“Archery is becoming a nationwide, popular sport and for this reason is enjoyed by most of the campers,” wrote Nan O’Tool in the July 11,1950 edition of the “Loon”. “With good coaching and practice, campers can become expert Robinhoods.”
In 1969, beautiful bows were on loan from Bear Archery Co in Grayling. and Barb Grey noted in her activity report that she wished she could buy them. Linda Lee Harp was the archery instructor in 1969 and she had detailed descriptions of the equipment, rules and class procedures, safety procedures, and how to work through the series of awards from the CAA. All these notes were a benefit to anyone coming in the following years as an instructor.
The campers had to complete a series of 15 yd. requirements before moving to 20 yds. Only points were recorded, not hits, and the scoring started from the middle yellow ring or bullseye with nine, the red ring with seven, blue with five, black with three and white ring with one point.
The certificates, cards and seals were free, but pins and arrows were paid for out of the campers’ store funds. A round consisted of five ends of six arrows each and most of the time was practice time with scoring at the end of the hour, until it evolved into a class of only scoring.
Alice Shetter commented in the “Loon” on the archery with Norman Neeb as the instructor in 1949. He had the girls string, unstring and aim the bow for their first lesson and after a day or two of practice, the girls felt ready to score for their awards.
Archery and riflery played a very large part in the camper’s experience, as most of them had never drawn a bow or shot a rifle. Some, like Shirley Colbert (1941) had learned before camp. Others like Judy Rawlings learned at camp in the late fifties and continue to this day. Sally Allen learned at camp (1968-73) and saved her medals.
“I loved archery and one time there was a contest and we only had one chance to shoot the top score of forty,” said Minette Jacques (1955). “So, I practiced, so I just knew I could do it. Well, I got a six. I was so disappointed. When the contest was over, I came back later to try it and I shot a thirty-eight! I guess I just didn’t perform well under pressure.”
Mardi Jo Link (1973-78) took archery and was pretty excited that she actually could shoot well. There was a contest when she was in middle school, where one hundred kids entered to win a turkey for their family. Mardi Jo had three arrows and two made the bullseye and the third came close. Of course, she attributed her archery skills to her Camp Maqua days.
“I remember my Dad let me tag along with him hunting. He taped a rifle bullet to the end of my arrow. He told me to show ‘em my equipment,” said Kathy Butsch “ and I laugh now when I think of it.”
Black and blue was the favored colors of archery enthusiasts, as they learned their bruises came with the territory when learning. Anne Duffield (1947-50) decided archery was not for her, as she left bruised. Caryl Ann Abendroth (1953-54), who admitted she was more crafty than athletic, tried archery and came away with a bruised forearm.
Cindy Rose (1968-70) did not even try, since her mother told her that her arms were too short. Elaine Engibous (1961-63) learned that archery gave her tremendous confidence, but it was also where she learned she had no depth perception. “I didn’t realize how crappy my vision was until I tried to hit a target,” said Elaine. Once Carolyn Stanton (1947) was fitted for glasses, her eye/hand coordination also improved for archery.
“I can remember the archery off to the side of the lodge,” said Mickie Kessler, who camped in the forties. “I was unstringing my bow and my hand was sweaty. I had my hand on top and was bending the bow to loosen it to restring and the whole bow flipped and hit me in the tooth. I had a cut lip and a chipped tooth and went back to the lodge. But, if you were old enough to take archery, you were old enough to not cry. It was a good thing my Dad was a dentist, because he just filed it down.”
What were your archery experiences? Did you hurt yourself or master it?
