Boys will be boys

Camp O-AT-KA is a summer camp for boys that exists still today.  It was founded in 1906 and has been on the same site in Sebago, Maine since 1907 .  This postcard might date from as early as 1910, based on the sturdiness of the card stock that was used (and the card is still like new), but I suspect that it’s probably from the early 1920s.

The camp was founded by the Reverend Ernest Joseph Dennen, an Episcopal minister from Lynn, Massachusetts.  He had developed a program which he called “The Order of Sir Galahad”, designed to teach the boys of his parish the virtues of “helpfulness, obedience, truth, chivalry, and service.”  The camp, in turn, was a reward for the boys who had worked hard to live up to these virtues.

Today, those virtues are apparently only for rich white boys.  Your boy can enroll in the camp’s two-week “starter program” for the low, low price of only $2,850.  If I were you, I’d go for the seven-week program: a real bargain at $7,700. Sure, running a big camp is expensive but, even adjusted for inflation, I went to camps of comparable size as a boy for about a tenth of the cost — and some of the values I learned were priceless.

The next best thing to being there.

This “Plastichrome” by Colourpicture Publishers, Inc. was actually made in Canada, unlike most of the Canadian cards posted thus far.

“Cavendish, Prince Edward Island, Canada. This popular area is equipped with kitchen shelters, playground, supervised swimming and dressing cubicles, fireplaces, picnic tables, running water, electricity and toilet facilities.”

If you don’t mind, I think I’ll just say home; I already have all that stuff, plus my dressing cubicle at home is unsupervised.

Now that's luxury.

“Camptown: Luxurious Campground. Heated swimming pool, whirlpool and sauna, fishing, tennis, archery, pitch and putt golf course, minutes from Disney World and other major attractions!” Hell, why bother with Disney World when you have all these amenities?

Joan and Dick apparently sent this to their friend back home in New York, in February 1987. “Hi. We’ve been in Fla. a month. Weather hasn’t been great but no Snow (thanks for that clarification; we were all wondering — Ed.). We plan on 2 more weeks in Florida then on to Texas and West. We expect to get home in June. Then down to the shore.” Does the fun ever stop?

Fun with Dick and Joan

Vermont Bed and Breakfast

A Continental-sized (about 4″ x 6″) card picked up after having taken the train to Vermont, where my Florida-raised younger daughter first saw snow at the age of 16. It was published by Woodchuck Cards, RD 1 Box 4915, Montpelier.