A camp counselor is a rare combination of doctor, lawyer, and indian chief. He is a competent child psychologist, with a sophomore textbook as proof. He is a strict disciplinarian with a twinkle in his eye, a minister to all faiths with questions about his own. He is a referee, coach, teacher,and advisor. He is the example of manhood in worn-out tennis shoes, a sweatshirt two sizes too large and a hat two sizes too small. He is a humorist in a crisis, a doctor in an emergency,a song leader, entertainer and play director. He is an idol with his head in a cloud of wood smoke and his feet in the mud. He is a comforter in a leaky tent on a cold night and a pal who has just loaned someone his last pair of dry socks. He is a teacher of the out-of-doors, knee deep in poison ivy.

A counselor dislikes reveille, waiting in line, inspections, and rainy days. He is fond of sunbathing, exploring, teaching new games, and days off. He is handy for patching up broken friendships, bloody noses, and torn jeans. good at locating bathing suits, fixing ax handles, playing the uke and catching fish. He is poor at crawling out of bed on rainy mornings, remembering the salt and getting to bed early.

Who but the counselor can cure home sickness, air out wet bedding, play 16 games of leapfrog in succession, whistle Dixie through his fingers, carry two packs, speak Pig Latin in French, stand on his hands, sing 37 verses of "You Can't Get To Heaven" and eat four helpings of Sunday dinner?

A counselor is expected to repair 10 years of damge to Tommy in 6 days, make jerry into a man, rehabilitate Paul, allow him to be an individual and help adjust to the group. He is expected to lead the most prized possession of 2 adults much older than he. He is expected to lead them in fun and adventure even when he spends 9 months in school, at college, or at work, to each indigenous activities, when he can't even spell the word, to guide youngsters in social adjustment, when he hasn't reached legal age himself, to ensure health and safety with a sunburn nose, a Band-Aid on his thumb,and a blister on his heel.

For all this a counselor is paid enough to buy the second text in Psychology, some aspirin, some new socks, 2 tires for his broken down car,and some new tennis shoes. You wonder how he can stand the pace and pressure? You wonder if you really know how much he is worth? And somehow, you realize you can never pay him enough when, as he leaves to head back to school, college, or the job still awaiting him, he waves,and says "See you next year!"

Taken from the CCLT Staff Guide