Hop On The Bus!

Published on October 3, 2016February 21, 2017 by Kathy Baker Category: 1920's, 1930's, 1940's, 1950's, Blog, Off to Camp Maqua

“Camp Goers Too Busy To Worry About Weather” read the headline from a local Bay City newspaper pasted into the archival scrapbook. “Grade School Registered At Maqua Today: 25 Travel By Bus” was the second headline.

“Too agog about going to camp to care about the gray weather, and too busy lugging crowded bags to bother about rain coats, twenty-five youngsters of grade school age were at the YWCA this morning to board the bus that took them to Loon Lake. Munching candy, and starting to sing before they were even out of town, the crowd made a merry invasion of Camp Maqua for the first camping period of the season”, read the piece from June 26, 1935.

“The girls usually arrived on a bus that left from the YWCA in Bay City”, wrote 1920’s camper Margaret Dahlem in a letter in 1988, “but one rich girl arrived on a white motorcycle.”

There were more ways to arrive in style, as her friend Harriet Crumb could attest to one summer as she stood on the lawn of the lodge. She also rode the bus through Pinconning, Standish, Twining, Turner and Whittemore and into Hale, singing camp songs the entire time and loved the attention she received from the locals as they arrived in town.

“Initially, we were all loaded onto a bus, which belonged to the Y,” recalled Beverly Schlatter (1944-1949), “in front of the old “Y” building. We would meet all our friends there, with our footlockers or trunks packed with clothes or bedding for two weeks. My Dad unloaded the footlocker from the car to the bus and all the parents waved to us. As the bus pulled away, the older girls who had been to camp before, started singing the Maqua camp songs and that’s how we learned them.”

Camp Inspections

Published on September 28, 2016February 21, 2017 by Kathy Baker Category: 1950's, 1960's, 1970's, Blog, Buildings and Property

It was vital to the existence of the camp that standards were adhered to with respect to various state and local agencies. It was the responsibility of each incoming director to become familiar with the standards expected from each one.

The American Camping Association inspected the camp every five years and rated different areas and always gave advance notice, but the State Summer Recreation Camp Inspection was always a surprise visit.

The State Department of Social Welfare changed their policy in the late sixties or early seventies and sent a postcard indicating their day of inspection. It meant a tour of the entire camp, as there was a different person each summer that took a look at the sleeping quarters, Infirmary records, health records of campers and staff, certification of waterfront staff and methods, safety of riflery program, riding area and food handling cards and qualifications of kitchen staff.

The kitchen and surplus food inspection was random and not always yearly, but also done by the State of Michigan Social Welfare Department. Dates were checked on food, how it was stored, conditions of the food storage, and the refrigeration was checked for cleanliness and temperature.

In one of Dorthe Balaskas’ reports, her main concern was staying on top of the cleanliness of the camp for the surprise visits. Disappointed with some of the staff’s lackadaisical attitudes towards cleaning, despite caper charts, she felt the camp was not very clean for a few summer visits.

It was interesting to read some of the reports left in the archives. In the summer of 1954, new screens and block foundations on the cabins had been installed. One of the questions posed at the end read, “Can lake water be used to flush the toilets without ruining the plumbing with sand?”

Minutes from the camp committee dated January 21, 1957 read; ”Miss Taylor reported that the American Camping Association, after a routine inspection, gave 939 points out of a possible 1000 to Camp Maqua. Rated high in administration and safety, but counselors should be 19 years of age or over—well trained in the major responsibilities. Members of the committee suggested that “Accredited by American Camping Associaion” be listed on camp folders.”

Alice Bishop was the camp director in 1960 when inspector Ed Young from the Michigan Department of Social Services interviewed her. Improvements to the camp included a new drinking tap in the camp area and three new cabins (24×24) had been built the previous year. (Senior Village) He was impressed with the neat, clean cabins with racks for clothing and suitcases, which housed seven campers and one counselor, even noting the children seemed “enthusiastic and happy”.

Issues of Society

Published on September 26, 2016February 21, 2017 by Kathy Baker Category: 1960's, 1970's, Blog, Camping Life

The issues of society crept into camp life in some ugly and sometimes disturbing ways, despite the relative isolation of the property. Vague memories from Randi Wynne-Parry (1969-73) included a guy lurking by the bathroom, which put the camp on a lockdown protocol. ‘I liked how aware the staff was of such things,” she said.

“I do remember an incident when Kathy Knish, Cilla Johns and a counselor named Trish were all living at Primitive. It was quite a ways away. We had to dig the hole for our outhouse and paint it. We made our own campfires and I recall two of the girls walked into a clearing and there was a man in a car. They tentatively walked into the clearing and he was lying on the front sear. They ran back to camp, out of breath, to find Judy Moore. For some reason, “said Doris Engibous, “we drove into town to find his car and make sure he didn’t show up again. This was county fair time and the camp wasn’t gated, so anyone could drive in back then.”

