Thursday Recap
What an incredible day at Camp Freedom! Our campers explored powerful stories of courage, sacrifice, hope, and respect for the symbols that represent our nation. Here are some of the highlights from today's lessons!
James Armistead Lafayette
Today the campers learned about one of the unsung heroes of the American Revolution- James Armistead Lafayette.
James was born into slavery in Virginia, but he wanted to help the American cause after witnessing the cruelty of the British. With permission from his enslaver, William Armistead, James was connected with the Marquis de Lafayette and began one of the most remarkable missions of the war.
James became the first double agent of the American Revolution. He gained the trust of Benedict Arnold after Arnold betrayed the American cause, and was eventually sent to work in the camp of British General Lord Cornwallis, who commanded more than 10,000 British troops. While serving meals in the officers' quarters, James listened as British leaders openly discussed their military plans, never imagining that the quiet servant standing nearby would remember every detail. James secretly carried this valuable intelligence to the American army while also feeding false information back to the British. His work proved invaluable, especially during the Battle of Yorktown, the largest battle of the Revolutionary War. Thanks in great part to the intelligence James provided, the Americans secured a decisive victory that helped bring the war to an end.
The campers also learned a sad truth about the war. The British had promised freedom to enslaved people who would fight for them. Between 50,000 and 70,000 enslaved people joined the British, but only about 5,000 ultimately received the freedom they had been promised. Even after the war ended in 1781, James remained enslaved because the secrecy of his mission meant there was little documentation of what he had done. A while later, he happened to meet the Marquis de Lafayette in a marketplace. Lafayette was thrilled to see him—but when he discovered James was still enslaved, he was outraged. Lafayette wrote a letter advocating for James, which eventually helped secure his freedom. In gratitude, James adopted Lafayette as his own last name.
Ellis Island
Next, we traveled to Ellis Island, where more than 12 million immigrants entered the United States in search of a better life. The campers learned that Ellis Island originally measured only about three acres when it was purchased from an old fisherman. Over time, it was expanded to nearly 27 acres using dirt excavated during the construction of New York City's subway tunnels.
Immigrants often spent two weeks crossing the Atlantic Ocean before arriving in New York Harbor. Before they could enter the country, doctors met the arriving ships and conducted medical inspections. Third-class passengers were then ferried to Ellis Island for additional examinations. The goal wasn't to keep people out, it was to welcome them safely. In fact, about 98% of immigrants were admitted, while only around 2% were sent back, usually because they had an incurable contagious disease or other serious concerns. Many people with treatable illnesses received medical care instead of being turned away.
Campers also learned that inspectors also checked to make sure immigrants had a plan to support themselves or family members waiting to help them. Ellis Island even had a cafeteria capable of feeding 1,200 people at one time, serving warm, home-cooked meals to travelers who had endured long and difficult journeys. We also discussed how doctors screened for diseases like trachoma, a serious and contagious eye infection that was difficult to treat before antibiotics became available in the 1940s.
The campers also learned the true story of Mary Mallon, better known as "Typhoid Mary." Mary was an asymptomatic carrier of typhoid fever, meaning she carried the disease without ever falling ill herself. As a cook, she unknowingly spread the disease to several families. Health officials eventually discovered the source of the outbreaks and instructed Mary not to continue working as a cook. Unfortunately, she refused to believe she carried the disease, changed her name, and returned to cooking, this time at a maternity home, leading to additional outbreaks and deaths. Although doctors advised her to wash her hands before preparing food, Mary considered it a needless use of her time. After her death, an autopsy revealed that the disease was present in her liver. Consequently, when she did not wash her hands after using the restroom, the illness was transferred to the food she prepared. Her signature dish was an ice cream dessert, so there was no heat to kill the bacteria.
The kids were reminded and encouraged to always wash their hands.
The History of the American Flag
Another presentation focused on the history of the American flag and the proper way to honor it.
