey, and som etim e used the wrong groove on
the record (which caused a bit of a problem since few people wore watches).
Following is the sequence of the activities on a typical Boys' Cam p day:
C Reveille. Clean up the cabin for m id-m orning inspection.
C KP's call--one or two cabins each day for all three m eals.
C Calisthenics on the beach contiguous with the swim m ing area. These were conducted in the
beginning by Spit, but were discontinued about the tim e the second new cabin on Corey Lane was built.
C W ashup tim e for those two or three Cam pers initially so-inclined.
C Assem bly, head count, flag-raising, and breakfast.
C W ork detail. Usually two cabins were assigned to each program area [At the Boat House, the
work detail bailed boats, swept the Boat House's floor, etc.] or to general work such as sweeping the
tennis courts. [KPs did not also have an additional work detail.] One or two cabins were assigned to plan
and conduct the daily chapel service.
C Chapel. The services were non-denom inational Christian, and pretty low-key. Jewish boys
were encouraged to attend but, I believe, were not absolutely required to do so. The Cam pers read a
passage or two from the Bible, read a story with a m oral, and led the singing of a few songs. [My favorite
was "A Church in the Valley by the W ildwood," and we always sang that song when I was on the chapel
detail.]
Coop gave a talk each Sunday, and som etim es during the week. Chapel was concluded with a prayer.
On Sundays, a visiting Catholic priest conducted services for the Catholic boys.
C Program instruction. Two cabins were assigned to each program -area.
C Short optional free swim , KP's call. ["Free swim " m eans no instruction; just fun.]
C Assem bly, head count, lunch, and m ail call.
YM CA CAM P EBERHART, 1943 -- 1955
by RC Moore and Peanuts Root
Page 7
C Rest period. Cam pers and Counselors were supposed to be in their respective cabins and,
hopefully, at least sem i-quiet.
C End of rest period, beginning of first riding period, and beginning of free tim e--all program areas
were open and m ost provided instruction.
C Additional riding periods.
C Long optional free swim ; KP's call.
C Assem bly, head count, flag-lowering, and dinner.
C Athletics (Tuesday and Thursday, usually softball and often followed by a swim ) or free tim e with
all program areas open. [I didn't like softball, and preferred capture-the-flag.]
In the beginning there was a long rope hanging from a tree back in the woods. A big knot on the end of
the rope m ade it easier to hang on as you swung out over a canyon. This was an unsupervised activity,
and ended when the rope was taken down a few years later--I suppose som e kid let go when he shouldn't
have.
Toward the end, Cam p acquired a tram poline (which was too scary for m e). It was never used unless a
Counselor or Staff was present as well as several spotters.
C Tattoo and taps.
VARIATIONS.
There were occasional cam p fires (with talks by Coop). The only Cam p song that I rem em ber begins with
"E-B-E-R-H-A-R-T,
"That's the only cam ping place for m e.
"That's where we boys go for lots of fun
"And recreation too!
"Rah! rah! rah!"
Skit Night was once each period with an incentive of ice cream or waterm elon for the cabin with the best
skit. For m any years, a staple of Skit Night was "The First 50 Yards" in which we recreated the problem s
Cam per Henry Moore (no relation) had in learning how to swim (I don't believe that he ever did). Henry
seem ed to take it all in good cheer, and probably participated.
There were, of course, fewer activities on the first and last day of each period and on Visitation Days.
Generally, the afternoons on these days were free tim e with m ost program areas open.
CABINS.
In the beginning, all of the Cam pers and their Counselors slept in sm all wood cabins adjacent to the
Swim m ing Area, probably those pictured at www.cam peb.org/history/history_m ain.htm , 6/1/09. The
cabins had five built-in bunk beds around the perim eter, and were very cram ped. W e slept on a heavy
piece of canvas slung between side rails--no springs and no m attresses; bring your own sleeping bag.
The windows were screened, and had top-hinged shutters that were rarely closed when it rained. Doors
were closed by a spring, and--with the proper technique--could be m ade to really "sound-off."
YM CA CAM P EBERHART, 1943 -- 1955
by RC Moore and Peanuts Root
Page 8
About 1947 construction was begun on new cabins on Corey Lane starting with No. 17-18 (where I
stayed) on the building site closest to the Swim m ing Area. Construction proceeded west on Corey Lane
with No. 15-16, etc. [No. 17-18 is not shown on the m ap at www.cam peb.org/im ap/im ap01.htm , 6/1/09. I
don't know why.] These were double cabins with cold-water sinks, but no toilets. For the Cam pers, there
were four free-standing double bunks and a single, all with springs and m attresses. [Short-sheeting now
becam e possible, and was practiced regularly.] The two Counselors had their own sem i-private area at
the center-rear of the building.
