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Summertime in the BelgradesContentsfor Printing
Article Summaries |
C Is For Campby Esther J. Perne C is for Camp, dry or damp, School ends; summer begins. An invasion takes place that has been an integral part of the seasonal flux for over a century. Like the arrival of the loons, the return of the snowbirds, and the Great Pond Mail Boat starting its rounds, the tradition of youth camps coming alive with schedules and rituals, with whistles and bugles, with laughter and song, with beepers and even (alas) with loudspeakers is as much a part of the region as the lakes themselves. Where did it all begin? Originally conceived in the 1880s, the youth camp movement was an answer to the long summer vacation — a schedule dating to the United States' early agricultural economy when children were needed for farm work all summer. It also was a formalization of this country's pioneerism and of the camping/hunting/outdoors lifestyle of man's primitive ancestors. And, it was a desire to escape the stifling indoor Victorian atmosphere. 
Nationally, youth camping started in the mountains of Pennsylvania, on the Rhode Island shore, among the lakes of New Hampshire — all locations conducive to outdoor life. The first organized camps were started in New England and spread throughout the country. Maine once had more well-established private youth camps than any other state, likewise more hunting, fishing, and recreational camps for adults. In 1900 Wildmere in Harrison and Merryweather in Belgrade were the first boys camps opened in Maine, thus establishing both lake centers as the most popular for Maine camps. (Interestingly, camps on the lakes near Readfield, Winthrop, Monmouth, Wayne, and Hartford were considered part of the Belgrade Lakes.) In 1907, girls camps came to the Belgrades: Camps Runoia and Abena opened on Great Pond. A is for Archery, now be careful, Land sports: although camps without a pond, lake or stream were seriously at a disadvantage, a great part of early camp life was spent in field and land activities, with a tendency to get away from the usual type of school sports. Hiking and mountain climbing, horseback riding (almost exclusively in girls camps), riflery and archery, campcraft, and tennis were among the land sport pursuits. Manual training and craft work also figured heavily in the camp schedule. Woodworking shops for boys, loom cottages for girls provided an extensive array of equipment to build and to create. 
M is for Meals that appeals Enlightened social participation, to learn to live so as to be able to take their place in the world as optimistic, socially-minded men and women — that was believed to be the most important task of the early camps. The need for special education in social living was attributed to the early 20th century advent of apartment dwelling and of the small family (especially ones with the lonely single child), where children did not learn democracy and fair play among siblings and in small community social situations. P is for Paddling, water sport, Ah, the pleasure and the benefits of water sports! Swimming, canoeing, sailing, rowing, lifesaving were considered part of a child's education at camp. There was a dual motive: practicality and pure fun. Slogans such as "every camper a swimmer" were not uncommon. It was a time of extensive water travel and swimming meant survival. It also meant fitness and accomplishment. Canoeing — a comparatively new art for the white man — was also set as a goal for every camper. It led to the canoe trip, one of the most popular outings of the camp program. Taken all together, water programs spelled Pageant — a grand spectacle of water sports, social participation, creativity, and camp dry or damp! And that's where it all began.
All pictures in this article are from a Camp Runoia viewbook. The book is not dated, but appears to have been published during the 1950's. | |||
