Comments

on Camp Paradox (made possible by Loquacious)

First, welcome to the Camp Paradox web page discussion. Please add your own comments! Here's what I know. I'll be brief; I hope all those mentioned will post their own detailed comments in the near future:

1. Joe Koplin is in Seattle as a practicing attorney. He's married with one (?) child. He is also quite active with his trumpet in a jazz group.

2. Marc (with a "c") Stern: also an attorney in Seattle. He has promised me old Paradoxians and records.

3. Rob Clayman: also an attorney in D.C. Married with two neat kids. I see Rob once a decade (that's far too frequent for my tastes). His brothers are doctors. Rob went to Tufts, as did I, which is why he and I came in contact with one another.

4. Lenny Busch: also an attorney. He found my address on a reference to "Camp Paradox" on one of the engines a few years ago and we briefly exchanged e-mail.

5. Me, Tom Field: I confirmed early indicators that I was a nerd (in some circles that’s a complimentary term!) and started a software company in the early 80s. We have 80 employees now. I live in Denver and don’t have a family. I do, however, have a personal, vanity web site! It’s sni.net/tomfield (I’ve omitted the www prefix in an effort to foil automated webcrawlers. You’ll have to manually add the www. prefix.)

6. Camp Paradox itself: the property has been converted to residences. I went back maybe ten years ago. There was very little left that was recognizable. It was depressing. Larry's cottage is owned by a guy our age who is INTO the Camp. His father went during the 30's or 40's. He had some old memorabilia, mostly predating the Landis/Carpenter era.

7. Brian Clifford: well, I hunted him down (Montclair, NJ, I recall) in the late eighties. We spoke on the phone. He was friendly and was still in touch with Jack Francis, who I would love to catch up with.

8. Jim Anderberg: I can’t recall how I found him, but I also tracked him down. He’s in Maine, has a family, and is in the computer field.

9. Larry Carpenter: Right! You thought maybe I had some info on him? Think again! There are a ton of people listed on the search engines with that name. I even called one in Anchorage, Alaska (since, I seem to recall, that’s where Alex told us he traced him…) but it wasn’t him. In spite of the way things unfolded, I’d still like to meet the guy again… not to grind an axe, but to see him now that I’m an adult (they tell me!) and see if he retains his enormous charisma. Was he as brilliant as so many of us thought?

10. Jim Ragona: He got a graduate degree, I recall him telling me when I met him in about 1990, in performing arts. One day his manager got him a job interview with the Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Baily Circus. He got the job as Ringmaster. When I met him (at the conclusion of a performance) was also getting into more production and managerial areas, something that he told me was rare for Ringmasters. Jim told me that being in the circus was like going back to camp! (FYI: Ringling has more than one traveling circus. His, I believe, is the “Blue” circus.)

11. GER: Gerry Roselle: Jim told me that one day, while the circus was practicing in Venice, Florida during their winter hiatus from travelling, an old man came in and sat and watched. Afterwards, he introduced himself: it was GER. I corresponded briefly with him. He sent me an audio tape (now lost, regrettably) with some monologue about his current life. My recollection of the whole thing was that there was a lot of (understandable) bitterness there. Paradox was his life. GER felt that Alex blew it and destroyed the camp.

Jim Cramer: I just got off the phone with Rob. He pointed me to www.thestreet.com, which his Jim Cramer's site. I've e-mailed him inviting him to join us.

That’s all the news I’ve got. It’s YOUR turn now! I found it easier to compose my note in my word processor and then cut and paste it into the tiny window provided. Please let us know where you are.

Contributed by Tom Field (tfield -at- den.wantweb.net) on March 21, 1999.

It was pure at Paradox wasn't it? Unadulterated fun. These days I am a money manager and a columnist for www.thestreet.com. I have the Basin sign in my den. It's been there for 15 years, a reminder of the best time of my life. And a darn good peek.

Contributed by James J. Cramer (cramer@jjcramerco.com) on March 21, 1999.

Great web site, Tom. I'd love to hear from other former Paradoxians, now that we're so damned old. I suspect I'm the oldest subscriber to Rolling Stone. I can't bear to give up my subscription, to do so would be to admit I'm---ohhhh nooo!!!-- middle aged. Being at Paradox ('63 thru '67) was absolute fun for me, best five summers of my life. My kids (24 and 22) went to a camp in Warrensburg (Echo Lake) when they were younger, and loved the camp experience, too. By the way, WCP was a lot better station than the radio station they had at my kids' camp, but then again, I may be a tad prejudiced. As for contact for former Paradox campers, I see Jay Greengarten around the court (we're both lawyers); Gerry Roselle died in 1996, I believe. He was an amazing man, and had a great, positive influence on me. I've spoken with Marc Stern, who was a camper of mine in 1964 (back when dinosaurs still roamed the Adirondacks). Saw Dick Rossner in LA about 6-7 years ago. As for Paradox memorabilia, I have a bunch of old Paradoxian newspapers; the WCP station sign; and-- get this-- a 90 minute tape of one of my shows on WCP from 1967. At the time, I thought I was good. Unfortunately, after hearing it with the perspective of time, Casey Kasem, Cousin Bruce, and others had absolutely nothing to worry about.

Contributed by Lenny Busch; ok, it's really Leonard R. Busch (lbusch@home.com) on March 21, 1999.

Great to get it started. Good to hear from all.

MarC

Contributed by Marc S. Stern (mstern@abanet.org) on March 22, 1999.

Ok, campers. I’ve just finished updating the site with the first contributions I’ve received: the banner on the first page and the photos, all from Jim Anderberg. Weirdly enough, even though he and I hadn’t spoken in years, Jim was working on these materials last weekend at the same time I was assembling the site, so he had them all ready for posting!

I’ve been getting such deeply nostalgic e-mail filled with such superlatives about camp. I hope you are as deeply touched as I have been by these photos and the memories they bring. I stared long and hard at them the first time I saw them.

As should be apparent by now, I'm no artist or graphic designer or writer. The site will mainly be an archive of the materials you provide and this Comments page. Please contribute to both!

Contributed by Tom (tfield@den.wantweb.net) on March 22, 1999.

Hi Tom-

Thanks for the email. Paradox really was an amazing place...it really had energy. Ok, sure, all of us middle-agers (groan!) probably say that about his/her camp, since it appears that overnight camp was a very intense experience. However, Paradox really was special. I've been to a bunch of different camps-- as I mentioned in my post, my kids went to Echo Lake, in Warrensburg, which was excellent in teaching kids about inter- personal relationships. Still, tho, it didn't have as advanced a skills-type area, which, of course, was my bailiwick. I also visited other overnight camps, during my step-sons' visiting days (including Brant Lake, which you may recall, was one of Paradox's rivals in sports). Every year, Paradox hired a newspaper counselor, and every year, :::::::poooof!!:::::: something happened and it ended up on my shoulders. Of course, I enjoyed it. Gerry was such a positive influence on my life, and I feel really bad that I never adequately thanked him. I finally sat down and wrote a very long letter to him-- about 5 pages, actually-- and I felt so good sending it to him. About two weeks later, I received a letter from the Executor of his estate, saying that Gerry had died about three months before, but that he was sure Gerry would have appreciated my comments.

God, Tom, it really hurt me, and made me feel guilty that I hadn't written the letter before. I told my kids about it, and told them the lesson it taught me: to thank someone before it really is too late.

I hope the Paradox website really takes off. After I finish unpacking all my accumulated flotsam and jetsam, I'll find the old Paradoxians. It would be great if somehow, we could accumulate a complete set, and then photocopy them and have them available to any who would want 'em. I'd sure love to have a set. I do have a WCP Handbook or two, and I have a copy of the Paradox "Blue Book", the book which was handed out to either campers or staff, or both, explaining all the programs.

Hope to continue to hear from you, Tom. And thanks again for your efforts. By the way, Brian Clifford is a guidance counselor at North Brunswick (NJ) High School, from which both of my kids graduated. He looks the same, and he regaled my son (now 22, then 16) about the time in 1964 during a day off when he (Brian) was driving a camp van, and yours truly mooned someone from the van. I had forgotten the story. Brian jogged my memory about the person who was mooned ("the moonEE"??) wrote the license plate number, reported it to the State Police, who then paid a visit to the camp. Actually, neither Alex nor Larry were all that annoyed, tho they DID dock me a day-off. Hell, I was 17 at the time, and an advanced CIT. My son STILL reminds me of the story.

