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TWO-A LAYMEN’S ASSOCIATION OF GEORGIA THE BULLETIN OF THE CATHOLIC AUGUST 22, 1936 Charleston Diocese Pioneer in Religious Vacation School and Recreation Camp Eiiorts Movement in Eighth Year in South Carolina — Splendid Camp Has Been Er ected on Okatee River ('Continued From Page One-A) to accommodate the mission chil dren of the lower half of the State of South Carolina while the remain der were sent to Camp St. Ann, which was inaugurated by Father Deant, in the mountains in the north ern part of the state. About one hundred children were in attendance during this fourth year. Accommodations and equip ment were practically the same as in 1931, as were the organization and management of the camp. Improve ments included a cottage, erected for the better accommodation of the Sis ters. A tiny chapel was built to house the altar and small sanctuary, and in this the Blessed Sacrament was reserved during the camp sea son. All classes were still held in the open and the children remain ed in the open while attending Mass and other services. The dining room was enlarged somewhat to give more space for tables and better accom modation for diners. The camp of 1933 was again most successfully conducted and directed by Father Wolfe. In 1934 Father Wolfe was succeeded, in the position of director, by Father A. F. Kamler, who had been appointed to the Beaufort Missions ift October, 1933. With the assistance of four Sisters of Mercy and three Seminarians as teachers, and eight lay counsellors, the same camp policy was continued as was administered the previous year. One hundred and thirty-three children were accommodated, neces sitating the enlargement of the din ing room and the purchasing of more tents. 1934, fruitful and productive of spiritual results as the previous years, and with its crowded attend ance, marked a drastic change in Camp St. Mary’s. In its six years, all religiously effective and spirit ually successful, and its Catholic at mosphere having made such great impression upon the scattered mis sion children, the camp had reached such a degree of stability and organ ization, that the Most Rev. Emmet M. Walsh, Bishop of Charleston, and the Diocesan officials decided to give it real permanence. C O MR. PINCKNEY’S AID -t) 0- Recognition and acknowledgement were made to Mr. Wi E. Pinckney for his great generosity during the first six years in loaning his home, grounds and beach for camp pur poses and other kindnesses. Regret fully the camp site was moved, since permanent buildings could not be erected upon his property. Due to this impracticability, Bishop Walsh purchased the Wiggins place and several adjoining lots, on the Okatee River, almost directly opposite the old camp site. The new location fronts the Okatee River for 700 feet. A 13-acre plot was cleared to make an ideal site for the new camp. Un der the direction of Father Kamler, who designed and planned the new buildings, several months were spent in completing two large barracks, a Sister’s Convent, Chapel, mess-hall and kitchen, servants’ quarters and other necessary buildings. There are lights in all buildings, as well as showers in each barracks, adminis tration building and Sisters Con vent. The camp supplies its own power for lights and pumping wa ter, inspected by the board of health, is furnished by flowing wells and pumped to all buildings. Each of the barracks will accom modate 72 children and is furnished with all necessary fixtures, bunks, mattresses, etc. All buildings are thoroughly screened and well ven tilated. All possible conveniences were provided for the well-being of the children. Two large athletic fields have been provided, so that two baseball games may be played simultaneously. A long dock and sand beach give splen did opportunity for bathing and swimming. Boats are also available for fishing, crabbing and shrimping The new site and buildings have been termed “The Ideal Camp.” DEDICATION In June, 1935, the Most Rev. Emmet M. Walsh dedicated the Chapel and buildings to the Patroness of the camp, the Blessed Virgin Mary. In attendance at the camp included the mission children of the Beaufort Parish, Aiken, Summerville, Yonges Island, Orangeburg, and the eastern half of the Florence missions, all to taling 140. In general, the original camp policy was continued, only such changes, as were necessary and suitable to the new arrangement and site, being made. Classes were held and Mass and services attended in the open, the Chapel being merely a shelter for the altar and a place for the Reservation of the Blessed Sacrament. The Re ligious Instruction Session continued for three weeks, as had been the plan and custom since the 1930 session, and the results most edifying. VACATION CAMP A new note was sounded, however, in 1935. Heretofore, Camp St. Mary’s accommodated only children of the missions where instructions could be given only irregularly or where there was no Catholic school. In 1935, immediately after the close of the three week instruction session, Camp St. Mary’s remained open another Leading Firms of Charleston, S. C. RUGS and DRAPERIES PHONE 4131 250 KING STREET CHARLESTON, S. C. ANDERSON LUMBER COMPANY Manufacturers of and Dealers in YELLOW PINE LUMBER Roofing, Nails and Wall Board Timber, Piling, Shingles and Laths. Westend Broad St. Telephones 465-466 CHARLESTON, S. C. COBURG DAIRY “Charleston’s Creamiest Milk” Grade “A” Milk-Buttermilk Butter—Chocolate Milk Cottage Cheese Telephone 2161 Charleston, S. C. Ever GRAVE Something New fer YOUR HOME? . . . something to renew your interest in the routine of living? Most folks do! Hence the interesting popularity of this “HOUSE OF FINE SHADES” — always something new and useful . . . THE SHADE SHOP Manufacturers—Distributors—Wholesale and Retail—We Fill Mail Orders for All Sizes and Dimensions. THE VENETION BLIND MAN M. E. Gurney. Owner SHADE SPECIALIST Telephone 4364 246 King Street Charleston, S. C. SEE US FUR BETTER SIGHT Phone 2665 OPTOMETRIST OPTICIAN J. Furman Mason Acousticon