1970’s

Childhood Feelings—

Published on by Kathy Baker

Did Anne Pennington know there were girls who were envious of her tall, thin summer body? Or that the Kiltie sister’s hair was the epitome of summer hair?  Or that “Beanie, Superdoo (Sue Purdue), Kiltie (Susan) and  (Anne) Obey” intimidated some of the less secure girls? Probably not! Little girls in the process of growing up had many feelings that they harbored, but still remembered as adults. Looking back, they were able to process as adults, but as young girls, those feelings were sometimes overwhelming.

Jeananne Grego (1966) and shy Tracy Topping (1962-63) remembered the girl with the cool name—Sue Purdue. Jeananne admitted to staying in the background, and looked forward to getting away to camp. “It turned a medium summer into a great one and camp was the highlight!” Tracy loved how an all girls setting allowed her to be relaxed without makeup or boys.

As a camper in the seventies, Karen Selby was not unfriendly, but did not make lifelong friends. “I have made friends all over the world, but I always saw friends as temporary, so I never felt a loss. I was raised in Bay City, in what was considered a small family. Life was about home and that was my element.”

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Socialization—

Published on by Kathy Baker

“I was very independent and made friends easily and I recall there were never any problems with kids and no one got moved out of the cabins, “said Ruth Wiesen (1957-59).” I don’t remember anyone going home early either. We were all so busy and signed up for activities before we started. In the activities, you were in with other kids from other huts, and if you wanted to switch activities, the counselors would let you.”

Jan Mosier’s good friend Mary Lou Clay went away to Camp Maqua with her in 1947 just before Jan turned eight. Both sets of parents were good friends and Jan and Mary Lou ended up going to college together.

“I usually went to fourth period for the first few years and I never remember being in the first sessions, but I attended for six years until 1952,” she said. “The other great thing about my friend going up with me was that her Mom could drive.  If I stayed for more than one session, my Mom would send up new clothes—all with the labels sewn in.

Jan looked forward to going to camp every year and could not wait,” I guess I was an extrovert and made friends easily. I wasn’t bold, but I certainly got along. Every year I was chomping at the bit to get back to camp. When I look back, I think it taught me tolerance to live with other people and a love for the outdoors.”

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I Was That Girl—

Published on by Kathy Baker

I was the nerd, the pale, buck-toothed, self-conscious, freckle-faced redhead, who befriended another little red-headed camper named Lillian, whose Mom was a cook and a single Mom at a time when single Moms were uncommon. (Ann Meisel 1962-66

I was the little girl, who had a wake-up moment at camp, when the third-grade girls thought I bragged too much about my archery. While pretending to be asleep, they talked about me and my friend Heidi Dean stuck up for me, insisting I was a nice person, which cause me to love her and become humble at that moment. (Debbie Tweedie (1965-72).

I was the middle child between two brothers who felt like staying in the cabins was a wonderful experience because it was like a slumber party all the time. (Pat Purcell, fifties).

I was the camper who came back a second year, but was more homesick than the first and was saved by my counselor Mary Jane Keschman and two weeks with horses. (Judy Crissey 1954+).

We were those girls who came to camp and found friendships that allowed us to be ourselves.

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Forming Bonds Beyond Home–

Published on by Kathy Baker

“I am the only girl with three brothers (and a half sister) in my family and my Dad had just passed away in 1969 when I was seven and he died at home,” said Andrea Gale.” We had lived in Caro, but moved to Bay City. I had just moved and didn’t know anyone. It was a difficult time. My Mom probably wanted to get rid of me for a few weeks because I was a bored and a whiney crybaby when she sent me to camp in 1970.”

“I was shy, introverted and sometimes belligerent. I felt painfully alone. My life had changed with my Dad gone. I didn’t open up. I think camp helped me assimilate even though I was a little homesick at first, then not too much after that. I wasn’t forced to go, but I didn’t really want to be with other girls in bunk beds in a cabin. When I went the following year I felt like a veteran.”

“Camp help to socialize me. My Mom remarried a year and a half later, which made it even harder for me. Camp started me with girlfriends and forced me to be with them more than recess breaks at school. I did love the camaraderie and friendships. It was huge for me in terms of socializing.”

“I developed some sharp skills of sarcasm and found a sense of humor, although for some of my targets, I might have been mean when I finally spoke up. Those were my insecurities showing up. I took a lot of solace and shelter in the kind and helpful counselors at Camp Maqua. I’m sure I had quite a bit of social anxiety during that first summer. I was there to make friends and be entertained,” said Andrea, who does not recall many of the activities she may have tried during the three years she attended.

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Four Girls Find Friendship–

Published on by Kathy Baker

“My first summer in 1965, I was seven years old and I was in cabin one for two weeks’” said Karen Magidsohn. “Every year after that I would sign up for two weeks, but half way through the session I would call and beg to stay for two more. I can close my eyes and still picture myself begging my parents to stay. The phone booth was a massive dark wood booth with folding doors and the phone was on the wall on a little shelf. Finally, my parents just started signing me up for the whole summer.”

“I continued every summer until I became a kitchen aid at fifteen with Pam Hartz, Katie Ayles, and Jen Woodward.  It was 1973 and I was supposed to take driver’s training that summer. The pay for kitchen aid was $100 and that is what I used to take my driver’s class. Pam and I were in the same class and stayed friends our whole life. I can still remember “Beanie” coming to my house to interview me for the kitchen aid job.”

Maggie was from Flint and said she was part of the contingency of little Jewish girls who loved going to Camp Maqua. “That was our life growing up. Going to camp’” she said. “We were either related or we were friends or our parents were friends, and after camp we all kept in touch for awhile.”

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With A Little Help—

Published on by Kathy Baker

There were the introverts, the extroverts, those with friends, those who knew no-one, those who did not fit in and those who made themselves at home year after year at a camp that felt like their second home. The staff always tried their best to make the girls feel comfortable, understanding that homesickness and loneliness were a reality for many of the new girls. Event the older giris sometimes struggled, either as a camper or a staff member, to fit in.

“When a new batch of kids came in on Sunday night, I always wanted to put a name to a face, so by Monday morning I would have their names memorized, “said Nancy Sautter (1968-70). “I would walk around during dinner doing this. Of course, some years it was easier because they might return from the previous year. I remembered the confident girls, Jennifer McLogan, B.J. Henderson, Megan Topping and Jan Schreiber. They were all good kids. Jennifer, who always had an air of confidence, later became a broadcaster on t.v.”

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