The Administration Director (Bill Dixon)

The position of Administration Director was the third most important position on the organizational chart but in fact was not. Bob Broadwell finally eliminated the position. The key job in a Division was the Program Director. He was not only the boss of the scoutmasters and all the Program Specialists...he was the cheerleader and the most visible person in the camp. Every scout in a division knew the Program Director ...unless he was very weak and we did not have many that could so be described. I use the term "boss" but in fact no one in the camp (or rarely) had to be bossed. Everyone seemed to know their job and wanted to do it. Some needed instructions or help but since we did things usually the same way period to period and year to year most knew the system and what was expected of them.

The Administration Director had a few people report to him. By far the most important was the Steward. The Division 1 dining Hall was a tough place and the Steward had a rough job. In 1949 there were nine camps. Karl Bernstein recently gave me the Camp names and he remembers everything. That means 32 times 9 which is 288. Plus a staff of 40 or more gave the dining hall 328 plus to feed at a meal. That dining Hall was never built for more then 250. About four of those camps were part of the old D 2 dining hall until it burned down. We might not absolutely fill the first period but we were stuffed in 2nd and 3rd. Sometimes we had 9 in a cabin. But the other big problem was the kitchen was small. And it was Kosher!! So it was split in two (or should have been). So a Stewart had drunk chiefs, small space and a rabbi looking over his shoulder. The Administration Director did nothing to help (and that included me when I had the job).

The Administration Director also had the Quartermaster report to him. If you had enough hay you were a good quartermaster. Plus you gave out supplies to camps going on overnight hikes. The camp had few supplies to give. Remember the trail lunches? Not from the QM but from the kitchen. Two slices of bread, one slice of cheese and a package of raisins. We wanted lots of overnights since that got kids out of the crowded dining hall...always hot and always noisy. How many times did I or someone say "only one scout at a table talking". But think about it (I did finally did one summer). We had over 40 tables. Forty people talking in that small dining hall was a riot! The Administration Director also had the Canteen Clerk and the banker. He might have had the bugler (not sure). But he did have a key report...the chief clerk. For Frank in 1949 that was Vernon Charms. Vernon who knew how to do everything in the office. So the bottom line was there was very little for Frank (Swiatokos) to do and he spent a lot of free time talking to me.

Oh, I forgot... the administration had the maintenance man also. But really he worked for Ed Ryder. No one but no one told Ed Ryder what to do Just keep out of his way.