Grace Ware Haskell Journal Entry - Post 7

[Grace Ware Holbrook Journal Entry - note: I have changed the title of this series of posts from Green Mountain Camp to Grace Ware Holbrook Journal Entry because, the entries are no longer just about the Green Mountain Camp]

February 4th. New York.
     After breaking up camp amidst very hot weather we all returned to our homes for a rest from the past two weeks' activities. At the end of the week, Elsa Coolidge came to stay for a few days - Cabot & Wistar spent the weekend in close company, & Wistar remained through the week.
     We visited with the Bradleys, motored to West Dover over the hills toward Wilmington & all underwent massage treatment.
     Wistar drove us in the Franklin to Squam Lake to visit the Coolidges. The car was loaded as usual after being out only a short time on the Putney Road snap went an iron brace under the back axle! We went on nevertheless & without other mishap reached the Lake in very good season. The Coolidge camp is most interesting - being very simple & even rough, but most comfortable & attractive. The family were cordial & always active - & one could not help but join into it all. It was a wonderful visit - one to be remembered always for its many associations.
     The trip home was all that could be wished for & the Bradleys & I had discussions on many subjects all the way.
     At the end of the August after long expectations - father arrived from Russia & remained a week before going on to other affairs. The trunks were filled with beautiful things - among them, rugs, 3 samovars, Swedish knives & silver, embroideries, etc.
     Mrs. Delano, Margaret Goodhue & Wai Tsu departed at this time, so as Cabot had already joined the Plattsburgh Training Camp, our household dwindled for a time.
     Wai Tsu returned however from the Chinese Conference at Providence, bringing Dr. Kwank to whom she announced her engagement! He appeared as a dignified young person with fine charming manners, & very agreeable & interested in everything. He is very slight - good looking - & aristocratic in his bearing.
     At this time it was decided to have a festival of Four Nations at Naulahka - the principal countries & many others being represented in costume - Russia, China, Mexico & Turkestan - American Indians, Serbia, Portugal, Japan, Greece, & Old Fashioned American Costumes.
     Miss Lesley remained with us after the c___ roast for the South Pond Camp girls - & taught a number of us dances to perform on the croquet lawn during an interval of the Fete. The girls who came to take part in the dances were the Eldredge twins, Sally Osborne, Polly Cabot & Joe Smith's daughter who joined the rest of us - the Bradleys, Alice Finlay & I.

© 2010, copyright William C. Haskell

Green Mountain Camp - Post 6

[Grace Ware Holbrook Journal Entry regarding Green Mountain Camp]

[January 3, 1918 - Boston, Mass continued]
     That night we arrived at camp rather late - that is, after eight and the five or six girls with me helped with the express cart & its load bound for camp. The darkness was great, and we had one lantern between us to light our way over boulders and through mud holes. The load was extremely heavy, and difficult, as the handle was not at all stable. Two or three of us finally pulled off our shoes & stockings, to make it more comfortable walking through the puddles! Finally the cart was left in the road for the next party to deal with. 
     Arrived at camp all were hungry as bears - for it was after nine then & we commenced a fire. Suddenly we bethought ourselves of the possibility of another party without a light. Back we trudged, but were home again as soon as possible to partake of delicious scrambled eggs & bread & butter.
     Other motor trips & picnics included: Sunset Lake (North Pond) on a Sunday afternoon to avoid general homesickness, when families visited a favored few; a supper party at the Bradley's house, where a last first aid class was given, & final examination taken of each girl by Dr. Burnett.
     On cool evenings we enjoyed sitting about a camp fire, telling stories & playing games - such as drop the handkerchief, Roman Soldiers, etc. One warm evening, a large number played base ball with Mr. Moffit as the [illegible] sport.
     One evening a big thunderstorm kept most of us inside - and then games kept the girls occupied. At frequent intervals, and nearly every day a storm came up at some time. Practically every trip was interrupted by a sudden shower.
     On our last evening, after the Bradley's party, the night was warm & very clear with a beautiful new moon shining over the water. We sat together in the full enjoyment of the scene & sang songs. Every girl felt the spell of the evening, and must have had a realization of our intimacy and all that it meant in the camp life. Some particularly had found companionship undreamed of & a phase of broader vision on life than heretofore had touched them.
     It was with great preparation and bustle that camp broke up the next morning and at the same time with a sensibility of true friendship between us all.

