The legacy of camp songs continued to be passed down through the generations as campers and staff sang the camp songs to husbands, friends, children, grandchildren, nieces, nephews, patients in their practices or students in their classrooms.

The songs and singing were a standout to Audrey Graff (1948), who taught all three of her children the camp songs and they sang them on car trips. “There was a nice feeling of sitting at those big tables after a meal singing rounds. Or the circle we formed at the end of the day, squeezing hands while we sang “Day Is Done”. I also loved being in my cabin hearing the Loon songs and “Taps” at reveille.”

‘It ws a great time day in and day out,” said Sarah Smith, whose camping years spanned 1968 through 1975. “When I left, I wanted to go back. My husband hears me mention Camp Maqua and when I sing the “Welcome To Camp Maqua” song, he and I both know that the song is hardwired into my brain and he understands. He camped at Bronx House for fifteen years and was a counselor and had all his firsts at camp.”

Nancy Weber (1962) knew all the camp songs from her sister before she ever arrived! “I have a degree in teaching and counseling and I am now a public speaker, but I sang songs to my kids when I was teaching that made me a hit. “Ga-goon went the little green frog one day-ga-goon went the little green frog,” sang Mary, who loved the folk songs from the Peter, Paul and Mary, John Denver era. “Different songs for different eras…all those experiences and relationships influenced my career.”

Shirley Colbert (1941) still sings the camp songs to her grandchildren. “One of the best things I ever decided to do was to go back to college and get my teaching certification in reading after raising my three kids,” said Shirley, who already had her degree in journalism from MSU and worked with Scouts and taught in Florida.

The songs were such a huge part of sixties’ camper Sue Augustyniak’s life that she taught them to her children and also sang them on road trips. The sentimental “Today” was sung at her mother’s funeral, and she recalled “Beanie” led the older girls in those types of sentimental songs. In her younger camping days, she liked the rambunctious songs directly after meals—like “Boom Boom”.

“My kids stopped going to the grocery store with me because I was always singing the Wishing Boat song,” laughed Jan Mosier (1947-52), whose daughter described her as a “sing-songy” Mom.

Marcia Sherman taught her sister in the forties’ and they would sing while doing the dishes growing up, then taught her grandkids ‘SkidAMaRinkyDink” as soon as they could speak.

Singing was Sandy Indianer’s favorite activity in the sixties’ and she taught all the songs to her kids, laughing as she launched into a song that she guaranteed would eliminate all “earworms. (“Blowing Your Horn” came down the phone!) “Those songs are the thread that held everyone together,” said Sandy, who agreed that some still make her cry.

My daughter still rolls her eyes when I start singing the camp songs, “ said Helen McLogan (1972-74) and proceeded to sing the entire version of the Paderwski song, which she also claimed would also erase any earworm in one’s head!

Other campers who sang to their own children were Laurie Cone (1962-68) Anne Essau, Dawn Sohigian (sixties’ and seventies’), Dorothy Niedzielski (1946-47), and Amy Johns (1967-78). Amy would go into her kid’s rooms and sing “Rise and Shine” or try to embarrass them with the songs. Laurie sang to her son in the bathtub.

Cindy Naylor (1967) continues to play the piano and Kim Moore (1967-72) still plays the piano and keyboard at church. “My husband could never understand how I could remember all those camp songs, I sang them to my two daughters and my first concert was Judy Collins, which I reveled in,” said Kim.

Some had their kids come home from camp singing the same songs, like Amy Falk (1971-74). Kathy Krohn (1965-68), who felt like she sang for breakfast, lunch and dinner and everything in between, said she mouthed nonsense when she did not know the words and is so happy to have the real lyrics posted on the Camp Maqua Alumni page!

Nancy Michelson used to sing the songs from the sixties’ to her daughter to get her to go to sleep. “You Are My Sunshine” and “Remember the good times you’ve had here—remember when you’re away—“, but it turns out that she is not an outdoors girl and she never went to sleep and I still can’t carry a tune.”

Did any of you sing camp songs to family or others?