Camping For Boys Part 5

[Transcriber's Footnote 1: Narrow strip of wood for flooring.]

A "Horse" Idea

A wooden horse made after the following sketch will support the table top and seats. The seat may be a plank about twelve inches wide and one and one-eighth inches thick.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Wooden Horse Table and Seat Support]

Buildings

Permanent buildings are largely planned according to the ideas of the director or organization operating the camp and this, therefore, is a matter which cannot be fully treated in a book of this character.

Convenience, harmony with natural surroundings, and adaptability are the three things which govern the planning and erection of permanent camp buildings. "Wilderness Homes," by Oliver Kemp, contains many suggestions for camps of this character. In "Recreation" for April, 1911, is an excellent article by William D. Brinckle on "Log Cabins."

Surveying

The following practical suggestions on surveying in a boys' camp have been especially prepared by H. M. Allen. Surveying is an important subject for study and practice, as it is both interesting and useful and may serve as a stepping-stone in the later education of the boy.

The surveying may be roughly divided into two parts, simple and advanced.

The simple work includes that which can be carried on with a few cheap instruments easily secured or made by the boys. The advanced work requires better instruments and is adapted to high school boys. Only the simple work will be described.

Home-made

The instruments needed in simple surveying are, compa.s.s, measuring tape, draughtsman's scale, protractor, drawing materials and a small home-made transit. The leader should, if possible, become familiar with some good textbook on surveying, such as Wentworth's Plane Trigonometry and Surveying. He should also get some civil engineer to give him a little instruction in the rudiments. It is well also to get some practice before going to camp. Any vacant lot or gymnasium floor will be suitable. If the leader is near a small lake that will be especially desirable.

The transit is easily made. A flat board should be selected, about twelve inches in diameter, which will not warp. Upon this a circle is marked about ten inches in diameter. For this purpose use a pair of drawing compa.s.ses. Then with a protractor lay off the degrees of the circle. A small bra.s.s protractor can be bought for 15 cents, a good one, large size, costs 80 cents. A good plan is to mark the circle on bristol board [1]

which can be tacked in the board. Then a pointed piece of wood ten inches long should be fastened with a nail in the center of the circle. At the ends of the pointer pins should be placed vertically so that they are in line with the pivot nail. This will form a sight for measuring the angles.

The board is then mounted upon a pointed stick or tripod. You will need a hatchet and a half dozen sharpened sticks for markers and a boy for rod man. You are now ready for the survey.

[Transcribers Footnote 1: Smooth, heavy pasteboard.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: Fig. 1. Top View of Transit, Protractor, Sighting Pins, Board for Circle, Support]

Camp Survey

To make a map of the location of the camp, the first thing is to locate a base line on a level piece of ground. At the two ends A and B stakes are placed and the length carefully measured with the tape. Then from one end of the line stretch a string about ten feet long, toward the other stake.

Under this string place the compa.s.s. In this way the direction of the line may be learned.

In figure 1, the base line runs about 10 degrees west of north. Drive a stake where the tent is to be located. This place will be called C. Then place the transit at A and measure the angle formed by the imaginary lines AC and AB. In the example the angle is about 45 degrees. Then place the transit at B and measure the angle there, formed by the lines AB and BC.

Then the angle at C should be measured and the sum of the angles thus measured will be 180 degrees, if the work is correct.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Fig. 2, Fig. 3, Fig. 4]

Now make a drawing of the survey. Draw on paper a line corresponding to the line AB, making a certain scale, say 100 feet to the inch. If the real line is 200 feet long, the line on the paper will be 2 inches. With the protractor the angles at B and A may be drawn or plotted. This will give the location of the point C. With the scale determine on the plan the length of the other sides of the triangle ABC. The actual distances should next be measured with the tape to test the accuracy of the survey.

Next place a stake along the side of the lake at a point D. Then in a similar manner measure the triangle with the transit. With the protractor the lines AD and BD can be plotted on the plan. With the scale the length of the lines AD and BD can be estimated from the map. The rest of the lake is surveyed in the same manner. It is only necessary to take other points on the lake and survey the resulting triangles. It is a good idea to use four-foot stakes with flags placed so as to be easy to sight to them.

Finally a tracing may be made with carbon paper giving only the sh.o.r.e line and leaving out the lines of the triangles and the map is finished. The boys in one camp surveyed a lake a mile long with home-made instruments with excellent results.

Boys should be taught how to use the compa.s.s and a map in tracing their way through an unknown country. Also to travel by the stars or by the moss on the trees.

CHAPTER V--PERSONAL CHECK LIST OR INVENTORY

CHECK LIST MARKING LOST AND FOUND MEMORY HOW TO PACK SHIPPING LABELS NEATNESS GENERAL HINTS

Experience only can determine what should be taken to camp. Usually the first camping trip decides what to take on the second trip, and also reveals how few things, providing they are right things, one really needs to be comfortable in camp. A boy's mother, who is generally the official trunk packer of the family, makes a mistake in stowing away in the trunk a lot of things not serviceable or suitable for camping. Cotton goods, except towels, handkerchiefs, and hose, are of no use. Gray woolen shirts, gray, brown, or green sweaters (a boon to campers--avoid white, red, or striped colors), khaki suit, outing flannel pajamas (tan color preferred) are in the cla.s.s of real camp necessities so far as clothing is concerned.

