Part 3 (1/2)
Tents should always be pitched over wooden floors which are raised well from the ground. (p. 16.) They should be built with square corners and braced on the under side. The dimensions of each floor should be the same as the length and width of the tent to be pitched over it. They should only be put into place after considering the direction of the sun, the prevailing winds, their relation to each other and the general camp plan.
Large floors should be raised several inches from the ground and supported with posts or flat stones at each corner, at the center of each side and at intervals under the center of the floor to keep them from sagging. When putting up a wall tent instead of using pegs, build a frame work running parallel to the sides of the tent to which the guy ropes can be fastened. (p. 18) This frame is made by driving into the ground opposite the two sides of the tent floor, and 3 feet from it, three posts, each 3 or 4 inches in diameter, and long enough to extend when set, above the tent floor a distance equal to the height of the tent wall, plus five inches. One post should be placed opposite the center of each side, the others on a line with it and opposite the corners of the floor. Nail securely to the outside of the posts and two or three inches from the tops a strip which will extend beyond the end posts 6 or 8 inches. Unless the ground is rocky the posts need not be braced. If care is taken to measure and place the posts correctly the frame will be evenly made and look trim. Small tree trunks can be used for posts and strips, where wood is plentiful; otherwise 2 x 4's can be used.
Where tent floors are found to be prohibitive, tents must be pitched over dry, well drained ground. In addition a ground cloth should be used and a ditch dug on either side of the tent to carry off rain water.
[Ill.u.s.tration: Camp for a single Scout Troop. Three tents and simple accessories enough for week-end trip.]
Tents without floors are of course used when hiking or camping for a short time only, or in exceptional climates. (p. 20.) Specific directions for pitching tents are given in a later section.
A small group of girls wis.h.i.+ng to build their own camp could make two or three lean-tos, using trees five or six inches in diameter, saplings, boughs and vines, the latter for binding the thatch roof to the beams.
The lean-tos should be faced so the sun will s.h.i.+ne into them some part of the day, turned away from the prevailing winds and each one should have in front of it a fireplace to be used for cooking as well as for keeping the lean-to dry and warm. (pp. 105, 110, 112.)
A group of girls could also build a slab house with a good floor, a wooden roof covered with tar paper, windows, door and even build a fireplace, the completed building giving them permanent camp quarters.
(pp. 96, 118, 122.)
LOG HOUSES
Whenever possible it is most desirable to erect for the main camp building a house, rustic in design if built in the woods, (p. 23.) which includes a large room for mess hall and recreational purposes, kitchen, store closet, ice room. (Cut A.) The types and floor plans of such houses vary greatly, but certain things are essential in all. They should afford protection in bad weather, some warmth in cold weather, ample s.p.a.ce for serving mess, room for entertainments, meetings and so forth; a conveniently arranged kitchen, and proper facilities for the care of food. Some of these houses are built with the main room simply roofed over and railed in. As delightful as these open mess halls are in pleasant weather, they are not altogether practicable in all climates, and under all weather conditions.
Some protection is gained by enclosing the room to a height of 3-1/2 or 4 feet and having the eaves overhang for 3 feet, or by having canvas curtains which can be raised or lowered in bad weather. If the room is enclosed entirely it should have many large windows, and wide outside doors.
The main feature in the room should be the fireplace. (p. 27.) The larger it is the better so long as it is in keeping with its surroundings. The benches and tables should be made and arranged so they can be easily moved out of the way when extra floor s.p.a.ce is needed.
There should be a door leading into the kitchen and a serving window near the door, with a broad shelf on either side of it. The kitchen needs many windows and a back door conveniently placed. (p. 29.)
[Ill.u.s.tration: A. Floor Plan for Mess Hall for Camp of 150 to 200 Girls]
The kitchen should be equipped with a good stove having ovens and hot water tank and be large enough to admit of holding big boilers and kettles. If there is no hot water tank a large boiler can be kept on top of the stove in which to heat water. Better still, when possible, use a Standard Oil oil heater and boiler, and have hot water pipe connections.
This of course is only possible when there is a tank and power of some kind to pump up the water. There should be in the kitchen ample table s.p.a.ce, convenient places for keeping all pots and kettles, hanging spoons and other small articles, a generous wood box that there may always be dry wood at hand, and if there is running water a sink conveniently placed.
The store closet should open out of the kitchen and be on the north side of the house. It should have a raised platform 18 or 20 inches wide, against the wall on one side of the room, on which should be placed all barrels, large boxes, etc. holding food. There should be ample shelf s.p.a.ce, a broad table, plenty of ventilation, and all windows should be covered with netting.
If possible to have an ice box it can stand in this room. Better than a portable ice box is an ice room which is built into one corner of the store room, the walls, floor and ceiling of which are double, lined with tar paper and the s.p.a.ce of four inches between them filled with sawdust or cork. The door into the store room should be very heavy, made double and fitted closely. The small ice door can be on the outside of the building, made like the large door, fitted closely and opening into the ice compartment. The ice compartment should be lined with zinc and a slatted door should open into it from the ice room. The bottom of the ice compartment should tip slightly to one corner from which an overflow pipe should be run to the outside of the building. A slat bottom made in sections and placed in the compartment protects the zinc and helps to preserve the ice. The ice compartment can be high enough from the floor to admit of large milk cans, tubs of b.u.t.ter, etc., being stored under it. Shelves can be placed along the sides of the walls. The ice room should be ventilated by means of a vent pipe up through the roof to the open.
Such a building as described makes housekeeping for a family of one hundred and fifty or two hundred possible, with only one cook and a squad of Scouts.
In place of tents for sleeping quarters small cabins made of wood and screening, or wood, canvas and screening, can be used. They add greatly to the expense of building the camp, but being permanent do away with the expense and labor of taking down and storing.
It is sometimes possible to find an old house or a barn which can be utilized for camp quarters, and with a little ingenuity made most attractive and practical.
There is a great deal to be learned by living in a well-planned, well-ordered house or camp, much of which is of lasting value. For this reason no opportunity should be lost to give these advantages to the Scouts.
Wash House
A wash house for general use is most desirable. Where there is no running water a long table covered with zinc and placed under a tent fly, a board walk either side of the table, and three or four large pitchers for water is a good arrangement. This equipment should be placed in an open, sunny spot where the drainage is good, and away from the tents if the waste water is to be thrown out on the ground.