Code,110005
Subject,Bernice Thompson Lavendar
Date,5/5/2010
Interviewer,Michelle Epps
Abstract,Bernice Thompson Lavendar attended camp when it first opened in 1938. Bernice's experience with camp left a lasting impression on her growing up. As an adult she attended Bible School and after graduating worked as the youth coordinator for a church where she worked to ensure the children she was working with had the opportunity to go to camp as well. Bernice was also involved with the Future Outlook League and became one of the first African Americans to work at the Woolworth's in Down Town Cleveland.
Special Notes,
minutes:,0:45:44
0,"Intro,born in Cleveland, Ohio."
1,Went to Camp Mueller for two or three years. Remembers the tents the most and cleaning them in the morning.
2,"Wanted to get the high honor for the cleanest tent. Did not have to set up a tent, the tent was huge and housed several girls."
3,Remember the Camp Mueller pool. This was her first encounter with swimming.
4,"Talks about the recreation center, Kingsly Artist (?) Center run by Beatrix Fox. Found out about the camp from Beatrix Fox. Not a lot of grass in the neighborhood she grew up in."
5,"Had a big back yard but there were no grass, just dirt because the Italians that lived there previous used it for Bocce Ball. Camp Mueller was quiet compared to home, train noise was prevalent."
6,Talks about the street cars turning around nearby causing a lot of noise.
7,"Loves the outdoors. Talks about her church's picnic. Was not afraid of being away from home, loved the quiet."
8,Discusses the food at camp and doing chores around the kitchen. More and different kinds of food than at home. Mentions her family being on welfare as a child and recounts picking up the food with wagons and carts.
9,Talks about eating a lot of potatoes. Ate fruit and vegetables at the camp.
10,Recounts a conversation with her brother who told her she went to camp for more than one session.
11,Camp made such an impression on her even though she didn't go that many years. Talks about going to Bible School and became the youth director for a church.
12,Talks about the children she took to camp seem to remember that the most from their time in the youth program. Talks about taking the youth group to Sky View Ranch in southern Ohio.
13,Mentions that City Mission has a camp.
14,Talks about enjoying camp so much that she worked to put together camp expereinces for her youth group.
15,Discusses washing up in an outside area. Remembers the water was cold.
16,"Interviewer asks about ""Camp Mariam""- thinks that maybe it predated Camp Mueller."
17,None of the campers or counselors stick out in her mind.
18,"Talks about ""girl talk"" in the tents when it was raining."
19,"No activities were done with the boys, except for the camp fire at night."
20,Talks about the Camp Mueller girls song.
21,"Discusses doing chores at camp working in the kitchen to help prepare wiping the tables before meals, the chores changed each day so you weren't doing the same thing everyday."
22,"As a child she thought the camp was far away from Cleveland. Talks about ""cry babies"" needing to go home. Talks about it getting real dark at night."
23,Rode a bus to camp. She was not sure how her parents afforded camp because they were poor but her mother always promised her she would get to go camp.
24,Remembers going to Goodwill to buy clothes and socks for camp.
25,Talks about what campers did when it rained.
26,Talks about having anxiety the first night before going to camp.
27,Camp Mueller was her first experience with a latrine.
28,Talks about Luna Park in Little Italy. Discusses going to Murray Hill School for swimming.
29,"Discusses the swimming pool in ""the projects"" where her friends lived. At camp the counselors tried to teach the campers to swim."
30,After her experience with the pool she wasn't afraid of water anymore.
31,Recounts activities at camp. Talks about the animals she saw at the camp; horses and cows.
32,Talks about telling ghost stories.
33,Discusses not being aware of the area the camp was in until later in her life. Talks about going to Wade Park and skating on the pond during winter.
34,
35,Appreciated camp and her mother for allowing her to go to camp and making it possible. Talks about Beatrix Fox and Phyllis Wheatley Association.
36,Talks about her mother instilling good principles in her. Talks about the Future Outlook League and Mr. Holly.
37,Was one of the first African Americans to work in the Woolworths.
38,"The experience was wonderful and didn't want to make everybody look bad, wanted to make sure you made a good impression."
39,Talks about liking new experiences and challenges.
40,"Talks about her son moving to Tampa, Florida and her other children living in other states."
41,Talks about still wanting adventure.
42,
43,"Doesn't remember the camp being ""churchy."""
44,
45,End
46,
47,
48,
49,
50,
51,
52,
53,
54,
55,
56,
57,
58,
59,
60,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,