The Acorn People

Ron’s group is assigned the task of making name tags for everyone in preparation for parents’ visits to camp that day. With the leftover index cards, Aaron begins making labels for everyone and everything, including tree limbs and bookends.

That evening, Mr. Bradshaw invites all visitors and campers to watch a film, but it is about water safety, to everyone’s disappointment. Ron takes note of a water ballet demonstrated by the Red Cross at the film’s end.

Ron goes to sleep frustrated, feeling that the parents and Mr. Bradshaw had reinforced unfair standards on the children, not allowing them to do what they wanted to at camp. He is later awoken by the nurse, Mrs. Nelson, wandering around camp drunk as she tries to find all the labels left by Aaron.

Over breakfast, the children wonder who removed all the labels, and Ron eventually explains that Mrs. Nelson did so, elevating her to a “camp hero.” From then on, the children constantly gather around her, and Ron is delighted at her efforts to remove the labels placed on the children.