Director’s Reports

Being Cool

July 14, 2026

Being Cool

July 14, 2026

Not “Staying Cool,” but “Being Cool.”

Being cool is so much easier at a single-sex camp. Indeed, you know what I mean or better had. End of lecture.

We do have cool kids here at Kingswood, and that double entendre is on full display in the most recent photo albums.

Sara accompanied the group that headed down the road a few miles to our favorite swimming hole called (by us) Big Eddy. I promise you we would never permit jumping off that old bridge visible in a couple of photos. I’ll admit, however, it is fun to watch the locals do cartwheels and swan dives off the darn thing.

Kingswood boys are satisfied with the jumps that are permitted and frolicking in the very cool waters of the Baker River which owes its source to somewhere high on Mt. Moosilauke.

“As if we need another game” I hollered at the small bunch of fellows playing “Whompball” during B Block. We do call Kingswood “The Camp of 100 Games,” many of which are homespun. Not this one. Lukas explained that you win/lose those arm bracelets by the rules of engagement.

The main point here is that B Block is that free period of time after 4:30 when boys are permitted to do whatever they please, so long as it is wholesome and is supervised by a counselor. In this case, Lukas was the counselor and he was attracting the kids to his assigned zone. Good camp.

While most of the campers are attracted to the waterfront in these hot temperatures, if you call 80 degrees hot, both Main Lodge rooms, the Great Room and the Game Room are open at this time of day. Remarkably, the new cupboards in the Great Room have remained intact so far.

We have a beautiful campus and we ask the boys to help keep it that way. Messes are made, naturally, but we are quick to clean them up.

In my photos you see pontoon-style boat we use exclusively for patrol of the lake when boys are employed in any watercraft. Even though the campers, and lifeguard aboard, too, must wear lifejackets, we have this backup to complement simple eyes from the shoreline.

There was a bit of hustle-bustle after dinner when Todd was organizing a fishing derby on the lake. I don’t know what became of the flotilla after my photos were snapped but much later during council fire, through the rapidly descending darkness, I saw them very quietly returning to shore just past our setting.

Now that, to me, is being cool!