HISTORY - OUR CAMP STORY
"Up Where the Sky Begins"

In its early days - the 30s, 40s and 50s, camp was different than today. These were some of the "rules of camp":

No sneakers allowed in mess hall, only shoes. All campers were weighed weekly and recorded. All thin campers were served egg nog daily in place of milk squad (afternoon snack). Short haircuts for boys were mandatory two times a summer. Medical inspection by the camp doctor and nurse each morning including check of throat, ears, neck and nails. Letter writing home every day. Visiting weekend by parents every week. During swimming, all campers wore red, white, or blue bathing caps to designate their swimming ability. No bikini bathing suits were permitted.

In 1931, Hughie and Selma Black purchased a girls camp, known as Rhod-Arlene from Mrs. Dora Bagshaw in Greeley, Pennsylvania.

The present day guest house (for staff) was her home. This building became the main camp building. It included the dining hall, kitchen and housing for the few married couples.

The Blacks immediately changed the camp name to Pine Forest Camp because the entire camp was surrounded by pine trees. Hughie was a physical education teacher in Philadelphia and a professional basketball player, captain and co-founder of the South Philadelphia Hebrew Athletic Society.

In his first year he enrolled 25 children, five of whom were staff children. The fee was $85.00 for 8 weeks. As the Pine Forest traditional eight week summer camp grew in popularity, Hughie and Selma Black, the original owners brought in two partners; Harry Litwack, basketball coach of Temple University and Moe Weinstein, a high school coach from Philadelphia.

The three directors - the "Three D's" as they were called, successfully directed Pine Forest over the next 15 years. In 1946, Marvin Black, the son of Hughie and Selma, finished his three year Navy tour during WWII.

Marvin became a physical education teacher and also became involved in camp. He married Annette Wolowitz. Libby, the Blacks' daughter, married Ted Halpern, who also was a teacher and camp director. Eventually, both Marvin and Ted replaced Litwack and Weinstein as owners and directors of the camp and became full time camp directors.