Added by Peanuts Root: After the end of the war construction started on the new cabins still in use today.
The process was quite simple. During work detail, one cabin of nine cam pers was assigned to assist the
stone mason in constructing the cabins. The concrete floors and plumbing were first installed by the
professionals, then the campers and the stone mason swung into action. He prepared the mortar mix and
we Cam pers each carried a rock from the pile over to place on the wall. From time to time the rock piles
were dum ped into Little Corey Lake so we had to wade in to pull the stones out of the muck and
bloodsuckers. In thinking back, I don’t know whether we really did a great deal as we only worked for one
hour in the morning. W as Coop making some point about the rewards of hard work? I will let others count
the violations of current law and sensibilities set forth in this paragraph.
Coop wanted to be able to use Cam p during seasons other than sum m er so, in the early 1950s, Morris
Lodge was built. This was an attractive wood building with hot water, sinks, showers, toilets, a kitchen,
and bunk beds. Morris Lodge also was used during the sum m er.
OTHER BUILDINGS.
W ith only four exceptions--Dave's House on Dave's Point, Buckets of Blood (adjacent to the swim m ing
area) and The Crown Prince of Eberhart (a privy, which we called the Clown Prince of Eberhart, located
on the hillside above the Boat House and probably used by the few winter visitors to Cam p)--buildings
were called just what they were. For exam ple, the Dressing Area was not the "Hickory Lim b" during m y
tim e at Cam p, and the Boat House was never the "Yacht Club." But Morris Lodge (Cabin 19) was usually
"Morris Lodge." Cam p itself was never called "Cam p EB."
C Dave's House. This was a seldom -used building with enough m ovable benches to seat the
entire cam p. There was a stage at one end for Skit Night. [The shoreline on Dave's Point was infested
with leeches, and this is where we took particularly obnoxious new cam pers to catch frogs (which were, of
course, placed in the beds of Cam pers and Counselors alike for "safekeeping").]
C Buckets of Blood. This old log building was used by staff m em bers to change into and out of
their swim suits--m ales during Boys' Cam p and fem ales during Girls' Cam p. It was dark, dam p, and
probably m oldy/m ildewy inside. [No one worried about m old and m ildew in those days.]
C Dressing Area. This was an unroofed concrete pad divided into cubicles by four-foot fences, one
cubicle for each cabin or two-cabins. This was the area that Counselors and Cam pers used to change
into and out of their swim suits. There were hooks on the fences for clothes, swim suits, and towels
(which, when it rained, got wet of course).
C Bath House. This was a building contiguous with the Dressing Area with cold-water showers
(which I never used) and flush toilets.
C Mess Hall. This building included the kitchen, the cooks' apartm ents over the kitchen, and a
m ain room large enough to seat the entire cam p, 200+. Grace was said before each m eal.
There was one table for each cabin, nine Cam pers and one Counselor. The Cam pers rotated around the
YM CA CAM P EBERHART, 1943 -- 1955
by RC Moore and Peanuts Root
Page 9
table, m oving each m eal or each day. At a given m eal, the Cam pers on the Counselor's right and left
sides had the duty: one Cam per fetched the food from the cooks' serving window when Coop hit the
gong, and the other Cam per--when Coop hit the gong at the end of the m eal--took the serving dishes back
to the cook's serving window and the plates, etc. to the dishwashing area at the right side of the dining
area.
Coop, his fam ily, and a few senior staff m em bers sat at the head table in front of the fireplace. The rest of
the staff sat at a table to the right of the head table.
The duties of the Cam pers having KP duty for the day were to set the tables before each m eal and--to
reduce m ilk consum ption--to fill the glasses with bug juice (Kool Aid) at the m eal (lunch or dinner) when
m ilk was served--you had to drink a glass of bug juice to slake your thirst before receiving m ilk. At the
m eal--dinner or lunch--when m ilk was not served, there was an unlim ited supply of bug juice in all colors.
W e had cocoa for breakfast.
