1940’s

Those Little Catholic Girls

Published on by Kathy Baker

“Our family was Catholic and I remember when my parents made arrangements to send my sister to camp (1962) some of their friends worried that she would be “indoctrinated”, said Sue Augustyniak . “They had not started bringing the girls into town to the Catholic Church yet, so she went to the lovely interdenominational service and loved the singing and thought it was better than church. When I went, they would drive us into Hale to mass.”

Sharon Wilcox (1949+) said the Sunday rituals at Camp Maqua remain clear—whites placed at the end of the Catholic girls’ beds, so the counselors knew who to wake up for church—and off they went in a pickup truck, with those left behind marching up Chapel Hill for their service.

Anne Obey (1960-70) agreed that if you were Catholic, you did not get to sleep in on Sunday. She and her sister Mary Obey were raised strict Catholic. “That was the first thing my parents asked when they decided to send us to Camp Maqua—whether we could attend mass on Sundays. Off to the Catholic church we went in the Maqua “Woody” each Sunday,” said Mary.

Mary Grego (1960), Brooke Sauve (1949-51), Barb Ballor (1951-55), Maureen Moore (1968-70), Ruth Wiesen (1957-59) and Cynthia Behan (1945) all remembered bring crammed into the pickup truck or station wagon to go to mass, sometimes in a dress. Many of them wish they could go back in time to experience Chapel Hill.

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The Little Jewish Girls

Published on by Kathy Baker

The Christian influence of Camp Maqua, which was under the auspices of the Bay City YWCA, did not discourage girls from other religions from attending camp. There were many Jewish girls who attended, and for the most part, the girls felt a sense of inclusion with the services on Chapel Hill. There was also the option to attend mass at St. Pius in Hale for the Catholic girl

“I am Jewish and there were very few of us at that time in Bay City or in camp,” said Laya Rose  (1939+). “I remember climbing Chapel Hill on Sundays all dressed in white. I loved it. To join in the singing touched my heart. In a Jewish service, it is so different. I love my religion, but it is not in English. There was something so wonderful when I heard those melodies and words, especially in the midst of the trees overlooking the lake.”

“We loved our Jewish friends and we didn’t talk much about our faith or religion, but Chapel Hill was the non-denominational spot we all loved, “said Priscilla Johns (1968+). “I give praise for that place and the relationships. Nobody ever said we could or could not do anything up there. There was a cross up there, but nothing was ever criticized or judged. We just held hands and sang.”

“There were not a lot of Jewish girls until the arrival of the Michelson girls, Shelley Harris and Jan Schreiber, who lived in my neighborhood,” said Jenifer McLogan (1965-71), who was Catholic, but “not too keen on going to mass”. Sister Helen McLogan (1972-74), had a Jewish friend by the name of Dana, but said her friend Susie Eakin would tell everyone she was Jewish. “I guess she liked hanging out with the Jewish girls more than us. Despite the fact that we were Catholic, we didn’t drive into town to go to mass. We all marched up Chapel Hill and it was not an option.”

Minette Immerman (1938-41), was one of the little Jewish girls who packed white clothes for the services, which she attended during her years there and despite the fact that  Sue Michelson (1963-73) was Jewish, but was raised fairly non-traditional and thought the combination of kids was wonderful at Camp Maqua.

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High On Chapel Hill

Published on by Kathy Baker

The beautiful spot nestled in the trees, high on a hill, became the spiritual heart of the camp in 1933, when monies donated helped to build what became known as Chapel Hill. Wooden log benches, a cross and a podium were built and became the spot for the non-denominational services on Sundays.

It was dedicated in 1934 and a scene from that day can be found on page fifty-one in the book “Camp Maqua”. Director Wilma Lewis, camp doctor Lorna Feng (from China), staff member Alice Forbes and YWCA president Mrs. F. Lewis were all present for the event.

A paragraph from the “Loon” in 1965 described the spot. “Chapel Hill”- Sunday morning most of the campers went to Chapel Hill, –where you meet to sing hymns and listen to the reading of the psalms. The view on Chapel Hill is magnificent. The lake is royal blue, which contrasts a royal blue sky. The trees seem to point to the clouds one by one as they float back and forth in the wind. The cross sets off the scent on Chapel Hill. It signifies the way God makes his world so beautiful.”

In 1971, the camp committee sent a letter to Bishop Rae, concerning a priest for camp, but there were no references to a priest ever coming to camp for services. Instead, the Catholic girls were driven into town to attend mass.

Janet Dixon (1950-51), who was Protestant, attended the services on the hill, and felt very close to God in the peaceful setting. “It was very rustic, in the woods, up on a hill overlooking the lake. A simple lectern faced rows of rustic benches, where we sat overlooking the water. I think the counselors conducted the services.”

Sundays were devoted to church services, according to Toni Young’s 1966 program director’s report. The Catholics went to mass in town and the rest were on Chapel Hill and conducted by Toni with the help of counselors. The service for Toni consisted of a call to worship, hymn, scripture, hymn or duet by two counselors, prayer, message, hymn and benediction.

