Two new programs, Pioneer Camp and Sea Scouting, were added in 1931. The Pioneer Camp was located a short walk from the main part of camp and provided the opportunity for rustic tent camping and cooking on an open fire. C. H. Westin led these trips, two huts at a time, where the scouts slept in tepee style tents, planned and cooked their own meals, and participated in special activities, such as hikes down along the nearby Chattahoochee river. The scouts were still able to attend skill and merit badge classes while at the Pioneer camp. The other new program, Sea Scouting, was led by Skipper Warren Barlar, and included teaching scouts the fundementals of life aboard a ship, such as specialized knots, equipment used like sails, and it even included a few small sailboats on the camp lake.
The regular activities offered by the camp were also quite varied. In addition to swimming, scoutcraft, nature, and handicrafts, there were also classes in radio, rope spinning, (made popular you Will Rogers), Indian costume making and beadwork (taught by a real Indian!), and model airplane building. With more than twenty different activities being offered, it was hard for any scout to be bored.
Added to these daytime activities were the evening events. There were "rope hikes" (where all hikers were linked by a long rope and led cross country), stargazing atop Vining's Mountain, ghost stories, night games, and the occasional "scam" put on by the staff. There were also numerous campfires. The closing campfire program often featured a minstrel show put on by the staff. Mr. George Dorsey, with his burnt-cork makeup and silly antics, was a perennial favorite.
Although Ed Dodd was a popular figure among the scouts, he and Dobbie Dobson often disagreed about various operations and methods at the camp. When the opportunity to become Scout Executive in Spartanburg, South Carolina was presented, Mr. Dodd took the position. Once again, for the 1932 summer camp season, Dobbie Dobson took on the role of Camp Director.
Dining Hall, Server Window
Each table of eight had one staff member & seven campers. At each meal the campers would rotate being the server. A bugle call would notify the servers to come to the dining hall to setup the tables. The servers would also cleanup after the meal. There were announcements and singing after each meal. Songs like, "Around her neck she wore a Yellow Ribbon" were popular, especially when the last verse was sung. Not the original lyrics, the modified last verse was "Behind the door her father kept a shotgun... "
Camp staff repainting two of the canoes.
The experimental "Pioneer camp" program, implemented by C. H. Westin during the 1931 summer camp season, became known as decentralized camp in 1932. The program continued to provide one or two nights of rustic camping during the regular camp periods. As summer camp concepts continued to evolve, participation of Scoutmasters at camp and troops camping together became more common.
Decentralized Camping
Teepee style tents at Decentralized Camp
Two scouts at Decentralized Camp
The prevailing idea for boy scout summer camping up to this time in the early 1930's was for scouts to attend as individuals, where they lived with other boys from all over the area. But this idea was beginning to change. Boy scout executives throughout the United States were discussing summer camp methods, and they realized that Scoutmaster participation at summer camp would be beneficial to their scouts and troops overall troop experience, and having the troop camp together as a unit, with their own adult leadership, would also reduce so many demands on the camp staff. Additionally, most troops only went on day hikes or one-night campouts during most of the year, so having a long-term camping experience as a troop would be a great opportunity for the patrol method to work. And yet another benefit was for the Scoutmasters themselves, who were eligible to earn Boy Scout rank all the way up to Eagle Scout. There were several Scoutmasters in the Atlanta Council that achieved the rank of Eagle Scout during the 1920's and 1930's. The first was Carl Zillag, Scoutmaster of Troop 3, who became an Eagle Scout in June 1922. By 1934, there were select weeks at Camp Bert Adams that were set aside for troop camping. The troops conducted their own programs, using the resources of the camp and the staff.
Jack Sullivan
Archery Instructor & Assemblies
Woodrow Fuller
Canoeing Instructor
Louis Mobley
Astronomy & Decentralized Camp
Howard Doyle
Decentralized Camp
Phillip Holliday
Woodcarving
John Hill
Decentralized Camp
George Dorsey
Nature Study
Freeman Self
Waterfront Director
C. H. Westin
Decentralized Camp
R. H. Scott
Camp Superintendent
Sgt. H. W. Stone
Marksmanship
Skipper Warren Barlar
Camp Bookkeeper & Mess Sergeant
W. A. Dobson
Scout Executive & Camp Director
C. Linn Adams
Assistant Scout Executive &
Assistant Camp Director
Henry N. Brown
Assistant Camp Director
Billy Mizelle
Plaster Casts, Craftwork & Trading Post
1932 Camp Bert Adams Staff -
(Left to right):
Front row: Freeman Self, C. P. Roberts, Henry Brown, Chief Red Fox, W. A. "Dobbie" Dobson, C. H. Westin, Billy Mizelle.
Middle row: George Dorsey, Norman Sands, Fred Dobson, Sergeant Stone, Linton Zachry, Louis Mobley, Phil Holliday.
Back row: Art Merrill, Jimmy Stapleton, Bob Grantham, Bill McCanless, J. P. Born, Woodrow Fuller, Howard Doyle, John Hill, Warren Barlar.
This 1932 Staff Patch was an old repurposed 4-panel patch
Scouts making leaf casts
Swimming competition between hut leaders
Canoe jousting on Lake Dick Darby
If anyone knows who Dick Darby was please let us know. Note that the scouts are not wearing life jackets! However, the lake was filled with silt and could be waded across.
1935 Camp Bert Adams Staff -
(Left to Right)
Front Row: Phil Holliday, ?, Camp Doctor, George M. McCord, C. H. Westin, W. A. "Dobbie" Dobson, Chief Red Star, Herbert Stuckey, Freeman Self, George Dorsey, ?, Woodrow "Woody" Fuller, Fred Dobson, Thomas Gordon.
