Sixties Staffing and Issues #1

Published on March 13, 2017May 7, 2018 by Kathy Baker

The sixties ushered in tenures of longevity for directors Alice Bishop (1960-62) and Dorthe Balaskas (1963-69). The director’s reports were fairly comprehensive, which were great sources for the staffing issues they had to contend with on a daily and seasonal basis.

Alice had ten years of previous camp experience at Camp Cavell, three years with the UAW-CIO, and a year at Camp Yakewi. Her leadership included program director and waterfront director when she applied for the position. Notes from the camp committee listed twelve girls, mainly college age, and activities specialists yet to be hired, but Alice carefully selected them.

Sue Hier was her assistant that summer and Barbara Pearson was the business manager. Janet Gehres hired on as the camp nurse, with Karen Landee, Edith Gerhard, Phyllis Finn, Edie Olsen, MaryLou Goggin, June Mitchener, Christine Hubert, Sandra Lappan, Laurie Linder, Suzi White, Bonnie Baker, Joan Hopkins, Janice Zawalski, Kay Rahn, Lynn Whipple, Kay Cornor, Jane Byrne, Judy Talford and Karen Kaiser rounding out the team.

In general, Alice wrote that she was pleased with her staff and “they had not gone sour midway during the summer, as so often happens”. She had personally talked to each one of them. She was especially complimentary of Sue Hier, her assistant, and MaryLou Goggin, who taught horseback riding. She had been less pleased with the boating instructor, who she felt lacked proficiency and ignored safety rules. One waterfront counselor worried her so much that she suspended canoeing, boating, and cross lake swimming, with exceptions made when the waterfront director was assuming authority. Safety was important, especially with waterfront activities.

Staffing During the Fifties

Published on March 8, 2017March 7, 2017 by Kathy Baker

The directors during the fifties included Dorothy Jane Dickey (1950-52), Kathleen Geerlings (1953), Janet Adams (1954), Kathleen Dillinger (1955-58), and Shirley Rausch (1959). Unfortunately, no directors’ reports were found in the YWCA pertaining to their years on staff.

Often it was difficult to find staff that could leave their families behind if they were married. Betty McMonagle was the camp nurse from Bay City in 1953 and she brought her eight-year old daughter for the first session of camp.

In 1956, the camp cook and the nurse were told by the committee that they were able to bring their young daughters to camp with them. Mrs. Watson, who cooked for all the sessions except the last, had her nine-year old daughter signed up for camp. The nurse’s daughter was only five, which was far too young to camp, but was at Mrs. Loessel’s side for the duties.

As the season neared, applications were still being considered for the staff and Mr. and Mrs. William Watson, who were the caretakers, were the topic of conversation for the October 1958 meeting. Still undecided as to whether to keep them on as full time or part time, a careful job description was outlined for each member of the staff. By October’s meeting, the committee had decided to replace the caretakers, but later changed their mind and hired Mr. Watson part-time.

The ACA (American Camping Association) noted points in relationship to food, building needs, transportation woes (to and from church) and more adequate housing. The camp morale was believed to be affected by some of the points, so job descriptions were being requisitioned from Flint, Akron and Grand Rapid YWCA chapters.

In September of 1958, there was an oral report given on the present problems around camp, which included men working around camp and the language used at the waterfront. There also appeared to be personnel problems in the kitchen and director “Woody’s” (Kathleen Dillinger) problems with the kitchen staff and her own personal fatigue.

In February of 1959, no cook had been hired and no applicants for waterfront director had been submitted. The committee had decided trained and practical nurses would be considered, if no registered nurses applied for the job. Finding qualified personnel for each season was never easy!

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 #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.

Counselors Share Their Stories #3

Published on January 18, 2017February 21, 2017 by Kathy Baker

As the oldest Michelson daughter, Sue camped for nine years at Maqua and developed her love of the water at the Flint YWCA. Beginning in 1963, her last job was as waterfront director in 1973, having only missed one summer when she travelled to Europe. She had worked all the way through college and loved the waterfront. “I trained, set the schedules, checked equipment, put the docks, canoes and rowboats in the water and taught beginners all the way up to senior lifesaving.”

Kathy Carney was known for her enthusiasm and lively spirit, according to her director in 1971, and seemed to be happiest with her cabin groups. Shelley Wright made a great transition from camper to junior counselor, and possessed an insight to her camper’s problems that made her very popular. Sharon Williams, although a first year staffer, adjusted to camp life and fit right in.

Kathy felt the first summer she counseled in 1970, the counselors were very close. “There was just something about that place. The counselors were some of the funniest people I ever met. When we had time off, one set of parents would drive to pick us up and take us all to their summer homes. One weekend it was to B.J. Henderson’s place in Harbor Springs, where we swam at ten at night. Once it was to Marty’s place in Saginaw. My little world grew that summer. Here I was —a little Catholic girl and I got to go to Jan Schreiber’s sixteenth birthday party or her Bat Mitzvah. On our time off we had little adventures.”

Jan was known as a sensitive and understanding person who worked well with her cabin, working in arts and crafts. “She had a tight cabin with unity and a positive feeling” and was part of the group that Kathy described—B.J. Henderson, “who found counseling her greatest satisfaction” as she taught at the waterfront. Debi Gottlieb was praised for her pleasant personality,”with a smile on her face and a twinkle in her eye—she’s the type of person you need to keep everything going.”

Counselors Share Their Stories #1

Published on January 16, 2017February 21, 2017 by Kathy Baker

“I was at Western Michigan University, packing to go home after my sophomore year, with no plan for a job for that summer,” said Ann Carney (1968-72).” Brooke, (a fellow classmate that I did not know), said she was going to camp as a horseback riding instructor. I had just finished my certification as a water safety instructor. She told me the camp was looking for a W.S.I., and handed me a crumpled a piece of paper with a number of the director, Dorthe Balaskas, and threw it at me. I had no money, but knew I was going to be a resident advisor for the dorm the following year. I taught at the “Y” in Kalamazoo for extra money and knew what it was like to swim competitively. “

“I called Dorthe, who told me to come to her class in East Dearborn, which was close to my home. She was very direct. I met with her at the end of the school day and I think now it was a small test. She was teaching special education to some of the most severely handicapped and disabled children I had ever seen and I think she wanted to see how I would respond. I engaged with her and the children. She basically told me camp starts on June first and you should be there. It was total happenstance! We lived in Dearborn and my father worked for Ford. She was a very real person and understood who each one was as a person. She saw the person, not just the helmets, braces and prostheses.”

Meg Dahlem (1924) loved the ballroom dancing with campers and counselors in the evening, recalling that most of them were college girls or teachers. Martha Carpenter, who taught in the arts and crafts cabin and was a resident of Bay City, and was a student at Skidmore of New York. “Counselors stayed in “Dutton” and when they got tired of cooking, they would hike to Long Lake for pancakes,” she said.

Girls of Camp Maqua

My Book ~ Your Story

Friendships and Relationships