My name’s Rich Bourgeois, I went to camp here from 1944 to 1948. I have a lot of memories. We had a campfire, which was at, I guess where the pavilion is now in the campgrounds, and that was all like half walls, which were seats. You sat around this campfire. This campfire was built up about six or eight foot tall, and then we had a cable that ran up to the cabins, into the tree. They would ignite a rag with kerosene on that cable, and that cable the fire would come down to the campfire, and the campfire would just explode. And it would just, the kids would just go fanatic over it, really nice.

I learned a lot of things. When first came out here I was, I guess you would say, a disability. I had what they call St. Vitus Dance. At the time I came to camp here, it was mostly handicapped children. And I had very little control over my body, my nerves. After the 4 years that I was at Camp Wyman, I was cured of my St. Vitus Dance, and the main thing was to have your mind occupied at all times. That helped a lot, so they did a lot for me, the Kiwanis, and I guess at that time it was the United Fund.

Gabriela started with Wyman as a practicum student in 2018. “My first impression of Wyman was that everyone was super welcoming, and that for Wyman as a whole organization, it’s all about relationships – with the adults and staff as well as the teens.”

The strong connections she made prompted her to immediately apply for a full-time position working with the Teen Outreach Program (TOP) in the Ferguson-Florissant School District.

“I loved doing that, and I just love TOP in general because it’s a really great program. I’m so passionate about working with teens, and to be able to do that direct work is just exactly what I wanted. I love group work, and I love individual work, and it had everything that I could have wanted from a first job out of grad school.”

Since then, she’s worked within both TOP and Teen Connection Project (TCP), and in the summer of 2022 moved into her current role as the Director of TOP.

I was a counselor in the 40s and watched Wyman develop into a true outdoor environment.

In 1940 camp looked like a turn-of-the-century resort with picturesque, white-painted cabins in a row, linked by a cement sidewalk to hold back the muddy hillside. The children thrived in the out-of-doors. The camp inspired donors, volunteers and leaders to give over 100% in their efforts to help the needy children, and the spirit of giving became the heart of Camp Wyman.

Morning and afternoon campers lined up behind signs to choose activities individually. Some of these activities were Pets (play with white mice), hikes to the cave or to the fire tower, crafts, fire building (and cooking potatoes in the ashes). The campers found security in a non-threatening environment of no busy streets by day and only stars and insect songs at night. Adj (Adjutant) Dillon, a school principal in winter, was my camp leader in the 40s decade.

The Dillon philosophy of small group living was the greatest social change during my eight years at camp. It also contributed the most to relationships, and self-esteem became as important as country space and fresh air living.

During her final semesters at UMSL, Kristin was searching for a practicum to finish out her social work degree. A fellow grad assistant who had worked with Wyman introduced her to the organization. “She was like, ‘Oh I love Wyman, I really love their cause and what they’re doing.’

Kristin immediately hit it off with her interviewer, and ended up spending two semesters with Wyman as a practicum student. After that, she was hired as an admin for the Wyman Leaders program, and in 2019 transitioned into her current role as a persistence coach.

“Through all of these positions, I’m learning about Wyman. I got to know the program, the mission, and the ins and outs of what we do.”

“I feel like it’s been a full circle of me knowing what Wyman is and what we do as a whole. When new people come on they’re like, what does Wyman do? And I’m like, how much time do you have?”

Tim Kjellesvik worked his way through a lot of positions within Wyman over his 16 years on staff. He was hired in 2002 as the Associate Summer Camp Director and a few years later became its Program Director. When the Teen Leadership Program (now Wyman Leaders) was developed in 2010, he became Director and about six years later transitioned to Director of Special Projects, working in east St. Louis on several contracts with the United Way. His last role was in 2018, with Wyman’s Wrap Around Services in the Normandy Schools Collaborative.

Tim saw a lot of programming evolution in his time with Wyman. “The last summer of the historic Camp Wyman happened under my directorship in 2004.That was a really bittersweet summer because we didn’t have any inkling until the very end that that program was going to end. It was definitely bittersweet to see something that had been around for so long come to an end, but those changes brought in a lot of capacities and opportunities for the young people we served, including resources around college access and persistence.”

Leila has been involved with Wyman since seventh grade at Ferguson Middle, where the Teen Outreach Program (TOP) was being offered. “I had a pretty good impression of Wyman because of all the things we were doing in TOP. After that, my mom was really adamant about me joining Wyman Leaders because it was a college preparatory program. I was hesitant because I was shy and you had to write an essay and interview, but overall I knew it would be something beneficial to me.”

Now, Leila has been participating in Wyman Leaders for several years and credits the experience with becoming a more confident individual.  “As a result of being with Wyman, I have become more socially confident. I have moved around a lot in my life, and because of that it was nice to have Wyman and see the same people in the same events for an extended period of time. And you really have no choice but to get to know these people!”

In addition to participating in TOP and Wyman Leaders, Leila is also a founding member of the Youth Leadership Council (YLC). “I decided to join YLC because I know that I have the capacity to make a difference in the world. There are so many injustices and it would feel strange for me not to do anything about them.

