The Mail-Journal, Volume 10, Number 18, Milford, Kosciusko County, 30 May 1973 — Page 6

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“Live it up outdoors" seems to be a rather hard thing to do this spring with all of the rain and cold weather . . . Have faith, summer is onits way and there are dryer, warmer days ahead. Last Monday the residents of the Lakeland area joined with fellow Americans in honoring those who have given their lives for their country. The May 28 holiday also marked the beginning of the “summer" season. With die closing of schools many families have moved or are in the process of moving to the lake area for the summer. Last week this newspaper published a special “Early Bird" edition to welcome those “city folk” who arrived over the holiday week end to open cottages and summer homes for the warm months that are to come. Each year thousands flock to the lakes of Kosciusko county from Chicago, Indianapolis, Fort Wayne, South Bend and other metropolitan areas to get away from the busy city life for a few short weeks and enjoy the change of pace the lakes have to offer. For those of our readers who are new to the Lakeland area and for those who are looking for interesting things to do we offer the following suggestion: Why not start an interesting hobby! / A hobby is something that can L be taken back to the city at the close of summer and will bring enjoyment throughout the year. This summer we will be featuring hobbies on our summer pages as year around residents and summer visitors share their favorite pass times with our

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to do in the Lakeland area

readers. One of the most popular hobbies is collecting... a person can collect different examples of any one object all his life, finding many hours of enjoyment in his pass time. Popular objects for collections include autographs, dolls, coins, stamps and matchbook covers. Glassware, playing cards, post cards, antique buttons, china and firearms also provide interesting collections. Be A Bibliophile Some collectors even have their own name: Stamp collectors are called philatelist, those who collect rare coins are numismatists and those who collect rare books are bibliophiles. So you don’t like collecting items . . . well, a hobby can be almost anything a person can do in his spare time. How about watching birds? Or raising flowers: Playing a musical instrument? Have you ever tried putting model cars together? Painting is a good hobby. So is golfing. Sir William Osler, a famous Canadian doctor, expressed the value of hobbies by saying, “No man is really happy or safe without a hobby, and it makes precious little difference what the outside interest may be — botany, beetles or butterflies;

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roses, tulips or irises; fishing, mountaineering or antiques — anything will do so long as he straddles a hobby and rides it hard.” Hobbies fall into four general classes: Collections, do it yourself and handicrafts, the arts and sports and games This Week’s Hobby This week’s hobby is one that everyone of our readers can enjoy. It’s exploring the Lakeland area (Jefferson, Tippecanoe, Turkey Creek and Van Buren townships in Kosciusko county). The Lakeland area has been more or less set aside as the area covered by this summer page because of the Lakeland Community School Corporation. The corporation is composed of elementary and junior high schools in Milford, North Webster and Syracuse and Wawasee high school which is located south of Syracuse. Even though the summer days are approaching and the school year is ending the buildings of the Lakeland school corporation will not close for the hot summer months. Wawasee high school will be the site of swimming classes for youngsters of all ages and driver training classes will be offered at the high school and in Milford and North Webster. Another high school, Wawasee

Prep, is found on the shores of the big lake. Wawasee Prep is a Catholic preparatory school. In the summer many camps and clinics are held there. Both Wawasee high school and Wawasee Prep are interesting {daces to visit. Wawasee high school offers the latest in education in an extremely modem building while the setting at Wawasee Prep is that of quiet tranquility against a back drop of the bine waters of the lake. Persons visiting the Lakeland area for the first time will want to visit the three towns that are located here . . . Syracuse, largest of the three, is host to the lake area. She claims Wawasee, Papakeechie, Syracuse and Bonar Lakes and Shares Dewart Lake with her sister city to the west, Milford. Milford also lays claim to Lake Waubee and it is the farming community of the three towns. The smallest of the three towns is North Webster, host to the famous Mermaid Festival. North Webster lays claim to Webster, Backwater, Tippecanoe and the Barbee Lake chain as well as other smaller lakes. North Webster is currently undergoing a remodeling program with businesses taking on a “new look" of the days of King Arthur and his court to fit in with the Queen of Lake and the tournament of Knights events which are held during the Mermaid Festival. Tri-County Summer time in the Lakeland area is a good time to visit the Tri-County game {reserve. The fish and game are, owned by the

