The Little Things
There were so many
little things that were done at ONT that always made
an impression on me and will always stick in my mnd.
The day began with reveille. Listening to the bugle
played to wake us up every morning was such a wonderful
way to start the day. However, waking up at ONT to the
FREEZING mornings was not a happy experience! Crawling
out from those 4 army blankets to the FRIGID air was
torture! Worse yet was having to sit in the latrine.
If the temperature didn't wake you up you were certainly
jolted when you sat on the john!!!! Then to make it
worse, you had to wash up and pray to God that you got
hot water to wash your face! And how that was even possible
doing with gloves on! Flag raising was the next event
of the day that brings back such memories. After everyone
was dressed we would amble to the flagpole and stand
in a circle. The assigned senior campers would proceed
to walk to the flagpole and ceremoniously attach the
flag and then raise the flag to the bugle music. I can
still remember feeling so proud of this assignment when
ai was a senior camper. I still can hear the clammer
of the chain as it fluctuated in the wind and clanged
against the flagpole. After the flag was raised, everyone
walked along the path past the lodge to the dining hall.
Campers would line up outside as the counselors and
senior campers took their place at the tables. Grace
being sung before each meal was another thing. The singing
director would pick out the grace that would be sung
before each meal and then everyone would sit down to
eat. I also loved the singing after meals. After each
meal the singing director would get up and lead everyone
in the singing of 3 songs. After the songs were sung
the director would make any announcements appropriate
and any counselor who needed to remind everyone of anything
would then also do this. Rest hour was another one.
After lunch, everyone would go back to their cabins
and rest on their cots or write letters and read. Camp
was so silent at this time and it is amazing how everyone
looked forward to this. Flag lowering was then done
at the end of the day after evening activity. Again
the senior campers would ceremoniously lower the flag
and carefuly fold it. Taps was sung by everyone and
done to sign language. Finally, after everyone was in
their cabins for the night taps was played on the bugle.
It was the most beautiful sound to hear that blasting
out in the dark, quiet night. You could hear the crickets
and experience the cold and serenity of the woods and
then the taps. It was a wonderful peaceful way to end
each day!
Weather
One
of the most vivid things I remember about ONT was the
COLD! As I shopped for camp each year and packed my
trunk and suitcases, I still smile when I think that
I packed a full suitcase of winter clothes for the summer.
Nights and mornings at ONT were FRIGID! Consequently,
I packed wool pants, heavy sweatshitrts, heavy socks,
winter coats, sweaters, gloves and hats. My mother even
used to wonder and tease me about where I was really
going. I think she thought I was going to Alaska! It
would start to get chilly enought to wear a heavy sweatshirt
for evening program. By the time the campers retired
to the cabins for the night, it was cold. On the beds
there were 2 wool army blankets and another one for
the pillow cover and another one at the foot. So we
slept with 4 wool army blankets and most time socks
and sweatshirts or sometimes even jackets. I can remember
walking back from the lodge at night after planning
activities and it seemed that no matter how well dressed
you were, it was COLD! Waking up in the morning was
brutal. It was so cold and when reverie went off, we
did not want to get out of that warm bed. Just getting
to the latrine and brushing our teeth and washing up
was ROUGH!! We always wore winter clothes to breakfast
and I always looked forward to that pink mug filled
with hot chocolate. By the time breakfast was over and
we were doing cabin duties, it slowly started to warm
up. When I think of the cold, my most vivid picture
when I was a senior camper is of my counselor Pam Scola.
She had a uniform of long jeans, suede workboots and
a red and black check lumber jacket. Every morning and
night she wore that jacket. When I get a flashback of
her, that is how I remember her. When she left camp
and I became a counselor, I searched all over Manhatan
until I found a jacket like that ( idol worship ? )
and bought it. My mother couldn't figure out why I wanted
a jacket like that which was completely out of character
for my usual chic Manhattan wardrobe. I kept that jacket
in my closet for years as it always reminded me of ONT
and it was my connecton!!!! The worst was on Sunday
mornings when we had to get up earlier then everyone
else and get on the bus to go to church. It was so COLD
and all the non Catholics were still sleeping snug and
warm in bed and here were the churchgoers with our eyes
closed and oh so cold. Even worse, was overnights. I
hated them anyway, but once it got dark out and we were
up on Zoar or Windham, even Hunter sometimes, we had
no choice but to get in our sleeping bags and get as
close as we could to the fire. And we made sure that
fire was going all night and that someone was up to
keep it going. And waking up in the morning was brutal.
I can remember bunny hopping in my sleeping bag collecting
wood for the fire until it started. WINTER IN JULY!!!!
When I came home from camp and tried to explain to my
friends about the cold, no one could imagine. They thought
I was making it up.
Closing
Council Fire
This
is such a vivid warm memory full of such pomp and ceremony.
I remember lining up outside the cabins near the flagpole
with our piles of wood. We would be dressed in our Indian
costume and painted faces and feathers. Our senior camper
would be behind us and then each camper in a row. As
the line got around to us we would get in file and join
the rest. The only sound you could hear was the sound
of the drum and the song we would sing, " We Come, We
Come To The Council Fire." When we got to the ring,
we presented our cabin and our wood. I remember the
mystery as it was so dark out except the stars since
the fire had not yet been lit. I can still remember
when the fire was ceremoniously lit magically and singing
" Rise Up Oh Flame " and then the Wa-Ta-Ho. It was so
beautiful . I still can remember the smell of the wood
and the firs and the fire. When I became a counsellor,
I used to be one of those that went and hid in the woods
with Caroline Freno and sang the Wa-Ta-Ho. We then had
the presentation of the 4 winds being lit and I usually
did Beauty and then the fire hoop dances of which I
was one of the fire dancers. I remember the day of sitting
outside the lodge in the grass making our hoops. And
praying all afternoon that as we danced in and out of
them and tossed them from person to person that we wouldn't
goof up or get burned. I remember the Indian Dances
being danced too. The awards were then given out and
we sang the songs that accompanied the council fire
and the final song, " Remember ". By that time our faces
were all drippy of the paint from our tears. Such a
beautiful ceremony and yet sad as these campers were
leaving for home and the following night we would be
having a new group and the opening council fire ceremony
which was a fun one. I will never forget sitting in
those woods in wonder and awe and feeling goosebumps
during the whole wonderful thing. Like I said, it was
the most magical memory of ONT!
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