I’m Art Korn. I was here first as a counselor in 1939, back when we had both boys and girls in camp at the same time. And then in 1942 I returned as an assistant maintenance engineer. And the first vivid recollection was the fire, when the mess hall, dining hall burned down in 1939. And a number of the counselors responded, they all tried to put out the fire, they tried to drag out anything that was salvageable, or moveable. And my friend Carl Schlesser had his hand burned on a hot timber. And after we got all this stuff out, we had no place to use it. And one of the things we had, was an excess of applesauce. In the (execution?) sized cans. Well Mrs. Hawkins who ran the laundry at the time, couldn’t see that go to waste. And the cooks couldn’t stand it either. So we moved back up one of the hollows and Mrs. Hawkins threw it in a copper kettle. And we dumped all that applesauce in that kettle, got the necessary spices and sugar, and we made apple butter. We had apple butter coming out of our ears when it was all over, but we saved everything. But, a lot of great memories, a lot of great people that I met there. Family, staff, counselors.

William “Bill” Kloppe was an educator who worked for decades in the Webster Groves School District, as both a physical and outdoor education instructor. In 1948 he was the Director of Outdoor Education for the school district and began collaborating with Wyman to develop a licensed school curriculum of nature study. This project would become the Outdoor Education Program, a mainstay of Wyman, Webster Groves, and many other area St. Louis School districts for the next 75 years.

During the first season of the Outdoor Education Program, sixty children came for two weeks in the spring. The Webster Groves School District brought out entire classes at a time, including teachers, to stay on site for a week. Kloppe would organize conservationists, astronomists, geologists and other experts to come out and talk to the students. As described in a newspaper article at the time, “Rather than having classrooms, the pupils are taken on short hikes and the expert points out living examples for his lecture.”

According to Kloppe, one of the added benefits of the camping trip is that for many children it’s the first time they’re away from home, their first experience at group living with others of their age, the first time they have as much responsibility for their own and others’ welfare.

Alexis has been involved with Wyman since she was 12 years old, starting as a participant in TOP and Wyman Leaders. “Throughout my trajectory in Wyman I was offered a full ride scholarship to Missouri State University, and while I was there I ended up working summers for Wyman doing postsecondary tours and some internship work. Any way that I could find to squeeze myself in Wyman’s nooks and crannies and help out young people and the organization’s mission, was something I was super passionate about in college. When I graduated in 2019, I was offered a full-time position at Wyman as a High School Support Coach on the Wyman Leaders team and then I transitioned to my current position as a Persistence Coach in the summer of 2021.”

She notes that her involvement with Wyman changed her life in middle school. “I am a child of a deaf and disabled adult, so the primary language we spoke in our household was sign language. I didn’t really know myself outside of helping my mom. Wyman gave me a place to let go of those responsibilities and really be able to accept childhood for what it is, be able to have fun, release all my worries, and develop into who I am.”

Sue Depigian – memories of Camp Wyman:

White cabins
Blackberries

Capture the Flag

The lookout tower, up the hill, behind the dining room

The mysterious and tree-lined road that was at the foot of the lookout tower. (I always wanted to walk down that road. I wonder, every now and then, where it led.)

P.M. camp fires singing Adge’s favorite songs

Learning to swim

Ticks in my hair

Debeaux Bowman first came to Wyman with the Webster Groves School District. “Back then they did camp with elementary schools, as the kids were leaving fifth grade before they went into middle school. Camp Wyman was the first time I ever went to a sleep away camp. I loved everything about it. I loved being there with my friends and I loved having the high school counselors; it makes you feel really cool when you’re a kid and you have teenage friends. And all of the activities were so fun.

As a camper, I learned that I was capable of a lot. We did so many different things at camp, and it was really good to feel all of those different accomplishments.  It was like ‘wow, these are all interesting, cool things I’m learning, and I’m growing,’ and there was this, ‘I can do anything’ sort of a feeling.”

Debeaux then returned to Wyman as a counselor in high school during their senior year. “I was helping with the sixth graders. I really enjoyed the counselors when I was at camp and so I wanted to be that counselor for a new generation of kids.” That year, the cabin Debeaux oversaw experienced a fire – an experience that had a strong effect on them. “At the time it was very scary, but going through that really solidified my bond with those campers, and really showed me that I’m as strong as I thought I was. It definitely shaped me into the person that I am today.”

The Greater St. Louis area Kiwanis Clubs are one of the longest standing contributors and partners to the Wyman Center. Since Kiwanis Chairman Harold Duffy visited Mr. Tillery at Camp Wyman in the 1940s, the St. Louis Kiwanis Clubs have sponsored Wyman’s facilities and programs.

In the early 1950’s, the camp’s financial condition was suffering, and staff were often paying for supplies themselves. Financial losses after WWII made the camp’s future uncertain. Kiwanis Clubs from across the region joined forces to raise funds, build new buildings, serve on the board, and provide ongoing maintenance. Without their contributions, Wyman could have quickly run out of funding and fallen into disrepair.

