Drama-1973

Published on November 1, 2017October 28, 2017 by Kathy Baker

DRAMATICS REPORT SUMMER OF 1973—Karen MacIntosh

Her report in the beginning was a repeat of Christine Foshag’s from the previous year. Under “Physical Facility and Structure”, Karen noted that the costumes that were to be used for drama were moved to the porch and some costumes had been donated by “The Bay City Players”.

She added, “The porch is not always the best place to have drama on a rainy day. One hundred and five screaming Murder Pin campers hinder your rehearsals quite a bit.”

They held the performances at the rear of the lodge, and Jan’s room and the sports porch were used as entrances. They never used curtains, as they had few scene changes, but all the tables were pushed against the wall and benches served as their “plush theatre seats”.

She kept the classes small, except for puppets and creative drama and included interpretive reading and dance in her lesson plans. She set up her puppet stage with two eating tables—one length-wise and one in front on its side. The girls sat behind and reached up with the puppets, sometimes with their lines taped to the back. The marionettes had a table, side down with a sheet hanging from a rope between two entrances and the small benches were located behind. She also used sock, stick, lightbulb and finger puppets.

The performances included “The Wizard of Maqua”, based on the “Wizard of Oz” using lightbulbs, “Sue Van Winkle”, based on “Rip Van Winkle” with socks, and “Dawn Gershinpan”, which was Peter Pan with stick puppets, “Jack In the Beanstalk” with marionettes and “Barbarella” with finger puppets.

Drama-1972

Published on October 30, 2017October 30, 2017 by Kathy Baker

Drama Director’s Report–1972 Christine Foshag

“Almost everyone wishes at times that for a little while at least she might become some other person—or a bird, an imaginary creature, or some animal”, wrote Christine in her first paragraph of the report. “A play, skit, creative dramatics or a puppet show may give her the perfect opportunity to be someone else.”

She described the values attributed to participation in dramatics, which included thinking creatively and independently, the ability to observe and then act like some other person, grow in understanding people with differing viewpoints, controlling emotional release, experience thinking on one’s feet, expressing ideas clearly and just plain fun! Add to that poise and initiative that come from expressing and the impression it leaves once it has been enacted and appreciated as an art form.

The puppets allowed the campers to act together without the fear of facing an audience self-consciously. They learned to come in on cue, listen and develop their voices. The skits allowed the campers to “throw” themselves into the part, acting and reacting with exaggeration. The plays allowed the campers to become real people for short periods, despite the length, and they were able to react to a given situation.

She said, “The unique thing about creative drama is that it is always improvised. When a story is put in dramatic form, the play is planned by the group, and then played with spontaneous action and dialogue.” She explained that it was different at each playing, an immediate experience and talent was not necessary, but the more unlike the character the child plays, the less self-conscious she will be.

You Can Never Have Enough—-

Published on October 25, 2017October 25, 2017 by Kathy Baker

Many campers could trace their present day love for all things arts and crafts to their days at Maqua, including Maggie Young, who felt so fortunate to have the exposure during the sixties and seventies. Carol Requadt (1945) could still remember the cedar smell of the craft hut where she loved working with her hands.

Mary Hewes (1946) and MaryJane Keschman (1944-54) loved the traditions at camp, including the arts and crafts. “I remember making Gimp bracelets with four strands of plastic woven together and a leather lanyard that I gave to my brother. We also sanded wooden bowls until they were smooth, “ said Mary. For MaryJane, it was the wooden plate with her mother’s initials and the same Gimp bracelets that were her favorites.

“In the arts and crafts hut, there were work benches and tables in picnic table style”, said Caryl Sue Abendroth, who loved that they could work on their leather keychains, basket weaving or lanyards in the fifties, even on rainy days.

Lanterns and tile ashtrays were the craft of choice for Helen Thompson in 1968. A paperweight with a four- leaf clover embedded inside, formed with a regular three leaf and a single one added, pleased Bev Lemanski’s father in 1945. For Beverly Schlatter, who loved the craft hut in the forties, it did not matter what she brought home to her parents, she just liked working with flowers, stones, glue and scissors.

