R
raito
Here's what I remember as the daily scheduling from the later days of TOSEBO (most of you guys seem to be older than I):
The summer schedule was a little bit different. There was still the 3 and 4 week sessions, but you could also go for 6 (and possibly other increments). I never got to go the full summer, but I wanted to.
Most mornings were getting up at reveille, and assembling up by the flag pole by the craft shop for calisthenics. Then down to hang out for a few minutes by the club house until called in for breakfast.
Being a waiter was for those guys of intermediate age (old enough to do the job, but not the oldest). There was a waiter for each of 2 tables, and he sat at the end of the table so he could get up easily, and see the other table. I don't recall honors being given for being a waiter -- it was just assigned.
Every camper could expect a week at Table #1, Hal Tonkin's table. Better have good manners that week! When the Allman's owned TOSEBO, I can't remember who took that spot.
After breakfast, it was up the hill for a daily cleanup, then off to activities. There would be an hour of activity assigned by tent and cabin (in pairs), and an hour of free activity. Then down to the waterfront for an hour of swimming lessons. It sure seemd like most of the counselors has their certifications.
Back up to the club house for lunch. Usually sandwiches and soup. To this day, I eat peanut butter and jelly with cream of mushroom, cold cuts with vegetable, and cheese with tomato. Then there was the infamous pizza burgers. I recall hearing a story from Jim (Moose) Faloon about how some camper, after lunch, made an announcement about how many his table had consumed. Hal Tonkins said something like," It's not an eating marathon!"
After lunch, an hour of quiet time, and 2 more activity hours structured as in the morning. Another swim before dinner. Then on to whatever was planned for the evening.
Then evenings varied. Sometimes, it was sports, where we were divided by league (yet another division) by age and ability. The first year I was there, I was misplaced into the PeeWees, because I was young and hadn't been there before. But I was also 6' tall at 11, and it really wasn't too fair to the rest, some of whom were 6 years old. And it wasn't quite fair to me, as all the other guys from Cabin 6 (and Cabin 5) were Minors.
Anyway, sometimes sports. Sometimes, the Council. Early in the summer would be an evening where the counselors would try to find the campers, who were hiding in the woods. The counselor could only catch you if he saw you and could call your name. And there was that weird flag-football-like game where captured guys made a chain from the opposing back line.
Weekends were different. After breakfast came the major cleanup, where each cabin/tent also had a special assignment, like cleaning up the stage or tennis court. Then the trip into town. Saturday dinner was prepared by the counselors in the area between the cabins (gave the cooks and kitchen boys a day off). After dinner came showers, followed by a movie in the club house (it seems as though it was always NFL films from the preceding season).
But it all changed on the 'special' days. I recall several of these. 'Tribe Day' was every summer. 'Gold Rush' was still happening (and yet another way to divide up the boys into different groups). 'Paul Bunyan' day. 'Olympic' day. And probably others that I can't remember. There seemed to be one of these every couple weeks.
The summer schedule was a little bit different. There was still the 3 and 4 week sessions, but you could also go for 6 (and possibly other increments). I never got to go the full summer, but I wanted to.
Most mornings were getting up at reveille, and assembling up by the flag pole by the craft shop for calisthenics. Then down to hang out for a few minutes by the club house until called in for breakfast.
Being a waiter was for those guys of intermediate age (old enough to do the job, but not the oldest). There was a waiter for each of 2 tables, and he sat at the end of the table so he could get up easily, and see the other table. I don't recall honors being given for being a waiter -- it was just assigned.
Every camper could expect a week at Table #1, Hal Tonkin's table. Better have good manners that week! When the Allman's owned TOSEBO, I can't remember who took that spot.
After breakfast, it was up the hill for a daily cleanup, then off to activities. There would be an hour of activity assigned by tent and cabin (in pairs), and an hour of free activity. Then down to the waterfront for an hour of swimming lessons. It sure seemd like most of the counselors has their certifications.
Back up to the club house for lunch. Usually sandwiches and soup. To this day, I eat peanut butter and jelly with cream of mushroom, cold cuts with vegetable, and cheese with tomato. Then there was the infamous pizza burgers. I recall hearing a story from Jim (Moose) Faloon about how some camper, after lunch, made an announcement about how many his table had consumed. Hal Tonkins said something like," It's not an eating marathon!"
After lunch, an hour of quiet time, and 2 more activity hours structured as in the morning. Another swim before dinner. Then on to whatever was planned for the evening.
Then evenings varied. Sometimes, it was sports, where we were divided by league (yet another division) by age and ability. The first year I was there, I was misplaced into the PeeWees, because I was young and hadn't been there before. But I was also 6' tall at 11, and it really wasn't too fair to the rest, some of whom were 6 years old. And it wasn't quite fair to me, as all the other guys from Cabin 6 (and Cabin 5) were Minors.
Anyway, sometimes sports. Sometimes, the Council. Early in the summer would be an evening where the counselors would try to find the campers, who were hiding in the woods. The counselor could only catch you if he saw you and could call your name. And there was that weird flag-football-like game where captured guys made a chain from the opposing back line.
Weekends were different. After breakfast came the major cleanup, where each cabin/tent also had a special assignment, like cleaning up the stage or tennis court. Then the trip into town. Saturday dinner was prepared by the counselors in the area between the cabins (gave the cooks and kitchen boys a day off). After dinner came showers, followed by a movie in the club house (it seems as though it was always NFL films from the preceding season).
But it all changed on the 'special' days. I recall several of these. 'Tribe Day' was every summer. 'Gold Rush' was still happening (and yet another way to divide up the boys into different groups). 'Paul Bunyan' day. 'Olympic' day. And probably others that I can't remember. There seemed to be one of these every couple weeks.