Members of several area clubs led the effort to enroll the clubs as sponsors of Camp Wyman. According to Kiwanis records, about 1,200 Kiwanians agreed to pay $1 per year to the camp association, and around 30-40 local clubs became sponsors of Camp Wyman.

The Wyman Leaders program was not an immediate sell for my daughter. I remember telling her, “This seems awesome, they’re going to follow you and give you a great mentorship, however you’re going to have to sacrifice your summers.” She was so against it until she actually started participating. And then I couldn’t stop her. I wasn’t moving fast enough to get her to all the activities and classes she was doing over the summer.

I questioned it at first. My daughter has been at schools, with other organizations where she’s just been a number. She was the minority in the room. I thought, this is another organization who just needs her so they can get more funding. But at Wyman, she’s a human. She’s a mentor, she’s being mentored. She’s successful.

Overall she loves to respect herself. She has standards that I know I didn’t have at sixteen. And she’s very proud to own that. She’s always volunteering, she’s always helping people. A lot of the things she likes to stand up for are things that were untraditional to us. She taught us about like the LGBT community, and now we’re on the same team, championing for them as well. I have grown because of her. She’s always keeping us connected and she’s always giving back and helping.

I was first introduced to Wyman Leaders in 6th grade, and at first I was hesitant to give up my summer. Then I created a family and I met new friends – even those that go to school with me. The program is about more than just education; it’s about how to interact with people that have different backgrounds from you. You get opportunities that most kids dream about, and I feel like with that comes a sense of community. It’s long lasting, too. Our coaches make sure that we’re able to keep those relationships and that they don’t fade away.

I always tell people who are hesitant: it’s not just focused on academics. They’re giving us time management skills, advocating skills, and the skills to feel more confident within ourselves and the decisions we make.

My name is Carl Schlosser, I’m from Belleville, Illinois. And I was there 1937, ‘38, ‘39. When I first came out here, Jack Morris was in charge of the program. He invited me to come down in 37, I was the only male counselor here at the time. It was quite a bit of fun, and we always enjoyed it. Everybody always enjoyed coming down here. This was the first time I’ve been back since I was a counselor in ‘39

(Interviewer: So it’s changed quite a bit since you’ve been here) Oh, it’s changed a whole lot since I’ve been here. You’ve added more building, and you used to have a barn back in the back where the maintenance shed is, and that used to be a, more recreation and our, if it rained and our crafts and arts, that’s where we had all that, everything we that did that was done inside, it was done in the old barn. But it’s gone, too. It’s, just about everything’s been changed around here.

Terrance Brown got involved with Wyman by “complete accident” in 2001. “I was supposed to be a staff member, but somehow things got mixed up and I arrived the same day as the campers. They told me they could drop me back off with my aunt, or I could stay. And I was like, well I’m here!

At the end of that summer they asked me to come back the next year, and I was like yeah, I would love to. Being in a place where I was able to learn so many new things about myself and the experience I had with all the staff members, was like oh I definitely want to share that with other people. I had strong ties to people who had been complete strangers, and that’s amazing to me.”

T Bone came back as a camp counselor and group leader, working with the youngest group of Wyman campers at the time. Now over 20 years later, he is a Program Manager on the Camp Wyman Experiences team.

“I’ve stayed at Wyman for so long because I met a lot of amazing people – staff members and campers – who I’m still friends with today.”

“I loved the phrase, ‘be the change you want to see.’ For me it was about being a positive influence that the campers can see – like, ‘Oh this is a person who has it together, or is a nice person, and maybe we can be like that.’ That was one of the things I strived for.”

What a thrill for these children as they boarded the train and enjoyed a train ride, some of them for the first time in their lives. Trucks and private cars awaited them when they got off the train at Eureka, to take them to the camp. Arriving at the camp most of them were hardly out of the trucks before the playground apparatus was filled with happy children. Some of them had already discovered the lazy little creek and were making plans for dams and miniature lakes on which to sail boats.

Soon the big bell on the Assembly Hall tolled and all the children trooped into the hall. Here they sat with attentive ear and listened to the necessary directions for their life at camp. Then they were off to their cabins, where they were assigned their beds and changed into the farm clothes. By this time they were ready for lunch. Proudly they marched in straight lines into the large dining hall, where they all said grace together and attacked the wholesome food with a good will. Cabin mothers and counselors were kept busy refilling their plates. At last the big bell tolled again and the little girls were off to the swimming pool. Here they splashed, floated, swam, belly-flopped, and even dived a little, with nothing to fear because a counselor was always near.

After earning his undergraduate degree in Social Work and serving in the Peace Corps, Eric moved to St. Louis and began his job search. As he started exploring his future career path, Eric considered what he could see himself doing long-term. “I wanted a career where I was going to be able to give my best and get a lot from. Social work and working with youth was that path for me.”

Eric didn’t initially plan to work for a non-profit, but “Wyman just kept on coming to the top.” So, in 2019 Eric started at Wyman as a Teen Outreach Program (TOP) Specialist, working with 7th and 8th graders at Brittany Woods Middle School. He immediately began to enjoy the unique position of being a TOP facilitator working within the school itself. “At Wyman, we’re not just an island. Working in the community and in schools provides so many different benefits, and you get a sense of community through working with all those different partners.”

