Stories From the Brooklyn Scout Camps
The Burros
Bill Dixon
Morty Fink mentioned the Mexican Burros. We thought
they were Mexican but who is to know the bloodline of a burro. Last
September when Dan Riviera and I (and Marv) were walking around Div. 3.
Dan brought up the subject of the burros. To start I was not part
of getting those burros on the D3 float. I am sorry to admit that, because
that was a great idea! Nor do I know who did it. I hope they come
forward fifty years later and take credit for that wonderful stunt. It
is things liked that....why TMR was great.
But I do remember the Burros were one very big
pain. They did not do anything except mess up the camp. Marv had
a campcraft area on the side of the hill where the trail went up (and so
did the waterpipe) to the camps. I still do not remember the name of the
camp that I was a scoutmaster in 1950. Those Burros made a mess of
that camp area and had no value. When I was in D 1 we also had burros
and we had them on the field across from the Administration Office.
It is the field where we now park to see the Indian Cliffs. My lean-to
was near the Administration Building. Great spot...I had a toilet and hot
shower in the Infirmary and a back door to get in. Back to Burros...someone
got the idea that they would load up the burros and take them down the
TMR trail. The trail came around the Cliffs and down. Last September,
I saw some the rusted metal markers that identified the trail. It was part
of the 40-mile trail that went all through the TMR reservation. I
led a 40-mile hike with Dick Agar who I believe was the Scoutmaster of
Delaware one year. It took about three days or so. You went through
all of the five Borough camp and ate in their dinning halls. A totally
objective evaluation of the five Borough camps concluded that Brooklyn
was absolutely the most busy. Who could be more objective then me!
Well, as you would expect the Burros did not carry the load down the trail...they
nearly had to carry the Burros. I could be wrong...but I have a picture
in my mind of Yank Kandell leading or more likely following those Burros
around.
Where did those Burros come from? I will
tell you. They came from TMR Headquarters!! A truck pulls up
and unloads the burros ..throws some hay out and takes off. No one
asked for those Burros. Another bad idea from TMR HQ.
The Burros
Richard L Weidman
I had responsibility for 6 of those little beasts
and they were used primarily to teach Scouts to use them for overnite and
extended trips around TMR. The diamond hitch was taught for packing
the gear on the Burros so less was carried by the Scout troop on long overnites.
They came to TMR from Philmont Scout Ranch in New Mexico for the purpose
of promoting Philmont...and getting more leaders and teenage Scouts to
want to attend a trip to that place. I remember Joel Holibar had gone out
to Philmont and returned to TMR to work on the staff.
Back to: Stories From the Brooklyn Scout Camps
Last Updated: January 18, 2003
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