INSPECTIONS

Small boys do not like to clean up after themselves. Daily cabin inspection by the OD was a necessity to ensure minimal tidiness and order. Though a burden for counselors as well as campers, cleanup was made more endurable by turning it into an intercabin competition. The announcement of daily inspection results was awaited with interest. "Tie between Cabins 2 and 9, despite continued presence of a stuffed animal on pillow of bunk #2, Cabin 2."* The weekly winner became the honor cabin at colors and was awarded the privilege of being first in line for small stores.

The OD graded each cabin according to six categories: bunks, floor, dust, lockers, general appearance, and grounds. Maximum points: 48. Minimum in order to pass: 20. Any cabin that flunked -- tallies such as 17 or 12 were not uncommon -- had to do the job all over again during free period, and was reinspected. The record low score was -1.

There was also a spot inspection sometime during the afternoon. When cabin competition was close, "spot" was generally the deciding factor.

The highlight of inspection was the "ripping" or "tearing down" of beds. As part of the continual battle against skin infections, the OD was instructed to run one hand under the covers and between the sheets of each bed. If sandy or damp, top sheet and blanket were yanked out and flung toward the foot of the bunk. At the start of morning free period, inspection completed, campers would frequently rush back to their cabins to see whose bed(s) got ripped.

Acts of sabotage were frowned upon and actively discouraged, but they went on anyway. Members of cabins vying for weekly honors might short-sheet their rivals' beds, or introduce incriminating handfuls of sand and pine needles. If Cabin 5 edged out 9 for the week, Cabin 9 might retaliate by trashing Cabin 5. In the main however, a sporting attitude prevailed.

Older boys were either very good or very bad at cleanup. The bosuns, oldest campers to be judged for competition, often came in first but sometimes finished dead last. ACs were inspected less rigorously because of their other responsibilities, but they attended to their mess when threatened from above. Now and then the counselors received a surprise inspection from Ced -- usually with adverse results, which he itemized in an announcement at the following meal, to the great delight of the campers. The loudest howls, of course, were for the red-faced recipients of ripped beds.

-- George Bernardin