code3cadet
12-12-2005, 12:35 AM
I got this from one of my staff handbooks If you saw it on here feel free to get rid of it.
What is a Camp Counselor?
By Phyllis M. Ford
Somewhere between adolescence and adulthood there occurs in human development an age which is physically and psychologically impossible. It is that unfathomable stage known as the camp counselor, a creature undefined by psychologists, misunderstood by camp directors, worshiped by campers, either admired or doubted by parents, and unheard of by the rest of society.
A camp counselor is a rare combination of doctor, lawyer, indian and chief. he is a competent child psychologist with her sophomore textbook as proof. he is an underpaid babysitter with neither television nor refrigerator. he is a strict disciplinarian with a twinkle in her eye. he is referee, coach, teacher, and advisor. he is an example of humanity in worn out tennis shoes, a sweatshirt two sizes too large, and a hat two sizes too small. he is a humorist in a crisis, a doctor in an emergency, and a song leader, entertainer, and play director. he is an idol with her head in a cloud of woodsmoke and her feet in the mud. he is a comforter under a leaky tarp on a canoe overnight, and a pal who just loaned someone her last pair of dry socks. he is a teacher of the outdoors, knee deep in poison ivy.
A counselor dislikes waiting in line, cabin inspection, and rainy days. he is fond of sunbathing, exploring, teaching new games, an old car named Mrs. Beasley, and days off. he is handy for patching up broken friendships, bloody noses, and torn jeans. he is good at locating lost towels at the waterfront, fixing stopped up toilets, making friendship bracelets, and catching fish. he is poor at crawling out of bed on rainy mornings, and remembering to fill out forms.
A counselor is a friendly guide in the middle of a cold, dark, wet night on the long winding trail to the TLC. Who but he can cure homesickness, air out wet bedding, play 16 games of 4-square in succession, whistle "Dixie" through her fingers, carry all the cook-out food, speak Pig Latin in Spanish, stand on her hands, sing 37 verses of "You Can't get to Heaven", and eat four helpings of Sunday dinner.
A counselor is expected to repair 10 years of damage to Jill in 13 days, make Julie into a woman, rehabilitate Judy, allow Joan to be an individual and help Gertrude adjust to a group. he is expected to lead the most prized possessions of 20 adults much older than he. he is expected to lead them in fun and adventure, even when her head aches; to teach them to live in the outdoors, even though he spends 9 months a year in the city; to teach them indigenous activities when he can't even spell the word; to guide youngsters in social adjustment, when he hasn't even reached a legal age; to ensure safety and health, with a sunburned nose, a band-aid on her thumb, and a blister on her heel.
For all this he is paid enough to buy the second text in psychology, some aspirin, some new socks, two tires for Mrs. Beasley, and some new tennis shoes. You wonder how he can stand the pace and the pressure. You wonder if he really knows how much he is worth. And somehow, you realize that you can never pay her enough when, as he leaves at the end of the summer, he waves goodbye and says, "See ya next year!"
What is a Camp Counselor?
By Phyllis M. Ford
Somewhere between adolescence and adulthood there occurs in human development an age which is physically and psychologically impossible. It is that unfathomable stage known as the camp counselor, a creature undefined by psychologists, misunderstood by camp directors, worshiped by campers, either admired or doubted by parents, and unheard of by the rest of society.
A camp counselor is a rare combination of doctor, lawyer, indian and chief. he is a competent child psychologist with her sophomore textbook as proof. he is an underpaid babysitter with neither television nor refrigerator. he is a strict disciplinarian with a twinkle in her eye. he is referee, coach, teacher, and advisor. he is an example of humanity in worn out tennis shoes, a sweatshirt two sizes too large, and a hat two sizes too small. he is a humorist in a crisis, a doctor in an emergency, and a song leader, entertainer, and play director. he is an idol with her head in a cloud of woodsmoke and her feet in the mud. he is a comforter under a leaky tarp on a canoe overnight, and a pal who just loaned someone her last pair of dry socks. he is a teacher of the outdoors, knee deep in poison ivy.
A counselor dislikes waiting in line, cabin inspection, and rainy days. he is fond of sunbathing, exploring, teaching new games, an old car named Mrs. Beasley, and days off. he is handy for patching up broken friendships, bloody noses, and torn jeans. he is good at locating lost towels at the waterfront, fixing stopped up toilets, making friendship bracelets, and catching fish. he is poor at crawling out of bed on rainy mornings, and remembering to fill out forms.
A counselor is a friendly guide in the middle of a cold, dark, wet night on the long winding trail to the TLC. Who but he can cure homesickness, air out wet bedding, play 16 games of 4-square in succession, whistle "Dixie" through her fingers, carry all the cook-out food, speak Pig Latin in Spanish, stand on her hands, sing 37 verses of "You Can't get to Heaven", and eat four helpings of Sunday dinner.
A counselor is expected to repair 10 years of damage to Jill in 13 days, make Julie into a woman, rehabilitate Judy, allow Joan to be an individual and help Gertrude adjust to a group. he is expected to lead the most prized possessions of 20 adults much older than he. he is expected to lead them in fun and adventure, even when her head aches; to teach them to live in the outdoors, even though he spends 9 months a year in the city; to teach them indigenous activities when he can't even spell the word; to guide youngsters in social adjustment, when he hasn't even reached a legal age; to ensure safety and health, with a sunburned nose, a band-aid on her thumb, and a blister on her heel.
For all this he is paid enough to buy the second text in psychology, some aspirin, some new socks, two tires for Mrs. Beasley, and some new tennis shoes. You wonder how he can stand the pace and the pressure. You wonder if he really knows how much he is worth. And somehow, you realize that you can never pay her enough when, as he leaves at the end of the summer, he waves goodbye and says, "See ya next year!"