Gordon Zahn describes a pervasive sense of isolation at Camp Simon, ten miles from Warner and an additional distance from Concord, New Hampshire.  Not only was the former CCC camp geographically isolated, but also the ACCO camps experienced psychological isolation from the Catholic Church.  In fact many in the church hierarchy were openly hostile to conscientious objectors, directing spiritual and material support to men in uniform, each parish with its honor roll of soldiers.  The Catholic Worker movement provided important and regular support to COs in the Catholic camps. (See Zahn Chapter 2, pp. 22-35)

Unlike the experience at Brethren, Friends and Mennonite camps where regular visitors spent time with the men as part of their educational and spiritual programs, only an occasional visitor made it to Warner. 

Some of the men organized group activity centered on evening chapel services, after having converted a section of the former barracks school building into a tasteful center of worship.  Occasionally an Irish priest attached to the New York Catholic Worker house of hospitality visited the camp.

On the other end of the same structure, the artists and writers set apart a studio for their activities. The men sketched, painted, talked, and sometimes drank along with a few of their non-artist friends.

The center third housed the camp library separating the two groups and providing space for reading, writing letters and journal entries.

Recreational activity tended to consist of spontaneous hikes, skiing, sledding, skating, pickup basketball or softball. 

The combination of different beliefs about authority and governance among the men and the director, coupled with the absence of the director for the first few weeks after Warner opened, contributed to the many tension-filled meetings.  The men transferring from Stoddard had settled into cliques and factions making it difficult to reach consensus.  The same pattern soon emerged at Warner. 

The difference in religious perspectives ranging from dissident agnostic intellectuals and atheists, to Friends absolutists, non-Catholic and non-practicing Catholic as well as Catholic liberals and rigorists, set the stage for often subtle clashes around, not only governance and authority, but also other aspects of camp life.  Some defended Catholic identity and others feared manipulation by Catholic administration.

The men tried to function with a camp council that brought issues before the men.  When they could not reach decision, then the camp administration would exercise authority in an “overly arbitrary manner. . .too much inclined to favor the Catholic campers”. (Zahn pp. 149)  For fuller discussion, see Zahn pp. 144-154.

Dorothy Day, co-founder of the Catholic Worker movement, visited the camp at a critical point after a particular period of internal turmoil amongst the various camp factions.  Her talk coupled with a frank exchange in discussions acknowledged the men’s complaints about the CPS system (work without pay, poor food, authority in ACCO camps).  She expressed her belief that the program represented too much of a compromise with the war effort.  Yet she affirmed her support for the CPS men as making a more effective witness than those in noncombatant service, because the latter shared

. . .in the honor and glory lavished upon the soldier; the men in CPS, isolated and frustrated though they might be, could at least enjoy the satisfaction of knowing they were more of a problem for the government if only in that the very fact of their existence disturbed the unanimity of a nation committed to war. (Zahn, p. 186)

Since this and the other Association of Catholic Conscientious Objector camps relied on the readers of Catholic Worker for financial support, the camp went without professional nursing care.  In addition, camps appealed to the same readers to fund any dental or medical appointments.  Fortunately the camp experienced no serious injuries, although a high proportion of the men found themselves sick, adding up to 1,200 sick-days, or 13.9 percent of the total days at Warner.  (Zahn p. 155)

The men did not always eat well, particularly after they had used up the stored produce and meat brought from Stoddard.  Catholic Worker standards of voluntary poverty assumed simple meals of bread and soup, low grade meats, and donated staples and food stuffs.  That coupled with insufficient funding for the camp in general, created regular food shortages which became severe.  Neighboring CPS camps often made contributions to Warner as the CPS system, highly concerned, did its best to help out.  Several Brethren camps regularly contributed funds raised by men voluntarily skipping meals in those camps.  Families and friends sent packages which some men shared while others hoarded.  Some raided the pantry, others petitioned the National Service Board of Religious Objectors and Selective Service for an investigation of the food situation.  Selective Service did inspect camp conditions and found dietary deficiencies, a finding which contributed to the decision to close the camp. 

On occasion, the men did travel to Concord for weekend visits. They reported an enjoyable Halloween dance sponsored by some Boston pacifists.  Those from the Northeast could make weekend visits home.  The camp hosted a weekend visit for a group of Smith College women, replete with good meals, dancing and an evening program with skits written for the occasion.  Some of the men returned the trip to Northampton in early March shortly before Camp Simon closed. 

Of the twenty-five men who remained at the camp for that early March weekend while a blizzard raged, eleven set out for a wild night of bingeing in Concord.  Warner had been known for its occasional periodic alcoholic indulgence to combat the boredom and monotony of camp life.

The men published one issue of a camp paper, Salt, the same title selected by the men in CPS Camp No. 15 at Stoddard, New Hampshire.  It should be noted that the one Warner issue resulted in an open dispute over doctrine and authority in the camp, and few copies were ever distributed.  The men published two issues of Salt while at the Stoddard camp.

The camp was closed citing the work project as not being important enough to maintain coupled with insufficient food for the men.  Zahn also noted that the camp lacked any support from the diocese, which had vigorously stated its position that men should join the war effort. 

When the camp closed, the majority of the men transferred for a short term to AFSC Forest Service Camp No. 89 at Oakland, Maryland or to the AFSC Farm Security Administration Camp No. 94 at Trenton, North Dakota.  When the ACCO CPS Unit No. 102 opened in May 1943 at the Rosewood State Training School for the Mentally Retarded in Owings Mills, Maryland, a number transferred there, thus continuing their service in a Catholic affiliated camp. 

Before the end of the war, sixteen of the men from Warner had requested reclassification from CO status to eligibility for military service, and five were discharged as physically unfit.