1932 - 1945

1932 - Decentralized Camp Established

The prevailing idea in Scout camping at the time was that Scouts attended summer camp as individuals, where they lived with other boys from all over the area.  By the early-1930's this philosophy was beginning to change.  The B.S.A. began to realize that the troop leaders could add much to the camp program.  Under the leadership of C. H. Westin, Camp Bert Adams started an experimental decentralized camp in 1931 where campers would be treated to one or two nights during the camp period, living in teepee style tents and cooking their own food. The next step was to have troops camping as a unit with their own adult leadership, and by 1934, selected weeks were set aside for troop camping.  The troops conducted their own programs, using the resources of the camp and the staff.

The transition from mass camping to troop camping had a lot of opposition.  Many campers and leaders felt that the best part of summer camp was being with new people form other parts of the city.  The troop camped together nine or ten months out of the year, they reasoned, and summer camp should be an opportunity to get away from the troop for a while.  It was a point of view, however, that did not win out in the end, especially since most troops only had one long period of camping together during the year. Outside of summer camp, most troops had day hikes or one night camping trips. It was rare for troops to camp for an entire weekend as is the norm these days.

1936 - Dobbie Dobson becomes Region 6 Executive; Weaver Marr is new Atlanta Scout Executive

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.

1937 - Camp Bert Adams Grows by 59 acres

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 a memorial to his youngest son, Platt, who had died in 1923 at the age of fourteen.  A three-ton granite monument was dedicated during the regular camping season the following year on the new property.

1938 - Treasure Oak Lodge and the Order of the Arrow

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."