The hat should be drab or khaki color, of campaign style, something that will shed water and sun. The hat used by the Boy Scouts of America is admirably adapted for campers.

The outfit may be divided into four cla.s.ses: things necessary, things desirable, things convenient, and luxuries. Boys who go camping for two weeks or less should take articles in the following list marked (1); those who go for four weeks or less should take articles marked (2) in addition to those marked (1); and those who go for what may be called the season, six or more weeks, should take those marked (3), in addition to all of (1) and (2).

Necessary

Woolen sweater (coat style) (1) Note book or diary (1) Twine and rope (2) Two flannel shirts (gray) (1) Lead pencil (1) Change of underwear (1) Pens and ink (2) Two pairs stockings (1) Stamps, stamped envelopes (1) Jersey (2) Outing flannel pajamas (1) Paper, postals and envelopes(2) Running pants (1) Handkerchiefs (1) Needles and thread (1) Two pairs woolen blankets (1) Matches in metal box (1) Poncho (1) Folding drinking cup (1) Turkish towels (1) Strong pocket knife on chain(1) Extra pair heavy shoes (2) Toilet soap (in aluminum or celluloid box) (1) Echo whistle (2) Fishing tackle (2) Comb and brush (1) Camera (2) Tooth brush and tooth paste(1) Small-sized Bible (1) Money (1) Pins and safety pins (safeties one-inch and four-inch) (1) Good disposition (1) Leggings-tan, army style (1)

Desirable

Extra suit of clothes (2) Rubber-soled shoes (sneakers) (1) Soft laundered shirt (2) Bathing suit or tights (2) Small compa.s.s (2) Small mirror (1) Baseball, bats, gloves (2) Whisk broom (2) Tennis racquets and b.a.l.l.s (3) Dish towels (2) Ping Pong racquets, b.a.l.l.s (3) Cheap watch (1) Rubber boots or overshoes (2) Map of vicinity (2) Clothes pins (2) Musical instruments (2) Flash lamp (2) Scissors (2) Repair outfit (2)

Convenient

Games (3) Can opener (2) Books (3) Small hand washboard (3) Small pillow (2) Thick strong gloves (3) Mosquito netting (2) Heavy woolen stockings (3) Candles (3) Elk hide moccasins (3)

Luxuries

Bath robe (3) Blacking and brush (3) Shaving outfit (3) Laundry bag (2) Face rag (3)

It is understood that cooking utensils; tools, tents, cots and the general camp equipment is supplied by the camp management. The above list is for the individual campers.

Mark Everything

Mark everything with your initials, or, if in a large camp, your camp number. This may be done with indelible ink upon white tape, and the tape sewed upon the garments, or you may order through the large department stores your full name embroidered on tape in sufficient quant.i.ty to sew upon your belongings. Marking your "goods and chattels" helps identify ownership, for things somehow get fearfully mixed up in a boys' camp.

A clever scheme for locating lost articles was adopted by one large camp.

A "Lost and Found" shop was opened. Articles found were brought to the shop. Hours for identification and reclaiming were announced, the owner paying two cents for each article claimed. This method had the effect of making the boys more systematic and less careless in throwing things around, or leaving them upon the ground after a ball game or play. After a certain length of time, an auction was held of all unclaimed articles. The money received was put into books for the camp library.

Write it Down

Make your "check list" during the winter. Have an old box handy in which to put things you think you will want to take to camp. Boys usually talk over the experiences of the last camp until about January 1st, then they begin to talk and plan about the next camp. As you think of things jot them down in a little memorandum book marked "Camp Ideas." Leaders will find this plan especially helpful. In making up the list, put down each article on a separate line. Don't jumble things together. Leave nothing to memory which, alas, too frequently is a splendid "forgetter." Write it down on paper. Examine your list very carefully, and strike out everything you can do without. Simplicity coupled with comfort should be the guide in making up the list or inventory. Tack the list on the inside of your trunk or camp box. Often the little trifles prove the most valuable things on a camping trip. For instance, a supply of giant safety pins is invaluable for pinning blankets together in sleeping-bag fashion. Ever roll out of your blankets or toss them off on a cool night? If so, you know the value of a giant safety pin.

What to pack the outfit in and how to pack it is a problem which each must solve for himself. A cracker box, with hinged cover, padlock, and rope handles, is good for a short-time camping trip. It should be of the following dimensions: 30 x 18 x 15 inches.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Camp Box]

A good strong steamer trunk is about the best thing. It is convenient, easy to handle, and takes up very little s.p.a.ce.

The boys who are mechanically inclined, will want to have the fun of making a camp box. The ill.u.s.tration is a suggestion successfully worked out by a number of boys. The dimensions may be determined by the maker.

Don't make it too big, or it will be a burden and also occupy too much room in the tent. It stands upright and serves as a dresser. Boys who spend a summer in camp should have either a steamer trunk or this dresser.