Campers learned about the evolution of our nation's flags, from the Colonial Jack to the first official U.S. flag adopted in 1777 with 13 stars and 13 stripes. When Vermont and Kentucky joined the Union, the flag briefly displayed 15 stars and 15 stripes, but Congress later decided to permanently keep 13 stripes to honor the original colonies while adding one new star for every new state. We even discovered that Utah is the 45th state!
The campers also learned several important traditions of flag etiquette:
The blue field of stars should always remain in the upper left unless the flag is intentionally displayed upside down as a signal of extreme distress.
The flag should never touch the ground.
We practiced the proper way to fold the American flag.
We learned that the flag draped over a soldier's casket is carefully folded and presented to the family as a symbol of honor and gratitude.
We discussed why flags are flown at half-staff to recognize times of mourning.
If the flag is displayed at night, it should be properly illuminated.
We also learned how worn flags should be respectfully retired.
To finish, each camper received an American flag and patriotic stickers to take home.
Craft
In today's craft activity, each child received a traditional toy—a ball cup! They had the opportunity to decorate them. It was fun to see them all become skilled at getting the ball into the cup.
Snack
The kids learned some fun facts today during snack time!
Did you know that during the Revolutionary War, the United States did not yet have a powerful navy. Instead, the Continental Congress gave permission to privately owned, armed ships called privateers to attack British merchant vessels. Privateers had official authorization from the government to capture enemy ships. The supplies they seized, including gunpowder, weapons, food, and other valuable cargo, helped provide the American army with resources it desperately needed. The profits from captured ships were shared among the crew and the American government.
Privateers played a major role in the war, capturing an estimated 1,800 British ships, disrupting British supply lines and weakening their ability to support the war effort.
One of the most famous privateers was John Paul Jones, who is often called the Father of the American Navy. He was known for his daring leadership at sea and was also a close friend of Benjamin Franklin.
Kids also learned how people kept food cold long before refrigerators existed. During the winter, large blocks of ice were cut from frozen lakes, rivers, and ponds using huge saws. The ice was stored in underground ice houses, where the earth's natural coolness, along with layers of straw and sawdust, helped keep it frozen well into the summer. These ice houses were built with good drainage to carry away any melted ice.
George Washington loved ice cream! At his home, Mount Vernon, he kept an ice house well stocked and, in 1784, even purchased an early "ice cream machine." Martha Washington frequently served homemade strawberry ice cream and lemonade to guests at her tea parties.
Making ice cream in the 1700s was no easy task. The cream mixture was poured into a metal container with a tight-fitting lid and placed inside a larger bucket packed with crushed ice and rock salt. The salt lowered the temperature enough to freeze the cream. Since there were no electric mixers, servants had to turn the container by hand and regularly scrape and stir the mixture to create smooth, creamy ice cream.
Dunk Tank
Today, the kids had a especially enjoyable chance to revisit the lessons they've learned over the week. Their youth leaders took turns in a dunk tank while the kids were asked questions about the history taught by our presenters. If a camper answered correctly, they got to throw a few balls in an attempt to dunk their youth leader into the water. The kids loved this activity. The dunk tank will return to Camp tomorrow, offering more opportunities for dunking!
Thank you for sharing your wonderful children with us! We hope today's stories sparked meaningful conversations at home about courage, freedom, service, and the many people whose sacrifices have shaped our nation. We can't wait to see everyone tomorrow for our last day at Camp Freedom!
Here are a few things to be aware of:
Tomorrow is our end of week program. Families are invited and encouraged to attend.
Please bring your own camp chairs or picnic blankets. There is no formal seating.
Please arrive by 8:30 so that we can begin the program by 9. The stage is in direct sunlight so we want to stay ahead of the heat for the kids sake.
Last year, the kids received neckerchiefs filled with water beads to help them stay cool. If your child attended last year and still has theirs, please soak it tonight for them to wear tomorrow. We have made additional ones this year, but any brought from home will be helpful!
Please have your children wear their Camp Freedom shirts for the program so everyone matches on stage.
Your child can wear their swimsuit under their shirts. After the program, we will have our end-of-week party with lots of water activities.
Thank you so much! Can't wait to see you all tomorrow!
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