Sixties Staffing with “Superdoo” #3

Published on March 20, 2017May 7, 2018 by Kathy Baker

Sue Purdue was one of the young girls who transitioned from camper to counselor and learned some life lessons through her experiences under director Dorthe Balaskas.

“I think I was thirteen years old in 1964 when I first went to Camp Maqua. My cousin Laurie Cone was from Toledo and she was a year younger, but had been the impetus for attending,” said Sue. “I’m sure those lodge walls do talk. It housed so many girls. It was a time in your life that you didn’t realize was so important until you were older. The skits, the singing, the experiences—all that reflection looking back——-what a flood of memories!”

“I was an extrovert to the hilt and loved the social network. I was a camper first and was wildly social and gregarious. I camped under Dorthe and was in Senior Village and loved all the counselors who were my peers when I became a full counselor at the age of seventeen. I had written to Dorthe to consider me for the positions as kitchen aide, “ she laughed. “Big self esteem thing being a kitchen aide. She hired me and several other girls who were never campers before and the three of us worked together.”

Directors #8

Published on February 20, 2017February 20, 2017 by Kathy Baker

There were no records of camp committee minutes referring to Sue Patenge as the director during summers 1972-74, but Rhonda Thayer and Carol Hulett were at camp during those years and had totally opposite impressions of her, as did a few other counselors, parents and campers.

Sue had been a physical education teacher in Mt. Clemens and despite the five- year difference in their ages, Carol, a pre-med student and the nurse at camp, and Sue became very close friends.

“She was very organized and business-like and loved being with the kids. Her Mom had been a camper (Berta Patenge) and her grandmother had been on the board at the YWCA and had even come to visit her one summer at camp. She was a very detail-oriented person and everybody liked her,” said Carol.

“Hypo”, as Carol was known lived with Edna the cook in the Infirmary. She nicknamed Sue Patenge “Junior” because she was the boss and Carol was the junior boss, as outlined in the article entitled “The Big Four” in the “Loon”. According to the 1974 article in the “Loon”, Sue had discovered her job from friends (B.J. –a classmate in one of her high school classes) in Bay City and thought she would enjoy directing a camp because “she enjoys being with us—likes the things we do, the decisions we make and the stunts we play on the staff, as long as they are funny”.

For “Junior”, who had a three-year directorship, this was the only camp she had ever worked and she wanted to return. She enjoyed travelling, playing cards, tennis, reading, and listening to people.

Directors #7

Published on February 15, 2017February 20, 2017 by Kathy Baker

“I was the director for three years and I always regretted that I did not go back, but life circumstances, plus searching for a permanent teaching job kept me away,” said Beanie (Barbara Haggart) a little wistfully. “My years at Maqua were the happiest of my life. People who have not experienced the camaraderie missed out. The kids were great.”

“We took our chances with staff, but if they didn’t quite fit, we tried to help them. I had six or seven friends from Western who came. Judy Moore had been in college with me and played sports. We also took applications in the mail and the Bay City Y” sent out flyers to recruit. One time we had a problem with one of the cooks, who had a drinking problem. She made these thick ugly pancakes and no one would eat them, so she served them at lunch with tuna fish salad on them,” laughed Beanie. “ A couple of times we had Jello that was like glue. She did not add enough water. So, we had a food fight with the Jello!”

“We worried about safety and prowlers and a few times we were on alert, but nothing serious. Homesickness was always a major issue in some of the kid’s life. You couldn’t just “poo-poo” their feelings, but we didn’t coddle them. I don’t think I sent any home. We had the usual allergies and bee stings. What worried me was sending the older kids on the AuSable River and if there was bad weather, it was hard to get a hold of them. Somehow the counselors always coped well with those situations, though,” she said, “We always had concerns about keeping money on the premises. Lee, who ran the camp store, was the financial person who handled the kid’s accounts. With one hundred thirty five kids and about thirty five staff, it was a big responsibility.”

“The farewell campfires were always a huge deal. I would lead the singing and the songs were usually sad. Every cabin would put a candle on a little piece of wood, decorated with leaves, ferns, etc. and melt the candle so everything would stick. The wishing boats would go out into the water and the little ones would cry as they made their wish. We would pass out the awards for the session for those who were leaving.,” said Beanie. “The last everyone decided I should take a cabin for the last session, so I had the older girls. It was great. The director didn’t usually take a cabin, but it was nice. I think Sue Carney was in my cabin. As a counselor with the older kids, I was in Dutton, but stayed in the lodge as an assistant director. The kitchen aides usually had a room in the lodge. There were two that were water-side.”