The KPs also assisted the staff m em ber in charge of the dining room with washing and drying the dishes
after the m eals. [I think that each cabin wiped down its own table at the end of each m eal.] It probably
was the KPs that swept the floor after each m eal.
At least once each period, the Counselors and som e Staff had a "GI Party." Everyone showed up with a
broom , scrubbed the floor with hot soapy water, and then broom ed it sem i-dry. The floor was then rinsed
with hot clear water in a sim ilar m anner. The few puddles that rem ained the next m orning were m opped
dry.
C Store. In the beginning the Store m ay have been in the Mess Hall. At the end it was housed in
a building adjacent to the north end of the swim m ing area. The Store was open briefly each day at the
end of rest period.
The Store sold stationery (m int green paper and envelopes with Cam p's nam e in brown--letters hom e
were required every week or so), postage stam ps, pop (one bottle lim it; had to be drunk adjacent to the
store), candy bars (lim it one; had to be unwrapped right there to prevent litter), am m o (which Staff
delivered to the Rifle Range with your nam e and bunk num ber on the box), T -shirts with Cam p's logo, etc.
The Store also sold the occasional bar of soap and tube of toothpaste.
The Store deducted the cost of your purchases from the deposit that you m ade at the beginning of your
stay at Cam p--for Cam pers, cash was not perm itted in Cam p. [I believe that the Craft Shop sold its own
supplies and advised the Store which, in turn, debited your account.]
C Riding Ring. This was presided-over by Mrs. Delhant, assisted by John Scannell and, on
occasion, by her husband, The Colonel. The horses were ridden from the stables (which I never visited
and don't know where they were) to the ring and back again each day by certain Counselors and older
Cam pers. See Peanuts' com m ents above under "Discipline."
C Infirm ary. This was presided-over by Mrs. C ooper, an R.N. I only visited the building once, and
don't rem em ber where it was.
C Laundry. There wasn't one. T he usual Cam p "uniform " was shorts (long pants for athletics), a
T-shirt, Tenners (U.S. Keds) and, occasionally, sox. [Tenners are fully explained by Patrick McManus in
"Tenner-Shoe Blight," a story in his book, How I got This W ay. Every boy, and every wom an with a boychild, should read Pat's stories.] Bedding was not Cam p's problem .
I wore a swim suit and a T-shirt m ost of the tim e. To wash these clothes, I just wore them in swim m ing.
YM CA CAM P EBERHART, 1943 -- 1955
by RC Moore and Peanuts Root
Page 10
W hen bedding, towels, etc. got really rank, I sent them hom e in a special canvas-covered box that could
be purchased at dim e stores everywhere. [The secret was to stuff the box with wadded-up sheets, etc. so
that the Postal Service wouldn't crush it. Then, after m y m other washed and neatly folded m y stuff prior to
returning it, she would (hopefully) notice som e em pty space and add in a tin of cookies to, once again, fill
up the box to prevent crushing.] Lots of boys did their laundry in this m anner.
To help prevent m ix-ups, everyone was required to have their nam e on each piece of clothing. Rather
than use a sewn-in tag with m y nam e em broidered on it, m y dad had a rubber stam p m ade, "R C Moore,"
and we stam ped m y nam e on collars, etc. with indelible black ink. W hen the front of m y T-shirt got too
spotted, I just wore it inside out for a few days--with m y nam e now showing, I got m y Cam p nicknam e,
"RC."
PROGRAM AREAS.
C Riflery. The Rifle Range used 22 caliber rifles (m ostly Cam p-owned) and fixed (i.e., non-pop-up)
targets at a distance of 50 feet. The firing line was long enough so that several (nine?) cam pers could
shoot at the sam e tim e. Levels of proficiency were determ ined by National Rifle Association rules, and
included increasingly tighter shot-groupings on bulls-eyes and increasingly difficult firing positions--prone,
sitting, kneeling, and standing (offhand). The levels of proficiency were nam ed (from easiest to m ost
difficult) Pro-m arksm an, Marksm an, Marksm an 1st Class, and Sharpshooter followed by nine bars (1st
Bar, 2nd Bar, etc.) and, lastly, Expert or Expert Riflem an. W e beginners fired 22 "shorts."
I credit m y hours at the Rifle Range with enabling m e to easily qualify in the Arm y with the M-1 rifle.