Judy Moore was on staff in the early seventies when the trespasser in the meadow was spotted, where the older kids camped. “It was not a good scene. We gathered the troops”, said Judy. (The police arrived and took away a guy who had been pleasuring himself.)

Accidents and Incidents

Published on September 21, 2016February 21, 2017 by Kathy Baker Category: 1950's, 1960's, 1970's, Accidents and Illnesses, Blog

There was “The Great Hay-riding Accident” of 1956, which was a stand out memory for more than one camper. The injuries were varied, according to each girl’s recall of the fifty or more girls who piled atop either one or two hay wagons pulled by tractors.

“In, 1956 the camp sponsored a hayride on a wagon towed behind a tractor. As we started over a bridge or some overpass, the wagon tipped over in a ditch. We were all able to slip off in slow motion, with the exception of one poor girl from my cabin. I cannot, unfortunately, remember her name. As she tried to slide off, the wagon tipped over and pinned her leg, breaking it. We walked back to camp, obviously shaken, with the counselors having us sing songs to keep our spirits up. I remember that I was very upset, and my counselor rubbed my back as I tried to get to sleep, to get me to relax. I have never forgotten her kindness. I think her last name was Webber, but I don’t remember her first name. I think it was Rickie Webber’s older sister and she was a doctor’s daughter,” wrote Dawn Waits.

Jane McKinley, Pamela Watson and Jody Tripp were also on the hayride. Jane recalled the wagon lost a wheel and a counselor broke her arm. Pam thought one of the girls might have lost some teeth. Jody thought there were two wagons of girls singing camp songs. Different memories from different girls.

“All of a sudden, the back trailer turned over and dumped the girls into the ditch. Those who could– walked two miles back to camp. Most of the girls just had scrapes and scratches, but one girl did end up in the hospital,” said Jody.

Nurses, Doctors and Patients–#7

Published on September 19, 2016February 21, 2017 by Kathy Baker Category: 1960's, 1970's, Accidents and Illnesses, Blog, Camping Life, Directors, Counselors, Staff

One of the activity centers that no one ever wanted to have an incident was the waterfront. The waterfront staff were all certified in water safety, Red Cross training and lifesaving. But, there were other causes for concern that did not always entail water.

On the first day of camp in 1961, Margie Barbier fell on some stones and broke her arm, so off to Dr. Payea’s in East Tawas she went, which ironically was her home. Her mother seemed satisfied with her care, but since Margie could not ride or swim, she was forced to stay home with fees refunded.

The business manager, Rhonda Thayer (1974-77), played softball and was in the outfield running backwards when she broke her hand and fingers. With a splinted hand, she had a tough time doing the books with her hand in a claw shape.

Amy Johns admitted she had such a crush on Mel Hurst, a counselor from Hawaii, who was there the last two years of camp. “He made homemade skim boards out of plywood and sanded each one down. He taught the kids how to skim, but took one fall and cut his foot on a rock under the water. I remember the blood squirting in the air. Maybe it was an artery. We put compression on it and off he went to get stitched up at the hospital.”

Camper Debra Osher (1963) went for one week her first time and can still remember whittling a little stick with a little army knife. “I carved my finger instead. No stitches, but it was a long walk up the hill to have someone help me.”

Carrie Norris (1972-73) spent time in the Infirmary for a dose of poison ivy and Dawn Sohigian was also terribly allergic to poison ivy and underwent a series of shots before she went off to camp in 1966, which paralyzed her leg and caused it to swell.

Nurses, Doctors and Patients–#6

Published on September 14, 2016February 21, 2017 by Kathy Baker Category: 1940's, 1950's, 1960's, 1970's, Accidents and Illnesses, Blog

Carol Hulett was the “Camp Health Director” during the time when it was impossible to find a nurse. After her junior and senior years at Albion College, where she majored in Biology, Carol trained under the American Camping Association and “learned to nurse” at camp the summers of 1973-74.

Sue Patenge, director, had recruited her at college and interviewed her the first summer. “That first summer I spent most of my free time with the unattached staff. I had been a counselor and a WSI and had helped out with the horses, so I had plenty of experience,” said Carol, who ended up becoming close friends with Sue after her camping years.

“I was certainly a little apprehensive, but felt ready as I had spent my whole life going to/working at camp. I was a pre-med, so my ego was fairly healthy,” she laughed. “I was also an athletic trainer at Albion College and felt I could handle pretty much anything!”

The last recorded medical staff in the YWCA records was in 1974, with Carol Hulett as camp health director under the directorship of Sue Patenge and local physician Dr.William McCadie was the camp physician.

Girls of Camp Maqua

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