Since demand for manpower on farms and in areas of human need was so high during the war, the men questioned “the national importance” of much of the camp work.  It should be noted that the opportunity to transfer to a different camp generally improved assignee morale.  However, losing well trained men created some on-going tension with Park Service supervisors.  After twenty-seven men (of thirty-one volunteers) were released to Camp Belton, Montana in late April, relations were somewhat strained with Park Service supervisors.  All were invited to a Thanksgiving meal and evening program to ease those tensions. 

Other men transferred from time to time to training schools and mental hospital units, with a group of thirty-five (twelve volunteers and the remainder by lottery) answering the May 1945 call to meet camp needs at Three Rivers, California.

In general the CPS men enjoyed good public relations, partly because they were located far from neighbors, but also because they provided emergency assistance on farms.  National Park Service reports indicate high appreciation for the thrift, hard work and skill of the assignees.

Dwight Yoder wrote over sixty years later about his Luray experience.

In a camp of 140 to 150 men living and working together, some disgruntled and unhappy, there were bound to be many interesting and some not so interesting experiences.  One camper, unhappy with me, nailed my hat to the dormitory wall.  Many years later he wrote me a letter confessing he was the culprit, but added “I never had so much fun in my life.”

Another camper had the habit of playing sick on work days.  One day our astute nurse, Vera Yoder, gave him a big glass of orange juice heavily laced with castor oil.  He was the busiest man in the camp that day.

An older camper offered my $500 to arrange his discharge.  Of course, I could not or would not do that.

The intellectual life of the camp burgeoned when a Quaker camp was closed and our ranks swelled by men from there, all of whom had graduate degrees.  A very colorful camper was Dr. Herbert Zim of New York City, a scientist and author and an objector on humanitarian grounds. (“Detour . . . Main Highway”: Our CPS Stories, pp. 68-70)

The camp educational program included several special schools—an arts and crafts institute conducted by Professor J. P. Klassen of Bluffton College, a conscientious objector in Russia during WWI; a Christian life conference conducted by B. B. King of Elida, OH; and discussions on Mennonite history and the Mennonite peace principle conducted by Dr. C. Henry Smith. 

Mrs. Harry Wenger conducted a cooking school attended by thirteen men from five camps.  The men took classes and completed four hours of supervised work in different components of the camp kitchen under experienced CPS cooks.  After seven weeks, the school prepared a banquet following which the camp chorus sang and the Chief Park Ranger Wallace T. Stephens spoke. 

A camp chorus under the leadership of Dwight Weldy performed a series of concerts in Mennonite schools and Brethren churches.  Newton Weber of Harrisonburg, Virginia and Titus Book preached regularly at the camp. 

James R. Clemens became “educational director while at Luray, responsible for the library, education and social programs and sponsor of the camp paper The Skyliner.“ Men published the paper from January 1943 through March 1946.  The Skyliner reportedly not only included well written articles and provided good coverage of camp work and life, but also contained excellent art work.  (“Detour . . . Main Highway”: Our CPS Stories p. 11-12)