“I was always interested in sports and enjoyed helping kids. I enjoyed teaching and learning. Camp helped me to know kids in a different way,” said Beanie, as she listed her many teaching credentials. (Elementary education degree, special education Masters degree) The majority of her jobs were in physical education and coaching, but she taught special education and mentored many students who would later praise her for her influence in their lives.

Directors #6

Published on February 13, 2017February 20, 2017 by Kathy Baker

The Maqua torch from Dorthe Balaskas was passed the summer of 1970 to her assistant Barbara Haggart, affectionately known as “Beanie”, who followed in the shoes of her former associate/boss, who ultimately became a very good friend.

“She was a great mentor for me, and she always had the well-being of Maqua and the campers in mind,” wrote Beanie about a note Dorthe had given her on the closing day of camp when she retired. “I had a dog (Daisy) given to me the previous year by “Chops” She was a sweet dog, and Dorthe was always teasing me about her.”

“Dear Beanie, You must know that my thoughts will be of Maqua next summer, the wonderful campers, etc. I truly wish you well-strength to do some of the unpleasant tasks, but above all that you will take good care of that which has been put in your hands—Maqua’s future. The spirit was here before I came. I tried my best to care for it, preserve it—some people make it hard to do. Don’t let them diminish what Maqua has. I have confidence that your love for children, (and) your sincere kindness will prevail throughout your years at Maqua. Don’t let others run ruin or think they know what’s best for Maqua, for in this time of our life they care too much for self and little for giving and preserving. Please know that I want Maqua to run smoothly. I hope I have helped you, but if you need any help or have questions, please feel free to call me. You’re a dear—No. 2 “Train that damn dog!! (Joking) Fondly, Dorthe”

Directors #5

Published on February 8, 2017February 20, 2017 by Kathy Baker

“Dorthe had a gargantuan job with all those girls ages six to sixteen and those counselors in their twenties, “ said Kim Wynne-Parry, who camped 1963-68. “She did her job with kindness and benevolence. I remember her as a huge presence.”

“A reserved and capable woman, friendly without acting silly. You took her seriously,” said Nancy Sautter (1968-70). “Very professional, people-oriented, caring and wanted everyone to succeed,” said her sister Tricia. “It took a lot of work with all the different personalities and she had many fires to put out, but she handled them with dignity.”

“We used to take turns with campfire watch, down by the campfire pit, and we knew some girls would sneak out. We could hear the noise coming from the woods. Their goal was to scare us. One of the counselors wanted to tell Dorthe, but I knew how she hated hiking down that long hill and back,” said Sue Wiegand (1966-67). “The girls finally revealed who they were, but when they saw Dorthe, they knew she had a firm hand, even the counselors were intimidated by their presence. But, inside once you got to know her, she was a marshmallow. She just had that walk where you knew she was in command.”

Doris Engibous (1973-75) agreed. “When I was twelve and Dorthe was director, she was the ultimate. No one could fill her shoes. She was a formidable leader and I remember that you did not stray too far from the straight and narrow. I never felt like her style was too regimented or disciplined, though.”

Directors #4

Published on February 6, 2017February 21, 2017 by Kathy Baker

Dorthe Balaskas was the assistant under Alice before becoming the director in 1966 and served until 1969. She had worked for other camps, so when Alice Bishop wanted to retire, Dorthe applied for the position. Her degree was in Special Education, specializing in physically impaired methods from Eastern Michigan University, but she also received her masters for teaching mentally impaired students and worked in the Lowery School for fifty years.

“I worked on the camp work all year long,” said Dorthe. “It was a lot of work with interviews, and visiting college campuses. The waterfront director was always the hardest to get, but it was the number one important position to find.”

She recalled one young woman who applied late for a position and scolded her. “Young lady, did anyone ever tell you not to apply for a job at such late notice?” and the girl replied, “Well, it worked, didn’t it” (Of course, she got the job—)

She hired all the staff and expressed how difficult it was, but never had to fire anyone, although one girl quit because she missed her parents. (Dorthe never could understand, since she was a college girl and she should have been used to being away.)

She described a “big cook problem” one summer, when one of the cooks drank herself into a car accident and they had to scramble to find someone to go into town to submit a food order.

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