During the latter part of m y tim e at C am p, the Rifle Range was supervised by Henry "Hank" or "Hankus"
Spieker. He was an excellent shot, and participated in the m atches at Cam p Perry, Ohio. Hank also
loved to dream up pranks (which he called "capers"). However, none of them rose to the level of Coop's
waterm elon "heist" or snipe hunt. [Although the Counselors and Staff seem ed to think that the snipe was
a m ythical or extinct bird, it was (and is) alive and well (genus G allinago). Its breading range includes the
region around Cam p.] Indeed, m ost of Hank's capers didn't get beyond the talking stage.
One caper did, however, actually take place: During Girls' Cam p one sum m er--while the ladies were
enjoying a swim --som e guys entered Buckets of Blood, and sm eared Mentholatum Deep Heat Rub on the
inside of the ladies' bras. The ladies didn't seem to appreciate this, but I can't im agine why. They m ade a
very feeble attem pt to retaliate, but the attem pt was so feeble that I can't rem em ber what it was.
The Rifle Range's targets were thum b-tacked to pieces of cardboard on trolleys (one per firing position)
that were cranked out for shooting and in for scoring and target-replacem ent. Som e Cam pers thought it
was fun to shoot out the thum btacks on an adjacent target, thereby causing it to flutter to the ground.
Hank took an exceedingly dim view of this practice.
C Archery. In the beginning the Archery Range used regular bows and arrows (m ostly Cam powned) and fixed targets. There were enough shooting positions so that several (nine?) cam pers could
shoot at the sam e tim e. Levels of proficiency were based on increasingly tighter shot-groupings on bullseyes and increasingly distant firing positions from different-colored stakes. I don't think that I ever figured
out how to hit the target. Use of the so-called point-of-aim peg rem ained a m ystery.
Near the end, the Archery Range added a through-the-woods trail with targets, but I don't think that they
were pop-ups. The Archery Range m ay have had a cross-bow or two for use by the advanced archers.
During the latter part of m y tim e at Cam p, the Archery Range was supervised by Kenny Aldrich.
YM CA CAM P EBERHART, 1943 -- 1955
by RC Moore and Peanuts Root
Page 11
C Sailing. The Boat House at the Sailing Area was a large steel building with railroad tracks
running its length and width, and with a turntable in the center. These tracks, which also ran out the front
door into Cory Lake, m ade it fairly easy to put the larger boats into the water and to haul them out. All that
was needed was a dolly (we had several) and a bunch of Cam pers to push it.
Cam p's fire-suppression equipm ent was stored at or near the Boat House. It consisted of a pum p coupled
to a gasoline engine, and this unit was m ounted at the center of a pair of eight-foot carrying-poles. The
plan was that--in case of fire--two people would run the pum p-and-m otor to the lakefront point nearest the
fire while others would fetch the hose and lay it out. This plan was never put to the test during m y tim e at
Cam p, but we did "exercise" the pum p-and-m otor after every heavy rain to bail out the sailboats. [W e took
the pum p-and-m otor to the sailboats at anchor by transporting it athwartships on one of the rowboats.
Balance was tricky, but I believe that the unit was never dum ped into the lake.]
Cam p had a large fleet of sailboats, and--with one exception--they were all wood. This m eant that there
always was lots of work to be done--caulking, sanding, painting (with truck-and-tractor paint) and
varnishing. Stays m ostly were steel and they, too, had to be kept painted (which we called "alum inizing").
Sails were cotton, and had to be dry before being put away. Rope m ostly was sisal and, occasionally,
Manila. It had to be replaced frequently. The Boat House had lots of tools to get the work done. To help
get them back from other program areas, each tool bore a splotch of Boat House Yellow paint.
The Sailing Area had a large staff for m aintenance and instruction. The people that I rem em ber were Bob
"Sm itty" Sm ith (a Penguin racer from Chicago who allegedly designed the m achines that m ade the skins
for skinless wieners); Little Sm ith (no relation to Sm itty); brothers Big M o and Little Mo Cleland; Bob
Scannell and m aybe his older brother, John; Dan and/or Jim Tankersley; Richie Beckm an; m y best friend
at Cam p, Peanuts Root; and, of course, m e. [Not everyone m entioned was at Cam p every sum m er.]