Going to Camp Wyman was the highlight of my life back in the 1930’s. Both my sisters and my brother went to camp whenever the occasion presented itself. I grew up believing that I was privileged to go to a wonderful place like Camp Wyman. To actually go swimming every day in a real pool.

How I remember the dining hall and all of the wonderful meals we enjoyed. Those hot biscuits and meat every day. I don’t remember just what all the menus were, but I do know that that was the most delicious food I ever had.

The great thing about the dining hall was the large frame over the director’s table. It was covered with fringed paper and had cords attached at several places so that it could be pulled back and forth, thus keeping pests from bothering the diners.

We were always awakened early in the morning. We slept well the night before on straw filled mattresses. To the outhouse and the cold water to clean up and brush our teeth. The aroma reaching out over the camp brought out the chow lines. All dressed and ready to eat and enjoy all the experiences that made our stay, the times so pleasant to us.

Kiera joined Wyman Leaders at the end of 7th grade and was immediately excited to participate in the program – even the time she’d be spending at camp. “I was totally good with the three weeks away. I went to camp that first summer and I loved it. We weren’t able to go overnight, but it was still so much fun.”

The Wyman Leaders program supports teens as they develop life skills and strong connections through powerful, transformative, and fun experiences. For Kiera, these opportunities and experiential interactions with her peers have given her more confidence and enjoyment in social situations.

“I’ve never really had a problem in school: it’s more the social interaction. I’ve had more social interactions through Wyman than I have in the past few years for school.

Before Wyman, I was a kid that was focused more on their work. I’d still talk to my friends after school and before school, but I mainly tried to focus on my schoolwork to get the best grades I could. Now I’m more social, talking to my friends more during class, too.”

Camp Wyman is childhood memories that will always be with me. Being from a poor family, we couldn’t afford the luxuries of life. I attended St. Peters Episcopal Church for several years when a child. They are the ones who sent me to Camp Wyman.

Those were the best days of my life, the hikes, swimming, songs, and evening gatherings.

On one hike our leader took us into a very small cave. She taught us a song while in there. I don’t have the faintest idea of what the words (or tune) is but I still sing it once in a while to little tots, the best I can.

Not sure, seems like the leader was a lady named Ruth Bedell. There were trees near the little cottages we slept in and one night one girl cried most the night and kept the rest of us awake. She was afraid of a funny noise outside. It was an owl. She wanted to go home so they called her mother to come get her. There was a song we sang almost every evening “Out at Eureka Farm we’re happy all the time”. I am 75 years old but I still think of the good times at Camp Wyman.

When Jalen Mathis was introduced to Wyman in seventh grade, the experience was a little daunting. “The first things we did were a 10-mile hike and canoeing; things I’d never imagined doing. My first thought was, oh my gosh, will I survive? But I was really inspired to be part of an amazing program like this.”

After graduating high school in 2018, Jalen returned as a camp counselor. “Going from a camper to counselor is a full circle moment. As a camper, I looked at my counselors to lead me. When you become a counselor, you start to realize the amount of patience you need when you’re dealing with the development of young people.”

In 2022, Jalen graduated from Morehouse College with a degree in business finance and is currently working at Boeing in Revenue Management. His recent move to Seattle is one of the biggest challenges Jalen has faced. “The environment was less diverse and it was hard for me to connect to people. I didn’t quit was because I knew that I could create a sense of community and be a change agent.”

Price Schulte was born in 1908 in Eureka, MO and knew about Wyman all his life. He came to work at Camp Wyman as a maintenance person for the Tillerys just after graduating from Eureka High School in 1927.

He wrote to Camp Wyman in 1991 and recalled building the permanent cabins on “Cottage Row” (1920 – 1928), painting buildings, running the deep well pump, attending the camp’s 5 reservoirs, and maintaining the swimming pool. Price was also at the scene of the dining hall fire in 1938 and helped with the resulting clean-up.

Records of Price’s maintenance hours were found in the Tillery’s papers from the 1920s and 30s. They recorded some of his summer job activities including putting shelving up in the laundry; cleaning the pool, shower room, and dressing room; “digging leak at new reservoir;” installing a drinking fountain at the dining hall; and more.

Price Schulte, along with fellow maintenance workers Alfred Jefferes, Preston Pauls, and Buell Manhanke was able to perform any and all maintenance tasks needed around camp.

Marnae’s first summer with Wyman Leaders in 2004 wasn’t her favorite experience. “My entire first year I was sad and upset. I was homesick, and I did not want to come back the second year.” But her mom made sure she stuck with the program. “I wasn’t a happy camper, and I did not have a good attitude about it. But I saw the benefit once I was actually in it. My perspective now that I’m older and looking back on what I learned and experienced is much different; it was extremely valuable for me.”

“Any time you’re put in an environment that’s brand new to you, it comes with challenges. Wyman Leaders taught me to think outside the box. It was the first time I was faced with having a growth mindset. It was one of the first times where I couldn’t talk my way out of something, and I had to be ok with being uncomfortable to get the job done. That affected the way I showed up in class and in college and even now, because of that group work I did back then.”

