Editor’s Note: As part of our year-long celebration of our 100th Year Anniversary (1922-2022), we’ll post a Throwback Thursday edition of our Alleghany Rattler Newspaper to give you a peek into life at camp across those 100 summers!
In this 1959 piece we see that science and lore can mix in painting a fuller picture of humanity’s relationship to the stars. And with it, ‘Ghany Girls getting to explore the world with the skies as their “classroom.”
‘Ghany’s Annual Star Festival To Be Held on Night of August Ninth
Another star festival is almost here! It will have special significance for every girl in Alleghany this year. Each of us is born under a particular sign of the Zodiac and as a result has certain distinguishing characteristics. Roly has promised to tell us about the types of people we find under each sign. Look at the picture on this page and find out the sign under which you were born. Listen carefully on August 9 and find out the kind of person you’re supposed to be.
Lest you think the Astronomy Department of Camp Alleghany has become a soothsaying group, let us hasten to say that the things Roly will tell you may not actually be true. Many centuries ago the study of Astrology (the practice of predicting the course of events from observations of celestial bodies) was quite popular. Kings and rulers of many nations consulted their astrologer before making any big decisions. These star gazers, however, wandered into fancy and Astrology now refers only to fortune telling by the stars. The scientific study of heavenly bodies is called Astronomy.
When you go up to Stella View and peer through Uncle Bill’s telescope, you are studying Astronomy. There you learn many interesting and amazing facts and you will learn even more on Festival Night. But we also want the Star Festival to be fun for everyone, and so we are going to have a little Astrology along with our Astronomy.
Were you born under the sign of Aries? Maybe you are energetic, ambitious, and generous. You’ll find out on August 9!
— By Mary Lib Chenault
