PONY POSTMAN

The cool pine-clad hills of Yavapai offer a vacation wonderland.

Arizona's Summer Youth Capital

Busy camp programs are conducted under capable adult leadership.

Ideal summer mountain climate is the natural asset that has developed these camps.

Story and Pictures by Charles Franklin Parker Camps in pine forests

As the closing days of school wane and the thermometer registers the approach of summer the eyes of many hundreds of Arizona boys and girls and young people turn toward the pine laden hills of Yavapai. There is the yearning in memory for days at camp, and excitement in anticipation of the return of the camping season. Prescott, surrounded by the Bradshaws and Sierra Prietas, is the focal point for many of the permanent camps and conferences for Arizona's youth. Increasing numbers of these young people go each year to these mountain camps for ten or more days of out-of-door life under capable adult leadership. In 1945 the summer season found more than 4000 young campers participating accumulating a total of over 40,000 camper days, and consuming over 120,000 camper meals. The great majority of these campers come from southern and central Arizona. The number of them participating in these summer programs gives to Prescott the honor of being the Summer Youth Capitol of Arizona.Camps are maintained and operated on the Prescott National Forest by the Phoenix Young Men's Christian Association, the Maricopa Council of Camp Fire Girls, the Phoenix Council of Girl Scouts, and the Northern Baptist Convention of Arizona. In the adjacent Granite Dells area is located the Girl Reserve Camp of the Phoenix Young Women's Christian Association, while the Church Conference Grounds operated by the Episcopal Diocese of Arizona just west of the city of Prescott and adjacent to the beautiful Hassayampa Country Club, serves many denominational groups. At White-horse Lake the Grand Canyon Council of the Boy Scouts have opened a new camp during the past year. To these youth camps must be added the popular summer colonies of Salt River Valley residents at Iron Springs and the Mountain Club, where programs and activities are arranged for the families each summer. For the past two years provision has been made through the efforts of the Arizona Society for Crippled Children for camping experience for the physically handicapped boys and girls.

The ideal summer mountain climate is the natural asset that has developed the camps. Located as they all are in the large pine for-ests of the area, affording warm days and cool nights, ample opportunity for out-of-door ac-tivities, these camps are a mecca for Arizona's youth. They are more popular each year.Such places as Granite Basin Lake, the var-ious forest recreation and picnic areas, the open hospitality of the ranches all contribute to mak-ing this mile high city locality attractive to all who go there. The City of Prescott provides activities such as the weekly Community

Sing programs and Frontier Days on July 4th. The Smoki dances are given on a Sunday night early in August. The two museums and the facilities of Granite Dells and the Hassayampa Country Club add to the many natural attractions. The churches of the community remain active during the summer months and serve the needs of the summer visitors. The seasonal trek to the Yavapai Hills began in early days with the nomadic life of the Indians, and later with the cattle and sheep men moving herds from winter to summer range. But the modern vacation trek with established summer facilities began with the resort at Iron Springs. This led in turn to the establishment of the first permanent summer camp site in the area by the Y. M. C. A. organizations of Arizona at Granite Dells. This beginning was followed by other organizations until at this time there are the six fine camps already mentioned; and others, particularly various denominational groups still are trying to find satisfactory camp sites. All of the camps have adequate buildings and equipment, though the Y. M. C. A. Camp on Wolf Creek is the most complete. The campsite was given by Barry M. Goldwater and the large commodious lodge is a gift of the J. C. Lincolns. In addition to the Lodge, and the many bunk cabins located in small village units (each with a capacity for seven boys and a counsellor), are an infirmary, chapel, craft shop, recreation hall, swimming pool, archery and rifle range, base ball diamond and volley ball court, corrals, and headquarters buildings. The other camps are all well equipped, though in some instances, the growing demand will require additional facilities. The Y. W. C. A. Camp was much improved last year, and the Camp Fire Girls' Camp Wam-otochick has had considerable improvement recently.

The Girl Scout Camp on Groom Creek is one of the newest. There the mess hall and the cook-outs are the only permanent structures. Tent villages furnish adequate sleeping facilities. The cook-outs are most attractive and useful: The Boy Scout Camp on Whitehorse Lake began last year and is an entirely portable camp.