Added by Peanuts Root: The staff was an interesting and impressive group of men. Bob Smith was a
W W II Sailor on a Destroyer in the Pacific and then in engineering at MIT. The Cleland Brothers were from
Bloom ington, Indiana, and both were working on their PhDs at the time in the hard sciences. Big Mo
becam e a noted Professor at the University of W isconsin, Madison. Bob Scannell played on the South
Bend Central basketball team that won the State Tournament and Bob won the Trestor Award. These
were associations that I had never experienced before coming to Camp, and were men that I worked with
on a daily basis for 2 months over a period of 4-5 years.
Levels of proficiency were based both on book knowledge and on sailing skills. They were as follows:
B Seam an. Not m uch was required for this level other than going sailing once or twice.
[This level was not used every year.]
B Sailor. This level required a knowledge of basic nom enclature, the ability to tie a few
knots, and the ability to serve as a crew m em ber--casting off, handling a jib, etc.
B Skipper. This level required a knowledge of m ore nom enclature, the ability to tie a few
m ore knots, and the ability to handle--as a captain--all of the boats in Cam p's fleet except
the Inland Lake Scows: sailing close-hauled and free, coming about and jibing, and
landing. This level also required a working knowledge of governm ent right-of-way
rules.
B "C" Skipper. The requirem ents for this level were sim ilar to those of the Skipper except
that the "C" Skipper had to have the ability to handle a Class C Inland Lake Scow.
YM CA CAM P EBERHART, 1943 -- 1955
by RC Moore and Peanuts Root
Page 12
B Racing Skipper. This level required a working knowledge of the racing rules of the North
Am erican Yacht Racing Union and of racing tactics such as starting, covering, rounding
m arks, etc. There were practice races alm ost every afternoon.
In addition, there was a swim m ing-distance requirem ent for m ost of the levels of proficiency.
Cam p's fleet included the following:
B Inland Lake Scows. Cam p had one Class A (which leaked like a sieve when sailed hard
and, consequently, was often in the Boat House for hull-m aintenance), two Class Es
(including Coop's boat; rarely sailed), several Class Cs (including, at the beginning, one or
two that were gaff-rigged), and one Class D (a "C" with a jib; it was in the fleet only at the
very beginning).
Added by Peanuts Root: Perhaps more pertinent now in the midst of the 2009 economic collapse, Camp's
large fleet of sailboats included some very fancy Inland Lake Scows--38 foot C lass A (with a top speed of
20 knots), two 28 foot E Scows, and a quite a few 20 foot C Scows. These were very expensive boats to
buy and maintain that had been donated by owners no longer able to properly care for them. At least this
was the story that we accepted. They had great 1920-30’s names: Gone W ith The W ind, Flash,
Phantasm o, Daylight in The Swam p (OK, not a great name), Tim es A'W asting, Once in a Blue Moon, and
Tugboat Annie.
B V-bottom boats. Cam p had several 15.5-foot Snipes, one dinghy rather like a Penguin
(with a too-narrow forefoot), and a boat sim ilar to a 20-foot Lightening (Tugboat Annie)
that was used for group instruction--it had a large cockpit with seats. [There m ay have
been a few others in this category.]
B Catam aran. Cam p had one of the early m odels m ade by Lear. It was very unbalanced
[It could not be brought about in a blow, only jibed.] and poorly built [W hen sailed hard,
the nails holding the skin onto the fram es popped out, and the hulls leaked like a sieve.]. I
assum e that it went to the breakers after a sum m er or two.
B The Launch. This was a grey-painted W W II Mississippi River patrol boat with an
inboard engine, a single prop in a tunnel, and a large open cockpit with seats. It was
used as a water taxi to take people to the boats at anchor, and was used to tow in boats
that had capsized. The Launch was tied up to a pier connected to the shore in front of the
Boat House.
About 1952 Cam p acquired a few Tech Dinghies. These were round- or arc-bottom ed fiberglass boats
with alum inum spars and a single loose-footed sail. This new design (presum ably by som eone at MIT)
was used by college sailing team s to help assure that races would be won by sailors, and not by boats.
"Sponge tag" was a favorite evening activity. The objective was to sail a Tech Dinghy single handedly
within a sm all area with neither crew nor rudder--if the wet sponge landed in your cockpit, you were "it."
Because of his am azing sailing ability, Peanuts Root often represented Cam p at the sum m er Snipe
regattas at Diam ond and at Center(?) lakes, and I was often privileged to crew for him . W e sailed one of
Cam p's boats, "Once in a Blue Moon," the best that Cam p owned but dreadfully heavy and slow.
