[August 29, 2024] Among the many moves my family made during my teen years, one allowed me to join the Boy Scouts. Despite the brief time in scouting, it would remain a valuable part of my life.
“Mom & dad, I hate scout camp. The scoutmaster told me to write this letter. I promise you I am OK and make friends. I am under bed covers with my new friend and using Jimmies flashlight. I can’t write a long letter. I am here and I am alive. I eat 3 meals a day. Supper is best. I’m starving. No seconds on dessert. And I sleep in a dirty tent.”
So began a letter I sent to my parents about my first and only scout camp as a Boy Scout. It was a Saturday, late in 1966, and I’d never been away overnight from home by myself. Scouting stresses the body and mind so boys can improve themselves and become responsible, reliable, relevant, reverent men. I’m sure that idea never entered my mind. I was scared of the unknown, and that is why, I think, I told my parents I hated camp. Plus, I knew my Mom was happy I was out of her hair for a week.
“It is hot. Skeeters sucked my blood last night. I itch everywhere. I walk 20 miles a day. The scoutmasters are tough on fat kids and the new tenderfoots. I do not know anybody here but I made new friends. They say I talk funny. Jimmie says he can get cigarettes for us. I will bring them home to dad. We go on a hike tomorrow for a whole 5 miles. We were warned by the bigger kids to never fall behind. If you did then a scout might be eaten by a wild animal. I am not scared.”
I was pushed hard at camp, and early on, it made me think I wasn’t good enough to be a Boy Scout. As the days progressed at camp, I gained confidence, and, no, I didn’t walk 20 miles a day; it seemed like a long way because I was just a kid, not yet a teenager. I was afraid that I was the only one at camp with no idea what was happening. Plus, I felt alone.
“Jimmie has poison ivy real bad. Others have it too. I got sunburn on my face and arms and legs. We are betting on who has the most bee stings. I have five stings. They do not hurt too bad after the camp nurse puts wet baking soda on the sting. I cut my knee but not bad. I laughed when four boys in the tent next to mine fell down during the night. It scared them because it was really really really dark.”
I wrote two letters, both a requirement of our Scoutmaster, and he did the right thing by enforcing his scout troop’s rule to be in contact with your family. He made sure us boys had a psychological connection to our family during our week at camp, separated as we were from familiar surroundings and family. He knew this was how to lessen the inevitable homesickness.
The last letter I wrote home is lost to time. I suspect it was similar in tone and content to the first, emphasizing my discontent with getting up early every morning and sleeping in a “dirty” tent. But such letters were designed to reduce the longing for one’s parents and convince these young boys that soon they would be back home.
“I will be home soon. I miss you Mom, Dad, Philip, Terri, and baby Paula. Love, Doug.”
And there it is, as I wrote it nearly a lifetime ago. A ray of hope that I would soon be back home in my soft bed, eating at our dinner table with my family, riding my bike, whining about eating fried liver and spinach, and having yucky leftovers. School would start in a few short weeks, and scout camp would be largely forgotten. However, I will not forget this camp.
In retrospect, I had a great week. I loved scout camp. Actually, no, I didn’t like it.
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NOTE: See all my letters here: https://www.theleadermaker.com/granddaughter-letters/
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Please read my books:
Just read your latest letter, Gen. Satterfield and at first I laughed because you were telling us of he letter you wrote to your family from Scout Camp. Those “camps” can be traumatic for kids who haven’t been exposed to a lot of other kids like you growing up in a very rural area. Thanks!!!! Please continue writing your letters. We all appreciate them.
AMAZIN ….. love every letter. No. 91 about your own letter from you at your own and last Scout Camp. I’ve learned so much from you and I can use that information to help myself become a better person. That is why I “like” your letters but I “love” the stories and the people you’ve written about here. I’ll continue to send these letters to my kids for as long as you write them. This is the single most important blog I know.
… and let us hope many more.
I love all these letters. Sir, well done!
Gen. Satterfield, I sent this letter to my son who at Scout Camp this very week. He is enjoying the experience and this is his 3rd scout camp. I’m sure he will enjoy your post.
Hi Pink Cloud, let us know what he says, we are all curious.