The Church Conference Grounds in West Prescott are very spacious, the accomodations are very good, and the grounds provide much in recreational facilities. These facilities are used continuously during the summer months by various church groups for periods of approximately ten days.

A day in camp will vary with the several organizations, but each day will be filled with fun, constructive activities, recreation, and fellowship. Every camp is staffed with well trained and responsible leadership, special care has been taken in the interests of health and safety.

All of the camps are staffed very largely by volunteer workers. People who have the “know how” with boys and girls and who have special techniques or hobbies that make their services invaluable. Few camps could actually employ all of the staff needed for leadership. Many things go into planning a good camp and leadership is a big part of it. Good food and good leadership make or break any camp regardless of the fineness or lack of facilities otherwise. To the many volunteers who give of time to the camps not only Arizona but the nation owes a great debt which it can never pay. These Arizona camps afford not only beautiful surroundings but excellent leadership and the only dividends most leaders want is the happiness of association with the young people and the feeling that they have contributed in a small way to make a happier world and a stronger youthful society to carry on for the many summers yet to come, while the mountains call and the tall pines sing a lullaby. Boating, swimming hiking, horse back riding, crafts, dramatics, nature lore, camp cooking, study groups, chapel, archery, base ball, volley ball and good eats are all a part of good camp life along with K. P. and camp craft. Children learn, play, and grow healthy in days at camp. Character building and citizenship training come naturally from these experiences.

Camp life can be portrayed better in cap-tioned pictures than in words. It is difficult to describe a smile on a ruddy face, the energy used in good competitive sports, the meaning of camp fellowship. and the skills of ten acquired but one picture can relay the message of joy and happiness.

Every man and woman who camped as a youngster recalls with nostalgic delight the soft rain in the pine trees, the scent of a camp fire. the tiredness of physical fatigue. the friendships established, the songs of the birds. the clean swim, and even the reminder of a cold shower sends a thrilling shiver up the spine. Memories that linger assure the value of camping for boys and girls.

Arizona is fortunate to have a variety of climate and conditions which makes it a year round mecca for people who love the out-of-doors.

Prescott, in the Yavapai hills, delights in being host and summer capitol for Arizona's out-of-door boys and girls.

Nights in camp under the canopy of the Arizona star-studded skies; days spent in wholesome recreation under skilled leaders; mornings when one is awakened by the bugle to hear the birds singing; evenings around a camp fire; and food that fills and builds these the summer camps in Yavapai give to Arizona's youth.

A summer is incomplete to many Arizona boys and girls unless the vacation months have afforded opportunity to spend ten days and nights in summer camps. Large busses leave the southern communities almost daily taking enthusiastic youngsters to camp. To meet one of these busses on the highway with the bed rolls and baggage tied tightly atop the bus. and to hear the cheerful shouting and see the smile clad faces makes one live again in the land of joyous childhood.

the southern communities almost daily taking enthusiastic youngsters to camp. To meet one of these busses on the highway with the bed rolls and baggage tied tightly atop the bus. and to hear the cheerful shouting and see the smile clad faces makes one live again in the land of joyous childhood.

The experience of being at camp on the open-ing day of a session is one never to be forgotten as bed rolls and luggage are carried and dragged from the unloading point to a cabin or tent. To see some child making his own bed and storing his own belongings as a complete personal responsibility, for possibly the first time in his life, and hurry through to be in chow line for the first eventful meal is to participate in a growing up phase of life.

Just as poignant in recollection is a last day at camp. The scene is etched in memory. The bed rolls are all rerolled and the personal belongings are all gathered and piled at the central loading point. The final goodbyes are said. Autographs of friends are being scrawled in the inevitable note books. Some are having a last look around the familiar haunts, and taking snap shots of camp buddies. An occasional tear is shed as the parting ceremonies are carried out in the final moments ere the big bus leaves camp. Thus one comes to know and appreciate camp and the life experiences that come from such ten days of living. No wonder the thoughts pervade and a nostalgic yearning returns with the spring. It is almost like the homing sense of the birds that migrate from clime to clime. It becomes a vital part of living.

Youth responds to leadership and program. Summer camps afford the type of activity under proper conditions which build for healthful happy lives within the mental framework of democratic ideals. The volunteer youth programs are great instruments in inculcating democracy in a nation's youth, in marked contrast to the "state" or "party" camps of foreign lands producing "goose step" discipline and ideology.