by Jeff Guillebeau
[Answers to be posted later]
1) The sign above the canteen window…what did it read? What’s another name of the word? What does it mean?
2) There’s an historic tree in front of Bill & Liz’s log home on the hill. In the old brochure, there are a couple of kids in the crux of the tree about 30′ up and four more at the base, with what looks like a young (and skinny) Alex Nixon smiling back at the camera and flashing his best Augusta parade wave. What is the species/genus/common name of this tree? How old is it? Bonus Question: At the far end of camp in the log home Bill, Andy and Matt built for Bill’s father, there’s another historic tree…what is the species/genus/common name of this tree and what purpose did this site serve to Transylvania County in the early 1880’s?
3) How old was Bill Mayes when he bought the camp? One of the camp songs my dad wrote, lists Bill Mayes’ age in the first line, can you do the math?
“Billy Mayes was ___ when he bought Camp Deerwoode, he came in from Tx and thought he understood, the need to build a boy’s camp, where you could have some fun. Deerwoode is the finest, it is number one…Now as you campers sit around the warm fire side tonight, think of how ole Billy fought and how he slaved and tried, to build you up a program where you could reach your peak…it is not ole Billy’s fault this group’s so dawg gone weak!”
4) What year was Camp Deerwoode officially founded? The year before the camp was “officially” founded, a traveling worker, maybe a hobo or a migrant, helped build the camp. This Deerwoode legend almost lost his life in what endeavor, during construction? What are his two names? Why is he a Deerwoode legend?
5) Hank Lewis, Program Director. Where did he attend college? What special award did Hank receive from his Alma Mater? Where was he working during the school year, while the Program Director at Deerwoode and what was he coaching? How many years was he the program director and what line of work did he enter when TM was forced to let him go (“Probably the toughest decision and the toughest situation I faced in camp, delivering the news to Hank, that he couldn’t return to camp”)?
6) The younger boys in camp were called what? There’s a famous Deerwoode picture in the 1970 brochure with Hank and about 20 kids (including Matt) covered in mud, and fixing to rinse off in the swimming lake. Caption reads: Hank and the “___.” This is a lay up.
7) In 1969, working under the strict discipline of camp owner, Bill Mayes…things got hot in the kitchen, and the whole staff, including head cook, Mrs. Fowler mutinied and quit. In her exit interview, Mrs. Fowler said one line that inspired Bill to take a chance on making the Junior Counselors managers of the Deerwoode kitchen? What was this line? Did TM ever regret creating the JC program?
8) TM built his log home in place of another structure. What was this building called?
9) Describe Gatorball. How it’s played and scored? What type of ball was used? Why did The Man incorporate the game into afternoon tribal challenges?
10) What former camper/JC/counselor, whom plans to attend this year’s reunion, penned this poem?
Now God made the mountains for you to see,
He also built a paradise for you and me.
Deerwoode it’s called, for one and all,
A place to go and have a ball.
Now let’s all stand and be very proud,
That we are members of the Deerwoode crowd.
We take a lot of pride in being the best,
And set an example for all the rest.
11) There was 26 items on the list of things to bring to camp. How many can you list? (Hint: Cell phones were not invented, nor allowed).
12) The Renegades slept under the stars at the top of Deerwoode Mountain, otherwise know as ______ ____ Mountain. What is the elevation at the top? What is the elevation at the PC Gym?
13) “Our growing softness, our increasing lack of physical fitness is a menace to our security.” Who wrote this in an 1960’s op-ed in Sports Illustrated? Six years later, what president created The Presidential Fitness Award? The original test included four exercises, set to prepare for the demands of military service: Softball Throw (simulating throwing a grenade); Pull Ups (simulating a sailor climbing a ladder); Shuttle Run (for agility); and Broad Jump (later called the Long Jump). Which one of these did The Man petition for and have the values adjusted on? What are the other exercises that made up the Deerwoode Presidential Fitness Test, and especially, what’s the one called with a focus on balance?