She preferred the song books to the hymnals, as she felt they were not as ecumenical and preferred the New English translation of the New Testament for it’s easy to understand text. (Compared to the King James Version.) She also used the back of the hymnal and “Hymns for Worship” for prayers, as well as some of her own booklets from her previous camping years.

Vespers usually consisted of a quiet song, a poem, more quiet songs and Barbara Haggart usually led both. “The cabins were dismissed after several songs and cabin nine and Senior Village formed a friendship circle to sing taps,” she wrote.

Jane McKinley (1956-59) remembered singing all the time. “I still have my songbook with all the notations. We had vespers before dinner, which was a quiet time with prayer and singing. I always thought that was so nice and I still remember the lyrics to “Peace I Ask Of Thee O River”, which has become a family tradition. I even wrote a theme in high school on singing. When you sing in a choir, there is camaraderie and a shared experience as singing along. Even the singing on Chapel Hill was beautiful.”

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I Wasn’t A Picky Eater, But—-

Published on by Kathy Baker

“I grew up eating everything, but there was one counselor who always made us take a “no thank you helping”, said Jan Mosier (1947-52).  “Early on there was skim milk and pasteurized milk that gave me the shivers, and I could not stand cottage cheese or raisins. I objected to eating it, but I remember holding my nose, putting it in my mouth and shoving a piece of bread in to help with the taste. Of course, I could still taste it. To this day I still don’t eat them. My daughter always teases me by saying, “Mom, I’m going to the store. Do you want any cottage cheese or raisins?”

“The food at camp was awful,” laughed Laurie Cone (1962-68). “Casseroles with noodles, which I guess you had to cook to feed the big groups of girls. To this day, I cannot gag down a tuna noodle casserole! But, I thought it was “the bomb” to have hot dog and hamburger cook-outs.”

Two self-admitted picky eaters were Valerie Monto (1964-68) and Jeri Smith (1965). Valerie always had snacks inbetween meals, but the only time she could get them was her excursion to the camp store. Jeri was not a fruit and veggie girl, and although she loved breakfast, she hated dinner. “I was always hungry and I think they felt sorry for me because I didn’t eat, so they let me have peanut butter and jelly.”

Kim Wynne-Parry (1963-68) always loved breakfast the best, with bacon, eggs and memorable portions of food, and although she was not a picky eater, if there was institution style green beans or peas, they did not enter her mouth!

“I wasn’t a picky eater, but I thought the food was terrible,” echoed identical sentiments from Helen McLogan (1972-74) and Kathleen Dworman (1966). For Kathleen, saying grace was new, as she was Jewish, but for Helen, warm “Bug Juice” in the metal pitchers at room temperature stayed in her memory.

Val Van Laan (1965-70) was not used to having to eat food she didn’t like. “One year I had a counselor that made us eat everything, including the tomato soup and beets I couldn’t stand. I remember when she wasn’t looking, we would hide the food in our napkins.”

Maybe, Val should have tried out fifties’ camper Pat Purcell’s  trick. “I would eat one of the foods my girlfriend didn’t like if she would eat my beets. I hated beets! The staff wanted us to clean our plates and there was some pressure for me to eat those beets and I got caught giving them away.”

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Gagging Down Breakfast!

Published on by Kathy Baker

Oatmeal  and hot cereals delivered the most powerfully negative food memories for campers of all years. Holly Foss (1966-72), Bev Lemanski (1945), MaryJo Rawlings (1950’s) and Beth Taylor (1966+) all shared their intense dislike fore oatmeal.

Most of Beth’s camp memories were good ones, but she remembers one counselor who would insist they all clean their plates. Beth hated oatmeal and no amount of brown sugar could help her get it down. She gagged and gagged and this counselor would not let her up until it was done. To this day, she cannot eat oatmeal.

For Sue Robson (1970-71), French toast with powdered sugar and syrup was a good memory, but she has an aversion to this day to oatmeal, even when it was doctored up to make it more palatable.

“I learned to eat oatmeal and I hated hot cereal. It was the texture, not the taste, so I used to drown it in brown sugar and milk and take small bites,” said Stephanie Patterson (1961-65). “I was at camp during the time if you did not eat your breakfast, you were sent to the nurse for castor oil!”

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Potato Donuts and Creamed Eggs

Published on by Kathy Baker

Most of the campers felt that although the camp food was not fancy, it was warm and good. Running off calories during the days’ activities meant the meals were especially welcome for staff and campers alike, and the girls often learned to eat and enjoy food not found at home.

The girls learned to like new dishes like tuna noodle casserole for Kerry Weber‘s (1952) friend; Johnny Cakes for forties’/fifties’ camper Marcia Sherman; creamed eggs for Edna Young (1932), canned fruit for fifties’ camper Susan Alcorn; creamed corn with bacon for Barb Hale (1950); banana boats for sixties’ camper Coleen Gasta and desserts for everyone!

“The food was not fancy, but it was not like home either,” said MaryBeth Morton (1974-75), who recalled more of the rituals surroungding the food in the lodge. “It was served family style and someone would go to the counter to get it. There were call-outs for certain things while we were at the table. We said grace and we were all excused at the same time.”

Judy Crissey (1954) said she was not a finicky eater and thought the meals were good. “I never gave food a second thought,” she said, remembering the bell that rang for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

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