Thomas discusses the camp songs sung within the Boy Scouts of America, explaining that they are passed on orally and that oikotypes (variations) of these songs exist. He explains that camp songs educate scouts about various behavioral expectations of scouts such as bravery, cleanliness, and cheerfulness in a fun or silly way. He describes some songs that act as a release valve. Thomas explains that some songs teach outdoor and camping safety, and that others serve a pragmatic function of ridding scouts of excess energy which might otherwise be spent getting into trouble. Created by Michael Thomas when he was enrolled in Eric Eliason's English 391 course in Winter 2005.