Marnae admits it took a while, but she learned to enjoy the experience by her third year. “I did love the activities I was exposed to. I loved zip lining, I loved canoeing. For my second Trek we did a 5-day canoe trip. I loved it because I felt extremely accomplished and very free.”

My memories are riding the train and finding there was a world outside of the city. I was raised in the areas of Henry school on 10^th street. I didn’t know that the outside had a river and lots of trees – I thought O’Fallon Park was all there was.

When I got to Camp it was like a world all its own. I loved it and cried when I had to come home. The cabin, swimming and crafts were all new to me and I loved it all and the people who were so good to us kids. And when a poor kid is given a different look at the other side, I loved it, to this day I think about the camp with fond memories.

Thank you.

When Annie Philipps was at St. Louis University getting her Bachelor’s in Social Work, she met Wyman’s Allison Williams at an internship fair. Annie said, “Allison was so friendly and just seemed like she would be great to work with.” Annie had some experience in youth work and was originally looking for an internship with a different age group, but meeting first Allison, then Wyman’s Near South Side team, led her to accept an opportunity with Wyman.

Her internship started in September of 2001 in Wyman’s Near South Side office. Annie loved the “awesome community” in the Near South Side, and as she went on to earn her Master’s in Social Work, she continued to work part-time, in after school programs, summer day camp, and community programs.

In 2006, Annie took a full-time role with Wyman in the Teen Leadership Program, which would later become Wyman Leaders. She was part of residential camp, college tours, and ongoing work with youth and families.

Annie says, “I’m so grateful for my time with Near South Side and Wyman Leaders. It was a privilege to work with the youth and families and to watch youth grow into amazing young adults. I have so many memories of sharing both incredible moments, like milestones and celebrations, and ordinary everyday moments, like singing and laughing on a bus ride. My time in those programs really shaped me and is such a part of the person I am today.”

The first thing I remembered was the train ride to the camp. We were about 6-8 with a counselor in each little cabin. The open spaces, the fresh air, the swimming pool, the old cave we explored on the front of the property, the fun each nite as the staff put on shows. I think the couple in charge of the camp was a Mr & Mrs Tillery. The food was so good & I helped in the dining room pulling a board with cut news paper, & received a small plastic purse when I left. Got a swimming patch <W> for the front of my suit. I attended 2 – 3 years? & one time my brother came, Jerry E. Murray. I know all the people who came to that camp enjoyed it. I know I did. I was an inner city child. I often think as I get older how fortunate I was to get to Wyman. Thank you.

Nina M. House

Crystal’s Wyman story starts when she was a camper, around the age of 12. “Wyman looked very different from what it’s evolved to now. Campers ranged from kindergarten up to high school, with a large population of young people in the foster care system.

I came back every summer and as I got into my teen years, Wyman started its CIT opportunity where older campers had a chance to be counselors. When I graduated high school, I was like, ok, well I’ll just spend my summer before college at camp, because that’s what I do. And then it just stuck!”

Crystal was with Wyman through its programming evolution in the 1990s and 2000s, and as a result participated in a wide variety of programs. She was a counselor for Camp EDI (camp for young people with diabetes), Camp Coca-Cola, she went on Treks, and she spent two summers at the Summer Adventures program in the Near Southside.

Crystal then took a break from Wyman for a few years, but one day Allison Williams called to invite her back for a new after school program, called 5-Star. “That was my first experience with the Teen Outreach Program (TOP).”

Crystal ended up working with TOP in her programs at Compton Drew and Normandy, and in community events that included parents. “The parents learned so much from TOP, too. They were then able to apply it to their parenting and how they communicated with their kids. It was a really cool way to see that progress.”

Dominique has been excited about Wyman Leaders from the start. And since participating in the program, she’s gained the confidence to try and do so much more than she ever imagined. “I’m really glad I’m doing it. It’s been really fun. I loved the first activity we did after I joined. We had to write a positive quote on the sidewalk: it was just so good, it was creative stuff that I never really thought to do.”

Due to COVID restrictions, Dominique didn’t have her first summer out at camp until 2021. But through that experience, she quickly learned that she enjoyed being outside and hiking. “It’s shocking! Because I’m not an outdoors person. I’m not gonna lie, when we went to the summer camp it had me outside more than ever before.” She was also surprised to learn she liked hiking and target sports. “I kept going up to see if I could do it; that was my favorite thing to do.”

“The first day of camp no one wanted to talk to each other. It was so awkward on the van ride that I put on earphones. We started doing team building exercises and there was this one with numbers on big pieces of paper. We had to count 1 to 30 and press on the numbers with our feet. People started yelling, it’s right there by you, it’s right there! And they got us more comfortable with each other. I feel like that’s what we needed.”

Melvin “Adj” Dillon was a graduate of Washington University in St. Louis, majoring in Education and Philosophy. His career at Camp Wyman began in 1930 as the Boys’ Program Director, where he introduced more camping activities to the program, including cook-outs and overnight sleep outs.

