We had songs for every occasion. Our songs were learned by rote — we did not have song sheets, though Miss Char typed up many of the lyrics during the winter. But we learned the songs by repetition and teaching by rote. We sang every day at assembly, and old songs were taught to new campers one song at a time.

At meals we sang grace usually started by the song leader. On Sundays Miss Lee led the grace Praise God From Whom All Blessings Flow. I still think of her every time this is sung.

At meals we also sang while we waited for announcements — If Miss Lee or Miss Char had had her hair done, we also noticed and sang to them. Sometimes the songs were to tease or annoy elders– We are table number 1— Where is number 3, etc.

All campers and counsellors ate meals together in the Mess Hall, which was located at the top of the hill, off the road at the entrance to Camp.

The Mess Hall consisted of a large inner room, with a relatively small kitchen at the end, and large screened-in porches formed an L on two sides, overlooking the hill down to the lake and down toward the small glen where the drinking water pump was. There were about 8 tables painted dark green arranged on the porches, with a small table for Miss Lee and Miss Char at the corner of the L.

Usually Breakfast was at 8 a.m.. We entered the Mess Hall and sat with our cabin mates at the table assigned to each cabin. The tables had benches on 4 sides — the campers sat on the side benches, and a cabin counselor sat at each end. We stood at the tables until Grace was sung, then sat down. The counselors had come early to set the tables. We were required to have good table manners and to eat at least some of everything served at every meal. At breakfast there was a small glass of juice and a half-glass of water that we had to drink. Everyone was required to attend meals, unless one was sick in the infirmary,which was rare.

Menu:

Breakfast was a choice of cold cereals with milk, juice and toast with butter and jelly. On cold mornings we would have cocoa, too. Once or twice a week we had hot cereal — oatmeal or cream of wheat and brown sugar. Counsellors had coffee. Sometimes Mr. Ayres would come early and make doughnuts for us to have instead of toast. They were delicious!

Occasionally some campers had picked blueberries, and the cooks would come in and make blueberry muffins for us. Whenever the Ayres or later, other cooks, made such special efforts, we would express our thanks with a big sung cheer (“We will cheer for The Ayres…”)

Our food was good and wholesome, and predictable. The menus rarely changed from week to week over the years i attended camp. But the food was good, so I enjoyed it.

When rain pattered on the cabin roof, we knew the schedule would be different.

The flag would not be raised in the rain.

Reveille at 8 a.m.

Breakfast at 8:30, then cleanup and assembly held either in the center of the mess hall or in the rec hall.

Then rainy day activities would be assigned: one cabin would walk to town for the mail. Others would be assigned to bail boats. Some would go to crafts, would play pingpong, do dramatics, or other indoor activities.

Sometimes there would be a movie.

I liked to look for salamanders in the rain.

On Sundays the camp schedule was different:

Reveille at 8 a.m.
Breakfast of scrambled eggs, bacon, toast, canned grapefruit.
After breakfast, cleanup
Catholics dressed for church in New London — about a 30 minute drive away
about 11:15 a.m.at Inner circle, there was camp church service — each week a different cabin would plan the service, and the choir would sing.

On Sundays, we dressed in our green & white camp uniform (and counsellors & cit’s in white), rather than regular clothes.

General Swim before dinner.

Dinner at 1 p.m., of turkey, stuffing, peas or beans, mashed potatoes and gravy. Grey House ice cream for dessert — The cabin who won the cleanup scores got double dip ice cream.

Rest hour 2-3 p.m.

Free period to do what activities were desired 3-4 p.m.

4:00 General Swim

5:30 supper — prepared by counsellors — hot dogs, beans, sticky bun, watermelon, served outside the mess hall.

7:30 or so, walk in lines to Inner Circle for evening campfire service, which consisted of the Call of the Fire, the Firelighter speech before lighting the fire, and the 4 lamps (candles lit from the fire– and a speech for each one. As I recall they were Faith, Hope, Love and Fortitude. Miss Lee would give a reading, usually selections from The Prophet by Kahlil Gibran. Then those campers found by the counselors to be exceptional were chosen for Inner Circle, each one escorted by a counselor, and a speech given. Several campfire songs were sung, then Now the Day is Over nd ‘taps, and walk quietly back to cabins. those campers not invited to Inns=er Circle, were usually told why by cabin counselor.

Many have mixed memories of Inner Circle — but it was a way to exhort each girl to do better.