Staffing During the Fifties

Published on by Kathy Baker Category: 1950's, Blog, Camping Life, Directors, Counselors, Staff, Friendships and Relationships

10984225_10204855728291497_6453262187238039826_nThe directors during the fifties included Dorothy Jane Dickey (1950-52), Kathleen Geerlings (1953), Janet Adams (1954), Kathleen Dillinger (1955-58), and Shirley Rausch (1959). Unfortunately, no directors’ reports were found in the YWCA pertaining to their years on staff.

Often it was difficult to find staff that could leave their families behind if they were married. Betty McMonagle was the camp nurse from Bay City in 1953 and she brought her eight-year old daughter for the first session of camp.

In 1956, the camp cook and the nurse were told by the committee that they were able to bring their young daughters to camp with them. Mrs. Watson, who cooked for all the sessions except the last, had her nine-year old daughter signed up for camp. The nurse’s daughter was only five, which was far too young to camp, but was at Mrs. Loessel’s side for the duties.

As the season neared, applications were still being considered for the staff and Mr. and Mrs. William Watson, who were the caretakers, were the topic of conversation for the October 1958 meeting. Still undecided as to whether to keep them on as full time or part time, a careful job description was outlined for each member of the staff. By October’s meeting, the committee had decided to replace the caretakers, but later changed their mind and hired Mr. Watson part-time.

The ACA (American Camping Association) noted points in relationship to food, building needs, transportation woes (to and from church) and more adequate housing. The camp morale was believed to be affected by some of the points, so job descriptions were being requisitioned from Flint, Akron and Grand Rapid YWCA chapters.

In September of 1958, there was an oral report given on the present problems around camp, which included men working around camp and the language used at the waterfront. There also appeared to be personnel problems in the kitchen and director “Woody’s” (Kathleen Dillinger) problems with the kitchen staff and her own personal fatigue.

In February of 1959, no cook had been hired and no applicants for waterfront director had been submitted. The committee had decided trained and practical nurses would be considered, if no registered nurses applied for the job. Finding qualified personnel for each season was never easy!

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Staffing During the Depression and War Years

Published on by Kathy Baker Category: 1920's, 1930's, 1940's, Blog, Camping Life, Directors, Counselors, Staff

thWhile 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 nature, especially in organized religiously affiliated camps like the YWCA.

Marilyn Levine, born in 1925, remembered Maqua as the best experience of her life. “I adored it”, she said, “but it was Depression time when I went in 1933 or 1934, so I could only go for one week.”

Dorothy Bonnen was in the ninth grade when she attend Camp Maqua in 1942 during Depression times. It was the only time she had been out of Bay City and it was her first time on a bus and a lake.

Notes left behind in the archives indicated the YWCA sent some of their staff to conferences that pinpointed the war years and the effects it would have on camping. Older people with experience were sought for positions and standards were kept high for their qualifications

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Staffing in the Thirties

Published on by Kathy Baker Category: 1930's, Blog, Directors, Counselors, Staff

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Minutes from the camp committee began on April 1, 1932 and discussed hiring a lifeguard. The Camp Maqua (Loon Lake) property had been operating for less than ten years with waterfront activities. Four males were in contention for the lifeguard position, and Mr. Francis Barnett was hired from the pool of five applicants.

“…after a discussion as to whether to ask a foreign counselor to camp this year or not, it was decided to write the National Committee to see if one could be procured. The report to come in next meeting—a person from Norway or Sweden was the preference this year,” wrote Katherine Adie, secretary of the committee meeting, but it was to be a Japanese girl who came in 1933.

Notes from the minutes from April and June camp committee meetings also mentioned the hiring of the camp cook, scant references to a Mr. and Mrs. Hessler “proving valuable at camp” (presumably as maintenance?) and interviews were onging for the camp hostess.

Six women, Mrs. Belknap, Mrs. Conway, Mrs. Stauffer, Mrs. MacGregor, Mrs. Hal Young and a Mrs. Lamb, were being considered for the position of hostess for the camp. Mrs. Belknap was chosen.{ I can only imagine that she served in a capacity similar to a dorm mother at college and lived in the lodge.)

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Directors #10

Published on by Kathy Baker Category: 1970's, Blog, Camping Life, Directors, Counselors, Staff

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In 1977, Camp Maqua  was still operating as the co-ed Camp Maquois,and Ken Dike assumed the position as camp director. He had been the program director at Camp Iroquois on Sand Lake under director David Bast, and was only twenty-two years old, but had a great resume.

He had already accumulated seven years in camping and four years in directorships at Camp Nelson and Camp Oakes in California on the waterfront and in programming. He had always worked in co-ed camps until his position at Camp Iroquois on Sand Lake.

