1920’s

Taking The Plunge–YWCA

Published on by Kathy Baker

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For Harriet Crumb, who camped in the early twenties, it was tough to face crawling into a cold, wet swimsuit in the morning. “Of course, we swam three times daily, if that first dip can be called a swim. It was a matter of in fast and out fast and how quickly we could dry, dress and be up to the lodge for breakfast—maybe a minute or two in front of the fireplace first. There were no sleepy heads or danger of not being alert and ready to go, once we had the plunge!”

Whether they learned at a pool or in a lake, many of the girls arrived at camp as fairly experienced swimmers. Since the majority of campers came from the Bay City area, it stands to reason that the Bay City YWCA taught many of the girls how to swim.

Wilma “Billie” Smith belonged to the “Y” as a young girl, where she learned to swim before camping at Maqua in the early thirties, as did Muriel Richert, fifties camper. Muriel, who had a fear of the water, loved the lake much better than a pool and enjoyed just hanging in the shallow water with the inner tubes as much as anything else.

“I was thrown off my Grandpa’s boat when I was little and took swimming lessons and was always a fish. I didn’t even mind the cold water at camp,” said Cindy Naylor (1967).

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Stay-overs

Published on by Kathy Baker

There were always a few days between sessions where the girls who attended more than one session “stayed over” and staff had time off. It was a good time to catch up on laundry, drive into Tawas, walk into town, or visit a friend’s nearby cabin.

Only twelve campers stayed over between the sessions and Alice Bishop noted that checkout was very orderly in 1961. Some stayed for the afternoon program, others went to the movies with counselors and a few went out with their parents for the evening.

There was a program set according to Dorthe Balaskas’ 1966 director’s report, which indicated eight or nine staff stayed to help, while others took twenty-four hours off. If they slept at camp, the usual rules applied for time in, boats and waterfront. The staff would have to be back by Sunday at noon for a staff meeting.

Barb Krohn (1970-72) stayed a whole month in her fourth year and slept in the lodge between sessions. “There were not too many of us who stayed, but we would go into town. One of the best parts about going every summer was seeing the same girls.”’

Meg Dahlem, who talked to me about her stay in 1925, thought it was a great treat to be able to walk into Hale for an ice cream during her free time. It was a tradition that continued as long as the camp operated. Penny Mitchell loved the same walks into Hale in the fifties, as did Jennifer Fenton for her favorite bubblegum flavor in the seventies!

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Staffing During the Depression and War Years

Published on by Kathy Baker

thWhile camping before the Depression and World War II was seen as a way for young people to extend their skills and extend their education, it evolved from a middle class activity to a summer program for all economic levels. Camping grew during the years after 1945 and parents encouraged their children to return to nature, especially in organized religiously affiliated camps like the YWCA.

Marilyn Levine, born in 1925, remembered Maqua as the best experience of her life. “I adored it”, she said, “but it was Depression time when I went in 1933 or 1934, so I could only go for one week.”

Dorothy Bonnen was in the ninth grade when she attend Camp Maqua in 1942 during Depression times. It was the only time she had been out of Bay City and it was her first time on a bus and a lake.

Notes left behind in the archives indicated the YWCA sent some of their staff to conferences that pinpointed the war years and the effects it would have on camping. Older people with experience were sought for positions and standards were kept high for their qualifications

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Directors #1

Published on by Kathy Baker

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In the beginning years of the camp, scant references were made in the archives to hostesses and directors. Virginia Leitch was mentioned as a possible first in 1916, with Vera Merriman in 1918, but in the book “Camp Maqua” the gap years not listed were due to un-certainty and verification of the positions. Committee director Adelaide MacCauley, who left notes in the YWCA archives, referenced other women in her historical notes, but when not able to be verified historically, the list remained incomplete.

In 1934 Mrs. Beckwith was nominated by Mrs. Luppert for the position of hostess, according to minutes and ledgers from that era. It appeared she retained her position in 1935 and 1936 and noted she had eleven years experience.

Edna Young, who camped in 1932 and possibly before, was ninety years old when I interviewed her. “I spent a lot of time in the lodge and remember a widowed or divorced hostess named Mrs. Beckwith, who oversaw the dining room. She was an older woman with a daughter my age named Jean, who was able to camp all summer with the girls. Her Mom’s room was in the lodge. I think our camp directors were Miss Lineberger and Wilma Lewis.”

In 1937 Mrs. N.R. Wentworth was mentioned as hostess. No one else was mentioned until 1943, when Margaret Fletcher’s name was brought up by the camp committee and she served until 1945.

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Counselors Share Their Stories #1

Published on by Kathy Baker

IMG_5703“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.

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My____Went There! #1

Published on by Kathy Baker

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One of the first questions asked of each camper interviewed was-“Did you go with a friend or relative, and did your mother, aunts, or cousins attend?”

Barely a girl asked answered no, because generally girls were influenced by relatives and friends, and it was almost impossible not to know someone. But, if by chance you arrived not knowing a soul, friendships were quickly made.

A letter addressed to me arrived in 1989 from Harriet Crumb, who had camped in 1925. Her dear friend Meg Dahlem had driven down the road to see if Camp Maqua still existed, and was the first camper that I greeted the second summer of our purchase of the lodge. Urged by a close friend, Madelyn Race, they attended together.

“I doubt if you could have found two more enthusiastic persons than Margaret and me. We loved Maqua and everything about it and feel it had a definite influence on our lives,” wrote Harriet, who was not only her friend, but also a distant cousin.

Michele Patterson was eight in 1971 went she spent her first week at camp, influenced to attend by the many stories she heard from her Foss cousins, friends in Bay City, sister Stephanie and mother Nancy, who all attended!

Beth Phillips (1972-78) grew up in Essexville and did not make many friends growing up and kept to herself throughout school, but at Camp Maqua it was a different story. One friendship is still maintained, and ironically she had to go to camp to meet Carol Besaw, who lived only a few miles from her home. Her mother, grandmother and a neighbor also attended.

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