Melvin Coburn At home, Newtonville, Mass., circa 1957

The camps were within bungalow colonies, which meant the parents were near, or on, the grounds. It added pressure to the job. He often needed to play mediator or diplomat between warring kids, counselors or parents. I also learned a lot from him about resource management, particularly as funds for equipment and crafts were low. The job was well-suited to his action-oriented disposition.

I started working as a counselor-in-training when I was 12. Dad taught me how to care for kids without resorting to coercion or yelling at them. He eventually put me in charge of the crafts program as well as the campers’ theatricals, which were invariably musical shows.

My brother Norman and my dad May 1960

Some years later, I realized that the shows he had the kids put on where modeled after Vaudeville. The closest I had seen to the format and style was television’s Ed Sullivan Show.

Basically, all the acts were very short. Not quite, “Wait a minute, you ain’t seen nothin’ yet,” it was more like “Wait a minute, your kid will be on soon.”

And all the kids got parts, if only in a chorus. It was important to him that all the kids got equal treatment. Instead of passing out only a few awards for excellence at the end of camp, all the kids got modest presents.

One of dad’s most striking features was his sense of fairness. All kids were treated equally, even his own. We, as his sons, never got special treatment or favors. During camp time, we didn’t call him “dad.” We called him “Uncle Mel,” just like everyone else.

Dad was not only a very good provider, he was a good example of how to deal with people and manifest justice.

— Tall Timber Tales —       Stories             Tall Timber Tales - An introduction by Demian             My Dad - by Demian             An Exhausting Winter’s Tale - by Demian             Summer Camp Emergency - by Demian             Tall Timber Drama - by Demian             Thanks for the Plaque - by Jay Leites             Indifference to Poison Ivy - by Bob Solomon             A Boy Called Jacob - by Peter Berkrot             The View from Far Right Field - by Peter Berkrot             Tall Timber Alumni - Notes from the campers       Photo Galleries             Summer Camp Kids - Photos by Demian             Jack’s Kids - Photos by Jack Ritterman             Roza Photos - Photos from Barbara Roza Iannotta             Rucker Photos - Photo from Brian Rucker             All-Camp Mug Shots - Photos of the entire camp                     1961 All-Camp Mug Shot - Who's Who - Indentities             Group Mug Shots - Photos of individual groups