Back Row: ?, Paul "Popeye" Smith, ?, Avery Means, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, Jullian Watters, ?, ?, Charles M. Jones, ?.
Archery Class at Camp Bert Adams
C. H. Westin demonstrating his strength
Post cards from 1935 -
The swimming pool was at sight to behold. It was in a deep ravine with a creek running along one side. No other buildings could be seen from the pool. It was totally isolated from the rest of the camp.
Submitted by Randy Yates
This hut was one of at least 4 staff huts that I remember. This type staff hut was located in sites 1, 2, 3, & 9. The campers slept in Adirondack (3-sided) shelters, a few of which were moved to the Osceola campsite at the new camp in Covington. They are still there!
Submitted by Randy Yates
Chief Red Star teaches scouts traditional native Indian ceremonies
Submitted by Randy Yates
Canoe jousting (or "tilting" as is written on this post card) was a popular activity at boy's camps throughout the US in the 1920's and 1930's
Submitted by Randy Yates
In 1936, Mr. Dobson took a promotion to Regional Scout Executive. In his place, Mr. C.H. Weston took over at the Camp Director, a role he performed very well until he left Atlanta after the 1937 season.
Mr. Westin introduced a new honor recognition to the camp in 1936 called the Order of the Arrow. He had heard of this honor camper society at a training conference and brought the idea back with him. He knew nothing about the procedure for establishing a lodge, or of ceremonies. The staff simply selected the boys whom they thought most worthy and Mr. Westin told those chosen, "Congratulations, you are now in the Order of the Arrow." It was not until 1938 that a recognized induction was performed by the Bobwhite Lodge from Augusta, GA and a charter issued to the local lodge.
The year 1937 saw the expansion of Camp Bert Adams by 59 acres. This tract of land was the gift of Mr. William C Wardlaw as an additional memorial to his youngest son, Platt, who had died in 1923 at the age of fourteen. Mr. Wardlaw had previously paid for the camp hospital in memory of his son in 1930. A three-ton granite monument was dedicated during the regular camping season the following year on the new property.
1937 or 1938 Staff Photo
Submitted by Randy Yates
Treasure Oak Lodge became the stage for "Honey Almand's Sweetheart Hour," a weekly sing-along held as entertainment after the campfire program. The name, given by Camp Director Pat Patterson, derived from the name of the staff member in charge of leading it, Arnold "Honey" Almand (after the candy bar), and the traditional opening number the group sang, "Let Me Call You Sweetheart." As a side note, the Pat Patterson referred to here was different from the A. P. "Pat" Patterson that had been Field Scout Executive in Atlanta around 1929.
1938 Camp Bert Adams Staff -
(Left to Right)
Front Row: Thomas Hill, Arnold Almand, Wallace White, Paul "Popeye" Smith, Carl Boyer, Billy Mountcastle, Bill Francis.
Middle Row: Scotty Carlisle, Lloyd Walker, Jamck Fulwyler, George "Country" Himmeiright, Barney Bell, Doc Roy Stewart, Richard "Itchy" White, Bill Bishop, Bill Miller, "Chief" Joe Ballenger.
Back Row: George Dorsey, Ralph Ramsey, Thomas Widener, Rovene Thomason, Charles Uhi, Steve Epstein, Roger Stokey, Don Pierce.
(Submitted by Randy Yates)
1938 Atlanta Camp-O-Ree at Bert Adams - one troop even rode their bicycles to camp!
Canoeing on Dick Darby Lake
Troop 83 arrives at Bert Adams for their first Camp-O-Ree
1938 Caretaker's House, aka "The White House
Located across from the trading post, in 1960 this house was occupied by Mr. & Mrs. Heatley. Mr. Heatley was the camp business manager and Mrs. Heatley was a nurse in the health lodge.
1938 Dining Hall, interior
This is exactly how I remember the inside of the dining hall in 1958 through 1960. Eight persons to a table, one staff and seven campers. Food was home style with one person at each table being the server. Servers would rotate each meal. They would setup the tables, deliver the food and seconds, and cleanup after the meal. The picture on the wall is a portrait of Admiral Richard E. Byrd, famous naval officer and pioneering aviator, polar explorer, and organizer of polar logistics. Eagle Scout Paul Siple, who was selected to participate in one of Byrd's polar expeditions, authored a book "A Boy Scout with Byrd" based on his experiences. Siple visited Camp Bert Adams shortly after the expedition and gave a presentation to the scouts telling them all about his adventures.
1938 Mess Hall, side view
A door was added about half way down this side of the mess hall, where the taller screen windows start. The door faced the assembly area and flag pole. Across the assembly area was the Treasure Oak Lodge.
1938 Mess Hall, front entrance
From your webmaster's memory, this entrance wasn't used in the late 1950's. A side entrance facing the assembly field had been added.
1938 at the Council Ring
L-R: Pat Patterson, George Dorsey & Alex Bealer at the council ring. The council ring was located behind the health lodge.
1938 Treasure Oak Lodge
Located across the assembly field from the mess hall, this building was used for meetings and indoor campfires. Group photos of troops on arrival day and staff were taken in front of the fireplace in this building.
1940 - Camp Brochure (Mailer)
Interesting read. Note the charge for a week at camp is $7.50 for in -council and $8.50 for out-of-council. (Thanks to John Hoffman for this artifact)
1940 - Artist's drawing of the camp entrance
(L-R): George Dorsey & George Goldman at camp
(L-R): George Goldman & Monty Calhoun