Linda Nelson '50
(interviewed via email - June 2011)
I was at Penn from 1946 to 1950. I was active at Green Lane, the Settlement House, and the Holiday Bazaar. During my senior year Ellen Edvar [Souders] ‘50 and Bob Souders ‘50 were the co-presidents and they later married. Ellen is no longer living, but I still maintain contact with Bob.
I went to summer school most summers as I was taking a very short lived program in coordination with Drexel (Home Economics Education), therefore I did not participate as a counselor for many full sessions, but did go on weekends to help out. After settling the girls in their cabins we often had them do something relatively quiet. One night the Catholics said the rosary and several asked that they say it slower. I hardly could suppress a smile when I said I doubted if they could do that as this was their accustomed speed. The counselors would sit on the benches under the trees and sing until all was quiet. I cannot carry a tune and I recall that if a cabin was too noisy, the threat was that Miss Nelson would be sent to sing for you.
We used to sit at tables with girls of the same age at meals. The counselors encouraged the girls to eat foods that were new to them, I recall encouraging one group to eat three peas or three green beans. And then one child asked if she could have three more! Once I was assigned to the table of late-arrivers so it was a mixed age table. We had chocolate pudding quite often and some tired of that dessert. At the table for late comers one day there was reluctance to eat the chocolate pudding. I suggested that we all put the cherry (imaginary - just a spoonful of the top of the pudding) to one side so we could all eat it together when we were finished. One older camper poked her friend and stage whispered, "This is that counselor you have to humor."
We took the children on a long walk the first night in camp to tire them so they would sleep. I remember walking hand-in-hand with a little girl who said, "It's so nice to see the trees all together."
The counselors usually had some activity at which they had some expertise, however, we were also encouraged to learn to use some other equipment at the camp. I remember once I was supposed to teach archery. We had no way to raise the target off the ground which was lucky for me as my arrows never flew very far and always curved downward. That day I succeeded in hitting the bull's eye so the campers were eager to try to do that also.
My strongest interest was in teaching various kinds of arts and crafts. One summer I brought lots of safety pins and pipe cleaners to camp and taught the girls to make animal pins. I was surprised and pleased when one of the campers returned the following summer and reported that she had paid her own way to camp by selling animal pins at her school during the year.
The experiences with the Junior Counselors who were selected from among the older campers were often inspiring. We usually met with them on campus at least once during the year and a few of them eventually enrolled at Penn.
At the Settlement House many College of Education students gained a lot of teaching experience very similar to what I see happening with the CA programs in the Philly schools. As I recall, I taught some improvisation drama classes and art and crafts. One day I arrived and was asked to teach carpentry in substitution for someone who could not come that day. I knew little about it, but neither children nor tools were harmed that day.
At that time the College of Education had an undergraduate program in which we were required to observe in Philadelphia schools for much too much time. When I was observing at a vocational school, I quickly because bored and I could see that the teacher had too large a class to be able to help each student. I knew I could understand her instructions so I suggested that she divide the class in half and each week I could supervise the lab work of one half and each week we could change halves. This was probably the first result of the confidence I gained by working at Green Lane and at the Settlement House.
At Bazaar I worked each year at a table. I especially enjoyed the White Elephant Table and our gentle rivalry to see if we could earn more money than the Antiques Table. My senior year I was the student in charge of the White Elephant Table. The adult in charge let us know the morning of Bazaar that she would be unable to attend. I free-wheeled with ideas for sales. I especially remember having lots of unmatched china dishes left toward the end of the Bazaar. I got a large box and charged some minimal amount (especially to those students a bit frustrated by end of the semester obligations) for people to break dishes by throwing them into the box. It is too bad it did not occur to me at the time to use the broken china for mosaics!
In addition to the above, my favorite memories are of Ted Ninesteel and Dana How. I also remember the cook - I think her name was Mrs. Door. One year we had some kind of event at camp in the fall for a relatively small group. I was given permission to prepare the weekend meals. That was my first experience with using an oven without temperature control. We all survived that experience and it raised my admiration for all the meals Mrs. Door prepared at Green Lane.
What one thing would you say to Christian students on campus today?
Cherish your friends and experiences at Penn because that is when you can learn a great deal about your own and other's religions. (Ryda Dwarys Rose was one of the people I met early at Penn. I was fascinated with her experiences teaching Hebrew and we are still friends and email frequently.)
Other comments: There is a brick dedicated to Green Lane in the Children's Garden at MSU. It is tribute to the place where I learned so much about children.
Good luck with the history.
Linda