The Sundial

Photos by Susan Czaplicki

A sundial was an instrument for telling time before the invention of mechanical or digital clocks.  There are two parts: the base and the gnomen.  The gnomen is a slanted stick or a wedge that sticks up from the middle of the base.  When positioned in a sunny spot with the high point of the gnomen in the north, the gnomen's shadow will move across the dial as the earth turns.  The numbers of the hours are arranged around the rim of the base to correspond with moving shadow.  Notice that they are NOT spaced evenly around the rim. Why is that?

The Camp Julia Crowell sundial is located near the mill in the grassy dell below the dam. It reads "Camp Julia Crowell 1945. Peace in our time O Lord"

The year 1945 marked the end of the Second World War, making one wonder if the small prayer was a request FOR peace, or gratitude for the coming of peace.  It is especially poigniant to consider that roughly 30 years afterwards, Girl Scouts from Japan (one of our bitterest enemies during WWII) came and stayed at Camp Julia Crowell for two weeks to learn American Girl Scouting ways! 

A butterfly garden was planted around the base of the sundial many years later.