James Laird - Lark Ellen Boys Attend the Sawtelle Grammar School - Page 4

We used the pup tents made by the scout mothers and had a great time. A police car would drive two or three of us up on a Friday after school and pick us up Sunday about dark. We would set up our tent, gather wood for a fire and get it going. Then we fixed the stuff for a stew in a pot and put it on the fire to cook. We got pretty good at getting this done so it would be ready about dark. We made enough stew to last for our dinner the next two nights. I built a bridge across a dry creek at the camp for part of my pioneer merit badge.

On one trip I caught a kangaroo rat and kept it for a pet. It would snuggle into my shirt pocket whenever I took it to school and never made a fuss.

Jim Laird