Our Chalet's Story continues

In 1952, over 1,000 guests came to celebrate Our Chalet's 20th bitthday and Falk's retirement. Penelope Wood-Hill (Pen), the first Guider-in-Charge at Our Ark, became the new Guider-in-Charge at OUR CHALET. Under Pen's leadership, Falk's spirit lived on and the Centre grew. In 1956, to give more space in the house, a small chalet called Stockli was built. In the Canton of Bern this is the name given to the small house where parents retire when they hand over responsibility to the next generation.

Our Chalet's 30th birthday celebrations in 1962 were marked by the gift of a Neuchatel clock given by the village of Adelboden. The day was beautifully clear and blue and hundreds of people gathered to listen to the Chief Guide speak on how much the Chalet meant to all who had visited it. In the evening, after a day of celebrations, a campfire was lit, two huge birthday cakes were brought out and guests gathered round the fire to reminisce about three decades of OUR CHALET.

Up until 1968, Juliette Low sessions had always been held annually at OUR CHALET. After this date they rotated among the four World Centres. The Juliette Low girls have always had a special place at OUR CHALET. The first session was held in the year of the opening, and was attended by girls representing nine different countries. Despite the death of several members, this group still reunites at every major anniversary of the Centre, sharing fond memories of those early years.

During the early sixties and into the seventies, much of OUR CHALET was modernized. The kitchen was heated, bathrooms were updated, and the campshed and squirrel house were repaired. In the OUR CHALET book, Yvonne Cuenod (Cigogne), member of staff from 1932 to 1953, recounts how Squirrel House first got its name.

"When it was moved from the village side to be built on our grounds, squirrels were the first to peep in through the open windows. Also, each year, Aunt Helen (Storrow) sent a bag of pecan nuts and there were always some on the window sill. The squirrels came early in the morning, hammering them. For us, it was the signal to get up."

Pen left the Chalet in 1968 and over 100 people attended her farewell party, including a special male patrol of husbands and sons. A Danish woman, Inge Lyck, took over from Pen and during her seven years of service added higher levels of skiing and hiking to the OUR CHALET programme to challenge the most physically able visitors. By the time Our Chalet's fortieth anniversary had come round about 33,700 people had stayed in the house.

In 1982, the old traditional copper and stone roof was replaced with tile for better insulation. Despite this alteration the design and appearance of OUR CHALET remains that of a traditional Bernese Chalet - except that it is much bigger! In 1986, OUR CHALET organized a Helen Storrow session, focusing on international education, in memory of the founder of the Swiss World Centre.