Finding Horses—

Published on August 16, 2017August 15, 2017 by Kathy Baker

The first mention of horseback riding at camp in the minutes came in June 1935, when lesson fees were posted. (Six lessons for $4.50, 10 for $7.25 and 15 for $10.50.) There was not another notation until March 1936, when the committee had secured Ted Callender, who furnished the horses and two weeks of riding for $5 for eight lessons.

In 1937, Bud Fortin was hired to handle Bud Demick’s horses at camp and served as the instructor, with eight lessons for $6. Not another mention from the committee about horses was noted until a short paragraph in the “Loon” on riding in 1949. Carol Husted wrote, “—happy to see Geri Fleming back as riding instructor for another year” and the list of levels of riding classes. The new horses were also listed—Silver, Vic, Trixie, Salt, Peanuts, Ena and Jip. Geri, the instructor, rode Gay.

There were concerns about obtaining horses for the summer season in the minutes of June 1955, but it appeared that none were found, as the following summer the minutes mentioned a reconsideration for horseback riding lessons, with conditions not mentioned, but occasional riding trips included. In 1957, the minutes mentioned that horseback riding was offered.

In May 1959, notes indicated that Mr. Matthew’s horses had been sold, which meant they had been used in 1958. The committee was looking for another source and if no horses could be found, horseback riding would not be offered.

By 1960, a new riding ring was being considered by the committee.The Dept. Of Social Services report from that summer listed the riding areas as extremely poor and hazardous, with temporary stakes in the ground and low wire.

By1961 the new riding ring was built next to the new softball diamond. Fifty-eight girls signed up that summer for the riding program, with fourteen horses. (About thirty-two to thirty-eight girls rode every day.)

During the interim, horses were not mentioned again until the March 1962 minutes, when Mert Webb informed the committee that he had sold his horses, but would be willing to handle the horses for an advance of $800 to secure them. He furnished them again in 1963, 1964, (presumably 1965?) and in 1966 a mention was made in Dorthe Balaskas’ directors report.

The horseback riding program had fifty-four riders in the first session, fifty-six in the second, sixty-one in the third and sixty-two in the fourth, which was up from the previous summer. (Mr. Webb provided four camperships to ride.)

“It was a tremendous load off my mind to have Ollie back as riding director and I sincerely appreciated the fine job she did,” wrote Dorthe. “We did not have a part-time staff assistant in riding, but Ollie found a lady in Hale to teach two classes and she worked out very well.”

And then there were years the “horse-riding program” used long-eared mules! Carla Wilhelm (1945-49) loved the horseback riding and the side trips they took, but said they saddled the mules like horses.

Were you ever part of the program when there were mules? Or were you there during a year when horseback riding was not offered?

More Overnights–

Published on July 5, 2017June 28, 2017 by Kathy Baker

Campouts were always an adventure, whether they were away from camp or nearby. Edna Young (1932) shared her experience of her local hike. “One day we took an overnight hike about a mile and a half and planned to sleep on the shore, but we had to come home because a storm came up. The lake was not very populated and we had hiked to a place called “Recreation Hill”, which was to the right of the camp as you look across the lake. We walked home holding hands and later the counselors went across the lake to get our blanket rolls by boat. It was nasty and we stayed close to shore. They were might worried about us and there were big lights by the boathouse to direct us back home.”

Susan Bradford (1965) recalled a trip to Rollways for several days with the older girls, when they slept in a pavilion in sleeping bags on a bluff overlooking the AuSable River. “It was a huge gorge with hundreds of steps that took us down to the river. At night we told scary stories, made S’mores by the campfire and enjoyed having our outing away from the younger campers.”

Overnights were always special for Molly Olson and Judy MacNicols(1946), even when they just canoed to the right side of Loon Lake to Hale Park. “We did have an overnight canoe or rowboat trip across the lake for a campout with no tents,” said Judy, who remembered the rowing, campfire with hot dogs and sleeping on the ground “roughing it”.

In 1955 Minette Jacques said only the good swimmers were allowed to take the rowboats and camp overnight at Hale Park, where they made pancakes over the fire. A second overnight was on Chapel Hill with foil hobo dinners, but the fun trips were in the back of the pickup truck singing “We Are The Girls From Camp Maqua” all the way to Rollways, where they camped under the pavilion.

Just Add Water!

Published on June 14, 2017June 12, 2017 by Kathy Baker

Docks, floats, rafts and boathouse took on many shapes and forms to create swimming and boating areas on Loon Lake over the course of fifty-four years at Camp Maqua. Floats were made with drums fitted to them (donated by Imperial Oil) in 1933, according to notes in a ledger book

“Removed front half of the platform (ruined by lake ice) and moved it up to shore”, read committee notes in 1951 from the YWCA. A new raft was also built, 100 ft. of permanent dock was installed and six new rowboats, several paddles, a new job for the Snipe and new buoys completed the list of boathouse needs.

