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Alice Rich Northrop Memorial
Hall of Fame
 

For dedicated and distinguished service  

Elizabeth (Birdie) Kallman  

1880 - 1963

Elizabeth Kallman Elizabeth Kallman

I nominate Birdie Elizabeth Kallman (1880-1963) for the Northrop Hall of Fame. She served as treasurer from 1925 until her death in 1963. She was an extraordinary fund raiser and served as camp director for several years during the 1950's. These two photos were donated by her nephew, Lee Mergentine, who joined the board shortly after Miss Kallman died, and remained on the board for almost 30 years.
--Joe Gerver


She was running the camp in 1937 when Bill and I were there. When we bought candy from the camp "store" we had to pay an additional two cents. I thought this was highly unfair until I found that this paid for an ice cream treat at the Copake Falls train station on our way home!
--Fred Hanzalek


A 1956 Story

"I've got soup to sell, boys" said Miss Kallman. That invitation usually resulted in several campers partaking of more, but not this evening. I declined firsts. Most others did so on seconds. This was extraordinary - food returning to the kitchen. If Mrs. Foster cooked it, how could we not like it? How?...It was pea soup!

The next day at lunch, Miss Kallman brought out the biggest batch of gravy I had ever seen and announced that we could have all the bread and gravy we wanted. What a treat!
"How's the gravy", she asked.
"Delicious".
"Do you notice anything different?"
"Well, it tastes okay and the texture is kind of grainy." - (but what it lacks in quality, it makes up for in quantity).

She wisely waited till evening when all of lunch was digested and before supper was served to announce, "Do you remember the gravy?"
Nods.
"I asked Mrs. Foster to use last night's pea soup as the base." and she grinned. And after gagging mildly, I grinned too. She was one clever camp director and I carefully watched and listened to her to see what else I could learn.

--Gus Hercules, Camper '56
Does anyone else remember some other version of this true story?


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