Ward-Thomas Museum
Kiwanis
Fresh Air Camp in Niles, Ohio
1924 - 1942
Ward — Thomas
Museum
Home of the Niles Historical Society
503 Brown Street Niles, Ohio 44446
Click here to become a Niles Historical Society Member or to renew your membership
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Fresh Air Camp (1925) shows boys and girls in the fresh air camp with the teachers behind them. P10.38 |
Kiwanis Fresh Air Camp in Niles, Ohio Project Proves Highly Successful;
Boys and Girls of County Show Marked Improvement in Health In 1925, Niles Kiwanis, wishing to start a fresh air camp, got in touch with Warren, Girard, Hubbard, and Newton Falls clubs, and arranged to open a camp. A photo of the Niles Kiwanis Fresh-Air camp, sponsored for the benefit of children who were under a certain income level, on the basis that if they had a healthy summer, they wouldn't get so sick in the winter. The camp was located in Cadwallader Gulch, just off the Niles-Cortland road. |
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John Wilder
Maintenance men working at the Kiwanis Fresh-Air Camp located on Mines Road in Howland Twp. in the 1930's and 1940's. PO2.731 |
KIWANIS FRESH AIR CAMP Niles Kiwanis Club was formed in 1922. In 1924, Mr. John Wilder, Niles industrial leader, was president of the Niles Kiwanis Club. He was largely responsible for involving all Trumbull County Kiwanis clubs in this new venture. They set up a Fresh Air Camp for special children. Dr. C. B. King was appointed chairman of the camp committee, and through the efforts of the joint committee, the camp closed its first season, already a decided success. In 1926, Al Engle was chairman for the Niles committee, and due to objections of the State Board of Health which claimed the camp site was damp, a new and beautiful site on A four-acre wooded campsite on the north side of Mines Road, about a half mile east of the Niles-Cortland Road was purchased for $2,400 and a stock company formed. The mess hall was moved from the old site to the new, and a new dormitory was erected. The camp has been operated at the Mines road site continuously since that time. At this time, the Hubbard and Newton Falls clubs dropped out, preferring to follow their own local activity. The camp was established to provide a healthy atmosphere for children from 6-12 years old who needed dental work, had nutritional deficiency, or might be susceptible to tuberculosis infection. They were chosen by Ann Llewellyn, the county public health nurse and they stayed at the camp from six to eight weeks. A 80 foot deep well, equipped with an automatic
electric pump, supplied plenty of pure water. There was a mess
hall, and a dorm that housed the boys at one end and the girls
at the other end. The office and personal quarters of the supervisor
were in the center of the building. There were four paid supervisors
and three volunteer staff who helped teach the children to be
kind, helpful and thoughtful at all times. Volunteers guided
the children in playing games, doing art work, caring for the
pets of the camp, and also they told stories around the camp
fire. The recreational equipment was donated by business and
individuals. There was a tree house built in 1933 and rested
on three sturdy tree trunks about 30 feet in the air. The long
sloping stairway beckoned the youngsters to visit this adventurous
area. One of the first improvements included recreational equipment --seesaws, swings, slides and sandbox. Another year the camp acquired a new bathhouse made of stone block and contained a hot water heater. Also WPA-designed toilets were installed. Of course, the campgrounds would not have been complete without a tree house. In 1933, one was built which rested on three sturdy tree trunks and it was about 30 feet up in the air. A long sloping staircase beckoned the youngsters to visit this adventurous area and the young campers anxiously awaited their turn to sleep over night in the tree house. Over the years the children readily adopted pets, including, “Laddie” the camp mascot and a pony named “Blossom”. For many of the children, this was the first time any had made contact with a live animal. It must have taken a great deal of patience on the part of some staff to train the children to love and share the pets as well as taking care of their daily needs. Laddie was a big friendly Shepherd dog. He made the camp his home by choice and he came to mean a lot to the kiddies and to the staff. Each night he took his position at the door of the dormitory building as sentinel and guardian. When the alarm rang in the morning, Laddie made it his duty to see that all the children got up. He made the rounds and pulled the covers off of anyone who remained asleep and barked at them until his efforts took effect. Over the years, many people volunteered and gave financial assistance. By 1940 the camp could accommodate 72 children. Soon however, World War II broke out and that program, like many other community projects had to be put on hold. Now, all that remains are memories and a picture that hangs on the wall in the Westenfield Room at the Niles Historical Society Ward-Thomas Museum. |
