NANCY AUERBACH'S CAMP RAMONA T-SHIRT

Nancy and her brother Paul just arrived with some pix and memorabilia.

Look what she found somewhere in the basement !

COLORWAR ROSTER - 1962

DO YOU REMEMBER ?
Myron Weintraub + Marty Richman's Maroon New York, New York vs Steve Dick + Larry Kressel's Grey King Arthur...
Camper Generals Allen Teller and Mike Rozen...
That points were awarded for Mess Hall decorum...
The Colorwar Track Meet...
The "pass the Grapefruit" relay for the Indoor Games event...

Check out Sol Schwartzberg's 1962 Colorwar Booklet and read about all the activities of Colorwar '62 and see who was on Grey and who was on Maroon.

There were plenty of Alumni there... Big Mess, Davey Greenberg, Robert Plaut, Carl Slotnick, Sol Schwartzberg, Mindy + Joyce Broser and Marlene Adwar.

(click on the image to download a PDF of the Colorwar Roster)

COLORWAR ROSTER - 1963

DO YOU REMEMBER ?
Steve Dick + Myron Weintraub's Maroon Planet Nooram vs Marty Richman + Sol Schwartzberg's Olympians...
Camper Generals Glenn Felton + Carl Slotnick...
The team flag that each team was required to have at the head of Lineup...
That 25 points were awarded daily for sportsmanship, spirit and conduct...
The Colorwar Canoe Races...

Check out Sol Schwartzberg's 1963 Colorwar Booklet and read about all the activities of Colorwar '63 and see who was on Grey and who was on Maroon.

There were plenty of Alumni there... Bob Fried, Big Mess, Davey Greenberg, Robert Plaut, Jeff Mendelson, Richie Marmaro, Mindy + Joyce Broser, Joyce Plaut, Kerry Prager, Stacy, Jamie, Diane, Rae-Ann, Judy Oliner and Marlene Adwar.
(click on the image to download a PDF of the Colorwar Roster)

DELAWARE WATER GAP MAP from the 80's

Look what Alan Fromm discovered with his Camp pix...
a map of the Delaware Water Gap area from the early 80's.

(click on the image to download a PDF of the map

POKOMONA PRESS - 1960

DO YOU REMEMBER... ?
The Choo-Choo-Wa-Was and the Onokops...
Barn Dancing with the Pokono Squares...
Bowling in Middletown...
Summer Stock at the Grist Mill Playhouse...
The Maroon French vs the Grey Navy...
Carnival Concession Booths...
Candle-lighting...
Harriet Brand and Jay Goldstein as Best All-Around Campers...
Steve Dick as Buffalo Bill in Annie Get Your Gun...
Intercamp Games against Camp Massad...

Check out Rae-Ann Fischer's 1960 Pokomona Press and read about these and other memories from the summer of '60 -- the songs of Girl-Boy Sing, Colorwar Sing, Last Will + Testament The Gossip Column and Advice to the Lovelorn.


(click on the image to download a PDF of the Pokomona Press)

COLORWAR ROSTER - 1964

DO YOU REMEMBER ?
Myron Weintraub + Mark Jonas' Maroon Robin Hood vs Sol Schwartzberg + Howie Aronson's World of Disney...
Camper Generals Jon Zarrett + Ronnie Gelber...
That mandatory rest hour conduct was: silence, shoes off, resting on bed...
That points were awarded for Milk Call decorum...
That mail was collected from each Camper at supper lineup...

Check out Sol Schwartzberg's 1964 Colorwar Booklet and read about all the activities of Colorwar '64 and see who was on Grey and who was on Maroon.

