Directors #3

Camp Rally 1962 Alice Bishop, Polly Hicks and Dorthe BalsasCamp committee notes from December 1960 announced the delivery of Alice Bishop’s contract. Her experience listed a year at Camp Yakowi, three at Camp Cavell, one at Camp Takona, and four at UAW-CIO.

She began working right away on the hiring of staff and the drafting of a staff manual for the 1961 season. It was interesting to see both sides presented by the camp committee and Alice of her position and duties that summer.

“Miss Bishop stated that the time designated in the contract (June 28-August 23) is a misnomer; that in reality the director puts in a full years work. Most of the work is securing and personally interviewing and selecting counselors, thereby insuring a pliable, cohesive group which contributes greatly to the success of the camp,” stated minutes from August 23, 1961.

Alice’s camp director report for 1961 was a log of each day from October until May detailing her daily contributions to her position. “All this and a full-time job,” she wrote. “It will save many headaches this summer, I am sure—a camp director does not just work the week before camp start and the week after it ends!”

She detailed trips to meetings, leadership training, staff interviews, letters of information, brochures and job descriptions, as well as phone calls, references, contracts sent and time spent at the Michigan Camping office.