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Twenty
Years Ago Marking the 20th year of service to undernourished, sickly children, the Kiwanis Camp will open this Sunday. Forty-two children between the ages of 7 to 11 will be treated, fed and cared for, during the six to eight-week period. This year there are 10 each from Niles, Girard, Warren and 12 from the county at large. C.H. Mergler, manual training teacher in the Niles City Schools, has been appointed camp supervisor and boys play director. Miss Winifred Kline is the camp nurse, Miss Roberta Williams, girls play director. Mrs. Emilie Storry and Mrs. Frances Phillips of Warren are the camp cooks. The camp has not changed its capacity during the 20 years of operation. They have always tried to maintain the standard age elimination, 7 to 11, and have selected the children in a fair and necessary way. A committee appointed by the joint Kiwanis Clubs selects those children who are susceptible to tuberculosis in conjunction with the County TB Superintendent, Edgar P. Adams, the Trumbull County Health and TB Association and the school and county nurses. When the children arrive at the
camp, they are put on a special diet, given over abundant rest
and are led through a recreational program which is thoroughly
supervised and checked. It is not the purpose of the Kiwanis Committee
to give the children a too rigid exercise program since the children
are there to gain weight and not lose it. The children have gained
as much as 12 pounds in the training program. Some of the founders of the Trumbull County Kiwanis Fresh Air Camp which has since become an institution were Jack Stafford, Al Engle, John Wilder, Thomas Anderson, P.T. Alfonsi, The late W.E. Jones, Deb Kistler and Harry Cook of Niles; Charles Inman, William McFarland, William Atkin of Warren; and Al Snyder, George Davis, Dr. George Moore and Dr. Howard Williams of Girard. Harry Cook, who has been at the
camp for the past 18 years, was recently given a vote of thanks
by the Kiwanis Clubs for all the work he has done. He was one
of the founders of the camp and is a member of the Niles Kiwanis
Club. The new camp, while covering only a few acres, is a choice, beautiful spot and centrally located. Beautiful, large shade trees cover the entire premises, allowing just the right amount of sun and shade. This results in the children developing a healthy coat of sun tan without any painful sunburn. There are two main buildings. One is the dormitory building which is divided in the middle, one side for the boys and the other for the girls. The other building housed the kitchen and dining room. Both of these places are kept spotlessly clean and absolutely free from all flies and insects at all times. A small shelter in the yard covers a unique shower system. The water is heated by means of a coal stove attached to a hot water storage tank, the kind used in homes. An abundance of fresh, cool, pure water is supplied by an 80 foot well equipped with an automatic electric pump. The water and milk are tested weekly in a Warren laboratory. Recreation equipment includes seesaws, swings, slides, and a sand box. Accommodates 36 Children Children Happy The effect on the children each year has been outstanding. Not only does each child gain weight, but they take on a sturdy, healthy look, and their resistance is built up to help them in future months and future years. |
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Fresh Air Campers (unknown date). |
Kiwanis Camp with open air tents
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Fresh Air Camp (1931) with boys
and girls in front of shower and camp kitchen building. |
P02.610
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P02.613 A Christmas party for the campers from the “Fresh Air” camp sponsored by the Niles Kiwanis Club in 1954. Dinner is being served at “Ma Perkins” Chicken Inn on Route 422 in McKinley Heights. |
PO2.611
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A formal portrait of the members of the Niles Kiwanis Club posed in front of the McKinley Memorial on Grand Army of the Republic Day, May 28, 1924.PO1.760 |
A Christmas party for the campers
from Dinner is being served at “Ma
Perkins” Chicken Inn restaurant on Route 422 Some of the people at the head table L to R: Harry Cook, Pastor Kenneth Wilt (Trinity Lutheran Church), unknown, R. B. Hughes, unknown, and Rev. Robert Anderson,(First United Methodist Church) |
The 1955 Kiwanis razor blade sales campaign, “Look Sharp”. Leonard Holloway (right) selling blades to Mayor Lenney (left) PO2.614 |
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