“The initial offer was for only six months with the possibility of a full time job after that,” said Ken. “I was offered the full time position with the YMCA during the off-season and the camp in the summer. That offer was made because of the initial success of the summer of making a profit of $1,500. It was my choice not to accept it and go back to grad school.”

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Directors #9

Published on by Kathy Baker Category: 1970's, Blog, Buildings and Property, Directors, Counselors, Staff

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Marge Falvey, camp committee director during the early seventies, had been instrumental in hiring  Carol Nieman for the position of camp director in 1975, and had known her family. Carol had been a substitute teacher in the Essexville school system and had done well as a teacher, but somehow her abilities did not seem to transfer as well with her capacities as a camp director, according to some of the interviews of the staff during that period.

““One night there was a food fight in the lodge,” recalled Betsy.Falvey. “ The next thing we knew this food fight had gone from funny to dangerous in about ten minutes. There were about one hundred girls and they were all sliding around on the floor. Carol almost had a nervous breakdown. I remember calling my Mom on the phone in the lodge to tell her Carol was having a breakdown. We were just hoping the health inspector didn’t show up, and we took Carol into a room to calm her down.”

“Compared to Sue and Beanie, she never engendered the same feelings about staff,” said Betsy.. “The Carney sisters, Yakky, Superdoo, and Sue Michelson were all counselors when I was twelve. They were all so close. The last year I was there, Maqua was scrambling for campers. My Mom felt horrible and I know they had girls from Finland, England and Norway. She thought well of Carol’s family and she had worked hard to keep the camp going.”

Amy Falvey noted her mother felt fairly responsible when she saw her directorship was a “trainwreck” in 1973, while her sister Betsy felt her immaturity and behavior led to the demise of the camp. Whether this was accurate or not, it appeared that there were some out of control moments at camp under her leadership, which left an impression on many.

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Memories From Camp Health Director 1973-74

Published on by Kathy Baker Category: 1970's
I worked at Camp Maqua as the Camp Health director 2 summers 1973 and 1974. I was pre-med at Albion College. I had spent my childhood at another YWCA camp, near Flint Camp Tyrone and worked 2 summers 71/72 at Forest Beach Camp in New Buffalo, MI from the Chicago YWCA. As soon as I met age requirements I took the Health Director course so I could keep working at camps but earn a bit more money.
I applied to several camps and Sue Patenge came to interview me at Albion. That first summer was a normal employee/boss relationship but I certainly saw how hard she worked and I can’t tell how how hard the “horse situation” was for her. She was all about the kids and was willing to be silly with the little ones but yes she was much more straight laced with her staff. Please remember she was only 26 herself. We bonded one night when Edna the cook who also stayed in my health cottage woke me up in terrible pain at 2 AM. She had appendicitis and after waking Sue up we took her to the hospital. We got back to camp around 5 AM a little silly and giddy with no clue how we were to manage the meals. We woke up the kitchen aides and yes it was a cold cereal and toast morning.  Sue’s Mother Betty arrived later that day and helped us for the 2 weeks until Edna returned.
We became close friends and kept in touch that off season. I returned in my position the next summer after graduating from Albion. I had been accepted to medical school and intended to pay my way by joining the Navy. I had applied in December and was assured I would be all set. In August I learned I had not been accepted after receiving a letter about ” a few good men” who were later candidates. I had no money and no back up plan for financing school. I scrambled for loans and Sue offered me a place to stay in her home. We became the best of friends and lived together until Early Onset Alzheimers took her entirely too soon.
She was an excellent caring teacher no matter what subject she was thrown into. She was a successful swim team coach and worked hard at a Synchronized Swim team that was hugely popular selling all 3 nights of their performances. The desire to travel and just the need to decompress fueled her decision to retire from her summer job at Maqua but she never forgot the good times or people she met there.  She was always willing to help her fellow teachers and was well liked. Because of her I became the team physician for her high School Mt Clemens and continued even after her illness. Her teacher friends became my friends and helped my decision to practice in Mt Clemens and I treated many of the staff and family of MC schools. AS I said before Sue never met a stranger and could talk to every type of person. She never talked down to her students or their parents and taught me much about acceptance. I taught her to love cats and we always had at least one.
On another subject, I can’t remember the waterfront ever looking bad and never saw a parent upset with her. The year we had the exchange counselors she took them traveling around Michigan after camp before school started for her and they were to fly home. She drove and arranged places to stay at no/low cost to the girls. Yes she was strict but that was because it was all about the kids and she was receiving pressure from the YWCA to save money but not change the quality. She set high standards for herself and her staff.
Carol Hulett