“I have a conviction that a few weeks
spent in a well-organized summer camp
may be of more value educationally
than a whole year of formal school work.”
~ Charles William Eliot

Silver Tree Day Camp is one of the summer programs offered by the San Francisco Recreation and Park Department. I attended Silver Tree as a camper through my elementary school years. I then worked there as a junior counselor in my junior high and high school years. It was a significant part of my childhood, allowing me to experience a summer camp environment in the middle of San Francisco.

The camp is located in Glen Canyon, just behind Glen Park Playground. In the early 60s, the camp sites were adjacent to the playground facilities. In the late 60s, a new camp building was constructed a few hundred yards into the canyon and the campsites were relocated to that area. The building featured a fairly large auditorium where kids would gather each Friday afternoon for a movie. This venue was also used on a few occasions when it rained in The City during the summer. Lunches and afternoon snacks were prepared in a full kitchen in the two-story building. A large art room and rest rooms were located on the lower level of the camp building. Just down a slope from the building was what was called Main Camp, a large fire pit, amphitheater style log seating, and a stage.

Many of the adult counselors at Silver Tree were school teachers during the academic year. Others were full-time employees of the Recreation and Park Department. A variety of activities, including a nature hunt, treasure hunt, arts and crafts, organized games, and a trip to the San Francisco Zoo were scheduled from Monday through Friday. Campers from various playgrounds around The City became friends with other kids who were randomly assigned to their color-coded camp group. 

In the quote above, Charles William Eliot claims that “a well-organized summer camp may be of more value educationally than a whole year of formal school work.” While that may be a stretch, I fully agree that there was an educational value for me in attending Silver Tree Day Camp as both a camper and a junior counselor. As a camper, I learned the importance of teamwork. I learned to listen and follow directions. I learned how to get along with kids I didn’t know. And I learned the importance of respecting nature.

In my four years as a junior counselor, I learned the intricacies of leadership, the challenge of maintaining discipline, and the responsibility of being a role model for the younger kids. While I was not an adult yet, I was expected to act like an adult. I was expected to interact with campers as a leader, rather than as a peer, and to deal with emergencies in a calm, professional manner. My experience working as a junior counselor prepared me well for many of the jobs I’ve had in my life after high school. 

I will always be grateful for the many women and men who mentored me through those years. Some of the names that come to mind include Rich Baptista, Don Ybaretta, Janice Farrell, Marcy Frank, Tony Ragusa, Al Vidal, Toni Dokes, and Don Franklin. Their influence, and the example they set for me and for the other junior counselors, provided a valuable educational opportunity which rivaled any lessons I learned in the classroom.