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CAMP HISTORY
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Once upon a time long, long ago … when most families did not own cars, the first 'Laga girls took the trolley in Burlington down Pine Street as far as Flynn Avenue --whereupon they disembarked and walked in to Oakledge. At that time, Oakledge was owned by Mr. Seward and Lila Vanderbilt Webb (Shelburne Farms), and they allowed their property, a summerhouse and unused at the time, to be the site for a trial summer camp for girls by the newly formed Vermont YWCA. It was 1919, before most of us were born. The attire that summer -- and for many seasons following -- was dark green serge pleated bloomers (the kind you had to wear way, way high on your anatomy and then they folded over and came just above your knees), long white cotton stockings, long- sleeved white middy blouses, high laced sneakers, and on Sundays long green ties "tied just so." Approximately fifty campers had the distinct pleasure of eating on the big porch, swimming off the rocks and sleeping "all over the place". Since having a camp for girls proved to be a successful venture for this newly formed group, the founding ladies got on with the job. They acquired land in Grand Isle on its west shore where a family camp named "Idleease" had been run, and settled in for what proved to be a six-year stint. This location would become known to many campers as Birchcliff. Post cards and photo albums, which have fortuitously fallen into our hands, tell us that they had a large main house, many tents nestled under the trees, docks, rowboats, and a float. The house had two large rooms, one for dining and one for recreation, with three rooms upstairs - one the infirmary. The girls took excursions to Cumberland Head, Ticonderoga, and to Ausable Chasm …but never was the word ABNAKI mentioned! In October of 1925, this property was sold and in November 1925, 21 acres of land was purchased in South Hero from Horace and Nellie Wadsworth, thus assuring the happy continuation of the project. Exactly when the first three buildings were built has not yet been unearthed, but $6430 was raised in 1926 for the building thereof so we are assuming that camp went on uninterrupted, the Lodge and Wigwaum were built where they still stand today (thank heaven) and the Craft House up on the hill near where the tennis courts would eventually go. Our stone steps, which were built "rock upon rock and thus can not be harmed by flood, storm, or fire," were dedicated with these very words to Miss Marion Gary at a ceremony on July 16, 1927, by Miss Rose Lucia. Thus, decades of campers have gathered there for step singing, evening program, swims, picnic suppers and even Alumni Reunion Chapel Services because of the forward thinking of these very first ladies who also donated them. A diving float with a chute was another gift and this one gave a new sense of class to the waterfront. In the fall of 1927, Mason S. Stone created the Alma Wright Stone Trust Fund with $6000 in his wife's name. From Horace and Nellie Wadsworth, we then acquired an additional 8.5 acres of land that extended our shoreline another 500 feet. At this time there was one single tent line leading north to a chapel by the lake. Rows of pine trees were planted between the entrance road and the tent-line. They were all 8 to 10 inches tall and barely visible in the tall grass, and were a gift from Rose Lucia. The next addition to Laga's idyllic summers was two tennis courts in 1929, just above the Craft House. These two courts had to suffice through many years of heavy usage. This scribe and her tent mate remember going up to play at 5:30 a.m. - the only time we young counselors could get any playing time at all. Then there are the poplars. Campers and their families raised the dollars to see that they were planted where they would greet us for decades. Their leaves with silver sides showing to remind us of coming rains still rustle in the winds today on those few trees left standing - even after being topped by the Ice Storm of 1998. Next some of the Alma Stone Fund dollars were used to build a Junior Cabin which was situated handily just across the road from the Long House, in which there were sinks and johns/lous and (?) one shower. Thus, the juniors could be lulled to sleep by the slamming of the doors across the way as the older girls prepared themselves for whatever they dreamed up after TAPS. The first Hochelaga Song Book was published and included such present favorites as Smile all the While, Ki Yi Ki Yikus, One Nine Whatever, and TAPS. |
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