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state of Indiana, is run by superintendent Raymond (“Peck”) Wilson and is under the department of natural resources. The area is composed of 3,489 acres and is located in Kosciusko and Noble counties. The original plans called for land from Whitley county to be added (thus the name) but this never came about. The main entrance to this park is located on state road 13 between North Webster and Syracuse. The area is open the entire year and is a paradise for fishermen with 10 natural lakes and 22 manmade ponds. Headquarters for the TriCounty fish and game area are located in a log cabin-type structure across the road from Papakeechie Lake on the far side of the reserve. Boating If boating is what you choose for your hobby there are numerous marinas in the Lakeland area. Many, such as Potona Bay on Lake Tippecanoe, offer picnic and bathing facilities as well as boat launching sites and boat rentals. If you like to swim there are the public beaches at the Syracuse City park on Syracuse Lake and the Lakeside park on the shores of Lake Waubee. Both parks also offer picnic

facilities, sandy beaches for sunbathing and playground equipment for the younger set. History If history is your cup of tea you can spend many a day digging into the Indian lore of the area. The Syracuse and Milford public libraries both offer books containing the history of the area. Two very interesting and informative books which center around Lake Wawasee were written by Eli Lilly, a summer resident of the big lake. Picnics are fun and we have already named several places where picnic tables are located. Tables may also be found at the old fish hatchery on the eastern shores of Lake Wawasee and at the Lakeview Spring rest park on state road 13 south of North Webster. The tables at the Lakeview park are located on a hill, high above the state highway, where persons can look out over the Barbee chain. The hill may be reached by car or by climbing the rustic steps that wind their way to the top of the hill.

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A drive around the lakes, especially Wawasee, is an interesting way to spend a day. Homes of every type, shape and form are to be found tucked away in the corners of the lakes and on various channels leading to and from the lakes. Some of the houses are old and of Spanish design while others are modem to the last detail. Some are colonial. Some are designed to look like stately old southern plantation mansions. Some have patios. Some have sun decks. Some have high peaks. Some have gables. Some are found in the midst of tall trees that make lacy patterns about them. Some have meticulous formal gardens. Some are modest homes, bursting at the seams with children, grandchildren and guests. Some have old fashioned flower gardens. Some are simple. Some are elaborate. Some are year around homes. Some are summer homes. Some are week end cottages. Like to golf? Try Maxwelton, Wawasee or South Shore! How about fishing? There are over 40 million fishermen in the USA and they can’t all be wrong.

There has to be something to that sport! Or sailing! The Wawasee Yacht club has been in operation since 1935 and holds races throughout the summer months. There are also several interesting camps in the area and all churches welcome visitors. Oakwood Park on the shores of Lake Wawasee is owned and operated by the United Methodist church and offers many special events each summer. Two camps are run each week at Camp Mack on the shore of Lak_ Waubee. The Church of the Brethren camps are held on the west side of the grounds while other groups, including 4-H clubs, conduct camps on the east edge of the grounds. Smith-Walbridge camp on Bonar Lake is the place where boys and girls learn to improve their cheerleading, twirling and marching skills while enjoying the summer sun. Numerous church camps, Girl Scout and YMCA camps are also located in the Lakeland area. Here one finds the Barbee Christian camp, Camp Ella Logan for Girl Scouts, Camp Crosley YMCA, Camp Adventure, Quaker Haven, the Tippecanoe Baptist camp and others. Now that we’ve named a few things that people in the Lakeland area can do or see we challenge everyone to get out, find a hobby of one kind or another and live it up outdoors!