“I did not get homesick until I got a letter from my Mom,” wrote Beth Phillips (1972-78). Her mom and her grandmother had both gone and knew what Camp Maqua was like, so her grandmother would enclose $2 for the camp store for Beth to spend. “We were always excited to buy a snack after a meal.i
JoAnn Kern sent a letter from the summer of 1953 on Camp Maqua stationary, which she had sent to her parents and sister in her girlish penmanship and delightful phonetic spelling.
“Dear Mom, Dad and Mimi-Today we were in line to eat “breckfest” and Virginia said she felt dizzy and (nausa?) she grabbed hold of me and fainted “thay” took her to the hospital and she stayed there till noon. I love camp and hope to go two weeks next year. We went horseback riding today “witch” is Thursday and learned the learned the lead a horse mount, dismount, know how to put on and take “of” a saddle, turn a horse both ways and ride. I had a horse named lightning that want to do nothing but eat. Did I ever have “troble”. (I won’t take him again!) We have a rest period from 2-3:30. I woke up 15 minutes to 6 (the other girls woke me up). At night we tell ghost stories till we run out. (the “constler” does to.) She is our teacher. You can write to me I found that out. I am in “inormedeant” 1 in swimming. I ‘past” the swimming tst “wich” last 5 “minents” so I can take “canoing”. The girls are all so nice “ever” one helps one and other. The girls in our hut are putting on a play and I am in it. I can play tennis and it is fun. My duties are Thursday-dishes Friday—wastebasket and yard. Saturday cabin cleaning Sunday day off Monday big “Bronie” (bathrooms) Tuesday hopper (set table) “Wensday” dishes. Mom, when you “brout” me I was to eat at home and not here but they let me. My swimming class “teach” at Bay City ish ere. We didn’t have a basket so when we had the shame flag for having papers on the floor a girl told her by for now, Jo Ann PS to Marily I want a letter from you so be sure to write JoJo xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx ooooooooooooo
Julie Hutchins was eleven years old when she sent the black and white campfire postcard from camp with the three-cent stamp on it in 1960. “Sorry I couldn’t write to you until I got your address, when you sent the letter. I got the return address, but I’m having lots of fun and a little home sick. You know who, Julie”
“After I had been to camp a few times I asked my parents to send me mail while I was there because getting stuff at mail call was fun. One year days and days went by and everyone else in my cabin was receiving mail but me, “wrote Valerie Monto (1964-68). “I was getting pretty bummed out so my fellow campers made me some mail and gave it the person who gave out the mail to give to me. That shows how really well we all got along and how thoughtful we were to each other.”
She included a scan of her letter;” Dear Val, How are you. I am fine. I heard that the cabin achieved first place. I’m very proud of you. Keep up the good work. Do you have horseback riding today. Do you think you are doing well in swimming? Just try your best. Everyone knows you will try. Love, Us in 7”
The shining goodness of bunkmates in the letter made one little camper so happy, but not all little girls wrote happy things in their letters and postcards. Carole Cross (1974-75) wrote home; “Bad week with Wendy, Nancy, Kathy and Jill and Ann and Maria. They are realy mean. I want to go home now. I miss you very much. Love Carol.”
Amy Falk spent two weeks at camp (1971-74) and did not know the world outside her town. She left with her diaries and her address book, and would write to a few girls for a while after she left camp, but never kept in touch for too long. One year at college, she had a fellow camper in her dorm, and they still talk about camp.
And this poignant reminder of promises to keep from Beth Phillips (1972-78) –“The more I think of camp, and this has never left me, I had a girl named Sarah Fisher from Bay City befriend me the last year or two I attended camp. I recall she was there only one week and I was there two. She asked that I write her after she left. I said I would. I didn’t. She wrote me. I remember telling her with a big smile that she would not send me three letters at once, because if someone got three or more letters in one day, you got called up front of everyone at meal time. She wrote me like she said. I failed. To this day, I have thought about this so many times over the many years, how I must have hurt her. If I learned anything from camp, and because how this still bothers me, I do what I say I’m going to do. This, of course, didn’t kick for some years. But, I think because of that one incident, what must have been a huge disappointment for a little girl and at the time was so small to me, but is still with me, I try to follow through with everything I say I am going to do. I do wonder what happened to her. I lived in Essexville and she in Bay City—so close. Just next door.”
Did you keep in touch with girls from camp once you left?