In other years, supports were added to the boathouse and pavilion that once graced the formidable structure. A wall of piles at the end of the pavilion served as a protection against the ice moving the supports during the cold winters.

In the early years there were boat competitions, according to Meg Dahlem (1925), where the winner received the Bracken Fern Award. Rowboats, sailboats, and canoes turned into parade floats. In the later years, kayaks were added to the boating fleet, and water skiing was taught.

Swimming Tests–

Published on June 12, 2017June 12, 2017 by Kathy Baker

“Swimming was always the main outdoor sport. Beginners advanced to red caps and once they could swim fifty yards, jump into the water over their heads, float on their backs and fronts and complete a dive kneeling from the raft, they earned a green cap. A blue cap was earned when the girls could swim every stroke, surface dive and swim 125 yards,” stated a news article in 1937 about the swim program at camp.

“Red caps at 9:30. Green caps at 10:30. Boating and canoeing at 3:00 and general swim at 4:00. This is how we run our waterfront,” said Nan Lipsett, the 1949 waterfront director in an article in the “Loon” Julie Ford, Helen Hasty, Jerre Johnson, Bertie Van Welt and Dee Weinberg all assisted on the waterfront that summer.

“As always, swimming is the bright spot in everyone’s day at Camp Maqua,” the article continued. “Many beginners passed into the ranks of green cap this period and more passed from green to blue.”

On her first day at the waterfront, Debbie Pennington (1961-62) was forced into the boathouse by the weather as she waited her turn for her swim test. “It was freezing and raining and we had our towels wrapped around us, shivering. I know it had to be nerves and I could feel it coming. I threw up all over the girl in front of me. I know she had to be floored and I was so embarrassed.”

Swimming Across Loon Lake

Published on June 5, 2017June 5, 2017 by Kathy Baker

In August of 1929, an article entitled “Maqua Leader Swims Length of Loon Lake” appeared in a local paper. “Kathryn Gudscheinsky, a Camp Maqua counselor, swam two miles in fifty-one minutes to the opposite shore, but the high waves made the journey longer for her return. Without a pause on that shore, she made it back in one hour and fourteen minutes.”

Edna Young, who remembered her one-piece wool bathing suit in 1932 at camp, swam the entire length of the lake at age twelve “camp to camp”. As a junior counselor, she taught swimming and said many of the girls used to swim the lake, but very carefully. “I always wanted to swim and I knew how to swim and had great instructors. I got my junior lifesaving certification through the Red Cross program, ” said Edna.

Camper Marsha Immerman (1947-53) remembered the older girls swimming across the lake, accompanied by a rowboat. Still worrying about the weeds in the middle of the lake and the leeches, she managed to swim the length despite her fears.

“I learned to swim at the high school and I could walk there, so I was a good swimmer and I was always proud of that,” said Carolyn Stanton (1947). “I couldn’t see because I was nearsighted, but I didn’t need to see to swim. I think I got glasses around the sixth grade because I remember I was the tallest girl in the class and I had to sit in the front row to see the board. I never got any leeches on me, but I do remember I swam across the lake with another girl and a counselor rowing beside me.”

Taking The Plunge in Cold Water!

Published on May 17, 2017May 17, 2017 by Kathy Baker

“I learned to swim at camp,” said Carol Requadt (1945), “and although I would hover in the background at the lake, there was a day I will never forget. I wasn’t getting what I needed as far as swimming instruction because I was shy. It was a cold day and the waterfront instructor was in the cold lake shivering, but she taught me everything. I earned my blue cap and could swim to the blue raft. I think I was the smallest one out there and I had a fear of the “blood suckers”, so that was my incentive to swim and not put my feet on the bottom of the lake. Swimming was everthing to me and that was the most wonderful day to me—the day I learned to swim in that cold water. I will never forget it. In fact, I swim to this day and it has been a life long passion.”

The leeches were a fear for a huge majority of the campers, but we will get to that at a later time. Swimming was traumatic for many of the girls for other reasons. Anne Duffield had a much gentler swimming experience in 1947 at camp, after a woman had tied a rope around her waist at the age of six and threw her into deep water.

Layla Rose Hennes was always an apprehensive swimmer. As a camper in 1939, she finally learned at camp, but never learned to love the water. Marge Niedzelski (1946-47) felt as though, (compared to her sister), she was not a good swimmer, but advanced far enough to use the canoes. Audrey Graff (1948) was excited at how long she could tread water and progressed to lifesaving.

Girls who hated to put their faces in the water or get their hair wet, like Kerry Weber, finally learned to swim in 1952 at camp. Janice Moore (1953) was just thrilled to place third in a sidestroke race.

Girls of Camp Maqua

My Book ~ Your Story

1930’s