Camp Leo - Timeline

1-50      Only known CLN w/o boy-horse logo.  (boy in knickers chasing ball)
 Former Chaplain Fr. Vincent promises "another CL in Salvador." New equipment, 
 Donations, Polio Survey shows N.H. safest camping area. Four new tentative staff
 appointments. (but only one appears in later catalog.) Pix of new Ath. Dir., 
 A.J. Plizga. Pix of baseball & softball teams. Education vs Religion editorial.

2-1950	   Minor modifications in uniform, short shorts slightly lengthened,
 with "big hem for lengthening for later school wear." LWF represents CL at the
 Asso. of Private Camps, meeting at Hotel New Yorker. Complaint registered over CL
 fees, 40% less than comparable programs. Statistics on equipment listed for 1946-
 1950, lavatories from 0 to 17, for example. Quebec trip reported by John Healey
 with Pix of him at Lincoln Memorial in jacket, tie, shorts and knee-socks.

Summer 50  Corporal punishment again reported.  Christian Brothers councilors.
	Usual trips to Quebec.  (See 1-51, below)

12-50	Front page pix of 6 boys having "scholarships" at Cheshire Academy.
	Colahan, Greig, Jarvis, Lautz, Lickdyke, Murphy.  Others there: O'Hara
(1952 Grad) MacDonald, Healey, Pantano.  Other recipients were Close, Collins, 
Silvestri.  Camp report cards being phased out. Damage from November storm. 
	Back page. Pix of Bro. Felix at large organ console in new CL Chapel. 
(for several of years, others camps and residents made use of the CL chapel, 
according to long-time area resident)  New kitchen and cabins built. All junior
cabins to be replaced.  Pix of cartoon postcard from Raymond Lautz to son Chuck.
Dated 7-14-47, it shows a horse sitting at "Mr. Francis' Desk" using a telephone
and asking: "Ma, how did Pa make out in the 5th (race)?" Text: "Butch-Have the 
horses tried to telephone home yet without permission? Dad."  Perhaps young 
Lautz and other campers had homesickness problems?

c 51-54   Spanish seminarians said to be at Camp Leo.

1-51	CLN Pix of campers and staff around a WW-2 gun at Quebec City in August,
 1950.  Also visit Ste. Anne Beaupre Basilica where CL Choir sang.  CL Chaplain
 Fr. Turbide sang Mass.  Pix of young camper Guy Hart with Fr. T after First
 Communion.
	The Leo Foundation acquires 424 Temple St. for its office.  (not clear
 as to whether they bought/leased the whole building, or just office space.  The
 NHCD shows a few other tenants at this time.  When SJ is opened, the Foundation
 leaves and the place is shortly demolished.)
        At Xmas, 1950, LWF "received 142 Masses for his intentions." 
 (no doubt they were of the best...!)
	Pix of 11 kids and 3 staff after CL sweeps VFW Athletic Meet at Weirs.
	CL takes 7 of 8 Gold Medals. Article on great men who were poor students
 and on parents pushing kids too hard to excel at camp sports.

9-51  CLN  Pix of Fr. Townsend. (looks like Bing Crosby's Fr. O'Malley in "Going
 My Way") Increase in rail fares may have campers 12 and over going by chartered
 bus instead of by Pullman.  Camp fee rises by $25.  A new craft shop to be
 built.	New design for riding breeches, may have zippers to replace cumbersome
 laces. (of short duration)

12-51  CLN    Sixty campers made a trip to the DC Area & Mt. Vernon. (CLN 1-52)

2-51  CLN  Camp has doubled in size in recent years and "is now big enough."
 Ads in Holiday, Parents and other magazines cancelled. (last year for CL in the
 Catholic Transcript)

5-51  CLN  Need new projects and repairs listed.  Staff assignments.  4 Fathers,
 9 Brothers and 4 laymen (inc Nurse & Camp Mother from Switzerland)
 LWF rails against "too long boxer shorts."  Stresses need for stocking garters.
 All campers to take athletics, swimming, religious studies & two electives.
 Long history of growth of youth Camping. Chuck Lautz enrolled 6 years.

1-52  CLN  Enrollment of old campers closed with 70% re-enlistment, up 45%.
 Roster of 60 boys on Washington DC & Area Winter Trip (fuzzy pix of kids in
 navy-blue jackets & shorts.  Camp Financial Report lists CL income at $31,160.
 Includes $1,121 in donations to the Building Fund. $33,788 expended, including 
 $6,154 in wages for a staff of 27. Loss to be met by a loan from First National
 Bank of New Haven, paid from "other income."  Pix of CL boys at new gym at Mt.
 St. Louis (reform) School, Montreal & the camp waterfront, with swimmers. A 
 fund-raising booklet; "How to Give to The Leo Foundation" is being prepared.

4-1952    CLN reports "New school to open in September, grades 6-10, supervised
 by the Catholic Univ. of America. Nothing more known till SJ opening, 9-54,
 probably because of lack of winterized housing.

12-2-52   Leo Foundation of Connecticut incorporated in New Haven. President, 
 Rev. Townsend; Vice-pres., Raymond T. Lautz; Secretary, Hazel Lachmund; 
 Treasurer, Leonard W. Francis.

3-53  CLN  Report on Bermuda outing 2-27 to 3-5 by abt 75 boys in 3 chartered
 aircraft out of La Guardia and Idlewild (JFK).  Stay at Warwick Camp. Pix of 
 boys at Warwick Camp (former army base?) and Horshoe Bay.

1953	On page 44 of the 1953 Catalog are four humorous songs about camp life,
 set to familiar tunes, except this one, which would later apply to the Saint
 James School boys, as well!

     "We're the Boys of Camp Leo, you hear so much about.  
      The ladies hide their pocket-books, whenever we go out!  
      We're noted for dishonesty in every thing we do.  
      All of the people hate us, and we know you'll hate us, too!"

1953      103 campers and addresses listed on 1953 Roster.  Of 20 on Staff list,
 16 are clerical, including 13 Christian(?) Brothers.

7-16-54   Leo Foundation buys Merricourt School of Berlin, Conn.  Name changed 
 to Saint James School, for boys aged 7-15 in grades 1-9.  Name apparently came
 from Mr. Lautz's home parish in Stratford.

9-23-54  St. James School opens, with many Camp Leo boys as its first students.

12-28-54  St. James School students leave for Bermuda Christmas Holiday, along 
 with 60 other boys from Camp Leo, on two chartered aircraft.

c 1955    First appearance of Camp Leo in Porter Sargent Camp Directory.  
 "Boys aged 8 to 18.  Tutoring and remedial work offered...."

c 1955    The Brandegee House at 966 Worthington Ridge in Berlin is acquired as 
 office for St. James and Camp Leo, with dormitories on upper floors.

1955      1955 Edition of Porter Sargent Private School Handbook lists Saint  
 James for first time, includes summer tutoring at Camp Leo for $350.

c 55-58   Boys from St. Vincent's School for Delinquents in Montreal at CL.

2-5-55    Application made for forming BSA Troop 60 at St. James.  31 names,
including abt 10 from 1953 CL roster.

5-29-56   Photo in New Britain Herald of four area boys given scholarships to  
 both St. James and Camp Leo.  One on 1958 CL roster.

1956	10th Anniversary of Camp Leo probably finds it at its peak.

1957      Peak enrollment of 34 boys in Troop 60 at SJ.

9-8-58    40th birthday of Leonard W. Francis.  Camp Leo and St. James School  
 probably at peak enrollments.  116 campers listed for 1958 Season