😀 I was reading the New York Post this morning and saw a lot of news about Ukraine in its war with Russia. 📔Many are now saying, US generals like Petreaus and Ben Hodges, who are saying or rather predicting the collapse of the Russian army. ⭐️ Their navy is already in disarray. ⚓️What I’d hope for is what you’re thinking on what would happen when this happens. 😘And then your ideas about Russia after that happens. 🇷🇺On the other hand, your letters to your granddaughter are fantastic, loving, incredible, and wonderful. ❤️Keep up your fantastic blog. 🙏And folks, buy his book “55 Rules for a Good Life.” 📚
Amazing letters.
The first Boy Scout Camp for a week can be scary for a young kid. Sending the boys there anyway is a way to help them learn that they can become real men by being around real men and seeing how they do things. On another note, the Boy Scouts of America made a HUGE MISTAKE by allowing girls to be part of the organization. I pulled my boys out of scouting for that reason and am teaching several local boys how to be men.
Good for you Otto. And I agree.
The British Boy Scouts made the same error.
BEAUTIFUL. I’m soooo happy I decided to go online this morning (not knowing what I would find) and, yeeessss, I got a ‘Letter to My Granddaughter.’ WONDERFUL. Sir, I am begging you to keep writing these letters. THANK YOU. You’ve got the touch. And I’m learning so much about your thinking and how your mind works. And I do appreciate your insights. Great letter. Great website. Great time reading these. I feel like I’m there as I read it. I hope soon, sir, that you begin another series like one where we can learn how successful men think and act and why. Well done!!!!! I’m a huge huge fan and will be. Oh, please continue writing books.
Yes, Gen. Satterfield does deserve a thank you for his continuing this series for more than a year but now is coming to a close. And, yes, he does have a wonderful website and I also enjoy reading all the articles.
Best letter to read while sipping on my coffee with my dog at my feet. Thanks Liz and Krause. 😎
Melo, yes! As a long-time reader of this blog, and probably the longest, I am constantly impressed by the letters. I’ve read all his books and found “55 Rules for a Good Life” to be the best one, not because it is well written, but because it gives me some ideas on how to live a better life. After reading these letters, I have a better understanding where those rules came from and they were not all from his military service.
JT, thank you for your confidence and for reading my website for so long a time. In just a few weeks, I will be announcing that I’ve been writing articles on it for 11 years.
Thank you JT and Gen. Satterfield.
You just can’t beat waking up early in the morning and finding another beautiful and loving letter from Gen. S to his granddaughter. What we are all waiting for, is for Gen. S to announce he is putting this into a book form. I know that I would buy it but also give away copies to family and friends.
💌💌💌💌💌 A beautiful love letter from Gen. Satterfield to his granddaughter. It makes me smile. 💌💌💌💌💌
Gen. Satterfield sure knows how to write a great love letter. Revealing his inner thoughts as a kid is compelling. I have read again all the letters from first to last and they tell a wonderful story of a little boy growing up in the 50s and 60s.
Gen. Satterfield, wow, just wow. Another great letter and what great insight into you at Scout Camp. The only thing I hate to see with this letter #91, is that in a very short time, you will be writing your last letter #100. I’m amazed at the quality of your letters to your granddaughter. From the first to this letter, I’ve followed all very closely, and found them all entertaining, educational, and worthy of re-reading. Thank you, sir, for having a link to easily read them all sequentially.
We all will miss these letters but in the meantime, we have gained so much.
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I recommend that everyone get a copy of Gen. Satterfield’s two books, and the last one “55 Rules for a Good Life” is the one that will get you to gain real insight into him and into how to live a good life. You can’t miss this opportunity.
https://www.amazon.com/55-Rules-Good-Life-Responsibility/dp/1737915529/
👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍 Got the books and they are great reads.
❤ Another love letter ❤
This letter to your granddaughter made me laugh. I see you know as a struggling little boy but who learned quickly to become a man.
Made me laugh too. I do appreciate these letters and I sent them to my cousin who lives in Louisiana for his thoughts. He thinks they are great.
LOL. We all can laugh and cry at these letters. Let’s as Gen. Satterfield for more than 100. 💌