Streetcar to Paradise!

 

My parents brought me to Conference Point as a babe in arms. Neither parent drove a car so we came from Chicago first by streetcar, then train, which left us off at a station in the center of Lake Geneva City near the marina. We then boarded a large boat which acted as a water taxi (a couple of them- like the Walworth - are still in service today). We paid our fare and the boat would leave us off at the Conference Point pier - where our swimming takes place now. The hard part was carrying all of our luggage up the hill.

 

Our cottages were quite sparse - no running water or indoor plumbing. Spigots were outside each cabin by the road where we filled water pitchers. Each room had a beautifully hand-painted pitcher and wash basin and if I remember correctly, we had chamber pots under the bed. Toilets and showers were in Hamil Hall, Magill and two other small buildings by the green cabins. Only water from the two fountains could be used for drinking because the other water was from the lake and not pure. To enter the Kraft Dining Hall for meals you had to have a meal ticket and show it at the door. If you were late, the person checking at the door would hold you back and then let you into thunderous applause and embarrassment. This was a good incentive to be on time for meals.

 

Food was served family style - one serving per person - and if you were hungry and took two pieces, someone at the table would have to wait until the waitress went to the kitchen and brought back another helping. Fresh bread, rolls and coffee cakes were baked daily. That was often the best part of the meal - especially the coffee cakes.

 

Meetings were held every morning and evening at Nichols Chapel and I think an afternoon meeting - which I never attended. We were so blessed to have wonderful conference speakers from Emmaus or special evangelists. Some of my favorites were William MacDonald, John Smart, Tom Taylor, Henry Peterson and Harold Wildish (who had a British accent).

 

Our song leader was a man from North Carolina - Welcome Detweiler. He always wore a red tie and had a special ability to always remember your name - even if you hadn’t seen him in years. That always made me feel special. There were no special meetings or activities for teens. Once you turned 13 you were part of the regular congregation. Children’s meetings (4-12) were held in Tipi-Waken or Clover Leaf during regular adult sessions. Every afternoon crafts were provided for all children at Tipi. (I still have a bracelet I wove one year). Every afternoon there was a question and answer session for adults on the hill below Nichols Chapel by the cross. Men could ask the speakers any theological questions. I never attended these because women were to remain silent.

 

A dress code for all ladies and girls was in place until the late sixties or early seventies. No slacks or shorts were worn, only shirts, blouses or dresses. In the seventies, pant suits were allowed. I always brought up two changes of clothes for each day including matching hats, gloves, purses, shoes and jewelry.

 

Every Saturday night we had a musicale. We brought our instruments and played or sang hymns, plus the choir performed two or three numbers we had worked on during the week. After that everyone went to the sweet shop for ice cream and fellowship. (I don’t think they had a sweet shop in the fifties).

 

One night (I think it was Thursday) was a fun night. Cottages or tables would get together and put on a skit. Even the conveners got into the act. One year they put on a fashion show wearing their wives night clothes parading across Tipi. It was fun for us to see them let their hair down. Usually, they were on night patrol making sure everyone was in bed by curfew. One night my mom and a few other ladies (me too) wanted ice cream. We piled into one of the ladies cars like teenagers and took off for the city of Lake Geneva. By the time we got back it was past curfew and the gates were locked and we had to sneak around it. It was pitch dark and we didn’t have flashlights. Unfortunately one of the ladies fell into the rain gutter. As she limped up the hill, bruised and bleeding we had to hide behind trees so we wouldn’t get caught by the patrolling conveners. The next day at breakfast we ran into a couple of the conveners and I think when they saw the bandages they figured it out. As it says in the Scriptures - “be sure your sins will find you out”, but that ice cream was especially sweet that night.

 

Another touching time of the week was the singspiration and testimony time at the glory bowl. This was a time we could tell what the Lord had done for us that year while singing our favorite choruses and eating hot dogs and marshmallows. Since most chapels didn’t have baptisimals there would be a baptism at the lakefront on the last Sunday. Sometimes twenty or more people would be baptized. As each person came up out of the water we would sing a hymn. I believe that was my favorite service of the week.

 

I think it was in the seventies that our facilities became less primitive. We got running water in our rooms (not toilets but at least water) and I appreciated that although we still had to make the trip down the hall to the bathroom. We had huge conferences without an extra room or cot available.

 

There was always a huge rivalry between Chicago and St. Louis - especially in 16 inch baseball. Joe Bogie led the team from St. Louis. Cubbie blue and Cardinal red were seen everywhere. Volleyball didn’t seem to be as popular in the fifties and sixties, although once it caught on it was very popular with strong competition. The Point became the traditional meeting place for many families. I remember Grandpa Keller leading his blind wife up the hill to the meetings (as Mark Keller probably remembers). As I look through the list of guests attending this year I see other names that have come since they were young and now come with their adult children and grandchildren -keeping the history alive.

 

As we come to the close of the week and had our last meal the entire staff, cooks, waitresses and house cleaning would gather at the kitchen door and sing a chorus that always brought tears to my eyes - “So Long for a While” (click arrow to listen          ).  Another year of happy memories and these beautiful grounds would come to a close. We still had to carry our luggage down the hill to the pier, put up the taxi flag and wait for the boat to take us to the town of Lake Geneva.

 

I’ve attended every conference from 1942 to 2013 except one. That year the National Council of Churches, which at that time owned the grounds, decided that unless the Plymouth Bretheren joined their organization we would not be welcome. Of course, that was an impossibility. Amazingly enough they allowed us back the next year when they realized all the revenue they had missed from our huge conference by our not coming. I myself have not missed a conference in seventy years and have already reserved my room and marked my calendar for 2014, Lord Willing! I await making new memories and renewing old friendships at the 2014 conference!

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Darlene Kopke