There were plenty of Alumni there... Big Mess, Robert Plaut, Jeff Mendelson, Richie + Mark Marmaro, Carl Slotnick, Bob Fried, Richie + Ira Mandor, Joe Turner, Eric Kunkes, Peter Zucker, Mindy + Joyce Broser, Joyce Plaut, Kerry Prager, Carol + Marsha Pressman, Stacy, Jamie, Diane, and Shelly Rawitz.
(click on the image to download a PDF of the Colorwar Roster)

BANQUET MENU - 1964

DO YOU REMEMBER ?
The excitement of getting all dressed up...
The Banquet Dinner of Roast Turkey...
The anticipation as the awards were being announced...

Check out Rae-Ann Fischer's 1964 Banquet Program and read some of the beautiful messages written to her by her bunkmates and friends - Charlotte, Holly and Adrienne.


(click on the image to download a PDF of the Banquet Menu)

COLORWAR ROSTER - 1965

DO YOU REMEMBER ?
Myron Weintraub + Mark Jonas' Maroon Circus vs Hank Snow + Howie Aronson's Grey Spirit of '76...
Camper Generals Mitch Goldberg + Rae-Ann Fischer...
That first night curfew was 4:30 am for those making mess hall decorations...
That points were awarded for team observance of the Sabbath...
That Sing took one hour and was worth 150 points...
The Apache Relay event "hop from Bunk Z to the Ping Pong tables"...

Check out Rae-Ann Fischer's 1965 Colorwar Booklet and read about all the activities of Colorwar '65 and see who was on Grey and who was on Maroon.

There were plenty of Alumni there... Ernie + Bernie, Lisa + Bobby Ingerman, Bob Fried, Peter Zucker, Stu Winefsky, Richie + Ira Mandor, Steve Tirsch, Richie Marmaro, Richie Hofflich, Mindy Broser, Carol + Marsha Pressman, Caren Riback, Stacy, Jamie, Diane, and Judy Oliner.

(click on the image to download a PDF of the Colorwar Roster)

POKOMONA PRESS - 1966

DO YOU REMEMBER... ?
Mark Marmaro, Dave Polansky and Andrea Kupner as the Black Robes...
Hank Snow's Grey Jules Verne beating Mark Jonas' Maroon Old Testament by only 5 points (1044 to 1039)...
Jerry Turner running the Waterfront...
George Selby faking a broken leg to break Colorwar in an ambulance...
Maroon's "Noah's Ark" and "10 Commandments" Dining Hall decorations...
Paul Dubrowsky and Jeff Jonas singing in the Variety Show...
Marsha, Jamie and Alan B. in The Sound of Music...

Check out Rae-Ann Fischer's 1966 Pokomona Press and recollect these and other memories from the summer of '66 -- the songs of Girl-Boy Sing, Colorwar Sing and the Last Will + Testament of Campers Marty Borell, Stu Winefsky, Steve Lieberman, Jonny Heller and Bruce Beyer.


(click on the image to download a PDF of the Pokomona Press)

LISA INGERMAN'S CAMPER REPORT - 1970

Check out Lisa's 1970 Camper Report...
she was an active participant in swimming, dance, boating and volleyball...and also some unusual activities...

College Bowl, Dating Game, Newlywed Game, Counselor Hunt,
Treasure Hunt and Gripe Session.
Who remembers those activites ?

(click on the picture to download a PDF of Lisa's Camper REPORT)

CAMP YEARBOOK - 1969

DO YOU REMEMBER... ?
The Awards Banquet (11 Alumni were winners)...
The Wizard of Oz... The Talent Show...
Watermelon Leagues... Square Dancing...
Overnights... Swim Meets...
Mark + Honey and the "Aqua-Bimmies"...
Maroon "Heroes of the Old West" vs Grey "Horror Films"...

Check out this treasure that Susan Wald sent us and recount some of the wonderful memories of the summer of '69


(click on the image to download a PDF of the Yearbook)

POKOMONA PRESS - 1967

DO YOU REMEMBER... ?
Rollerskating on the tennis courts... Division 2 Boxing Matches...
Alice in Wonderland... Sunday morning "Fishing Club"...
Myron Weintraub as Athletic Director...
Bob Biederman as Waterfront Head...
Girl's Division 5 "Yenta Bentas"...

