From the Archives, July 14, 2019

Showerhouse 1

As we said back in January, the mundane is only mundane until it isn’t, then it becomes interesting. We were also recently told that we never cover the 1960s. So, here is some mundane 1960s material for you to explore!

Seen here is Parnell’s Showerhouse One as it looked when it was first built in 1960. The basic design and usage of this particular building changed very little over the next thirty-eight years. Indeed, the style and function of this showerhouse was the same as those used at both Stahlman and Craig until they were torn down and replaced in 2001 and 2002.

The left had side of the building were Scout showers. This side was divided in two parts: one part was simply benches. This was a dressing and undressing area. The other was a group shower room. Eight Scouts at a time could take a shower. No stalls, just a room with shower heads, hot and cold handles, and a drain.

In the middle was the water trough. One end had a water fountain, the other end had a spicket. The center was a trough with a pipe that would spray water down into the trough. You could wash hands and brush teeth here.

The right hand side of the showerhouse was in divided in half. The first half, directly opening to the trough but closed to the other half, was the Scout toilet area. In this area was not only actual toilets, but a urine trough. ANd yes, the urine trough was exactly what it sounded like: a metal trough Scouts peed into. A sign identified this as “Scouts,” or as in 1960 “Campers.”

The other half other right hand side was the Staff/Scoutmaster side. This side was small and very simple. Two sinks (With mirrors!!), shower area with two showerheads (no stalls, just a small room), a toilet, and a urine trough. Done. Oh, and this side had a door.

Compared to every other Boxwell and most other Scout camps at the time, this was revolutionary. Today, it is seen as antiquated at best. Also note that the road to the showerhouse is not even graveled. It is just a plain, dirt road.

So there it is. A showerhouse in the 1960s. See? We cover all decades here!

Showerhouse 1

Camp Parnell’s Showerhouse One in 1960

1 thought on “From the Archives, July 14, 2019

  1. Behind the row of toilets were several rolls of toilet paper on a single pole attached at either end to the shower house. There was not a lock on the pole so occasionally campers would decide to plug the toilet with copious amount of paper. It was the staff’s responsibility to ensure they were operating daily.
    Parnell Shower House 1 (the one in the picture) was mine when I was a commissioner in 1972. One toilet had been plugged to the point a plunger would not clear it. I therefore loosened the johnny bolts and lifted the toilet off to finally clear the rolls the campers had flushed down. To this day there are few, if any, plumbing problems for which I’ve had to use professional plumbers. I credit my Boxwell training in toilet removal as a big reason I have been able to save money on plumbers.
    Bill Murphy

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