Dishes used here at Boxwell Reservation for family style dinning in the 1960 through the early 1990 in some form.

Meals at the Linton and Narrows of the Harpeth Camp Boxwell were a lot like a regular camp-out. Each Scout brought his own mess kit and cleaned it himself afterward. Starting at the Rock Island Boxwell on the Caney Fork in 1949, there was a big change: family style. No more mess kits!

Family style at Rock Island was pretty simple. Each table had a specific Scout appointed as “monitor.” The monitor came to the dining hall (big tents at Rock Island) and laid out at each chair a setting of silverware, napkins, plates, and cups. He then went back to the kitchen brought pitchers filled with drink (milk or “bug juice,” no cola) as well as platters, bowls, and plates of food. Whatever the meal was, the kitchen staff served out enough for eight (8) people into each dish, just like the ones seen here. When Scouts sat down at the table for a meal, they asked for
whichever food item they wanted, it was passed to them (or around the table), and they served out the appropriate amount to their plate. This was just like families at the time ate, hence the name “family style.”

When summer camp moved to Boxwell Reservation on Old Hickory Lake in 1960, family style came too, but with minor modifications. Also known as the “monitor-host system,” family style at “new Boxwell” added a
seat at each table for a staff member. Thus, there were no staff tables as the staff sat with the troops, chatting with the Scouts and leaders and passing on information. The staff seat stayed the same, but everyone else at the table rotated, making sure every Scout did monitor duty. The table monitor arrived before the scheduled meal time and was responsible for not only setting the table for the Scouts in their troop and their guest staff member, but also bringing all the food to the table before the rest of the troop arrived. Once the troop was seated, the monitor had to eat quickly because he was also responsible for refilling any empty serving dishes when “seconds” or “thirds” were called from the kitchen. After any camp communications, songs or skits, the cry “Monitors Standby!” was the signal for all other Scouts to leave the Dining Hall and for the table monitor to literally stand by and wait for further instructions and begin stacking up the empty platters, bowls, plates, cups and silverware. This is why “monitors standby” is still called today to signal the end of a dining hall meal during summer camp at Boxwell.

Family style dining largely ended at Boxwell after 1976 as cafeteria style with trays was deemed more efficient. It made a brief comeback at Camps Parnell and Craig from 1993-1996 under the leadership of Kerry Parker. One of the things the 1990s staff discovered was how much faster meals were! Because all of the food was on the table waiting, the entire camp could eat at one meal and be done in twenty-five (25) minutes, even with songs! However, new leadership arrived at Boxwell in 1997 and family style was abandoned again. The shifts that are in use today began that summer and have been used without change ever since. The wooden square tables currently used in the Camp Craig Dining Hall, and still used elsewhere around camp were designed with family style dining in mind, with space in the middle for the serving platters.