In 1932, he and the Girls’ Program Director, Eddie Beal, began collaborating on a critique of the program. They followed this critique with a proposed program of their own, which stressed democracy, group dynamics, personal development, and love and concern for the children; all promoted within the context of an outdoor camping program.

Eddie remembered, “ Adj was the first to look at the program and begin questioning what was being done and making suggestions for improvements. He had many years’ experience in Boy Scout and YMCA camps. Prior to his coming, there had been ‘nature’ hikes and occasional craft projects, but he succeeded in introducing camping activities and replacing the almost total free-play with organized and directed activities.”

In the summer of 1936, Adj decided he had made as much progress as he could at the time and stepped away from Wyman. He took a job as Business Manager at Camp Sherwood for three years, and married his former co-worker, Eddie Beal, in 1939. During this time, he continued to work as a teacher and then principal of Affton Junior High.

In 1942, new President Marquard Braun re-hired Adj as Executive Director of Camp Wyman, a post he held for the next 25 years.

Jared’s first experience with Wyman happened when he was in middle school at Ferguson, where they offered TOP to 7^th grade students. “They told us about the program and it sounded pretty cool so I signed up.”

He enjoyed it so much, that when he learned about Wyman Leaders he was eager to apply for that program as well. Since joining, Leaders has introduced him to many new friends and experiences. “They open you up to new opportunities that some people will never get. It’s a great program. We may have to work hard sometimes but it’s beneficial. We have a lot of fun together.”

“Throughout the region and the nation there are camp directors, educators, social workers, parents and people in every profession imaginable, legions of people, who count themselves fortunate to have worked with and been touched by Eddie Dillon.” – Dave Hilliard

Edmonia ‘Eddie’ Beal (later, Dillon) arrived at Wyman as a counselor in the summer of 1928. She was joined by her sister Fran and several friends from Washington University. “It was in those first summers, amidst the fresh air and sunshine of the rolling Ozark foothills, in the company of so many lively young people of character, high ideals and compassion that I found my life’s calling; to work for the well-being of children.”

After being promoted to Girls Program Director in 1932, Eddie and the current Boys Program Director, Melvin ‘Adj’ Dillon worked together to transform Wyman from a ‘playground in a country setting’ to a camp that focused on outdoor skills, camping and character-building activities.

In 1935, Eddie graduated from Washington University’s School of Social Work and immediately got to work “helping people and trying to bring about change.” She experienced the beginning of the Welfare System and was Chief Child Welfare Advocate for the Children’s Aid Society. Eddie became a case-worker at the County Office of the Children’s Aid Society (now Provident Counseling), and then went on to establish the case work program at the Protestant Home for Children (now Edgewood Children’s Center).

Prudence and Price Tillery came to St. Louis from Columbia, MO, where Prudence had earned her degree in education at the University of Missouri. She quickly became concerned by the lack of opportunities available to children in St. Louis, and hearing from her brother-in-law George Roth of an opening at Wyman, Mrs. Tillery became the Hostess (what would now be considered Director) of the camp in 1902.

She persuaded her husband, Price, to take the position of Manager at the camp in 1906. A house was built for them on the grounds the same year. While Mrs. Tillery worked at camp during the summer, Mr. Tillery stayed year-round managing the business and property. During the school year, Mrs. Tillery taught 7^th and 8^th grades at the elementary school in Eureka and later served as principal.

Mrs. Tillery kept the books, wrote the rules, and personally hired and trained staff members. During the camp’s formative years, her ideals were codified in her annual ledgers. She followed a consistent, orderly program which consisted mainly of games, swimming, daily worship, and occasional hikes.

Doug Archibald, Sr., first learned about Wyman through his daughter when she came home from North Kirkwood Middle School talking about how her class was going to 6^th grade camp. “I just thought, that’s the coolest thing ever,” Doug remembers. He started talking to her teachers to learn more about the opportunity and asked if all students get to attend. “And the answer was, well, we want everybody to go, but there’s a cost.”

Doug and his wife didn’t hesitate and became anonymous donors for other students at the school. “We wanted to help support students but did not want to be a part of picking them, nor did we necessarily want anybody to know about it. We just thought that going to camp was a great thing, and everyone should have the chance to go.”

Two years later, his son also attended 6^th grade camp at Wyman. “The day we came to pick my son up from camp, we found him at Catfish Pond with a fishing pole in his hand. We asked him, ‘Hey are you fishing?’ And he said, ‘Well, sort of. About an hour ago, I caught a fish, and a hook went through his eye and hurt him really bad, so I’ve just been fishing without bait for the last hour, so it looks like I’m fishing.’ And he’s still that guy today.”

Now, Doug Sr. has returned to Wyman as the Director of Finance. Doug says the alignment between Wyman’s mission and his own visions for young people are the main reason he was drawn to the organization.

Norma Yerger’s first position at Wyman was as a counselor (at the time called ‘entertainers’) in 1923 and 1924, when organizations around St. Louis sent boys and girls ages 6-12 to the camp.