Check out this treasure that Lisa Ingerman sent us and recount some of the wonderful memories of the summer of '67


(click on the image to download a PDF of the Pokomona Press)

POKOMONA PRESS - 1970

DO YOU REMEMBER... ?
Visiting Day Carnival... Swartswood Beach
The Talent Show... West Side Story...
OPA Campfires... Bowling at Colonial Lanes...
Horseback Riding at Spring Valley Farm...
Intercamp Games vs Log + Twig and Kittatinny...

Check out this treasure that Susan Wald sent us and recount some of the wonderful memories of the summer of '70


(click on the image to download a PDF of the Pokomona Press)

MENDY'S ACHIEVEMENT PATCH COLLECTION

Does anybody have an Achievement Patch for Archery,
Track + Field or Handball... Mendy does !!!

Look what he handed me at the Reunion... the last batch of Achievement Patches, which he's saved for 35 years.

1973 PROPERTY APPRAISAL PIX

While we were getting ready for the Summer of '73,
the Federal Government was busy preparing to buy out the landowners
in the area - including Mendy and Harold.

They sent appraisers to take pictures, draw diagrams and measure
all the buildings on every property.

Due to some unbelievable "luck" (Don Stieh from the WHS and
Michelle Jacques from the NPS), we have those original pictures and diagrams to look at.

So, if you want to see what was written on the stone pillars at the entrance to Camp, find out how tall the handball court was, see the
Dining Hall or count how many walls the Roundhouse had...
download the PDF and have a look.


(click on the image to download a PDF of the Property Appraisal Pix)

SUSAN WALD'S SIGNED PILLOWCASES - 1971-73

What's read, white & blue and full of names ?

A signed Camp Pillowcase, of course. !!!
where else could you find such deeply felt thoughts as these...

- "Diamonds may glitter, roses may die - friends may forget you, but never - I"
- "I really loved having you to share my summer fun with"
- "It was great knowing you - you were one of the people that made my summer great."

Re-live a bit of those feelings that we expressed to friends (and had them express to us) in the waning days of Camp, as we "take a peek" at Sue Wald's signed pillowcases from 1971-73.

(click on the picture to download a PDF of all the pillowcases)

SUSAN WALD'S CAMP MEMORABILIA - 1971-73

Certificates... plaques... plates and pillowcases.
Sue Wald has sent us her "impressive" collection of awards and memorabilia. No wonder she was BAAC in 1972 !!!

SUSAN WALD'S SIGNED PLATES - 1971-73

What stories are "hidden" behind each signature on these plates ?

Was plate-signing an OPA initiation ritual or just a
memento of Camp friendships ?
- Why did Richie Marmaro sign as "Joe Namath" ?
- What prompted Richie Siegel to nickname himself "Cazzie" ?
- What's the connection between Phil Kaplan and "Oscar Homolka" ?
- Who were "Running Bear" and "Smashing Bonamolo Jr" ?

If you know the stories behind these mysterious
"hand-inscribed paper discs", enlighten us !!!

Lonny Siegel writes: OPA "initiation" required one to collect a number of Counselor signatures, in addition to maintaining a "vow of silence" for the day. You were allowed up to 3 infractions, which were denoted by notches on a stick worn around your neck
(click on the picture to download a PDF of all the plates)

WOODSTOCK MEETS WALPACK - 1970

Back when Vietnam, Kent State and Richard Nixon were making headlines... Jefferson Airplane, Jethro Tull and James Taylor ALMOST played a concert just up the road from Camp.

Here's the story of "The Music Festival that Never Happened"...

(click on the picture to download a PDF of the story)
Scott Swerdlin was on his way back to Camp - just sitting in the back of the Red truck with the rest of the Division 5 Boys - revelling in the 6-4 win against Logs and Twigs' Softball Team. Crossing the Dingman's Ferry Bridge, he glimpsed several signs along the road proclaiming, "FESTIVAL CANCELLED". "What's that all about ?", he wondered. No sooner did he stop to ponder the matter when his concentration was broken by the sounds of First Call resonating through the forest. It was almost time for Lunch. The mystery would have to wait - for now.