Ear Phones. Next Door Garden Theatre 371 King Street Best Wishes WM. J. LEUNARU Charleston, S. C. SILVER’S CHARLESTON, S. C. Poster Panels — the Big Outdoor Pictures — Tell the Story of Good Mer chandise to All the World Coastal Outdoor Advertising Go. 517 MEETING STREET Charleston, S. C. ARROW SHIRTS STETSON HATS MICHAELS-STERN Value-First Clothes TAYLOR’S MEN’S WEAR “Your Satisfaction Completes the Sale” .309 King St. Phone 865 Charleston, S. C. G. W. KESSLER KNOWN FOR GOOD CLOTHES HATS—SHOES FURNISHINGS 335 King Street Charleston, S. C. PHONE 597 LANNEAU’S ART STORE Artist Material— Kodaks Wall Paper Picture Frames 238 King Street Charleston, S. C. LEGERTON & CO., Inc. Established 1888 Books and Stationery Gifts—Toys—Games Charleston, S. C. three weeks for purely recreational activity and was available to any child, of any denomination, between the ages of 10 and 16. This was done to give opportunity to the many city children, who were not eligible to at tend the instruction camp, of attend ing a safe, reasonably priced camp, and the only one under Catholic aus pices in this section of the country. Quite a number of children from Charleston, Savannah and Augusta took advantage of the opportunity, enjoying this phase of the camp so well that the recreational session has become a permanent part of the an nual program of Camp St. Mary’s. The Religious Vacation School ses sion for 1936 opened on Sunday, June 21, with a full capacity registration of 142 children. Improvements includ ed a sea wall, improved beach, and canteen. A new cycle course of studies was inaugurated for the greater benefit and better adapted to the needs of the children of the mis sions. Father Kamler, as director, and the teaching staff report a most successful session, productive of greater religious benefit, and, with Bishop Walsh, are most pleased with the decided and evident interest shcvflh by all attending camp. JOHN MgAI JSTER, lie. FUNERAL DIRECTOR PHONE 346 169 MEETING ST. CHARLESTON, S. C. \ BISHOP CONFIRMS On July 5th, the Most Rev. Emmet M. Walsh confirmed a class of 27. On July 8th five convert children were baptized; on July 12th sixteen children received First Holy Com munion. The instruction session closed on July 12th with an eight o’clock Mass. On the afternoon of July 12th, the recreational session began; this year it was continued for six weeks. As previously, it was under the aus pices of Bishop Walsh, and had the endorsement of the Most Rev. Ger ald P. O’Hara, Bishop of Savannh. Seventy children were registered for the session, most of them for three, land and Walterboro were repre sented. The daily schedule for the recrea tional session was as follows: 7:30 thenics; 8‘45 breakfast; 9:45 inspec tion; 10:00 swimming games, athletics and other activities; 1:00 p. m. dinner and mail; 2:00 rest period; 2:30 rec reation; 6:00 evening colors and An- gelus; 6:15 supper; 7:30 camp fires, entertainment; 9:45 night prayers; 10 retire. ACTIVITIES Activities included , swimming boating, fishing, crabbing, hikes, baseball, basketball, volleyball, short tennis, cady, track events and stee plechase. Indoor games were played on rainy days. Entertainment in cluded dancing programs, plays, camp fires and mashmallow roasts, boxing, movies, straw rides and pic nics. It is expected that 1937 will be a banner year in the history of Camp St. Mary’s. Parents have all express ed themselves as being most pleased with the results of the camp’s ef forts to build up children who are sound in mind, heart and body, to de- velope character whose aim in life is actuated by Christian principles. Now, after experiencing effective ness during its eight years of exist ence, Camp St. Mary’s still holds a leading place in this form of Catholic action and endeavor. It has, each year, attained the mark and goal set for it. and pointed out the way for others to follow. It is a summer school, and though ordinarily children not eager to attend school during va cation time, yet those, who have at tended previous sessions are most eager to return to Camp St. Mary’s, for it has become an important fac tor in the lives of the mission chil dren. They soon grasp the purpose of the camp. The presence of the Blessed Sacrament is the outstanding privilege for the children. Here they assist at Mass, in many cases, more often than during the rest of the year. The sight of little ones volun tarily visiting the Chapel during the day is impressive, and noteworthy is the large numbers of daily commun ions. SCHEDULE The daily schedule: Morning prayers, Mass, flag-raising, exercises, breakfast, inspection, classes, Ange- lus, dinner rest, recreation, study, hymnology, rosary, visits, Angelus, evening colors supper entertainment, night prayers and Benediction—is ar ranged so that the educational process includes variety of activity, while the whole atmosphere is Catholic. One generation of children has al ready completed the outlined course at Camp St. Mary’s, and as expected as a result of their training they have taken their places as Catholic leaders, and are forming the backbone of Catholic activity in their respective communities. The double process of formal education and of leading a practical Catholic life in Catholic sur roundings, under the personal and daily influence of the priest, semi narians and Sisters, has made an im pression which has enduring effects. An indirect result of Camp St. Mary’s is that the social bond has visibly strengthened the religious bond of all the mission people. Just as the children live from camp to camp, it has likewise become an in tegral part of the life of the older people. They realize that they are not segregated Catholic individuals, blessed with the true Faith and meet ing fellow Catholics for a short time on two Sundays a month, but that they are also units in a much larger co-operative group, reposing in Catholic fullness. FATHER ARTHUR O’DONNELL, pastor of St. Mary's Church, Oakland, Cal., has resigned to become a Cis tercian (Trappist) monk at the Rhode Island monastery of the Trappists.