Counselors were recruited from local colleges and Norma remembers that like her, most of her colleagues were Washington University students. They were also all women. The counselors would meet the campers at the Central Railroad Station in downtown St. Louis and ride the train with them to Eureka. Each group of 200 children would stay for 2 weeks, and afterwards the counselors would ride back with them and pick up a new group of campers for sessions all throughout the summer.

In a letter sent to Wyman in 1984, Norma reminisced about the daily jobs for counselors, including taking campers on nature walks and watching them play baseball or on the playground equipment in the afternoons. Counselors ran crafts, put on plays, or led group singing. There were about 12 for each session, and they were assigned certain hours each day to lead activities or watch defined areas around camp. The counselors stayed in separate help quarters, a large cottage with 2 double beds in 3 large rooms.

Mary Wickes was born Mary Wickenhauser in St. Louis, MO, in 1910. Growing up, she attended many different area schools and graduated from the newly built Beaumont High School in 1926 at age 16. Mary then attended Washington University, studying both English literature and political science.

In 1927 she came to Wyman with several of her friends from Washington University as a counselor for the summer camp. Campers recalled her enjoyable performances in the staff plays, particularly her recurring role playing the giant in “Jack and the Giant Killer”.

Besides her acting roles at Camp Wyman, Mary also performed in St Louis community theater in all-women productions from 1927 to 1929. From 1929 to 1934 she performed in productions at the St. Louis Little Theatre.

Mary graduated from Washington University in 1930 with her Bachelor of Arts Degree. Though she had originally planned to pursue a career in law, a favorite professor encouraged her to give acting a go. She went on to have a successful stage, film, and TV career spanning 61 years.

Jason Rose started college planning to go to medical school, but quickly pivoted to outdoor education when he learned it was an option. “I realized that I could major in something I was really passionate about, and that was the wilderness, the outdoors, going to camp and working with youth.”

He made his way to Wyman in 2003 through a southern Illinois summer Trek experience, taking campers backpacking, camping and paddling. “We had teens going out camping for the very first time ever. We’d bring them into southern Illinois, which is jam packed full of bugs and giant spiders and coydogs” The kids just had a tarp and a sleeping pad for the night. “It was a pretty intense Trek, and a tough challenge. That was my whole summer. I’d go on a trip, come back, get a day off, and then the next day we were resetting for the next trip then gone again for a week. I cycled through that for the summer and loved every minute of it.”

Jason came back to Wyman the next year for an internship working as a team leader, helping to plan and execute the first Trek trips out west with third year Wyman Leaders. He then stayed on as a seasonal employee and spent the next summer leading the same Treks, doing activities like backpacking and white-water rafting.

Transcribed from Mary’s own account and memories, written in 1986

The first time I came out we came by train from Union Station. A horse and wagon with straw took us out to the farm – later a truck was used.

The swimming pool was on the side of the hill and the floor of the pool was covered with tin. The girls wore tank suits and the boys in their birthday suits. The girls dressed behind a wooden wall. The boys learned that they could watch by sitting on the hill and looking down as there was no roof.

The girls’ uniform were tiny dark blue and white checkered gingham dresses, and the underwear was made of the same material – a one piece suit with a drop seat. The boys wore overalls and blue denim shorts and no underwear. The laundry was done back of the old dining hall. The clothes were washed and thrown over a wire, never ironed. The clean clothes were given after the swim.

The dishes were made of white enamel with a blue border. The supper every night was boiled fried potatoes, biscuits, milk and Karo syrup. A large wooden frame suspended from the ceiling by ropes with newspaper cut in strips hanging from it was to chase the flies. This was used over the counselors’ table. Whoever had to pull the rope that moved the wooden frame was called a fly chaser. You got to wear a ribbon with a safety pin – a great honor!

Anisa Reynolds is pretty sure she has been a part of Wyman her whole life. “I think my mother was pregnant with me while she was working at Wyman. So I’ve known about Wyman forever.” She remembers going into the downtown office with her mom, and spending summers with campers. “My brother was also part of the program when he was younger, so I would sit next to him and do activities.”

When she was in middle school, Anisa was nominated for the Wyman Leaders program and successfully made it through the interview process. She has a lot of impactful memories from Wyman Leaders, including Treks to Illinois and Tennessee, and her journey to conquer the high challenge course at camp. “I’m afraid of heights, and I probably stood up there for a good thirty to forty-five minutes, stuck in the one spot because I was so scared. All the other teens came up and jumped, and I’m still stuck up there on the platform.

I tried again the next year. I finally made up my mind like, oh I have to do this, I can’t give up. I’m going to do this today. I think experiences like that are why today, no matter how small or big the task or goal is, I refuse to give up; I refuse to quit. I am going to accomplish everything I set my mind to.”

A Letter to Wyman from Helen M. Meyer, written in the 1990s:

The first time I went to Eureka Farm (it was called in those years) was back in the early 1920s. My brother, sister and myself went together and was part of a group from Boyle Center. Our parents came to visit on Sunday and had my nephew, about 4 years of age, with them. I was swinging and he ran in front of the swing and acquired a nice big lump on his forehead. Naturally, he cried, and so did I. I wasn’t satisfied until I went home with my parents. Mrs. Tillery, the director, told me if I went home I could never come back. I didn’t care. I went home. In 1927 I went back for 3 years in a row. I guess my name was not on the black list.

