2015 Testimonials He asked me a few days after he left if it was possible to be “homesick” for Kingswood! He told us on the drive home that he wished he’d signed up for all 7 weeks. For a guy who loves to sleep in, that’s the highest possible compliment. I asked Julian … Read more
One of our good traditions is that counselors occasionally praise their own accomplishments in the dining room in order to draw teasing jeers from the rest of us. It goes like this: during our announcement (or “kudos”) session after the meal, the counselor, Mark, stands up and announces, “John caught my touchdown pass to win … Read more
We are never happy to rest on our laurels at Kingswood. As soon as camp ended on August 15, we were already at work, constructing our list of proposed projects, purchases, upgrades to the facility. There are a lot of exciting projects happening at camp this offseason. First off, we employed the help of … Read more
THE ASSIMILATION COMMITTEE Back in my college days at Washington and Lee University, we had a student-run enforcement panel called the Assimilation Committee. Perhaps they had numerous campus rules to police, but the lone stricture I can recall pertained to the obligatory greeting from one person to another whenever they crossed paths on the university … Read more
This essay written by a soon-to-be second year camper pretty much says it all. Enjoy: Imagine you’re looking through a window. What do you see, and why is it meaningful to you? It’s early August 2014, one of my last days at Kingswood Camp for Boys in the White Mountains in New Hampshire. I’m looking … Read more
A recent article in The Washington Post highlighted the decline in interest for youth baseball. The cost of equipment and the need for adult supervision were cited as the prime reasons for this trend. Missing completely was the real deal killer: baseball is difficult to learn. Especially at the age when kids … Read more
“Often Imitated But Never Duplicated” The old hot dog stand in Elmira, New York, where I grew up, adorned the above slogan. The phrase has always stuck with me, as those franks sure were tasty morsels! Would that any camp stand up to such scrutiny! All kidding aside, parents searching for camps really ought to understand … Read more
Happy Parents, Part One It’s wonderful when blogs write themselves. The commentary below is just tip of the iceberg- taken directly from parent surveys from the summer of 2014. For us, receiving feedback that affirms the value of our program, philosophy, community, as well as the effort that we put into running Kingswood, … Read more
Take one child. Remove him or her from the urban environment with its emphasis on material acquisitions. Place him in a rural environment with its demands inherent in nature. Separate him from the security of home where happiness is expected. For several weeks, substitute a community living experience where happiness is earned. Withdraw for a … Read more
“I don’t know.” That’s what I said to my student. “But, was it worth all that money to send a man to the moon? You are the teacher, so tell me.” Naturally, I told the youngster that his view on the matter was the one that counted. “You mean that I can write anything I … Read more