Green Mountain Camp - Health Talk

[end of journal entry for 1917 camp season]

© 2010, copyright William C. Haskell

Green Mountain Camp - Post 5

[Grace Ware Holbrook Journal Entry regarding Green Mountain Camp]

[January 3, 1918 - Boston, Mass continued]
     Dinner came at 12:30, and then a rest hour a burdensome ruling to many, especially if there were not letters to be written. However it was a relief all around; and at the first, when the morning exercises, girl scout drill (given by Sarah Bradley) milk duty swimming etc were new to all they were truly in need of rest for a change from the general excitements. The novelty of course wore off, and first aid classes in hot weather did not tend to contrast sufficiently the dulness [sic] of lecturing and quite hour! 
     Sometimes the rest hour was shortened or early enough to allow for an auto trip or walk when we carried suppers with us. Our first excursion proved a lesson in that it was lacking in excitement other than mosquitoes and midges galore. The whole picnic hardly occupied over an hour, for we went and returned from the short wood walk, eating our supper frugally all around.
     Our most enjoyable expeditions were by motor, & there was general excitement in the air to where we were going & what might happen. One of the most successful afternoon trips was to Brattleboro when all were given a treat by Miss Lesley to ice-cream, and afterward drove to Naulahka to see mother. The children went about the garden etc, and two or three of us played the piano. "Granny" recited the poem she made up about the camp & one about "Granny's teapot". It happened that she went about with Miss Lesley to look at everything and in remarking the regularity of the garden from the outdoor sleeping porch, stated: "It might have been laid out with a yard stick."
     We went on after this in spite of thunderstorms & auto troubles (in Mr. Moffitt's Ford) to the heights of the McVeagh Farm with Margaret Goodhue, added to our party, escorting us.

Green Mountain Camp Girls at Naulahka Terrace

[to be continued...]

© 2010, copyright William C. Haskell

Green Mountain Camp - Post 4

[Grace Ware Holbrook Journal Entry regarding Green Mountain Camp]

[January 3, 1918 - Boston, Mass continued]
     A short service was held with reading and singing etc; then the daily duties began. Those who were appointed to be milk girls, went with an escort to the entrance of the road and returned bringing the large can of milk in the cart. This proved to be an arduous duty, as the wood road was very rough with stones and boulders and mud holes scattered along the way quite frequently. It generally took an hour's time, and the girls took turns pushing and pulling the express cart. this cart underwent several misfortunes, and all the expense of a little down-hill coast I attempted one day when I was outward bound for supplies! While the girls were on milk duty, two others pumped our daily supply of water by the force pump, into our barrels at the kitchen. This, in the hotest [sic] weather also proved to be an arduous duty; although it may have been just those occupations etc which kept us fairly contented on the whole.
     Hot weather we certainly had - and everything was affected by the high temperature - even the pond - so there was no escaping it. On the hotest [sic] days of all - & luckily for them Miss Lesley and Miss Sutherland were safely away - we had our canning demonstrations given by the state college county worker. It went off marvellously [sic] well, considering the hot situation of our fly where the lecture was given, and the out-door brick stove on which the cooking was done.
     Every morning about eleven o'clock came the daily swim on our little beach - and away rushed the girls with the greatest of glee from any classes or employment which might be on foot to get as long a swim as possible before dinner. If by any chance the regular time was changed, the girls would surely ask when they could get it later on.  On the last day, the swim had to be before breakfast - for they had seen us go off each morning early to take a dip, but had not had the experience themselves.

Green Mountain Camp - Swimming

to be continued...

© 2010, copyright William C. Haskell

Green Mountain Camp - Post 3

 [Grace Ware Holbrook Journal Entry regarding Green Mountain Camp]
[January 3, 1918 - Boston, Mass continued]
     The first afternoon Dr. Grace Burnett examined the girls who had not brought certificates. Later, a few went in swimming, the rest watching and waiting, to see the effects; some were not allowed to swim, but others were sceptical [sic] owing to reports of the "dangerous pond." A twenty-five-foot portion being roped off to prevent the possibility of going out over one's depth, and someone of responsibility always being on hand at the swimming hour proved enough, and soon all those who could, were longing to learn to swim and never missed a day.
     The first day acquaintance was not easy, for many of the girls never having been out of their homes were naturally shy with so many strangers about. Their first night's experience at sleeping out caused them to be up or at least wide awake at dawn. each proceeding night their sleep improved till in three or four days they slept soundly till the rising bell sounded at six o'clock.
     First of all with bloomers over their nightgowns, they had calesthenics [sic] in the barn with Helen Bradley. Each day a certain number were portioned to a duty, & four girls set the tables for the day, and helped the cook with the food preparation.
     Breakfasts were of cereal, fruit sometimes, and eggs, also cocoa and bread. Inspection at nine oclock of all the tents meant that everything should be neat - no str**gs etc on the ground, bags and shoes under the beds, and all else out of sight with the exception of a small piece of oilcloth on which were laid each each person had on her bed with her toothbrush and comb and brush.


to be continued...

