Campward Ho! A Manual for Girl Scout Camps

by Girl Scouts of the United States of America

Work of the Planning Committee

There are specific responsibilities to be borne by Councils or Committees who undertake to promote and establish a Girl Scout camp. The most important of these are first, to secure the money for the initial cost, and second, to obtain a Director. The subsequent work of the Committee will be determined almost entirely by the character and capacity of the Director chosen.

The prime requirement for a Camp Director is that she be able to manage a camp and the children. This means first of all, a strong reliable character, with enthusiasm and love and understanding for people, and particularly for young people. She must also have an understanding of the Scout program, as well as the aims and purposes of the Scout organization, for the children in these camps are Scouts. She must have a practical knowledge of the administration of a large household.

If in addition to these qualities she is capable of organizing and planning, the Council can feel itself lucky, because their specific work in regard to the camp is ended, and they can with assurance turn over to the Director such questions as choice of location, the camp site, arrangements for transportation, price of board, determining and selection of equipment, the type of children, and the length of the camp year.

They must not forget to give the Director not only the responsibility but the requisite authority to act, and perhaps most important, be ready to give her financial backing.

It must be remembered, however, that many women who are quite capable of running a camp do not have the particular kind of organizing ability or business training needed to establish one in the first place. It may be necessary therefore, for the Committee to divide the work among its members, or even to engage a professional buyer, or business manager. In the rest of this book it has been assumed that the Director is of the former type, and will carry the initial responsibility.

Transportation

The question of transportation is the first thing to be thought of when considering locations for a Girl Scout camp. The cost, facilities, accessibility and time required would all be determining factors which when settled make it possible to investigate locations within a given radius without waste of time.

There are many Scouts who would not go to camp if the cost of transportation equalled the price of one week's board, but who would on the other hand spend two weeks in camp with a smaller transportation cost. The question of shipping equipment and provisions is also to be considered, for these things can be bought to better advantage in large centers and transported by boat or rail to the camp site, than purchased from stores in a small community.