After joining the Keystone community, I quickly discovered the abundant collection of camp archives. Take a trip above our office, step into a normal closet, push through a tiny door, and you will find yourself in a crawl space that is lovingly referred to as Narnia. There are stacks of poems and drawings of Snoopy. You can find years worth of embarrassing camp dance tales and boxes of pranks gone wrong. There is no worry of traditions or history being lost here at Keystone. During the summer our campers write their version of a Keystone Camp newspaper that is read during our Sunday campfire. This has affectionately been called the Kamp Key for many a decade. Our longstanding tradition of the Kamp Key has provided us with a fun timeline of Keystone Camp folklore. When reading through decades of Keystone history it is refreshing to see how little has changed for our girls since 1916. I still find myself reading the same stories of spiders in the shower and sprained ankles in Pisgah National Forest. In the way of history and tradition, very little has been lost here at Keystone.
Enjoy reading the following Kamp Key from June 30, 1940– A sweet story about the journey by train from Jacksonville, FL to Brevard, NC, an aspect of camp history that girls are always eager to hear about.
The big gray depot at Jacksonville was thronged with people. You see the all important night had at last arrived. The Keystone girls were leaving for a grand summer of fun. Poor Betty Osbourne–they’re off– they’re on– they’re off– they’re on– it’s a wonder she’s still alive. “All aboard” A mad rush for a window- “Bye-don’t forget to write me.” And the train began to move. Soon strains of “Little curly top in a High chair” and “Imagination” came floating down the aisle. On went the pajamas and out came the candy boxes. One o’clock oh! MY! Once again starvation began to take its toll. Food! Food! Give us food! Candy and sandwiches and what have you?? Sleep– two whole hours. Ach! I feel like a million dollars. Breakfast-more fun!! Good grief and molasses; there go Ty and Jane and my tennis racquet down the railroad track. So this is Spartanburg. All together again. Thank goodness. Hendersonville! The chocolate milk tasted mighty good. “It’s so hot.” “Why don’t we go?” “I’m hungary” Brevard! So long– Rockbrook, Girls: “ Are we almost there?” Camp: Bye Porter. Monky- Jean–Lulu–Miss Fanny––Keystone.
Speaking of history and tradition, we love to keep track of our alumnae community. Our office is in the process of getting together a Fall Alumnae Newsletter. Please reach out to us with fun pictures, stories, and updates on your life. We will continue to share camp stories from our archives, and we look forward to our 104th summer of friendship and laughter.
