NUDIST CULT.

Auckland Star, Volume LXXIV, Issue 229, 26 September 1940, Page 18

NUDIST CULT.

ITS GROWTH IN US.A.

ESTIMATED OVER 5,000;000.

(By JAMES MacFARLAND.)

STOCKHOLM, N.J., August 23. North Jersey'® nudist camps, after a slow start, are alive with activity today as hundreds of back-to-nature lovers, who were deprived of their favourite "outdoor sport" for almost two months because of unseasonable weather, are roasting in the '.ft sunshine. The many nudist havens in this area were just about ready to fold up when summer at last made its belated appearance, but with the arrival of torrid weather North Jersey is again the nation's playground for the noclothes advocates. Ever since 1934, when the New YorkState anti-nudist law sent the nudists across the State line, this section of New Jersey, with its numerous secluded lake, river and mountain retreats, has been a Mecca for nudist devotees, and in the past six years there have flourished in this section seven large nudist camps with memberships of over 100 and scores of smaller colonies where one or two families have enjoyed life in the raw.

This correspondent, whc is "trusted" by the nudist camp operators, dropped in one cool day early in June at Rock Lodge, the 220-aere elaborate establishment of the American Gymnosophical Association, near here. As a rule, the camp proprietors a*e not keen about having newspaper reporters prowl around their grounds, but Dr. Herman Soshjnski, who operates Rock Lodge during the summer and Massy Oaks, near Tallahassee, Florida, during the winter, is always willing to welcome a scribe "with an honest face."

"Disastrous" Weather. The visit to Rock Lodge was uneventful. Dr. Soshinski stated at that time that the season was a "disastrous" one, explaining that "people prefer to stay in the city when we have* all this rain and cool weather." In May and June, when the nudist season generally starts, the camps offered no enticement to those who are wont to romp around unclad. A survey at that time revealed that the operators of the other camps in the. area were praying for hot weather.

Summer guests failed to arrive; weekend visitors preferred to stay in their city homes, and the camps were doing no business, Dr. Soshinski stated a« he took this writer through the grounds. To be sur<£ there were a few nudist advocates here, and there were a handful of "die-hards" who were braving the elem.ents. Others were "cheating" and were clothed in sweaters. It wa« a cose of breaking the rules or standing around and shivering. Most of them chose the former. i Swimming in the frigid waters of a spring- fed lake was anything but entertaining, especially when chilly breezes were .whistling through the trees and tall : grass. In general, the spirit was willing/ but the flesh was. weak. July brought hot weather with Tugii humidity in the ~ cities—real nudist weather. So this' correspondent made a second trip to Rock Lodge recently to see how the nudists were faring.

Enthusiastic Nakedness. What, a, contrast in the second visit! No longer was the camp deserted. No longer was tnere shivering. Heavy clothing and sweaters had been put in moth balls once and- for all. little nudists, medium-sized nudists and big nudists were having the time of their lives 'frolicking about. Husbands and wives, ; sisters and brothers, grandmothers and grandfathers, without even as much as a pair of shoes to cover their skins, engaged lit, such games as volley ball, tag, tennis and -badminton. Dr. Soshinski invited this Correspondent to hang his clothes over a hickory and mingle with the clothelesa ones. He obliged; and . was promptly' escorted down a tree-studded path to tin Iqke'/where the guests were "sunbatfciiig,'' that it, some bathing and others fanning. The attractively, tanned nudists were most congenial and courteous. They invited their new guest to partake of a game of "Volley* Mill. This invitation was, accepted. ■ < -- - . • • . After the volley ball game, this cor--i respondent chatted With the nudists and was impressed with their apparent seriousness. They declared that nudism mado one more healthy, and contended that' once one tried nudism he or she would be sold on the idea. , The latter argument is open to much question.

M Victims of Ifcsect Horde. Soshinsld said that "banner crowds" began ' flowing to his. camp shortly after the fourth of' July weekend; and that nudists have been coming here in large numbers ever since to get •way from the hot cities. Quite a few of - the early guests were a little over anxious, he admitted, and paid dearly for their enthusiasm by nursing painful sunburned flanks. The camp director predicted that jtf'the hot weather continues the 1940;: season wHI surpass all others in attendance. In one respect the chilly wither of May and June was beneficial to 41m 'advocates of the undrape<( human form in that it resulted m; the «l*ost complete absence of flies, mosquftoes and other biting, insects which annually preyed on the nudists. Awarding to the Rev. Dr. Haley Boone, retired Baptist minister, who has for many years been executive secretary of the ; American Sunbathing Association, the many local groups affiliated with the national: -nudist organisation report from 100, to 200 per cent increases, in membership," especially in the Middle west. and.i New England.

: Between 5,000,000 and 6,000,000. "Two years ago about 3,000,000 Ainericantaeople were practicing social nudism, wftiie.vto-day. this number k between 5,000,000 and 6,000,000," Dr. Boone said. "And up till about four years ago a large percentage of'our membership was composed of Americana of either German or Scandinavian descent,-: bftt now these constitute less than 10 per cent of our national membership.. To-day tiie movement is, strictly an American movement."' Dr. Boone attributed the growth to— (1) The general increase in the recognition of the value of sunbathing, and, (2) the "repeated references" in newspapers and magailnes of "the value of our principles,"/ which have led "innumerable people to Wish to try our life."—-X.A;N.A.