Lenny

Contributed by Lenny Busch (lbusch@home.com) on March 22, 1999.

Wow! where to start! . . .

It's such a coincidence that Tom started this web page . . . I had been toying with doing the same thing over the past year - as Tom mentioned I had searched for Camp Paradox a couple of times and just kept coming up with that refrigerator door thing.

What a magic moment Paradox was (and it does seem to have been just a moment, although for me it was four summers - 1966-1969). I think the reason one of my favorite movies is "Stand by Me" is it comes so close to describing what my Paradox summers were all about.

Over the years there was many a time I was tempted to try contacting some of my ex campers and then thought better of it - I tried putting myself in your place. When you are 8 or 9 years old I suspect you only retain a rather vague memory of some counselor you had and would find it rather strange to be contacted by them 30 years later. This seems like a great way to re-connect.

I arrived for the first time in Schroon Lake at 3am on a bus from Iowa in June of 1966. Larry and Brian picked me up, drove me back to camp and left me in Colden. I can still remember the smell of the pine woods and the smell of the cabins. I don't think I ever told anyone, but until that summer I had never been in a canoe, and never climbed a mountain. I had had some orienteering experience in the Boy Scouts, but Iowa is pretty devoid of forests to get lost in. And I also had zero experience with dealing with little kids. Needless to say it was quite a learning experience. Whatever possessed me to set out on that adventure, I'll never know - but it has made all the difference.

My love for the northeast led me back after graduating from college - my wife, Jean and I purchased some undeveloped Maine woodland with a number of friends. We cleared 4 acres, planted gardens, built a home and raised a family. The first three years here we lived in a small cabin a mile from any maintained road, without electricity or running water. All that experience in the Adirondack woods paid off.

After our first son, this started looking a bit untenable - so I got a real job working for the City of Augusta as their computer system administrator - A job I still hold. We now have three sons, ages 15, 18 and 22. We do a lot of cross-country skiing in the winter and gardening, hiking and canoeing in the summer.

I haven't had much contact with any Paradoxians since leaving camp in 1969. I did happen to discover Toni Sunderland at a Rudolph Steiner summer conference in Waterville, Maine about 8 years ago.

I've got quite a collection of Paradox memorabilia to contribute - four years of record albums, the camp photo albums, lots of photos, and, for you "Explorers", both of the chain letters that went around back in the 70's. (How many of you 46'ers still have your patches?)

As time permits, I'm working on converting these into electronic form. Thanks, Tom, for taking the initiative.

Contributed by Jim Anderberg (jim@ci.augusta.me.us) on March 22, 1999.

Marc Stern sent me the URL in an e-mail this afternoon. I ran into Marc at an American Bar Association meeting last August in Toronto.

I am a partner in the law firm Gibbons, Del Deo, Dolan, Griffinger & Vecchione in Newark, N.J., practicing corporate/transactional law. My hobby is politics. I've been the Democratic Municipal Chairman in Westfield, N.J. for several years, and have been elected to two terms on the Westfield Town Council. I didn't venture far from my home town of Metuchen, N.J.

I have been a visiting day parent for the past five summers at Point 'O Pines on Brant Lake, attended by my daughter (age 15). My son (age 11) started attending Echo Lake in Warrensburg (the same camp attended by Len Busch's kids) last summer. My most recent return to Paradox was two summers ago and it was very depressing. One small Camp Paradox sign can still be seen at the former entrance near the dining hall, otherwise the place is virtually unrecognizable. Some of the buildings and bunks still stand and are homes.

My wife's family owned Flagstaff Foods, which trivia buffs may remember as the name adorning ketchup bottles, etc. in the dining hall.

I rarely run into former Paradoxians. In addition to my recent chance meeting with Marc Stern, last fall, while engaged in a door-to-door election campaign, I met Jim St. Lifer who lives nearby. I've also met Julius Zack, father of the Zack brothers. A couple of years ago I ran into Brian Clifford and his wife Debbie in a restaurant in Plainfield, N.J., where he was then living. I hadn't seen him since my high school years when he had been my teacher and later my guidance counselor. Dan Barsky was an adversary lawyer on a deal a few years ago.

Contributed by Larry Goldman (lgoldman@gibbonslaw.com) on March 23, 1999.

I just got Marc (with a C) Stern's e-mail about the site and I couldn't wait to visit it. It's been many months since I contacted Tom and urged him to make a Paradox site. Good for you, Tom! The site is already a 10 and it will only get better. I'm glad to hear from everyone and encourage them to e-mail me whenever they want, including Lenny who I'm not sure I've connected with via recent e-mails. When I get access to my Paradox mementos, I will pass them on in photo form. I can say I am not a lawyer but I've written for them on TV. I also was a writer on a bad camp movie "Meatballs 2" made in the early 80's. Very little of what I wrote remains, but I did create a rival military camp across the lake that had as its motto: "Where Outdoor Living Molds Killers." My in-joke for all Paradoxians (who probably--and for the better--never saw the movie anyway). It's heartening to see how successful you posters are, though I am going to publically take Mr. Cramer to task for denying he was "the" Jim Cramer when I inquired by e-mail quite some time ago. I've got you now, Jim. I have a fun photo of Jim Ragona and me when the circus came to San Jose and Jim graciously invited myself and my two younger daughters to go backstage and meet some of the performers. Thanks again, Jim. Sad to hear about GER dying. I saw him in L.A. many many years ago and I, too, wish I could have thanked him one more time. Please write me and let's get more middle aged "boys" on this site.

Contributed by Bruce Franklin Singer (saltcreek@redshift.com) on March 23, 1999.

Hey, gang,

Check out this week's Newsweek. (The one with the orange Jesus cover.) It's got a two page spread on a guy who's name is spelled suspiciously like "our" Jim Cramer's!

Contributed by Tom Field (tfield@den.wantweb.net) on March 26, 1999.

Tom, you've done a great service for Paradoxians everywhere in cyberspace by starting this web page. Our Paradox years were a formative time for all of us, in my case through experiences in camp politics, drama, WCP, those wonderful camping trips in the Adirondack high peaks with Anderberg and company, and elective Frisbee!!! I later discovered that being a camper was a whole lot more fun than being a counselor (spoiled the fantasy) and so I retired from the camping world and moved onto other things. As referenced elsewhere on this page, I do indeed live in Seattle with wife Takako and son Josh (age 11), where I have practiced law for the past 20+ years and am seriously involved in the Seattle jazz scene with my own hard bop quintet. Law pays the bills and music feeds the soul. Other than occasional contact with Tom, continous contact with Marc Stern (a brillliant lawyer and wine connoisseur) and occasional sightings of Jim Ragona when the circus passes through, contact with Paradoxians is infrequent. It's great to hear from and read about you all and I look forward to continued growth of this page. Tom, I do have some of the old records, Paradoxians, etc. which I will be happy to pass on to you on your next trip to Seattle.

Contributed by Joe Koplin (joekoplin@aol.com) on May 4, 1999.

Three weeks ago I got the following e-mail from Brian Clifford. He was responding to my voice mail to that apparently sat unheard for several weeks... so I infer that he's busy and may not get on here very soon. Here's his mail:

Tom,

Just got to your phone message (not my best skill), and thought I'd at least get you my e- mail with more thoughts to follow.

Brian Clifford clifford@mail.nbtschools.org (this is my work e-mail which I check more often than at home since the server is MUCH faster)

Jack Francis rojac@cybernex.net

I do promise to send some biographical info soon, and will include stuff about Jack (and his wife, Rosemarie), and my wife Debbie

Larry was in Fairbanks, I think, and I tried to call someone of the appropriate name when I was there, but the number had been disconnected (that was '95, I think)- He might be tracked down through social security( which will forward an unopened letter) (Larry Dean Carpenter from Loudonville, OH)

Jesse Strauss is a lawyer with an office in Newark (check the law directory), he lives in West Orange, N.J.

Hey, what's with the pictures, they did'nt seem to boot up clearly?