The little yellow painted bowl, with I LOVE YOU inscribed on it, is still in the possession of Maureen Moore’s mother from the sixties, as well as Patsy Walsh’s little leather woven purse in the shape of a triangle from 1938!

Copper Enameling and Dippity Glass Flowers

Published on October 23, 2017October 24, 2017 by Kathy Baker

“I remember arts and crafts, weaving the unfinished lanyards that we were making for our girl crushes, or sitting on the dock dipping the straw into the lake to wet the pieces down to make baskets that probably never got made,” said Cara Prieskorn (1966-71). There were also bracelets made from what appeared to be leather shoelaces that we tied in knots and wore on our wrists until they rotted off. But, I did make a copper enamel poodle pin for my Mom that was light blue with a dark eye and she still wears it. I just told her recently, OK Mom, you can stop wearing that pin now and she told me she likes to wear it!”

A kiln sat safely in a corner of the craft hut for copper enameling, but only staff were allowed to use it. Leslie Ciesielski and Kathy Allen were craft directors in 1970 and they handled about 12-15 students each hour. That year, along with copper enameling, beaded necklaces, Zodiac signs in plaster and Dippity glass flowers were popular.

“The Dippity Glass Flowers were simple, but not practical for a crafts class,” their activity report stated. “Many times, we had to dispose of half-full jars because they had thickened so rapidly.”

Arts and Crafts–

Published on October 18, 2017October 18, 2017 by Kathy Baker

In 1927 the craft hut and boathouse were built, under the watchful eye of Mr. Clark, who chaired the construction committee. “He was ably assisted by Mr. Perry, Mr. Fifield, Mr. Davidson and Mr. Clift,” noted the minutes from that year. In 1936, the minutes contained a mention that a screened porch was needed on the “arts and crafts hut”, but it took a few years before it became a reality.

Maryetta Simmons wrote about handicrafts in the “Loon” of 1949, which was run by Jackie Dawson and Vicki Smukal. “The campers may buy craft strip bracelets, plastic belts, scotch purses, earrings, wooden plates, pill boxes, flowers and leather articles,” she wrote of the crafts that were usually made for parents. She remarked the craft hut was a great place to go on rainy days, because “there is a bright fire in the fireplace and happy girls”.

The craft hut was also a great place to take photos for publicity. Many postcards, brochures and feature articles in the Bay City Times displayed the photos of the girls sitting on the long bootstrap benches around the linoleum covered tables, working on their projects.

Mary Obey found herself in two copies of the Bay City Times, dated 1957, seated at a craft table, concentrating on a project. She laughed, saying,”I might be in the craft hut in that photo, but that part didn’t carry over into my adult years!”

Meet Carol Wahl!

Published on September 4, 2017September 3, 2017 by Kathy Baker

Carol Wahl was the riding counselor in 1974 and 1975 at Camp Maqua. “I had taken my horse with me to college and I ended up teaching a student who was a part time draftsman in Bay City for an architectural firm. His boss’ wife was on the board of the YWCA and that is how I found out about the job for the camp,” said Carol. “I was the riding instructor for two years and did not teach the year I was pregnant for my first child, since they considered it a liability. In 1977, I taught at another camp.”

“The first year I was at camp I met Pam Moore, who ended up as my college room-mate and was also in my wedding. I had transferred from Saginaw Valley to Central in 1974, so that was the summer between colleges. I met many of the staff at camp that also attended Central, where I joined a Sorority. I remember a girl named Mary Toburen.”

Her riding program centered on this philosophy—“ to teach good, applicable techniques of riding, including how not to get hurt on or around a horse, while still having fun”. She used general methods for beginners, intermediate and advanced riders, which included formal lessons, and competitive games that taught control and confidence for trail riding. She stressed good form and techniques and rules. but felt like the summer of 1974, she worked with horses that were in bad condition.

“My cabin was actually the staff house near the lodge on the screened in porch of the second floor. (Dutton) I have memories of good food in the lodge, ”S’Mores” at the many campfires and a lot of singing.”

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