Gettysburg Academy - Osoga Yearbook (Gettysburg, PA)

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o s o G A --H- I-IAPPY HOURS RECREATION ROOM I 54 I

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19--------------H--M----------- ----------- o s o cs A ----- -M ----1--M --------f----------34 x K OSOGA LODGE In the South Mountains situated not far from the historic Pine Grove Furnace stands the Osoga Lodge, a week-end and football camp where many pleasurable leisure hours are spent. Osoga Lodge is maintained by the school, and after a week of study at school, one is glad to get away from its restrictions and out into a natural atmosphere. The environment which surrounds the camp is of unques- tionable natural beauty and historic wealth. Barely two miles from camp stands the original Pine Grove Furnace in a little settlement of the same name. Ir was here that part of the shot was made during the Revolutionary War to supply the needs of XVashington's army. The furnace has long ago been aban- doned and now stands as a memorial to its own once great production. This district was noted for the iron which was mined from its hills, the output being so great that a branch of one of the major railroads of this state was extended to the mining district. A few years ago several of the mines being dug too deeply, struck underground springs and were flooded. Thus the iron production was discontinued. The natural beauty and magnificence of the surrounding country is inspiring and is the constant theme of poets and writers. Beneath the hill on which the cabin stands lie the somber waters of Laurel Lake. Towering above the lake with the majestic grandeur stands Pole's Steeple, crowning the heights of the wooded slope which surrounds it. In the hills in the vicinity of the lodge is situated an immense group of boulders which form the apex to a mountain of no mean height. This is recognized by the National Geological Asso- ciation as one of nature's works of art and is appropriately called Hammondls Rocks. Osoga Lodge is situated on a bluff overlooking Lake Laurel. Its commanding position demands the attention of all passers-by. It is built upon the style of a Swiss chalet though the native architecture is outstanding through the fact that it was erected with logs cut from the surrounding forests. The cabin is a rather large building painstakingly constructed to Ht the needs for which it was planned. As one approaches the Lodge one notices the distinction of the wide roof and broad porches which surmount it. As one enters he is immediately conscious of the keynote of its formation-expansiveness. The large center room which is used for a dining hall, a living room, and a sleeping room is set off by a massive stone fireplace fClass ,3I gifrj while above is a sleeping balcony. There is a kitchen in the rear of the cabin which is considered to be the most important room by many. Before school starts, football camp opens under the direc- tion of Coach C. R. Wolfe and extends up to the time when school is about to begin in the autumn. Stiff workouts are given the players before their 'final debut on the gridiron. If one might be there some cool autumn morning he would per- haps see Hips' boysy' doing Poleas Steeple or pounding the road toward town. Later the week-end camp opens and a certain number of the students are allowed to go there accompanied by a master who cooks the food, gets the water, etc., etc. Nlany hikes are made by the fellows, one of the best being to Tumbling Run, a dis- tance of about seven miles. Another to Hammond,s Rocks, which leads through mountain trails especially beautiful in autumn, to the summit of a veritable castle of stone surmount- ing a precipitous ridge. For those who like canoeing there is Laurel Lake and a decent sized canoe at request. In back of the camp is the State Forest Reservation and at times nearing dusk many diminutive deer will steal out into the clearing in which the camp is situated. Those who like swimming should go to Fuller,s Lake, formerly an abandoned mine, which serves its purpose to the greatest extent. U51