The Council Room

Dana Russian · Posted: Tue Jun 24, 2008 12:43 pm Post subject: Newbie Intro

Thank you Mike for putting this website together! I had done a google search for Wyanoke about 5 years ago and had come up with almost nothing, so I was thrilled to see this fine site up when the notion came to me to search again!

I was a junior camper in 1968 and 1969 with Al Ingraham and Rick Porter, and Mike was the councilor right next door. I didn't recognize Mike's current picture, but looking at the pictures on the site made me recollect him and most of the junior camp councilors.

I have many fond remembrances of Wyanoke, of course, and I looked through a lot of threads which helped conjure up some old memories. Does anyone remember the Arlo Guthrie performance that caused such a stir? I was too young to understand "Alice's Restaurant", but I do remember the hubbub that occured afterwards Smile

.

I'll never forget the moon landing in 1969, watching that little B&W TV with the entire camp!

I have been a professional trumpeter all my career (classical), and I was always impressed as a pre-teen with the bugling by the top buglers. My son is now in his fifth year as a bugler at Camp Belknap, so I can attest to their waking up to the proper tradition set by Wyanoke!

Regards,
Dana Russian

DavidAyars · Founder W. H. Bentley Joined: 01 Mar 2006 Posts: 263

Greetings, Dana! Good to hear from you. Did you play trumpet in the band at camp?

I started to edit this to ask where and what style you'd been playing professionally, and I remembered... it's an online world. Here's at least a partial answer, for others such as Mike and Pat whom I know will be curious, too, and will save you the trouble of typing out a CV:
http://www.proarte.org/people/Russian.html
Outstanding, Dana! Given that background, you must know Dennis Alves.

I do not remember the hubbub over "Alice's Restaurant" (though I can imagine it could have caused a stir at Wyanoke in the late 60s). What was that about?
_________________
Camper: J-8 1965 (Kevin Ryan), J-8 1966 (Mike Freeland), S-6 1967 (Russ Hatch), S-3 1968 (Jeremy Cripps), and JA-2 1969 (Dan Mannis).
JC: J-2 1970 (Bill Bettison) and J-3 1971 (Gene Comella). Councilor 1972, J-5 1973, and JA-1 1974 & 1975

Dana Russian · Posted: Tue Jun 24, 2008 3:13 pm Post subject:

Hi David,

I wasn't in the band at Wyanoke. I was actually pretty bad when I first started trumpet. Dennis Alves is a very good friend, and we've performed many times together in the last 30 years. Dennis hung up his horn about 3 summers ago, but he's such a musical talent that he could get back into playing at an extremely high level within a few months. I've been after him, and I think he wants to start playing after Pops season ends.

I think the mention of drugs in Alice's Restaurant freaked out the powers that be at Wyanoke. They knew Woodie Guthrie, and assumed Arlo was just going to sing Woodie's songs. Not. I was only 11 or 12, so I was clueless.

Over the last few years, I've had a chance to play with Arlo a few times with orchestra. No great talent, but people seem to enjoy the shows.

DavidAyars · Founder W. H. Bentley Joined: 01 Mar 2006 Posts: 263

Jeff G · Posted: Tue Jun 24, 2008 4:48 pm Post subject:

Hey Dana:

Jeff G. here. Good to see another one of the Lexington lads representin'. Folks may not know that your Uncle Clyde was a teacher at Wm Diamond JHS in town for about a zillion years. I hope that he is well.

My wife Debbie worked for your dad on Muzzy Street from 1976-1980ish. She's been with Ropes & Gray LLC in Boston for 25 years since.

I see that you live in Winchester and I have a shameless request for you. By chance do you belong to WBC? We used to belong in the early sixties, but I'm told that I need to have a sponsor to rejoin.

Great to see that you found the site.

Jeff G.

Dana Russian · Posted: Tue Jun 24, 2008 5:59 pm Post subject:

Hi Jeff,

Sorry, but I don't belong to WBC. We were on a waiting list for about 8 years, and by the time our name came up, the kids were too old and not interested in boating or swimming, so we bailed.

I'm going to see my Uncle and father this week, and will say "hello" from you!

Regards,
Dana

Dana Russian · Posted: Tue Jun 24, 2008 9:28 pm Post subject:

DavidAyars · Founder W. H. Bentley Joined: 01 Mar 2006 Posts: 263

Yeah, me, too. And an equally nice guy, too. Actually, I wasn't in GBYSO that year, but the year before, Dennis' junior year. Yeah, it's not common for a junior to be a principal player and GBYSO section leader in junior year of HS, but there was no question about it.

I somehow slept through that Arlo Guthrie incident. I just don't remember that at all. I bet the guy who recommended/booked that one was "not invited back". Actually, I can think of one guy who could pull that off, and that would be RoV (Bob Vaughan), and he'd have gotten away with it.
_________________
Camper: J-8 1965 (Kevin Ryan), J-8 1966 (Mike Freeland), S-6 1967 (Russ Hatch), S-3 1968 (Jeremy Cripps), and JA-2 1969 (Dan Mannis).
JC: J-2 1970 (Bill Bettison) and J-3 1971 (Gene Comella). Councilor 1972, J-5 1973, and JA-1 1974 & 1975

Jim Culleton · Posted: Wed Jun 25, 2008 12:16 am Post subject: Welcome Dana

Dana, glad that you found this great website! There are a ton of memories and experiences here and many that you will relate to. The next time I am up to Chase Point I will be sure to listen for your son playing the bugle at Camp Belknap. The camp is adjacent to a home that we have owned since 1959 further up Chase Point Road.