Still climbing (not very hard stuff), and built a 800 sq. ft. wall at my school.

Best,

Bri

Contributed by tfield@den.wantweb.net (Tom Field) on May 5, 1999.

Obviously, due to my gender, I did not have the pleasure of being a camper at Paradox, however, I do have a few connections.

My older brother, Stewart Silinsky (now Rabbi Shmuel Silinsky in Jerusalem), was a camper at Paradox for a few summers in the early/mid-sixties. I remember going there for visiting day and protesting when it was time to go home. I wanted to stay at Camp Paradox! Eventually, I went away to camp, as well, and loved those summers, however, I still remember how "special" Paradox was. Maybe it was because I was an outsider looking in but I like to think otherwise.

Other connections include going to junior & high school with Alex Landis' daughter, Robin. My cousin, Steven also was a camper there. An old friend, Michael Karol, also spent some summers there & I recall he was in a play...'Body (or Bodies??) Beautiful.' I even remember the theme song!

Two of the senior partners in the N.J. law firm where I am employed were long-time campers at Paradox in the 1930's & 40's! They showed me some of their old newsletters and some recent photos from a reunion of Paradox campers from their era.

Good luck with your site...great idea (hey, does Camp Farrington ring a bell to anyone...Riva Avenue in East Brunswick, NJ???)

Contributed by alyce silinsy deprospo (ldeprospo@greenbaumlaw.com) on May 10, 1999.

Hi to all who may remember,

I’m finally making good on a promise to Tom to add something to the site. For those of you whose memory is also failing I was a staffer at Px from 1964-1967. I started in the Campcraft Department, and moved on to becoming the Guidance Director and Program Director. I know that Paradox, and in my days Larry Carpenter, had a profound impact on many of you, and it was likewise for me and many other staff members. In fact shortly after leaving I started a masters program in counseling, and have been a counselor since 1969.

After leaving Px, Jack Francis & his wife Rosemarie (Pg) and my wife Debbie (Solomon) (Pg), and I had planned to work at brother/sister camps in New Hampshire. Due to low enrollment in the boy’s camp, we opted to work locally, and ran a day camp (absolutely no where near as much fun as a sleep-away camp in the ‘daks) for two summers. Deb and I continued to visit the Adirondacks, camping and hiking into the early ‘70’s. In 1970 Deb and I completed our master’s program in counseling. After an all-summer cross-country trip through the U.S. and Canada in 1973 in a VW Camper Bus (no, no peace signs on the side) we decided to leave N.J. and return to full-time graduate studies at the University of Tennessee. Two years later we had both completed our doctoral work in counseling, so (to revive that old “how Paradox Lake got it’s name” story) we became a pair-a-docs.

After graduation, we returned to N.J. where Deb has taught English to middle schoolers, and I’ve counseled in high school. For a number of years in the late ‘70’s through the mid-’80’s we also worked as adjunct psych professors at one of the state universities. I recently received my state licensure to do private practice counseling. We opted to remain childfree, which allowed us to do all of the above, as well as some interesting travel.

While I’ve haven’t backpacked for years, I do continue to love the outdoors. I spend three days each year working with one of the elementary schools in my district on their environmental trip to Stokes State Forest. It’s continues to be rewarding to introduce young people to the wonders of the outdoors. I’m active with the Appalachian Mt. Club mountaineering group, having started rock climbing in my 40’s. I’m still at it, although you won’t see my picture on the front of any of the climbing magazines. I’m proud of having been the “father” of the climbing wall at my school, which has added an exciting new activity to the PE curriculum, as well as providing a “challenge” to use with counseling groups.

My remembrances of camp are many, and almost all of them are good. By the way, I almost got fired for that Lenny Busch “mooning” incident (and his kids are both neat). On a more positive note, two mountain trips come to memory. One was in 1966 w/ Jack Francis, John Bradman (killed in Vietnam), and myself with the Explorers (I think). We camped one night along a stream in the John’s Brook area (hum, maybe the John’s Brook?). It was a wonderful sunny day, and we all decided to go swimming and sliding on the smooth rocks in the brook. Tom Field may remember doing so in “naught but skivvies.” Another was in 1967 when a day trip assault on Giant Peak was mounted. Jesse Strauss headed it up, and Jack and I came out of our offices to join up. It poured, but we (stupidly, in retrospect) didn’t turn back. The water was running down the trails more than ankle deep, and when we got “above timber” the lightning was actually hitting the rocks and jumping across the ground. We did make it, though, and somewhere I even have some slides which I’ll try to get to Tom.

I’ve enjoyed reading what is on the site, even though some of it post-dates me, and look forward to hearing how more of you guys “turned out.” Good work, Tom. Jack has been having some trouble connecting with the site, but I’m sure you’ll hear from him soon, too.

The best way to get me is to e-mail me at school (obvious

Contributed by Bri Clifford (clifford@mail.nbtschools.org) on May 15, 1999.

From: John Francis To: Subject: Wow Date: Tuesday, May 25, 1999 1:43 PM

Great job on the page Tom.

Rose and I have now been married for 33 years. The last year at Paradox was our first year (1966) I think?

I can't tell you how many times we have thought about Paragon and Paradox. Brian and I have have stayed close friends for more than 35 years now and try to get together for dinner at least once a month.

I have not run into too many campers or counselors throughout the years. I did keep track of Rick Schuck and Norm Tracy for a couple of years, but then I lost them. I often think about Dave Hill and Dick Haydel, and Dave Leslie. We had some very memorable days off in Vermont. I just passed through Zensville, Dave Hill's hometown about a week ago and a flood of memories came back.

I have stayed in touch with Jesse Strauss, though not as much in the past few years. I would love to hear from Rob Clayman whose boots carried me up mucho mountains.

I ran into Jack Farr the other day. He is superintendent of school in Lincoln Park, NJ.

I am now retired from teaching after 34 years and make custom golf clubs for people as a side line. I play much more golf than I really should, but I never get any better.

AS I write this note, I think about a lot of names. I was sorry to hear that GER died and I did agree with him that Alex and Ann and Eric screwed up a great thing. However, in retrospect from a different place in time, I can understand their panic when Larry went running. They were grasping at straws and we almost held it together. Can you imagine it if it still existed?

I know that what I learned from you kids and what I learned about working with kids carried me throughout my teaching career. I didn't just pretend that you guys were important, you were. You weren't just campers, you were friends who we really loved.

Camp Paradox was unique in so many ways. Perhaps I will ramble more when I get my thoughts organized. I will also look through some pictures I still might have of John's Brook and Saddleback trips.

Jack Francis

Contributed by Jack Francis (rojac@cybernex.net) on May 25, 1999.

I can't believe we've finally found someone to do the dirty work and get a site up and running. I haven't seen enough names to learn where everyone has gone. Besides Jim Cramer, whose hairline was obviously decimated from all those mosquito bites with which he used to return from mountain- climbing, I am only aware of the locally based Paradoxians (and Paragonians), those of us outside and around Philadelphia, PA.

I am a solo practitioner (I'd like to know whether the number of attorneys who went to Paradox is disproportionate, but that's for another day) in Philadelphia with 3 kids 7-13 years of age.

In an around Philly, Spence Kass is an architect; Mike Gordon is selling investments, and married a Paragonian, Robin Rosenfeld. Dan Barsky is practicing law in NYC, so I hear. Jim Toub is an artist who spent several years in France, and is now in academia stateside.

I have several Paradoxians and photo albums around, and may scan them and upload them when time permits.

I returned to the camp to "visit" in the late summer of 1977. The camp looked like we had all just left, canteen cards strewn through the office, the green vermiculite roof had collapsed, but otherwise, things appeared to be structurally sound. It was spooky.

Now that my eldest goes to camp each summer, I find I wish there was a place to go for 8 weeks on a lake north of Schroon Lake, NY...but such is life.

(Perhaps this summer's thriller "Lake Placid" will inflate values....)

Hal

Contributed by Hal Goldner (hgoldner@concentric.net) on June 14, 1999.