In 1952 Richie Beckm an brought his own brand new Snipe to Cam p, and we set to work getting it ready to
race. Since the boat was under-weight, we replaced the floorboards with oak, and added a heavier
anchor. The dagger board was rounded on the leading edge, and filed sharp on the trailing edge. W e
YM CA CAM P EBERHART, 1943 -- 1955
by RC Moore and Peanuts Root
Page 13
also m ade m any of the changes suggested in Ted W ells' Scientific Sailboat Racing. Lastly, we entered
the U.S. Junior Nationals of the Snipe Class International Racing Association.
One afternoon Richie, Peanuts, and I set out for Green Lake, W isconsin, in Richie's car with his boat and
trailer behind. W e drove all night, listening to Frankie Laine's songs over-and-over-again on the radio.
Using the Kenny W atts sails he had received as a Christm as present, Peanuts won third out of 60
entrants, and we each received a nice sterling silver cup.
Sailing was by far m y favorite program area, and I put the skills that I learned there to good use in later
years when I was on the DePauw University sailing team and when I briefly ran the sailing program s for
the Am erican Youth Hostels in Chicago and for YMCA Cam p Manito-wish in northern W isconsin.
C Boats and Canoes. Cam p's fleet consisted of a num ber of rowboats about 12 feet long and a
num ber of canoes, som e 15 feet and som e 17 feet long. During m ost of m y tim e at Cam p, this program
area was supervised by Howard "Howie" Johnson and, toward the end, by his cousin or brother, Bob
Johnson, and by Dick Miller. Howie was the originator of what we called the "Howie Hold": W hen you
were fooling around on the beach and Howie decided that you needed to be m oved off to one side, he
would grab you by the back of your neck and walk you away. A little painful, but effective.
B Rowboats. Cam p's boats were m ade of galvanized steel with green-painted wood seats
and gunwales and with air-cham bers under two or three of the seats. They were very
heavy, a fact of som e consequence when we had to m anhandle them into the upper-m ost
racks in the Boat House for winter storage.
Fishing was perm itted from the rowboats and from the shore, but was not very popular.
B Canoes. W ith one or two exceptions, Cam p's canoes were standard weight alum inum
canoes m ade by G rum m an. The 15 foot m odels were purchased first. The six(?) 17 foot
m odels (which weighed 76 pounds) were m ostly used for canoe trips. The older canoes
had an air cham ber (which didn't always seal well) in the bow and another in the stern.
Newer canoes used Styrofoam blocks instead of air cham bers. I don't rem em ber that
Cam p had any trouble with rivets loosening up in any of the canoes. [Im m ediately after
W W II, som e of the alum inum alloys used in boats had too m uch copper and this caused
galvanic corrosion.]
At the beginning of m y tim e at Cam p, there m ay have been a "war canoe" long enough for nine or 10
paddlers. From tim e-to-tim e Cam p had an Old Town canvas-covered wood canoe available that was used
to practice Eskim o rolls. I don't rem em ber any kayaks at Cam p.
Canoe paddles were m ostly painted pine, and not very durable; I broke several. At least som e of those
used on trips m ay have been ash or hickory.
Canoeing instruction consisted m ostly of learning how to execute the different strokes [I learned about 23.]
and when to use them . W e also were taught various em ergency procedures such as what to do with a
canoe that swam ps in the m iddle of a lake. [These lessons proved to be m ost helpful when I took a canoe
trip up toward Hudson's Bay in the late 1950s.] Gunnel-pum ping races were a favorite activity.
During each of the first three periods of Boys' Cam p, there usually was a five-seven day canoe trip for
about 16 lucky boys. The trips often were on the heavily-polluted St Joe and other rivers near Cam p. My
favorite trip was down the m ore-distant Pere Marquette to Ludington on Lake Michigan (where we
practiced gunnel-pum ping across the freighter-wakes). During the fourth period of Boys' Cam p, there was
YM CA CAM P EBERHART, 1943 -- 1955
by RC Moore and Peanuts Root
Page 14
a 12-day canoe trip in O ntario's Quetico Provincial Park called the "Canuck" for older, m ore-experienced
canoeists. I always regretted not going on this trip.
As I recall, Cam p provided canoes and paddles, food, tents, etc. at no extra charge for these trips. The
Cam pers only had to furnish a sleeping bag.