Scott would finish the summer (and the decade) without finding out just what the mystery was, but he never stopped wondering...

Fast forward 38 years... Scott's chance re-connection to some old Campmates via internet... a history buff's chance discovery of some Campers who spent summers right in the heart of his cherished boyhood home... a flurry of e-mails... and the story of the "Music Festival that Never Happened" begins to take shape...

Let's watch it unfold as we read the recollections of Don Stieh, the history "buff" who was there...

------------------------------

It was the summer of 1970. I had just finished my freshman year at Rutgers. Kent State, Earth Day, and Vietnam War protests were all fresh in my mind. The Generation Gap was in evidence everywhere - it was the Establishment against the Counterculture... and the "battle lines" were about to be drawn in our own little corner of the world - Walpack Township.

Having missed Woodstock the previous summer, my friends and I were psyched for the Harmonyville Music Festival - 6 days of Rock 'n Roll by some of the biggest names in Rock - Jefferson Airplane, Jethro Tull, Richie Havens, Chicago ! Even as we looked forward to it, we knew the devastating effect it might have on our magnificent valley - several hundred thousand people trampling through our backyard could wreak havoc on the environment. I was torn, but still eager to party !

The site of the Festival was the Radcliff Farm, right along the River and 2 miles North of Flatbrookville, on Old Mine Road. My family's place was in Walpack, just 5 miles upriver.

Most of the community was dead set against the Festival. After Woodstock, the images of mud-soaked humanity, roads clogged for miles in all directions and mountains of trash were nightmares we didn't want. Public pressure quickly developed to head off a repeat of that "disaster".

As word of the Festival spread, the outside world discovered Walpack ! Eager Festival goers started showing up early. Townspeople began to complain about naked hippies wandering around and swimming in the river. One man even claimed to have run off a trespasser with his rifle.

Eventually, the State got involved and a Court Injuction was issued, prohibiting the Festival from being held. The rationale was that Walpack was an isolated area with minimal public services, no method of crowd control and no way to ensure the health and safety of several hundred thousand Festival-goers. Newspapers featured the picture of a Police cruiser parked on the Flatbrookville Bridge, showing that it was only a single lane road, and couldn't possibly handle the volume of traffic the Festival was sure to generate.

As part of the Injunction, the Festival promoters had to advertise its cancellation. Signs were posted on all area roads.
On the two weekends leading up to the festival, all roads into Walpack were blocked by State Police - to keep out hippies and other "undesirables". I kept a copy of our Walpack Township tax bill on me at all times to show that I actually lived in the area, in case I was ever stopped by Police.

August 4th came and went without fanfare. The much ballyhooed festival never took place. All the hullaballoo died out rather quickly after that, and life in Walpack returned to "normal". Although he Establishment had won this round, and protected us from the much feared "hippie assault" on our environment... it would be the Establishment itself that would eventually destroy the Walpack we knew and loved... in their pursuit of the Tocks Island Dam Project. It would take the environmental movement - itself, an offspring of the counterculture, to eventually defeat the Dam project... but not until after we were dispossessed of our community.

------------------------------

And so, the circle closes. One boy's curiosity turns out to be an entire chapter in another man's life and their convergence, 38 years later, solves a mystery for one and leaves bittersweet memories for the other. But out of this convergence, another chapter is opened in the History of Walpack... that of Camp Pokono Ramona.

(thanks to Scott Swerdlin for pursuing his long-time curiosity about this event, and to Don Stieh, of the Walpack Historical Society, for bringing the details to light)

ANOTHER PLAQUE !!!

Check out the Girls All-Around Camper winners from 1966 - 72.
(Hey - we've got 3 Alumni on that Plaque !!!