© 2010, copyright William C. Haskell

Green Mountain Camp - Post 2

 January 3, 1918 - Boston, Mass [continued]
     The house we occupied as headquarters stands up from the water's edge in an open space about two hundred feet, overlooking all the pond. Beyond the house is the barn a fairly large one with good upper loft. Below the barn is the little clapboarded house we used as kitchen, and in front of this we pitched our fly as shelter for the dining tables. Across the open space about one hundred feet from the kitchen we pitched the tents in which we all slept with the exception of our camp cook and camp advisor who slept on the porch of the house.
     The sixteenth of July then a number of us motored to the top of Ames Hill loaded with every possible article imaginable in the way of food, bedding, tents, clothing, etc.
     Helen Bradley, Mr. Daudelin and myself were of the first to settle down, then with the help of Mr. Dorr Bradley and his daughters, and Mr. Cook we put up tents and began to put up tents.
     On the eighteenth we all congregated: - Mr. Bradley drove some girls in his car, then Mr. Cook and I also filled our cars with all kinds of things and took more girls, mostly from Vernon. At the same time Mr. Moffitt and Sarah and Helen Bradley went to West Halifax to bring that group of girls to camp. 
     In all there are seventeen girls received that day, and we lunched on sandwiches and milk prepared for us by Miss Sutherland - camp cook - and Miss Lesley.

Tents at Green Mountain Camp (no date)

to be continued...

© 2010, copyright William C. Haskell

Green Mountain Camp - Post 1

In 1917 my grandmother, Grace Ware Holbrook along with Mrs. Sarah Bradley Gamble decided to start a camp for rural girls - Green Mountain Camp in Dummerston, Vermont. The first session in July 1917 was held in Marlboro, Vermont at South Pond and twelve girls enrolled for two weeks. In 1919 the camp moved to its present location on the West River (Loomis, Alice Crosby and Manix, Frances Walker, Editors, Dummerston, An 'Equivalent Lands' Town 1753 - 1986, p. 49, printed and binding by BookCrafters, Chelsea, Michigan. 1990).

My grandmother left a diary that describes starting the camp and the first few years. Her first entry is dated January 3, 1918. I will transcribe her entry in a series of posts.

January 3, 1918 - Boston, Mass.
     Last summer in July our camp was so successfull [sic] that I must tell about it from the beginning. In the spring the Bradleys came in to see us to tell of their plan of a camp for farmer's daughters in the neighborhood of Brattleboro. It was a feasible plan enough, provided there was a leader; Miss Olive Lesley, a Girl Scout leader advised us and offered to help in organizing forces with the result that she came to the camp itself as an adviser.
     We discussed the project in Brattleboro with the school supervisor, and decided upon the district south and southwest of the town as being the best ground to cover. The girls recommended by the supervisor of the towns of Vernon, Guilford, Green River, Grove, West Halifax, and Marlboro were candidates this time, and in the event of a successful camp, a larger group might gather for another year.
      First we visited the schools and talked with the teachers and the girls suggested - who were of uniform age - twelve to sixteen years. All were enthusiastic, and it remained only to convince the mothers and fathers of the plan in all its phases; and in time we visited all every the homes finding all the girls eager [to] join us.
     At South Pond on Ames Hill we collaborated with the Boy Scouts in fitting out the camp, and repairing the cottage, barn, and kitchen. The situation was ideal, that is - we were far from the inquisitive crowds, by being on Ames Hill - about eight miles from Brattleboro, and over a mile from the main road. This entrance road is rough, and apt to be very muddy as we found to our surprize [sic], even in midsummer. The woods are rather dense, of about thirty years growth and of great variety and interest. On approaching the pond along the road, the growth changes to grey birches with here and there beautiful white paper birches and evergreen trees.

© 2010, copyright William C. Haskell