C Swim m ing. W ork (instructional) and free swim s took place only in a roped-off area that was 50
yards long and divided into two sub-areas: a shallow sub-area and an over-your-head sub-area. Diving
from the one- and three-m eter boards was, of course, into the deeper sub-area only. Swim m ing took
place at designated tim es as noted above--you couldn't go jum p in the lake whenever you felt like it.
W ork and free swim s always included several life guards, and always used the buddy system .
Before going swim m ing, you and a friend (your "buddy" for that swim ) each rem oved a brass tag with your
bunk num ber on it from the Buddy Board, and placed it on another num ber on the Buddy Board. That was
your buddy num ber for that swim . W hen the whistles were blown and "buddies" was called, you and your
buddy held up your clasped hands and rem ained m ore-or-less m otionless while a check was m ade to be
sure that everyone had a buddy. Then--to be sure that both buddies of a pair were not m issing--you
counted off using your buddy num ber.
Swim m ing that was part of canoeing instruction took place in the Swim m ing Area. The only swim m ing that
took place outside of the roped-off Swim m ing Area was associated with canoe and sailboat capsizes, and
these were infrequent. [In addition to being dangerous, capsizing an old wood sail boat was hard on it.
The punishm ent for capsizing a sailboat was to bail dry every boat in the fleet and, occasionally,
banishm ent for a few days.]
Cam p had four distance-swim s: 50 yards, 100 yards, a quarter-m ile swim to the Island, and the Triangle.
The Triangle swim was about 1-1/4 m iles long and went from the Swim m ing Area to a point at the m outh
of Little Corey to the Island, and then back to the Swim m ing Area. Cam pers attem pting the Island and
Triangle swim s (which took place im m ediately after rest periods) were accom panied by a lifeguard or two
in a rowboat.
In addition to distance-swim s (which could be done without any grace-and-style--you just had to go the
distance), Cam p used the four YMCA levels of proficiency: Minnow, Fish, Flying Fish, and Shark. I went
from being a non-swim m er at the beginning of m y first sum m er to being a Triangle swim m er during the
second. Since I feared diving, I never passed the Shark test.
C Craft Shop. The Craft Shop was located near the south end of the Swim m ing Area. It consisted
of a sm all storage building with a large covered porch. There were plenty of picnic tables and benches for
project-creation.
The m ost popular beginning projects involved the use of a flat braid about 1/8-inch wide, plastic over a
cotton core. It was available in m any different colors, and was cheap. A Cam per's usual first project was
to m ake bracelets for him self and everyone in his fam ily using the two-strand-flat-braid ("idiot's delight")
pattern. Next, one probably would m ake a lanyard (for his suitcase key) using either the spiral or diam ond
pattern with either a square or a round slider. After I m ade a wrist-full of bracelets and a lanyard or two, I
didn't spend m uch tim e at the Craft Shop although I knew that the Craft Shop's had a lot m ore to offer.
DISASTER.
In about 1953 the lake level cam e up a few feet and stayed up for a few years. The piers at the Swim m ing
Area, being no longer adjustable for height due to rust, were under water. Dave's House and the Boat
YM CA CAM P EBERHART, 1943 -- 1955
by RC Moore and Peanuts Root
Page 15
House were flooded. Since electric tools could no longer be safely used in the Boat House, m aintenance
suffered. But, Cam p continued as it always had and--I hope--always will.
Added by Peanuts Root: The Corey Lake property owners, including Camp, formed a flood control
association at that time and built an outlet for the lake on the South Side next to what is now Harbor Road.
I checked Google Earth carefully, and can see what appears to be the outlet. This was a big deal and we
were all quite interested in the project and checked up on it from time to time.
Coop decided to have a competition to see who from Camp would be given the honor of taking down the
temporary barrier and opening the new outlet. The method he decided on was to use the existing awards
boards that were posted in Morris Lodge over the beds of the counselors. Each senior camper's name
was listed and also each program and each award from each program. So there ensued an intensive
learning process for those of us that never bothered to become archers, or riflemen, or canoe experts, etc.
The richest mine of awards was the Rifle Range with the NRA aw ards. I spent a lot of time for several
weeks shooting, archering, and maybe even carving in the craft shop. To my memory it cam e down to an
archery shoot-off, and I managed to get a blue stake award somehow. Perhaps there are others still
vertical who remember this competition. In any event I had the honor of opening the outlet to the lake and,
in short order, the lake was back to normal levels. This was my final memory of Camp Eberhart.
THE END
June 1, 2009