Chapter 2 - History of Organized Camping
On-line Lesson

EARLY CAMPERS

·     American Indians

·     Pilgrims, European settlers

·     American campers

EARLY RURAL LIFE

·     98% of population lived in rural areas when constitution was signed

·     today  2% live on farms

·     children grew up as jacks-of-all-trades

·     very little formal school training during winter

·     farm chores provided vigorous exercise

·     socializing and church attendance was popular

MODERN URBAN LIFE

·     as people moved to cities, they lost contact with nature

·     today, children spend 9-10 months in school

·     children get very little exercise, obesity is a public health problem (1980-2008 obesity rates doubled for adults and children in US.  2007-2008 almost 17% of 2-19 year olds were obese.

·     less family time due to both parents working

·     children have a great deal of leisure time  - TV, video games, computer, social networks

·     “spectatoritis”

HOW ORGANIZED CAMPING BEGAN     

Organized camping was originally a “Yankee notion”, started in New England  before spreading across the nation and other  countries.

·     First school camp 1861 – Gunnery School for Boys

·     First private camp 1876 – North Mountain School of Physical Culture

·     First religiously affiliated camp 1880 – The Good Will Farm for Boys

·     First private camp 1881 – Camp Chocorua

·     First institutional/agency camp 1885 – YMCA Camp Bald Head

FIRST CAMPS FOR GIRLS

·     1890 – private camp for Luther Gulick’s daughter, later Camp Fire Girls.

·     1892 – Camp Arey, natural science camp

·     1902 – Camp Kehonka for Girls

DEVELOPMENTAL PERIODS OF CAMPING – 3 classifications according to main emphasis at the time

·     The Recreational Stage 1861-1920

·     The Educational Stage 1920-1930

·     Social Orientation and Responsibility 1930-1970

 The period after 1970 is considered to be the New Directions Stage (1971-1999) - youth culture addressing technology, integration, environmental factors.

HISTORY OF CAMPING PROFESSION

·     1910 – Camp Directors’ Association of America, 11 charter members; Charles R. Scott, first president

·     1916 – The National Association of Directors of Girls Camps; Mrs. Luther Halsey Gulick, president

·     1921 – Mid-West Camp Directors’ Association

·     1924 – the three joined forces as the Camp Directors’ Association of America; George L. Meylan, president

·     1926 – began publishing a magazine called The Camp Directors’ Bulletin, later changed to Camping

·     1935 – CDAA was renamed the American Camping Association, now American Camp Association.

THE AMERICAN CAMP ASSOCIATION (ACA)

Mission – The mission of the American Camp Association is enriching the lives of children, youth and adults through the camp experience.

·     more than 7000 individual members in 50 states/10 countries and  2,481 accredited camps. (ACA Annual Report, 2005)

·     eight categories of membership (reduced rates for students)

·     composed of 5 regions subdivided into 32 sections with conferences and meetings

·     national office located at Bradford Woods, an outdoor ed. and camping center in Martinsville near Indianapolis, IN

·     Publications – Camping Magazine, Guide to Accredited Camps, and Camp and Program Leader Catalog

·     provides leadership training resources in camp counseling & administration

·     developed first nat’l programs in camp director certification & outdoor living skills (OLS) training which transitioned to Leave No Trace (LNT) program.

·     established high standards of accreditation

THE AMERICAN CAMPING FOUNDATION (ACF) – purpose is to raise funds to support needed projects in camping that are not included in the ACA budget.

OTHER  PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATIONS

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