Some of my memories follow:

The train ride to Eureka and then by truck from town to the Farm.
Hikes to the cave.
Two pieces of stick candy after supper and you made it last as long as possible.
Skits performed by camp counsellors.

Allison William’s Wyman journey began when she was in St. Louis University’s undergraduate social work program. “I was looking for employment with young people for the coming summer. One of my friends, a woman named Julie (Tellez) Cleveland, had worked at Wyman in 1992 and suggested I try it.” She ended up spending that summer at Wyman, working with teens in the Morning Star program. “I had never started a fire before, never set up a tent. And this was all an adventure-based program. I had to learn how to canoe, how to cave, and how to run a high challenge course. And use these activities to create amazing camp experiences for young people. But it was wonderful. It really clarified for me the amazing growth that can happen when you set up the right kinds of supports and opportunities for young people.”

After that first summer, Allison returned to Wyman as Assistant Director of Summer Camps. But not long after she moved to Boston to get her graduate degree in social work. She remained there for several years, working in children’s residential treatment. “The experience solidified that I wanted to do proactive work – getting into the side of the work where we are pouring into young people to build their skills and help them create the opportunities for themselves. So, I called Claire up to see what possibilities were at Wyman, and made the decision to come back in 1999.”

My name is Ralph Ward, I was a camper here in 1925, late June and early July for ten days. I went to camp here in 1926 for the same amount of time. In 1927 my mother had a job as a cook in the kitchen and we stayed all summer. And in 1928 we stayed all summer.

We were brought out here by train to Eureka, put on a straight bodied truck and brought out, and assembled in the Assembly Hall. The Assembly Hall was a large building with a porch on three sides and the side that didn’t have a porch on it was the walkway for the cottages. The tent faced the Assembly Hall, to the left was the boys’ cottages, there were ten of them, they had space for ten campers and a mother. And on the right-hand side they had ten cabins, and they had space for ten girls and their mothers. We assembled there in the morning and then marched over to the dining hall to eat. We ate at big, long tables, and we either had oatmeal or corn flakes for breakfast. And if you wanted something more, they always gave you some bread with some syrup.

Most of Claire Wyneken’s childhood years were spent involved in Girl Scouts and the Fort Wayne Youth Theater. “These were my two great youth development experiences, and some of my best role-models for working with people and for leadership.” These positive experiences led Claire to work at summer camps every summer from age 18 through college, and plan to study theater and communications. Her early college years were spent at Wittenberg University and finished at Purdue, shifting her studies to environmental geography and outdoor recreation management.

In 1987 Claire arrived at Wyman in Eureka for a 3-month stint teaching the spring, school-based Outdoor Education Program.  After that, she was asked to stay and help run the summer program. “That was my introduction to Wyman’s mission. I just completely fell in love with everything about it, with the youth, the staff, and the mission.” Claire was then offered a position for that fall, running the Outdoor Education program. “And that was that. I’ve been here ever since.”

Claire has been involved in, and at the forefront of many programs at Wyman throughout the years, including the Sunship Earth Program, a camp for Senior Citizens, and the initial design for what is now Wyman Leaders. She has been a camp director, program designer, trainer, program director and partnership leader with area schools and agencies.

Brandi Higgins has been involved with Wyman since 2008, participating in Wyman Leaders and spending three summers as a camp counselor before becoming a full-time staff member for two years on the Wyman Leaders team.

She remembers her time at camp being full of new experiences, challenges, and growth. “Everything wasn’t sunshine and daisies. You think about those hard moments, those moments of conflict with other teens or challenging moments when you are met with conflict. But if I could do it all over again I would. I’m grateful for those opportunities and experiences because they impacted the person that I am today. 

You think about those experiences and how intentional they were when creating programming. You don’t think there’s any rhyme or reason to throwing you in this canoe with another kid, but you were in there to practice critical thinking and effective communication.” 

Frank Wyman was born in St. Louis, Missouri on July 25, 1850. A prominent businessman in the area, he held such distinctions as the President of both Silverine Co. of St. Louis, and Scott Drill Co. In 1904, President Teddy Roosevelt appointed him as Postmaster of the City of St. Louis, a post which he would hold until 1909.

In 1901, Frank Wyman was elected as the third President of the Wyman Board of Directors. He is remembered as one of the earliest supporters and champions of the organization because of his impressive fundraising efforts. He secured countless donations which played a large part in keeping the original farm operative.

Frank Wyman appealed to potential donors through form letters which depicted the success of the camp, the great value the experience held for the children, and the significant benefits that donations would produce. Wyman was also careful to stay in touch with past supporters to insure their continued support. Another method he employed to raise money for the camp was newspaper advertising. Such advertising included information about the camp, photos of camp life, and testimonials from the children. Readers were encouraged to donate just ten dollars which would allow one child to attend camp.