Another "old camper" rejoins the flock. Welcome Ken. Class of 50's

Apologies to Kenneth Hokanson for miss spelling in name in the recent email.


Hi Y'all,

After 50 years in "Dixie", I feel that I should use the southernism.  My baby brother Carl( 62 years old) told me of the Camp Clark site, so I checked it out.  At one time or another, all the Hokanson boys were at Camp Clark.  I only regret that now that I have 2 grand sons that will not be able to go there as a 24/7 camp.  the grand girls would have to go elsewhere. 

Back in the day I was told that I had a good "chicken wire tan" and tht my motto was "Come kiddies, make things"  Somewhere in my collection of stuff, I have one of those red on white felt Camp Clark insignias and a couple of issues of the camp newspaper- still legible in spite of some fading of the purple spirit master ink.  I have a number of photos that I took back in 57, 58, & 59.  All in all, I regret that I had to grow out of being the counselor of Rotary and doing crafty things.  I am only a 19 year old stuck in a 75 year old frame.  Such is life, but all-in-all life has been pretty good although, Ma kicked the bucket in 95, and my younger brother, William (WIld Bill as he was known at the camp) and his son were lost at sea in '90.

Having retired from inflicting College Chemsitry for over 25 years, we moved back to Greenwood, S. C. where both my daughters had settled and have given me 2 grandsons, and two grand daughters.  I have gone back into some of my old hobbies - built a greenhouse ( all those carpentry skills learned at Clark as the Craft director/ maintenance man) have all kinds of citrus trees and orchids by the dozen, and generally life is good.

In any case, have fun,

Ken Hokanson

Update #1: Added info and questions from Ken's 03/28/12 email

Hi,  I am glad to be on the mailing list for good old Camp Clark.  There are three things I need to mention.  One.  Spike's real name is Richard Dennie.  I had remembered the Dennie, but I had to go back to a group photo of all the campers and staff lined up on Aug. 11, 1958.  I had in in my album with all the names on it, including Janet Hastings.  Two.  You mentioned about 3 photos  that are shown, top, Uncle Bob, second, Spike, and the bottom you thought was Warren Hastings.  It is Warren. Third, my name is Kenneth Hokanson.  Hokeyken is  from my email address.  Again, thank you for bringing back many happy memories.  When did they add the deck on Babbitt Hall ( the boat house).  I was there for its dedication, and have photos of it without deck.  I also helped putting the finish on the floor the beginning of the following summer.  

Update #2: Info about Wakonda, the Great One Spirit & Gillygoofus bird

After looking at some of the nostalgic posts, with many of the camp songs, I looked through some of my stuff, and there is a carbon copy of the Indian Council Fire ritual.  It seems we had to come up with it during work week when we found that all copies of it had taken off.  A number of us counselors sat around a table in the Mess Hall, and we reconstructed the ritual, and some might remember deathless lines such as, "To Wakonda, the Great One Spirit, that His wisdom be with us always; a conie a ka snay, noonway. ( all noonway),  To Okaga, the hot wind that he strike us not with is fierce heat; etc.  On the back of this , even at that time old  sheet of Camp Clark stationary, is my design for starting the council fire ( Fire from the Ground) using sterno.  Next year, model paint bottle with sulfuric acid dropping into a paper cup with some sugar and saltpeter was a better spectacle, and you didn't have to be so careful building the fire so as to hide the little amount of light that Sterno gives out

 I also located my design for the Gillygoofus bird that flew over the council fire one evening in '59.  It was in actuality the stuffed loon which stood on the mantel in the Mess Hall, and was reputed to fly backwards so as to see where it had been, and frequently disappeared for days at a time, supposedly flying to Sam Babbitt, an imaginary cabin and staying there for the duration. Having gotten ratty looking from all its flights to Sam Babbitt, the Gilllygoofus bird's funeral pyre was a council fire, with the promise by Spike, that like the Phoenix, it would be reborn from the ashes.

Lastly, Clayton Henson Farnham, I bet I have a better Southern accent than you did in 1957!!

Have fun,

Ken Hokanson, the oldest ( and best preserved) of the Hokanson boys

Does this photo show evidence of the "Gillygoofus bird" (see insert in lower right). That sure looks like the shadow of a Loon behind Gordon Parsons head on the fire place mantel in the mess hall.