To Tom: What an unexpected joy to run across your site. I, too, had been toying with the idea of a Paradox website, but like many things it got pushed to the back burner until, finally, now, it's done. What a trip. Of course, I remember you; I also remember that, me being a "Skillsie" and you into campcraft (and older) we didn't bump into each other much. I have run into a few ex-campers here in the Big Apple, most notably John Schreiber and Jimmy Ragona. Jimmy was my best friend at camp and we spent many summers bouncing the tennis ball across the courts or against that damned wall (and falling while retrieving the balls that went over the wall...), plus of course, many moments on that wonderful stage at Rodgers Hall. We also saw each other off season. After losing touch with him, I found him again in People magazine, and we got together for one blast of an evening when the circus was in town. Ah, memories. I still dream of Paradox. My eight summers there were among the happiest times in my young life. I take it from the comments already left here that was true for many of the campers. It shaped me, molded my personality, got me into the theater. (Does anyone remember "The Body Beautiful"? "Velda was a Lady"? I know Bruce Singer and Joey Koplin will. Lenny Busch, too.) Paradox brought me out of my insular shell, and taught me how to deal with others. Whatever else I or anyone can say about this camp, it surely was the right thing for most of us. I mourn the loss of Gerry Roselle, too, for he was a formidable influence on me, especially in shaping whatever sense of humor I might have. But he will live on in the manyways he helped and entertained and guided us. I am currently a freelance writer/editor in the Big Apple. Anyone who might want to contact me might also be interested in my website; it's at: http://www.geocities.com/TelevisionCity/9153. I look forward to returning to your page many times in the future. It gives me a warm, fuzzy feeling to know it's out there in cyberspace. My best, Michael Karol

Contributed by Michael Karol (Paradoxboy@planetaccess.com) on June 15, 1999.

Bravo Tom Field for creating a truly great Paradox web page. What a hoot to share some of the glorious memories. First some housekeeping responses: First, to Lenny Busch: It is my recollection that the person you mooned in 1964 was the daughter of the then mayor of Schroon Lake. Or did Eric Landis do that moon? If I am just imagining this fact, then I apologize if it further sullies your reputation. Second, to Brian Clifford: on your recollection of you and Jack Francis leaving your sedentary positions in the guidance office in 1967 and climbing Giant Mountain with me, I recently had a memory of that trip as I was reading "Into Thin Air" about the ill-fated climb of Mount Everest in 1996. Those guys gasping for air at 29000 feet was like you and Jack gasping for air at 4000 feet. More fortunately, we all survived that trip, and, as you are now an avid rock climber, I imagine you are in better shape. About me::: Those who have written into the web page speak of the great memories they took from Paradox. I went one better. Not only did I take great memories from camp, but I took a wife as well. One of my jobs in 1996 was to drive, Nancy Gould, the only CIT at the then new Camp Paragon, to Camp Paradox each morning for CIT training. I'm happy to say that I am still driving her around after 29 wonderful years of marriage. Some of you have indicated that you have poked around the remains of Camp Paradox from time to time. I guess I have remained more of an Adirondack regular than you others. Although I live in West Orange New Jersey, we have been vacationing in Schroon Lake almost every year that we have been married. Nancy's family has been going there for 4 generations. I still believe the area is one of nature's great gifts. Although I never got around to climbing all 46 high peaks as Jim Anderberg and the Explorer's did after I left Paradox, I have climbed most of them, many over the last 17 years with my son who is now 21. Even my now aging Golden Retriever has about 20 high peaks under his belt (er collar). I cherish the times I have been able to spend in the Adirondacks woods and on the mountains with my son. That love and respect for those mountains started at Camp Paradox and has continued on. I am a labor and employment lawyer practicing in Newark, New Jersey. Larry Goldman-- I never knew you were in town. Rob Clayman is also in this field in Washington, D.C. and we rub elbows every once in a while. By the way, in the search for the missing alumni, some years ago I ran into Mike Salnick on main street in Schroon Lake as he was making his nostalgia trip. He is a criminal attorney in Florida. I'd love to hear from you guys. Again Tom-- thanks for taking the initiative. Jesse Strauss

Contributed by jesse strauss (nstrauss@home.com) on July 11, 1999.

It's been great reading all the posts. As to Jesse Strauss's comment about the recipient of my mooning from 1964 (damn, 35 years ago, one would have thought the statute of limitations had run on that incident, which, after all, was done by yours truly when he was 17), I didn't remember that she was the daughter of the mayor of Schroon Lake. I'm certainly glad I've never run for political office, given that skeleton in my closet. Anyway, I was in the Adirondacks last week, but couldn't get myself to driving past Paradox. It would have been too upsetting; you know, the old "can't go home again" bit. So, I stayed on the Northway, but thought wistfully while approaching the turnoff, about the best five summers of my life, as a CIT/Counselor at Paradox (1963-67). I find it really amazing what an effect Gerry Roselle had on all of the Skillsies among us. I suppose we realized it at the time, but certainly, in our youth, never thought that far ahead to what a lasting effect he would have on us. I'm still upset I never had the chance to thank him properly; when I finally sat down and wrote a long letter to him, in 1996 (or so), I felt much better and eagerly awaited a reply. I was upset when I received a letter from the executor of his estate, telling me Gerry had died a few months before, but that my letter had touched the executor. Gerry deserved to know what a wonderful impact he had upon me. There's a lesson to be learned from all that, gang. Sorry to sound so preachy. One other thing, to end on a more "up" note: I'd park my car at night, near Paradox Lodge, and then have to go across the softball field to get to my bunk. I was typically by myself, and if it were a dark night (cloud covering the moon, or whatever), I'd run like a bat out of hell across the field, firmly convinced a man-eating bear, or crazed raccoon, or whatever, was only a few feet behind me. One's imagination can certainly play tricks, or at least make one run fast, when one is by oneself, late at night, on a dark softball field.

Contributed by Lenny Busch (lbusch@home.com) on July 13, 1999.

Pico-Reunion: Last Saturday I met Rob Clayman and his wife and two kids in downtown Denver. Rob, Abe (his oldest at 14) and I took off to Coors Field and watched the Rockies get defeated. Rob's a BIG guy, at 6'5" I guess and he managed to snag some 4th row seats on the 3rd base line. Rob was at Tufts for one year that I was, so he and I have kept in touch over the years. The good news is that Rob revealed that he had the taped letter I received from GER a few years back. I'll work at getting it back from Rob and, although as Lenny observes, it will be on a sad note, maybe I'll put a few minutes of Real Audio up on the web site. Is that too morbid?

Contributed by Tom Field (tfield@den.wantweb.net) on July 13, 1999.

I went to the Oswego Phish concert this last weekend and decided to drive home via Paradox/Ticonderoga. It was a very eerie experience - from the road the place is virtually unrecognizable. I went wandering in the overgrowth off the side of the road where I guessed Rogers Hall to be and just found some old chimney remains. The tennis courts are still there with trees growing up through them. I saw a building that I suspect was the Chez in the woods. Made me think about archeologists rummaging through old Aztec sites all overgrown and trying to guess what life was like there. The old guidance office is still there and I believe one of the private homes looks like it was the rec hall (vague memories here - the building with the photo lab underneath and the steep cliffs behind).

You could tell where the Freshman bunk line was by the big pines that remain. Tom, I remember nervously meeting your parents there on parents weekend under one of those trees. They were younger than I am now.

Camp grounds are like farmland -- once they are sold off and subdivided you can never put the pieces back together. They are only getting rarer.

On the way up 74 I noticed a NY State campground that I don't recall being there when CP was around. I stopped there and rented a canoe and paddled up the shoreline, curious to see what the swimming area and boating area looked like. The entire shoreline from the swimming to the boating area is now divided into about 7 camps. That big rock in the boating area is still there, though.

I had been staring attentively at the shoreline trying to get my bearings. Then, when I was offshore from the swimming area I turned to look at Crawford Island and poof - I felt as if I had been sent back in time - looking out it all looked unchanged. I swear I could hear all the kids yelling. I paddled back to the campground without looking back - holding on to that illusion.

Contributed by Jim Anderberg (jim@ci.augusta.me.us) on July 23, 1999.

