The first year was my favorite. My DM was a guy named Scott, and he was great. He had a friend named Fred, who thought he could fly. He would jump down stairs with his arms stretched out. If he were to fall out of a desk, he would have his arms stretched out like superman…

Toward the end of the week, Fred took a group of us out into the commons, chose an appropriate little rise, ran toward it and launched himself off of it. He actually flew a few feet, before he landed and clocked his elbow on a rock.

Fred didn’t make it the next year, because he was building a suit of platemail.

I remember Frank Mentzer’s talk. He was giving away prizes during the lecture for answering trivia questions from the manuals, and a kid with a photographic memory won every prize.

I remember the giant invisible weapons battle on the lawn one evening of the first year.

I half-recollect Clash of the Titans. I remember ping pong in the basement of the dorm, and Defender and Robotron in the HUB.

I’ve been staring at the pics for hours trying to recollect as much as I can about the whole experience. I just remember having a great time, and really feeling happy to be around people who shared my interests (I grew up in Central PA, where very few people shared my interests).

I have a couple DnD questions for you, about the camp, if you don’t mind. I read the interview, and it’s such a great idea. If you have time, would you email me at norgalis@gmail.com please? Thanks again for your help. If a phone call would be easier, then let me know.

Warm Regards,
Max

I think user comments on the original interview were turned off automatically a few weeks after it was posted, but you’re welcome (and encouraged) to add your reflections here. I’d love to hear it, and I think getting more first-hand accounts of Shippensburg is really interesting.