Deckman: what a wonderful and moving recollection. It is always such a powerful thing in our lives when we can recall people, incidents,and things that have molded us into what we are. As I wrote of my aunt in the same way.

I would add one other thing that effected me greatly---and probably molded me more than anything else I can recall---and my aunt was instrumental in it. She got me into the Ethical Culture School Camp for some 7 summers. Now--you may say---oh, summer camp. big deal.

Not so. This camp--now sadly gone--was truly formative. Way ahead of its time (1940s---and started in the 1920s)---they made sure that there was a mix of black/white/jew/christian and a mix of econimic strata by offering no/partial/and full charge summers.   They offered a free choice of what activities you wanted to do and also arranged dining so that everyone changed tables every week---and had a mix of ages. Everyone took turns at waiting---no being served.   No religious and/or proselytizing the Ethical Culture culture.

I was back in the area last year ---after some 50 years and found what remained of the place---took a picture of the Main House---abandoned and looking like a ghost from the past with the vines engulfing it. But the memories remained. I found out that it finally closed in the 1960s when the Ethical Culture people could no longer instill the values they had years earlier because the kids had become more affluent and pretty well started wrecking the place. Parents got involved on behalf of the little darlings. Drugs and alcohol and the State Police visits finally did it in.

Too bad, since in my time there---no movies, just Park Ranger slide shows, no catering---cook-outs, no bus trips---hikes to Cooperstown, NY, I could go on. Suffice it to see that place effected me more than any other experience I can think of.

As a PS what a coterie of alumni it turned out---the first Black Asst. Sec of the Army under LBJ, Broadway producers, etc; Well, one miss----me---but, what the hell they got the majority right.


Bill Hahn