The friendships of camp often began before sessions even started!. Many knew friends from school or had cousins who attended at the same time and numerous women stayed in touch their whole lives after meeting new friends at camp. Young girls Helen Hasty (1943-50) met at Camp Maqua would go on to become some of […]
Helen Hasty
Garb—-
Patsy Walsh (1938) remembered one of the sweet girls in the bunk above her had jeans. “I was so fascinated. I had never seen girls in jeans. She let me wear them and I was so excited! We always wore shorts or dresses. Honestly, it was one of the highlights of being there. I felt sharp. […]
Smoking–
Helen Hasty recalled the clouds of smoke that billowed around the big tent behind the lodge in the early forties. (“Smoke virtually rolled out of the couselors’ smoking tent!”) Some years smoking was no big deal and other years, the directors warned the counselors about smoking on the premises. Lucille Greenwald (1947-50) had the […]
Swimming Tests–
“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 […]
Taking The Plunge–Summer Homes
Two of the girls who swam in Saginaw Bay had their skills in place for swimming at camp all ready by the time they arrived. Lori Fobear (1975-76) grew up one block from the bay and loved to swim. Barb Ballor (1951-55) summered there. Other girls either rented summer cabins on lakes or had family […]
Staffing During the Depression and War Years
While 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 […]