Campward Ho! A Manual for Girl Scout Camps

by Girl Scouts of the United States of America

After the site is obtained, necessary buildings finished, grounds cleaned, stove in place, water tested and connections made if there is to be plumbing, the equipment and provisions should be sent in to camp. A week is none too long a time to allow, even if there are many hands to unpack, put the camp in running order, make out the program, camp regulations, etc., and select sites for classes.

If possible have the counsellors spend this week in camp with the Director and help in doing this work. Being together for work and some play will prepare them to take up the duties of the summer and if any of them are not Scouts then is the time to tell them of the Scout work, its aims and so forth. Without this information it is difficult to have true cooperation.

When opening a large camp be sure, when the campers arrive, to have it in the condition in which it is to be kept. First impressions are deep impressions as a rule, even though unfair many times.

Pitching Tents

Perhaps the most difficult work to be done, especially for one who knows little about it is the pitching of the tents, yet when simple rules are followed the task is not beyond a group of young women even when the tents are large. Remember that the beauty of a tent lies in its trimness. It should look smart. The canvas must have no wrinkles, poles must be straight, ropes taut and properly fastened.

First of all see that the tent floors and frame work are as they should be, or lacking a frame work, that pegs are at hand. Examine poles and make sure they are of the right height and length for the tent. If a wall tent is to be pitched lay it on floor, inside down, the fly on top of it. Run the ridge pole under the center of the tent from end to end curved side next to the canvas; at either end of the tent at right angles to the ridge pole and parallel to each other place a tent pole which is the right length for the height of the tent. Put the spindle in the end of each pole through the holes in the ridge pole, and the eyelets in the tent and tent fly ridge.

Serving Table

Two people, one at each pole, on signal, raise the tent into position by lifting the poles and carrying them into place. They should stand opposite each other, at the center of either end of the tent floor. While the poles are held in place, two other people should fasten temporarily the corner ropes of the tent and fly. Tie the flaps into position, fasten the corner rope loops in the bottom edge of the tent to nails in the edge of the floor, and proceed to adjust the guy ropes. Do not pull the tent out of line or have one rope tighter than another. Use a clove hitch for tying the ropes to the strips. The ropes of the tent should go under the strip for the first turn, the fly ropes over. By so doing the roof of the tent and the fly will be kept apart, a most important point; in fact they should never touch except at the ridge.

Fasten the tent to the floor by putting the rope loops in the bottom of the tent over long nails driven into the edge of the tent floor at the proper places. When all ropes are fastened and the tent looks as it should, loosen the bottom at each end, untie the flaps, and hold them back by fastening one of the ropes in the bottom of the flap into the loop at the top corner of the tent wall.