Ooooooo. Camp Paradox for Boys, right outa The Twilight Zone. Sure is sp-p-p-p-p-p- pooky in here. Imagine running a harmless little MetaCrawler search for "Serial+Killer+Breeding+Grounds" and being transported right to this site. Damn, there's Rod Serling with LF McCoy. [Hey, Rod, gimme a Lucky - this is gonna take some getting used to. Whoa. Nice Zippo.] I was a counselor - if you're willing to accept a very broad-brushed definition of the term - at Camp Paradox during the summers of 67, 68, and 69. Most of my experiences there are a blur, not because they were so long ago, but because I spent the three summers trying to set an all-time record for not sleeping at night, and those events that didn't pound me over the head with a sledge hammer have escaped my otherwise keen memory. I remember that I spent my "work" time drowning kids - er, teaching them to swim, and dragging them (and Tony Mitchell) around the lake on skis. Because of my astonishing propensity to stay awake all night I remember having to take naps on the lookout deck on top of the big rock in the boating area instead of going to lunch. And getting up for breakfast wasn't my highest priority, either, as I recall, once I got to the Seniors Unit in my third summer. I can hear Alex yelling at me from the doorway of the staff cabin as clearly now as if it were yesterday. I hereby apologize to all former campers for my appalling lack of commitment to proper role modeling for young American boys. I hope you all did as I said rather than as I did, although I don't remember saying a whole hulluvalot other than "Make your bed" and "Go to sleep" and "Now why did you do _that_?" I hope this instruction was helpful. I enjoyed the staff softball games and remember playing with my back to the wilderness in left center field every time Ranzy Tucker came up to bat. Helluva power hitter Ranzy was, but his eyesight wasn't all that good and he was as likely to strike out as hit it over my head, which also happened pretty often. I liked to visit Ranzy in his cabin and listen to "In-A- Gadda-Da-Vida" a few hundred times. The man had an eclectic taste. In one of the softball games in 1967 I hit a fly ball to right that the right fielder ingeniously played into a home run. As a result of this dubious achievement, I was rewarded with an invitation to discuss the game on Bruce Gray's "Sports Shorts". Being a jock, I got lost in Rodgers Hall, couldn't find the radio station, and missed the broadcast. The day the Harlem Magicians (it _was_ the Magicians, wasn't it?) came to camp was a standout. They kept running the same stupid weave over and over again and I got sick of it and just intercepted one of their lame passes. They called time out and explained to me that I had to go along with the show, so I did - for the sake of the kids. But when they stopped the game and started dancing with the Paragon girls, I had had about enough. I do remember hitting a pretty good jumper in that game and receiving a Magician's tribute: "Hey, the hippie can shoot!" It made up a little for missing Bruce's radio show. The night Apollo 11 landed on the moon, I was driving a van load of kids back from the remains of Expo 67 ("Man and His Toys" or whatever the hell it was) in Montreal, and as Jim Flonacher raced past me in the other van, blaring his horn in celebration, all I was thinking about was that we were running out of gas. We made it back, but I don't know how. Jim was a man I'll never forget. I'd be standing somewhere in camp, trying desperately to psychologically transcend the situation, and all of a sudden a kid would come running up to me and almost collapse, breathless, having been sent by Jim ("Run! Run!") to deliver a message to me. That whole summer poor little kids were running at full speed all over camp, carrying out Jim's orders. Up and down both hills. Then there were the meals. [Marshall, can Rod and LF and I get some coffee over here? Thanks. Whoa. Nice mugs.] Everyone was instructed not to raise their voices, but at some point in just about every meal the voice volume in that dining room from pre-pubescent sopranos would reach an amazing level. I remember Ralph Clayman standing up once and shouting "SHUT UP!" at the top of his lungs and then sitting down muttering to himself. That did it. No one messed with Ralph. Everything was fine then, if only for the remainder of that one meal. Ralph was a good counselor, and his association with me only got him into trouble. The Senior kids were great. The boys in Cabins 21 and 30 gave me all the abuse I ever wanted. It was real fun. I enjoyed that so much that's what I made my career. I work with juvenile delinquents, and I have to thank the Senior campers in the summer of 69 who helped me get started in the business. They of course didn't know they were launching me into a successful and worthwhile career - they just thought they were giving me a hard time. You never know how things are gonna work out.

Rick Whiteford.

Contributed by Rick Whiteford (rickw3@ix.netcom.com) on October 11, 1999.

I just got a frantic phone call from "salty" Mike Salnick. "I found it" After years of repeatedly sorting through Paradox memorabilia, buried in my parents basement, I finally have the technolgy to connect with my past. Over the years I have come in contact with various paradoxians. I went to college with Jerry Rockoff and Robin Landis. According to my college alumni internet guide, Robin Landis is living in California. I'm living in Northern NJ. Doing the full grown up thing, Podiatry practice, wife, mortgage, 1 child in college, another high school. Caught up with Jim Ragona a few years ago. He treated my kids to a great day at the circus when he was ring master. We caught lunch together and I haven't talked to him since. I remember about 15 years ago, Tom Vanatta walked into my fathers store in Wayne, NJ. Mike Salnick and I remain in constant contact. My brother Jerry lives down in Potomac MD. He claims to have a pardox contignecy at his temple, Glenn Meltzer and Alan Miller. Still keeps in touch with "derf" Dorn. Went back up to paradox in 1974...just a ghost town then..Camped out on the lake. I just can't bring my self to go back now and look at it. My mother still has all the building signs hanging in her garage, dining Hall etc and many cabins. I think I still have a tape of Don Rynd playing Mr Bojangles. Those were the closing years of camp. Seven years or 14 summer months left some very intense memories. Remember when paradox had it's first close encounter and Mike Blake was "scorch by aliens and knocked off his motorcyle back by th dining hall. That was a rought night. Sure glad Larry Carpenter was there to "sooth" our fears.

Contributed by Alan Shier (ALAN553@AOL.COM) on November 8, 1999.

I got this frantic call today from Freddie Dorn asking how soon I could check the email he had just sent me. He couldn't believe that a websight had been set up for Paradox. Freddie got word from Jerry Shier, who I traveled cross country with in 1978. Jerry was a high school friend of my best college friend, so we all hit the road after college. I attended CP for only two years but I have some vivid memories. #1 is the Alien invasion. I knew it was real and I was ready to go home that night. I'll always remember parent's day and running like mad to see my family. I loved my counselor Brian Clifford and I think my other counselor was Mickey Landis. Where is Buzzy Aaron? and who else was in our bunk? I just remembered finding the personal data sheets that our parents submitted and all the kids in our bunk reading these too personal comments that embarrased us all. If our parents ever learned that we read their comments, they would have pulled us out of the camp. In 1980, I drove past the camp on our way home from my brother's graduation in VT. Sad to see it was closed. Thanks to Tom, whoever you are, for getting this sight going, and thanks to my x- country buddy Jerry and to my sailing buddie Freddie for letting me know it was here. Hope to see lots more comments soon.

Contributed by Paul Silverman (psilver970@aol.com) on November 10, 1999.

This has been wild. I started off my week as usual as always and I get a call from a former Paradoxian who had a relative with a legal problem. After we went through all the lawyer stuff he said to me, by the way do you know about the Paradox web site? I damn near fell off my chair. I am certainly no whiz at the computer but for years I have attempted on access boards, chat rooms, just about everything short of a full page ad in the Times to figure out a way to get the word out to all you former paradoxian folks. Shades of Sam Math and Buzzy Aaron's ear to ear smile. It's been a long time since the likes of Curt Williams, Chi-Chi Fisher, Charles Pitts Arendt(who?) Tommy Gun Ronnell (or Avi for that matter) Wendy Robinson, Howie Ross and Bob Coluni. I thought he was in that movie with Mickey Mantle and Roger Maris that we watched on rainy days? I have rented the movie three or four times for my kids and have yet to find old Bob. I did get to visit with GER in the late 80's when I was over on the West Coast of Florida. It was a bittersweet experience because he brought out tons of photos of all of us who ever crossed his path and spoke of things almost in the present tense. While it was neat for one four hour time slot with many beers following our conversation, it must have been a very sad thing for him as Camp Paradox was most definately "his" life.

I have been fortunate enough over the years to catch up with, run in to, and stay in touch with may Paradox people. Because my practice takes me around the country, I have had occasions to be in the northeast and have been back to the site many times. What a sad bittersweet and beautifl memory! Did anyone hear the rumor that back in the late 70's the place was for sale in total for about 150K? Jimmy Cramer, where were you then? You could have bought the place, hired all of us to run it and written us all off on your taxes.

