What Boys Do

July 2, 2025

I’ve used this theme in previous summers, maybe titling it something like “flailing arms and legs,”  most evidently “what boys do.”

You will discover evidence galore for all of the following by navigating through the recent photo albums:

• Boys catch frogs. I think the photos taken by Henri on the fishing trip to Belle Island on Newfound Lake were fabulous. If that is your son, I’d buy the photo and have it framed. Todd reported that the “hang out” was equally as much fun as the fishing. Who would not love having that precious tent spot on the very edge of the water.
• Boys kiss fish. They have to, actually, as the dining room chant grows louder and louder with passing second of hesitation during the post-trip report. Jack is an ace angler and has smooched many a whopper during his Kingswood career.
• Boys jump into cold water. Big Eddy is our name for a popular plunge pool along the Baker River just outside Warren, NH. We have identified rocks we deem appropriate for leaping into the frigid waters below. Yeah, locals will jump off the high bridge, which we love observing but outlaw completely for our fellows.
• Boys throw balls. Duh.
• Boys climb rocks. High ones like mountains and small ones like the bolder in front of the Roost (aka. the Nature Building, home of the woodworking activity. Yes, boys like to misname things, too.)
• Boys like to shine flashlights. That’s the main reason we discourage the campers from bringing them to council fire. We only had one or two on hand to flash back at the trampers on Webster Cliff the other evening.
• Boys like to “pyro” campfires. We usually let them “get it out of their systems” before threatening expulsion from council fire if they persist.
• Boys learn to appreciate the values inherent in being part of nature’s grand plan. We urge the counselors to hammer home this point at any opportunity. Just now at breakfast, the counselors excused themselves to have a meeting over in the Main Lodge. The few of us supervising the meal in the absence of the staff stalled a bit by engaging the kids on the popularity of the term “Mother T” to describe our glorious lake. “It has a couple of baby lakes nearby” chirped one lad, in a guess that was new to this chiseled veteran!

Today is another hot one, by our standards. Mid to high 80’s are expected, and we once more are urging a certain awareness of the need to hydrate and apply sun block.

I found it easier to post rosters in the photo albums section, so look for them there. I’ll try to get most of them for you, so long as counselors place them on the staff bulletin board.