“The YWCA had always been about service and sending girls to camp,” said seventies staffer Karen Selby, who admitted her coming of age at Maqua included the fact she was the only African America girl at camp with the name Karen and the only African American staffer the camp had had.
“ I noticed there were two types that went to camp. Those who had rich summer friendships and returned summer after summer and those who were middle to upper class, whose parents could afford to send them. Some of the girls showed up with their stuff in grocery bags and may not have even had their own toothpaste. That is when I saw the other side. I never thought of myself as “having” until I came to Maqua. It was more of an understanding, for me, how there were kids raised in poverty and the service and love of the women who ran the camp. It was the beginning of a real understanding for me.”
Doris Engibous (1967-70) saw a similar side to the camp environment. “The independence and self confidence that came from being in a safe, caring, supportive, loving and challenging atmosphere was wonderful,” she said. “It was an adventuresome and athletic environment with generally good people who were really good to each other, especially the counselors. They were smart role models for the campers, who really admired them and wanted to be like them. I suppose there were some little cliques and some levels of hurtfulness that was natural, but it was “snuffed out”, because everyone was there to learn.”
Anne Obey (1960-70) was featured in many Bay City Times articles during her ten years as a counselor and camper. One article, probably in the later sixties, talked about her working with older girls that year. She felt she had much more in common with the older girl, who looked up to her as an older sister, and would confide and discuss their personal problems. The experience was great for a young woman about to major in elementary education at college.
“It’s somewhat different when the girls in your cabin are younger,” the article stated. “Many are away from home for the first time and you have to adjust to coping with lonesome tots and tears. You try to mother them, get them busy in camp activities and give them special attention without ignoring the other girls. Though you oridinarily don’t find much evidence of homesickness among the more experienced campers, they do have cliques and it takes a bit more strategy on the counselor’s part to see that the loner is included by her cabin mates.”
Dorthe Balaskas was the director during Debbie Hawkin’s early sixties camping. She described her as fair and firm, with a strictness that still allowed the staff to all get along together. “When some girls started saying you can’t be my friend, they would be chastised and told you don’t do that here and it was made clear and all those incidents would end quickly.”
The leadership and control of the camp came from the top down, which ensured a happy cohesive camp unit. Did you feel that when you were at camp?