Seriously, it was the best seven years of my life and the memories are still there for me as if it were yesterday. Life has been good but nevertheless those years will be cherished as no other memories in my life. I have been in West Palm Beach Florida these past twenty one years practicing criminal defense law and travel around representing the "falsely accused" within and without Florida. I have three teenagers, two boys, age 17 and 14, a daughter 15, and a two year old son. My three big ones have all been going to camp. Two go to some place in West Virginia called Timberridge. They claim to have this great "program" where the campers can "elect" to take the activities they want and not be forced to take things like most camps. "Hello"....little bit behind the times. That was invented by Lou Rossini, Neil Neushatz, Larry "the Dean" or was that Larry Dean Carpenter, or GER. Imagine that...this camp takes credit for that. My other son goes to Kutshers Sports Academy in Monticello and is into the CIT thing now and the only thing good about this camp is that it is closer to Paradox then my other kid's camp in West Virginia. Still playing tennis but running even slower now then when I was 15! In law school I still had the entertainment bug in me and on a few occasions wanted to quit and go to California....then I decided I could act better in front of a jury and that's the name of that tune.

A few years back a bunch of us (Jim Cramer, Howie Uniman, Swerdlick Boys, Krevolin Boys, some former counselor turned cop named Jim Flonacher, Jerry Rockoff, Glen Gray, Glen Meltzer, and a few others showed up at Alan Miller's house in Ridgewood New Jersey for a reunion. Photos are around somewhere and one of these days I will download them on the site. I understand GER also had a reunion at some Chinese Restaurant many years ago which was not well attended. I see Rickey Mittleberg and his brother Barry every now and then here in South Florida. Rickey is an accountant and Barry an Attorney. Jeff Adler is also here somewhere working in sales. Peter Swerdlick is a shrink in the L.A. area. (great for business). Mike Swerdlick is a lawyer but writes movies. He wrote the Disney flick "Can't Buy Me Love" and made millions. Alan Miller writes for the L.A. Times Washington Bureau and lives in Vienna Virginia with his wife and daughter. Billy Rice is out there somewhere as a Podiatrist or Chiropractor. Does anyone know what happened to Tony Braun or Mark Kauffman? Who has the memoribilia out there? I have some like photos, signs, elective program cards. Dr. Alan Shier has some cabin signs, the red book, blue book, Paragdim. Where is Jeff Wernick?

Man, I can go on. If the jeopardy categories were Camp Paradox I could make some real money. Why this trivia has stayed in my head for thirty- eight years is beyond me. Who can tell me the name of the female counselor person, pre Paragon who ran Chez Paradox in 1965?

Who was the guy who danced with the flaming hoops around him? What did we used to do to put out the Sunday night campfire? Where is Dave Leslie and Chuck Rule? I did hear, tragically, about John Bradman many years ago. What happened to Tom Eslinger?

Well boys, that is probably enough for tonight. Just one question for Brian Clifford if he logs on. What became of Eddie Feigin? Also Brian, in college one of my friends was from Metuchen and went to that other high school....is there one named J.P. Stevens or something? Of course, when we first met freshman year the first thing out of my mouth was to ask if he knew you....he didn't.

A couple of years ago I am in a restaurant in a place called Boca Raton Florida and a guy comes up to me and says "are you Chunky Jeff Michaels?" Jeff Michaels was some WCP name that Lenny Busch said I could use when I was a good guy in training and lets face it friends, I was a little portly as a kid (I ain't anymore). Turns out this guy didn't recall my real name but did recall my "radio name". His name was Ken Mandlebaum and he and his brother Lee went to camp with us all. One more story for now. I get a call a year ago from a lawyer in New Jersey referring me a case. Says his name is Steve Beckleman. Only Steve Beckleman I ever knew was a kid with a Beatle haircut who went to camp paradox and was a "skillsie" type for the years he was there. Turns out it was him. Small world or just a coincidence?

Jim Cramer, I swear I won't tell anyone about your throwing arm if you are willing to invest a mere five thousand dollars for me instead of your usual 3/4 million! Seriously, I am thrilled for your success and have enjoyed seeing you on television and reading about you.

I will write again. To Tom Field, thanks for doing this it is wonderful. Hopefully somewhere someday we can get together as a group and continue to relive and revive a great chapter in all of our lives. All of you in your individual ways contributed to all of us having some wonderful and memorable summers. Oh yes, my e- mail name stems from a passion for old toy trains which I have been collecting, running, trading, and spending too much money on since I was about three years old. Jim Cramer, when you are ready to buy the Lionel Train Company from Wellspring, LLC, Neil Young, and company, I will be there to negotiate for you. I would look forward and consider it a privilege to hear from any of you. Be well my friends and former campers.......

Contributed by Michael Salnick (Lionel Guy @ AOL) on November 10, 1999.

Just a couple of other thoughts. It is wierd to all of a sudden have Paradox back in some small fashion. I probably could have written more yesterday but it was getting a little late. I spoke to Alan Miller today at the Los Angeles Times Washington D.C. Bureau and told him about the site. He will be signing on one of these days. He was thrilled and will spread the word to those Paradoxians he has contact with. He sees Paradox alum and Attorney at Law Richie Goodstein quite a bit. I am sure when he gets the word to Richie Goodstein more folks will sign on to Camp Cyberspace. Why was our evening baseball league called Watermelon? Does anyone have the slightest idea? I sent a note to Robin Landis out in California with the hope that she can shed some light on some missing people. Don't be surprised if one of these nights she signs on. Located my third level "P" jacket today. It is a little tight but still with me. Also found that felt banner they gave out with the merit type badges for different activities on it. Any of this stuff worth anything on the collector's market? Did Brian Clifford make up the word sociogram? Remember those? Who was that Wally guy that taught swimming with Norm Tracy? Come on Brian and Jack, if you guys are around help us out here. Remember Jon and Jamie Sack? What was the name of the party he ran on when he was into camp politics? Who was Rich Mizdal? Man, I have it real bad. These names are just in the old head for some reason. I have always thought of myself as a detail person but this is ridiculous!

Someone made a comment about this Larry Carpenter stuff. Think about this folks, back then things like that were swept under the table. I was in that bunk with Paul Schnell, Peter Selwyn, Steve Zuch, etc. Thank god I was wierd enough that he never came over to me! In this day and age the guy would be in prison probably being defended by someone like me! How could someone like that just drop out of signt? I still recall the "letter" that came out to our parents regarding Ole Larry. It really is amazing that our parents let us all go back for so many more years. That is why some of this Alex bashing may not be fair. Think of what he had to deal with. You run a camp for boys and your partner may have potentially been a pedophile! That is heavy! Eric Landis never could quite be what was expected of a camp director. Nice enough guy but not sensitive enough to what was needed to run the camp. If he liked you, you were in....if he didn't you were screwed!

And so it goes...just random thoughts from a lifetime ago. Hopefully more former paradoxians will add to this site. Thank you Tom Field and Jim Anderberg for getting this going. Wasn't the word loquacious a word used by some freshman kid named Stotter, and it was supposed to be cute or something when he said it? Anyone think that Rich Ward still handles Revellee somewhere? What ever happened to Chuck and Rich and Bruce Gelber? They were nice guys around for awhile who then sort of left and were not heard from again. Who can name the camp presidents from 62 through 70? Scott Landis, Dave Rockoff, Alan Moskowitz (or was he a color war captain?), Steve Zuch, ....I can't do it. Anyone out there give it a try. I would think Rob Clayman or Mike Karol could handle it. That is absolutely it for now. Oh yea, I tried a case about two years ago in Baton Rouge, Louisiana and tried to find a guy who went to camp with us named Don Bloomensteil. Anyone remember him. See ya

Contributed by Michael Salnick (Lionel Guy @ AOL) on November 11, 1999.

Wow, after all that. I can't add much. But they were called Watermellon leagues because at the end of the season the winning team in each league got to split a watermellon. Now that the site is taking off, perhaps Tom will scan in some of the Grey Book I sent him, (hint hint)

Contributed by MarC Stern (mstern@abanet.org) on November 12, 1999.

