William Heft
Co-founder and Director of Tyler Hill Camp, 1956-1991
Bill was the Boys' Head Counselor for over 25 years, at Camp Rosemont, in Honesdale. In 1955, Bill and his friend Joe Bernstein purchased the Wayne Country Club, where they transformed it into Tyler Hill Camp in 1956. They had a third partner, Bob Weinberger, who after a few seasons sold his share to Bill and Joe. When Joe passed away in early 1973, Bill became the sole owner.
Bill and Joe brought over a number of campers and staff from Rosemont, which was the initial model for Tyler Hill Camp. Bill also carried over many of Rosemont's traditions to Tyler Hill Camp, which helped ease the transition for the staff and campers. But during those years at Camp Rosemont, according to Sy Sundick, Bill was a wild-man, who often initiated many stunts, to help get the campers excited. By the early sixties Tyler Hill Camp was the top camp in the area, employing some of the best people in the camp business in almost every key position. Bill was a giant in the camp business and he was skilled at gaining the confidence of parents and campers.
Bill, always in his red shirt, was quite visible on the campus, often attending the Boys' and Girls' morning and evening lineups, during which he walked among the campers, affectionately hugging them, messing their hair, giving them playful head-locks, while inquiring about how they're enjoying camp. He would also grab their collars, to check their nametags; just to make sure he knew who they were...even though he usually did.
Bill and Pauline rarely missed a meal in the Dining Room, and Bill would often voice his displeasure at the noise level, but also rarely got his way, as the kids seemed to enjoy getting his attention. During the annual Boys' and Girls' group singing competitions in the Social Hall, Bill would seat himself on the stage, just to the right of the groups, while pretending to sleep. He spent many of his evenings drinking coffee with his cronies inside of the Canteen, while on certain hot evenings; outside of the Canteen; Bill would turn the fire hose on those who gathered outside, soaking them.
Other owners viewed Bill as a formidable leader and were in awe of his success at Tyler Hill. Many were intimidated by his outgoing and aggressive style, but many more respected and admired Bill. His staff, or as he referred to some of them as his "key people," also respected him and his judgment. He always knew what was in the best interest of the kids, a factor that the parents knew well about him. As his daughter Marian often has noted, Bill made certain that the parents understood that Tyler Hill Camp was a family operation and their children were "his children".
His trademark red shirt only added to his iconic presence, but his reputation was mostly built on the amazing success he and his "key people" created at Tyler Hill Camp, beginning in the late fifties, all the way through the eighties. In the later years, as he grew older, Bill turned over a lot of his day-to-day tasks to Marian and his son-in-law, Jimmy Bongino. But Bill never stopped being Bill and remained ever-present on campus, until he finally sold the camp to Jay Jacobs, following the 1991 season. It really was the end of an era.
Video Clip: Marian, Sy, Selma & Shelly reflect on Bill's dedication to Tyler Hill
Video Clip: Color War 1990!
