Having read Jack Jensens’s and Tom Mitchell’s memories of 1965 and ’66 on Mackinac Island and of cooking, I also have memories of that week in August when Gov. Romney “came to dinner.” I was the head cook at the camp that summer and sometime in mid-week we had invited Romney for dinner. Henry agreed that we should switch our menu around and have Swiss steak that night instead of Mac and cheese. Dinner was schedule for 5:30 after inspection. At 5:30, no Romney, not at 6 or at 6:30. We were keeping 65 steaks warm in the and the oven and the scouts were waiting patiently. After 6:30 he shows up, comes into the barracks says hello and then says “If anyone wants to shake my hand come outside and line up.” Then the photo that Jim supplied was posed and taken. The he says, Sorry I can’t stay for dinner,” and rides off in his carriage. Obviously, I am not in the photo of the scouts there that year!
Romney’s attitude and lack of consideration had to be contrasted with Gov. Swainson’s two years earlier. Swainson rode over, unannounced, to the barracks on his horse, sat down on the front porch and informally chatted with the scouts there.