The Gray book? that's nothing...I've got the Red Book, The Blue Book, the Gray Book and even the Paradigm...off infinitum!

Contributed by Alan Shier (Alan553@aol.com) on November 13, 1999.

I just returned from a business trip to Seattle where, thanks to this web page, I arranged to meet up with Joe Koplin. Except for the moustache he hasn't changed a bit! (Hmmm ... you didn't have a moustache back then, did you, Joe? My memory is a bit fuzzy)

He treated me to a wonderful evening at the jazz bar where he frequently plays. Then later in the week he and his wife Takako invited me to their home for supper where I got to meet their son Josh and get some yo-yo instruction. The evening went by all too fast. Thank you Takako and Joe for a great time.

Upon arrival back at my hotel I found a message from Marc Stern. I returned his call and we had a good time filling in the past 30 years and rekindling old Paradox memories like the Explorer cookouts as an alternative to Ranzy's cooking. Who remembers the secret initiation rites of the Howie Kretz club and the Mung society? Who was Howie Kretz anyway?

Here's a link (www.ctel.net/~jamesa) to some more Paradox items that haven't been added to the web page yet: some photos, a roster of the 1969 season, a couple of Paradoxians and the 1969 photo album. You'll need Adobe Acrobat Reader for the Paradoxians and the photo album. The album is pretty big (5M).

I also have a bunch of 8mm videos, circa 1968. Remember when video was silent? (and brief!). Some great footage of the final sailboat race that determined the winner of the 1969 color wars. I'll have to look into the process of getting some of that in a postable form.

Contributed by Jim Anderberg (jim@ci.augusta.me.us) on November 15, 1999.

I put Camp Paradox in HOTBOT and what fun I had reading all the comments. Hello to all my old bunkies, especially Rob Clayman. I still have the Camp Paradox mug on my desk. A very eerie feeling going back to Camp Paradox about 12 years ago with my wife, Jill. From what I could tell, it was bunk #5, (my second year) and seeing "Chuck Muth, 1963" written in the corner written 25 years before. Bunk #7 (first year) was gone. I also went to Rodgers Hall and there was still stuff on the floor from plays and things. Except for the reunion a few years ago, I haven't seen or heard from anyone from Paradox. Currently: married, 3 kids, Product Manager for Nalco/Exxon Energy Chemicals, Sugar Land TX (Houston).

Contributed by Chuck Muth (clmuth@nalcoexxon.com) on November 21, 1999.

I guess in old Paradox lingo I have to say "kudos" to you Marc with a "C" Stern for answering the question about the watermelon league. Here is another one for you? Who was George Hurst's brother, what was his responsibility at camp and what college did he teach at in the winter months? Or this one: In 1965 we were "treated" to a rock group called the Moths. Who were the camper members of this group? "Is that your final answer?" Alan Shier you can't answer this question.

I had one of the private investigators who work for me do a search and workup in an effort to find the man we all knew as "Ole Lar." We started by tracing his old 23 Chester Circle address and learned who lives there now. We checked the town in Ohio that was on this site and then checked the entire state of Alaska. We then checked the social security and what my investigator calls a death index and found nothing. The man that works for me in this capacity has been doing this for me for over 12 years and usually can find anyone. No luck. Old Lar didn't write those paradigm's for nothing. The man is very smart obviously. If any of you out there have a date of birth, or anything please let me know care of Lionel guy @ AOL and I will keep trying. Lenny Busch, my case in New York is continued until the end of January so I will call you then.

More trivia: What was the skill that John Bloodwell was best at? What did Curt Williams teach and who was his favorite camper? (Jerry Shier cannot participate in this? Where is Jimmy Stotter these days? Who can tell me who Gabriel Erasmi or Bruce Stead was? Who taught golf in 1964? What happened to Chuck Muth's shades? Where is Jimmy Taub? Enough trivia for now. Keep those cards and postings coming in gentlemen. Happy holidays to all.

Contributed by Michael Salnick (Lionel Guy) on November 25, 1999.

I remember Larry telling me he planned on moving to Australia to live on the Gulf of Carpenteria.

Contributed by Jim Anderberg (jim@ci.augusta.me.us) on November 25, 1999.

This is just to get things going but alot more to add. The past year brings many Paradox memories. Last year my son was being Bar Mitzvahed and afterwards someone comes up to me and says "Alan and Jerry Shier?" It was Glen Meltzer. I live in the Washington DC area, and I understand that there are other Paradoxians here. I just saw Brian Fader at a high school reunion. Had not seen him in 25 years. Oh! you don't remember who Brian was. Well, much to my bunks shame, he was one of many fellow campers we unfortunetly ran out of camp. This horrible group of guys included Jeff Adler, Barry Rosenthal, Derf Dorn(Jack Francis recently e-mailed me and could not believe that this name stuck),and Phil Brussels. We all kept in close contact up until high school. Jeff Adler and I went to Syracuse U., but then lost touch. Went to Israel with Barry Rosenthal while in High school, but have not heard from him, and see and hear from Fred Derf or Dirt Dorn all the time. I was at Paradox approx. 8 years after it closed and it had not changed a bit...It was if the camp had never closed. I went to the equipment shack and everything was in place-took a couple softballs and bows etc. What I did not leave without was all the Paradox signs. The Dinning room, Canteen, Office etc. One was signed by Howie Ross. It was tough to leave that day.

Tom Vanatta Activities. What a great idea! The senior sports team traveled and won and won and won. Tom by the was was my wifes pricipal in Prospect Park, NJ. No, she was not a student, she was a teacher. Enough for now, but my mug also is on bedroom dresser. Short bio....Live in Potomac, MD Married for 17 years this Thanksging weekend, two children: son is 14yo and my daughter is 11yo. I am a Doc practicing Allergy in Silver Spring and Rockville, MD

Did David Duke go to Syacuse U.? There were two of them while I was there?

Contributed by Jerry Shier (jeshoes) on November 27, 1999.

I know this is wrong, but I think that it was Hugh Hurst, he taught sports and was at Ithaca. Was I right?

Just to be facitious, I thought that David Duke moved to Lousiana and became famous. In reality, I think that he came to our reunion in Phili in about 1980 and he was doing something in advertising or the media,but it was a long time ago and I'm not sure.

Contributed by MarC Stern (mstern@abanet.org) on November 28, 1999.

Wow! I just got back from two months in India (see www.weirdstuff.com/tomfield) and am delighted to see all the activity here. It's growing into just what I had hoped.

Curt Williams taught riflery, I believe.

I suppose I'm going to have to get Real Audio and digitize some Paradox records... I think we'd all get a big kick (and maybe a tear?) out of hearing "Circle Round the Flagpole". Jim Anderburg: do you have any records and interest in doing it and them we can link to you from this site?

Contributed by Tom Field (tfield@den.wantweb.net) on December 3, 1999.

This is unbelievable. Someone called today saying there was a web page and wow. What fuzzy memories I have of one of the greatest times of my life. Where else can I play softball, write on a newspaper, and do Bruce Graye's Sports Shorts introduced by Bob Segan, my engineer. I haven't seen or spoken to any Paradoxians in years last seeing Alan Miller and Peter Swerdlick at a Net game. We had a reunion 20 some years ago at Howie Unimans house where I remember Jim Cramer (had the quickest release for a second baseman) was a writer at Harvard I think. Lenny Busch( a crafty lefthanded pitcher if memory serves me right) had dated Bob Segans sister; right Lenny? Tom Field was an outdoorsman that we jived each other whether it was better to be a jock or climb mountains. You were the right one, Tommy. Joey Koplin was fantastically talented and funny and beat me for President, ( I like to believe) when I took the opposite stance to him to be different and said parents should not send care packages to their campers as it made other campers feel bad. I lost in a landslide. Eric Landis I figured would be in jail now ( I hope he doesn't read this) and Ranzy would be on the food channel. I thought John Schreiber would be well known on Broadway with Mark Margolis being the beat reporter for the Yanks. I of course would be one of the general managers after my playing days. I did run into Rick Schuck at least 15 years ago in Glen Rock and brought back memories of his campfire stories (in which he dressed up and everyone would yell out "Hi Rick"). How about Neil Neuschatz doing the best Phil Rizzutto? Mike Salznick was right on about "Ole Lar" as I was kind of a victim to his habits. I have 2 girls ;one in college and in high school, so I don't think it had much effect. Hugh Hurst was the basketball coach when I went to Ithaca and still brought out the impressions in every comedienne. Was that Rich Goodstein, our great basketball and baseball player on TV with Geraldo? I travel quite a bit, so would love to hook up with anyone that would love to reminisce.