14) Detail the Three Day Trip. Where did it go? Where did you camp for the two nights? What was a typical pasttime of TM’s, while watching over the kids at Ghost Town?
15). What were the events of the All Day Trip, in order?
16) During the short video at the Cradle of Forestry, Dr. Carl A. Schenck spoke a line repeated often by the Deerwoode boys, in their best German accent? Hint: It referenced his plan to properly plant and replenish the forest which had, until he took over, been indiscriminately logged and stripped.
17) What were the top five voluntary programs/morning classes, in camp; in order, with one being the favorite? Why does TM believe this was the favored program?
18) What was the nickname of a counselor in the early days, otherwise known as William S. Ogle?
19) Can you name the three rifle instructors during the history of Mayes’ Deerwoode?
20) For much needed punishment, sometimes TM would send a boy down to the river, to get a particular tree leaf. What is the leaf type? What would they have to take with them? How many of the trees along the river bank, held the particular leaf?
21) Deerwoode is a bird sanctuary. Can you guess within 10, the number of different species that have been identified at camp?
22) Many of you planted trees out in the lower athletic field…can you guess how many trees have been planted around camp, within a 1,000? One old camper/counselor helped Bill and Liz and the boys plant the first 5,000 trees in the big field. Can you guess who it is?
23) On one All-Day Trip or a specific trip to Looking Glass Falls (and later Sliding Rock), with Deerwoode boys stacked in the old Cattle Truck, Hank Lewis was accosted by two older ladies in a Cadillac. They felt strongly that the boys were being mistreated, riding sardined in such a vehicle. From legend, can you recall what Hank ‘graciously’ said to these ladies, to dispel the awkward situation?
24) Speaking of Hank Lewis, he once led a camp wide raid on the Indian Island, against a defending cabin who had bragged that no one had been able to steal their flag. What was unique about this raid?
25) What phrase does Bill use to define what happened in the PC program, in the late 1970’s, until the camp closed? Bonus: What was the last summer Deerwoode was open as a boy’s camp?
26) In every Deerwoode brochure, this line appears at the bottom of the inside cover. Can you finish it? “We take great pride…”
27) Who wrote the opening poem in the Deerwoode brochure? What was the poem’s title?
28) Bill and Liz bought into Camp Deerwoode in 1966, with their investment finalized in December of this year. Before what Camp season did the Mayes’ buy out Gordon Sprott?
29) Can you name all three of the famous rams, over the year’s at Deerwoode? Which ram butted a 250 lb Illahee counselor to the ground during a dance (when she wandered off the tennis courts)?
30) What former counselor does Bill consider to be the best PC Man, of all time, and why?
31) What does the big wooden sign in the PC gym say? Can you guess who wrote the phrase (if you don’t know, you’ll be shocked to find out)?
32) One returning camper/JC/counselor’s mother asked Bill at the recruiting event if his son would ever have the same counselor for a full session. Bill had a ‘habit’ of firing counselors often, no? Bill told this boy’s mama that if he had to fire the kid’s counselor this coming summer, he would personally fill in and become the kid’s counselor. Sure enough. It happened, in the first week, circa 1974. Bill moved into Cabin 12 and became whose counselor?
33) Teasing was a grave offense at Deerwoode. There were various consequences should you get caught bullying or teasing another kid, especially one smaller or weaker than you. Bill had an enforcer in camp. Not the biggest of dudes but one of the toughest, and ready to scrap. Bill would offer a penalty of 3 licks with the lanyard, blade, or a confrontation with this enforcer. Can you name him? Typically the third option was not selected.
34) What was the familiar name of the mud hole where Tug O War was waged? When did this happen in each session?
35) Can you guess the length of sessions offered in 1988? There were three. Take a guess at the cost for the longest session offered?
Bonus Question : A returning former Camper and JC, from Augusta GA was a 5 TIME DECATHLON CHAMP! Can you name him?
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