Welcome,

Jim
_________________
'56 - J-9 J. Moulton
'57 - J-11 J. Moulton
'58 - J-4 E. Web Dann, S. Hood
'59 - S-6 P. Leavitt
'60 - S-2 F. Avantaggio
'61 - JA-1 RK Irons
'62 - C-9 JC with P. Freeland
'63 - C-1 JC with S. Borger
'64 - C-6 Councilor

Dana Russian · Posted: Wed Jun 25, 2008 9:08 am Post subject:

Mike Freeland · Posted: Wed Jun 25, 2008 11:49 am Post subject:

I'm pretty sure Arlo Guthrie was never at Wyanoke. THAT I'd remember, especially in the '68/'69 period. You may be thinking of Bob Munsteadt ("Good Morning Mr. Zip Zip").

Oh, and Dana, I'm surprised you didn't recognize me from my avatar. I haven't changed that much in the last 40 years. Maybe I need a picture with better lighting.
_________________
'56-C-9 C. Mosher '57-C-9 Bill Feaster
'58-J-14 H. Peavy '59-J-11 G. Wood, C. Duncan
'60-S-8 R. Leavitt, D. Hemphill '61-S-1 E. Slocum
'62-JA-1 H. Dunbar '63-C-2 (JC)
'64-C-5, (JC) Councilor
'65-C-9 '66 - '72-J-8
'73-JA1 '75-J-6

Jeff G · Posted: Wed Jun 25, 2008 2:42 pm Post subject:

Hi Dana:

I hear ya regarding the queue time at WBC. I have nephews 12, 9, 4, and 1, and my assumption would be that that two younger boys would most likely benefit a membership there.

Debbie used to work alongside Marian McGrath at your dad's office. Your dad may get a kick out of knowing that Debbie is head of the night services staff at R&G. She supervises 40+ secretaries, and is the support liasion for the Hong Kong and Toyoko offices for the firm. Does your dad still collect cars?

Please also tell your uncle that of the 8 kids from my neighborhood, that were under his tutelage, all have our 4 year degrees and no one is in jail. Yet anyways...LOL.

He was a firm but fair teacher. Had wicked squeeky shoes...you could always hear him coming. Not that we would be misbehaving.

I caution Debbie that she can't buy white athletic sox with the rings. I trust you know where that comes from.

Regarding Arlo...hmmm. I think that I would have remembered if he made an appearance at camp 68-69. I draw a blank there. Perhaps time for a mulligan.

Regards,

Jeff G.

DavidAyars · Founder W. H. Bentley Joined: 01 Mar 2006 Posts: 263

Now see, I can't place Mike's reference to Bob Munsteadt or "Good Morning, Mr. Zip Zip" either. Dana, maybe Arlo appeared at another camp you attended after Wyanoke. That's okay; don't worry about it. Just about all Wyanokers are far enough along in years that any one of us will remember some things very clearly, other things not at all, and still other memories get garbled a bit, but working together, we kind of piece key parts of the camp history from our times there back in place. It's a cooperative venture.

You should see us looking at 1960s camp photos or films together. Some guys, everybody can identify, others no one can name, but still others, one alum will say, "Oh I know who that is", and then a drunken fistfight breaks out as others dispute it.
_________________
Camper: J-8 1965 (Kevin Ryan), J-8 1966 (Mike Freeland), S-6 1967 (Russ Hatch), S-3 1968 (Jeremy Cripps), and JA-2 1969 (Dan Mannis).
JC: J-2 1970 (Bill Bettison) and J-3 1971 (Gene Comella). Councilor 1972, J-5 1973, and JA-1 1974 & 1975

Dana Russian · Posted: Wed Jun 25, 2008 10:47 pm Post subject:

David,

You must be right about Arlo appearing at another camp. I think I know where it happened, but I don't want to say because I might be wrong again!!

One of my fondest memories was of taking a canoe trip on the lake to spend the night on an island and sleeping under the stars, where we saw a number of shooting stars.

Another memory I have is of struggling to start a fire and boil an egg in the alloted time that we needed to fulfill out "honor camper" award. I was a terrible swimmer, and peer pressure and support of the councilors pushed me to accomplish the distance swim, something I never thought I could do.

Jim Culleton · Posted: Thu Jun 26, 2008 1:22 am Post subject: Leap Beyond Your Bounds!

Dana, I thought the same thing in '61 when the 4th of July Track Meet was upon us. I wasn't an entry but my tent mates pushed me to do it. Darn that I could win the 100 yard dash that year and a blue ribbon!

Hey! So many of us had latent talents that the Wyanoke experience brought to the fore ! Wyanoke was and still is an inspiration!
_________________
'56 - J-9 J. Moulton
'57 - J-11 J. Moulton
'58 - J-4 E. Web Dann, S. Hood
'59 - S-6 P. Leavitt
'60 - S-2 F. Avantaggio
'61 - JA-1 RK Irons
'62 - C-9 JC with P. Freeland
'63 - C-1 JC with S. Borger
'64 - C-6 Councilor