Contributed by Bruce Graye (BGraye@aol.com ) on December 6, 1999.

I have got to say that checking this web site has become a daily routine for me as soon as I get into the office or return from court. I recently got an e-mail from Steve Zuch who is still in Westchester County and in the computer business. He reports having some contact over the years with Mike Gordon and Paul Schnell. Paul left after the whole Carpenter scandal. If anyone remembers Steve and Freddy Moncher, they are both here in Palm Beach County Florida as well. It is neat when your e-mail is from folks you haven't heard from in over twenty years and it is still like yesterday in terms of the comfort level you have speaking with them. Alan Miller plans to log on here one night as he called me and has the site. Richie Goodstein is in DC and hopefully will log on as well. Bruce Graye, Mark Margolius is a Rabbi in Philadelphia. I last saw him around 1972 when a bunch of us traveled to Camp and stayed in Cabin 21 where everything was still on and working. Anyone coming to Florida, or particularly Palm Beach County please look me up and we can talk of the old days. That's it for now. Time for major and minor clubs! A bit more trivia that hopefully Marc C. Stern can handle: Were OCC's on Tuesdays or Thursdays? What OCC was, according to the blue book, Tommy Rockoff's favorite? Who was the first camper in Paradox history to get the winning key after his table won the CC award and open up the treasure chest? What was the prize and what summer was it? Who was the original chairman of the CC committee? What college did Dickie Haydel go to? Who was Marshall Carlozzi and what was his original job at camp? Boy, it is evident I still have it bad. My wife and older children didn't realize what effect this place had on me. Be well gentleman...

Contributed by Michael Salnick (lionel guy @AOL.com) on December 7, 1999.

As I recall (I have lost my blue/red books) ICC's (in camp cabin activities) happened on MWF and OCC's (out of camp cabin activities) were on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

Do you all remember those tote 'n chip cards? I think being responsible for certifying 8 year olds to use a hatchet was my biggest nightmare.

Contributed by Jim Anderberg (jim@ci.augusta.me.us) on December 9, 1999.

Great website - sure does bring back long forgotten camp memories (I think I was 12 during CP's last year). Microsoft's terraserver has some decent satellite shots from '98 of the Lake and what's replaced the campsite. A good starter view is:

http://terraserver.microsoft.com/image.asp?S=12&T= 1&X=759&Y=6075&Z=18&W=2

The closest you can get to the camp (1 meter resolution), is

http://terraserver.microsoft.com/image.asp?S=10&T= 1&X=3038&Y=24301&Z=18&W=2

Now what the heck was the name of the cook that used to hit "Maguire-esq" homeruns in the counselor softball games?

Contributed by Jon Zuch (jonwz at ibm.net) on December 9, 1999.

First you guys send me packing, and now 30 years later you're searching for me! Do any of you have any idea what it's like to go from being a director at a summer camp to a helping hand at a sheep farm??? After all I did for the camp?!! You know it was no picnic visiting all of you snot-nosed brats at your homes to convince your parents to send you to camp. None of you would know what OCC or ICC stands for if it wasn't for me! None of you would have made out with any of the Paragon girls if it wasn't for me! It was I who bought the prizes for the CCC award, ordered the steak for the banquet, included Reese's candy bars at the canteen, built the "U's" between cabins, and installed hidden cameras in the showers (just kidding on that last one)! It was you homophobic kids that closed the camp. If you weren't so sensative to a few touches here and there the camp would still be operating. You should have been flattered (I only selected the most desirable boys), but no... Instead you protested my experiments for a new Major Club offering and chased me out of the country.

Well, I'll tell you what... I'll let bygones be bygones and we'll all forgive and forget... provided that you all agree to send your children (boys, of course) to my new summer camp!

Contributed by Larry D. Carpenter (icymogul@aol.com) on December 9, 1999.

That last comment was really out of place, unless it really was "Ole Lar," in which case ??????

ICC (in camp cabin activities) and OCC (out of camp cabin accivities) took place on tuesdays or thursdays depending upon vans. Major Clubs were MWF afternoons. Miner Club TTh nights. It's amazing what comes back?

Contributed by Marc Stern (mstern@abanet.org) on December 10, 1999.

I have an apology to any of my campers from 1966. It seems that a bat had somehow found its way into our bunk one night. As might be expected, the campers were none too pleased by the prospect of sleeping in a bunk with a bat flying around. Well, what did-- or for that matter, do-- I know about bats? So, I called Larry Carpenter in and he did a wonderful job calming down the guys, explaining that bats don't attack, that they wouldn't bother people, all the usual calming and soothing words that one might expect a head counselor to say.

OK, all well and good, all the campers in the cabin settled down, I said my goodnight, and left for god-knows-where for some type of evening activity. Now, on the way back to the bunk, I started thinking, hey,I don't know from bats, I'm not an outdoorsy type (then,as now, actually: my idea of roughing it is running only the vent in my car as opposed to running the a/c), I'm the radio counselor, for god's sake! And sorry, Larry, those words didn't calm ME down. So, I borrowed someone's sleeping bag (that's roughing it enough, for me, thank you) and slept in another cabin that night.

Next morning, my campers said-- paraphrasing here-- "Hey, Lenny, where'd you sleep last night?Were you afraid about the bat?!?!" My response, of course, was that, "Of course I slept here! I had gotten up early since, um, er, ah, I had some work I had to do at WCP". Know what? The campers bought into the explanation. Just thought, 33 years later (groan!), that I'd fess up. There, I feel better already.

By the way, thanks to all who have mentioned me in their posts. Bruce Graye-- amazing you remembered that I was a lefty. Very impressed. With memory skills like that,I'm sure you'll get into the college of your choice. Gee, you must be what, almost 17 by now?

Contributed by Lenny Busch (lbusch@home.com) on December 11, 1999.

-A couple of memories:

Does anyone remember being on a bus trip in which it caught on fire and we ran like hell off the bus before it blew up? Probably the most scared I've ever been!!!!

-Jerry Schier: I apologize 30 some years later and Jim? Rossner for making you bat lefty to bunt all the time as you guys were so fast. I was a Billy Martin type back then and winning was everything.

-Bob Coluni taught me the "crawhop" and all the other baseball lingo that allowed me to chatter with the best of them. Had a 5 oclock shadow at 9 in the morning (Bob Segan quote).

-How about some Paragon babes to spin memory lane with? Great dances huh?

-How about flag raising to any guy (besides professional Koplin) trying to play the trumpet?

Lenny: Plaid shorts stick out or is my memory too fuzzy. I thought we would have a few professional DJ's like Bruce Singer.

Good to hear from Ole Lar and I do remember his wakeups in the middle of the night scaring all in the bunk and then having some goodies (not the same goodies that he contributed on an individual basis).

-In the play Anything Goes, there was an actor dressed like a woman that was a much better looking girl than guy. Actually attractive and I can't think of his name.

-Jim Anderbergs musings make me wish that I was an outdoorsman.

Contributed by Bruce Graye (BGraye@aol.com) on December 12, 1999.

Bruce, it is about time that I received an official apology for that left handed batting stuff, but we were quite successful so I forgive you. (It certainly screwed up my high school batting average.)

Yes, I was on the bus when it caught on fire and thought it was exciting. I had not thought of this event in decades.

It is good to see some sports stuff on the site.

Coe and Grinell

Tennis tournaments

Killing Camp Arcady

Infiltration and getting crushed in pitch black darkness in the middle of the upper field

Brant lake, it is still there. Huge camp to compete with, but we did.

Getting the opportunity to run the length of the camp to the area where the water had to boil, for color war. Wasn't that worth 25 points. By the way I think I knocked over the boiling water, whoops. Go RED!

More to come, as the memories keep flooding back.

Contributed by Jerry Shier (JeShoes@aol.com) on December 12, 1999.