Friday, March 27, 2009

Two Potgirls: "Daisy" and Elyse

My name is Elyse (Springer) Ellinger and I attended Quidnunc from 1965 through 1968. My first year I was in Sports & Games. Counselors  I remember were Jackie O'Brien, Ruth Klein, Swede, Terp and someone from Georgia with a gorgeous southern accent, and "Cokie", although I'm confused about who was counselor when. There must have been a Danish counselor too because I remember a Danish song that she taught us (sounds like - Den serman han ma leeter, lan meer unt es comp, comp, comp...komfederah hurrah un meer unt es comp), plus having a Danish penpal the next year)   I remember  lots of softball and hiking with those old woven basket backpacks that were filled with food. I remember sleeping in a bedroll and cooking green blueberry pancakes using the lid from a trash can as the griddle (that's why they turned green  - and we survived!).

I also remember the night a bat flew into our tent and we had to wait in some kind of cabin (what was that room?) while the poor counselors bravely tried to get the thing out of there. I most vividly remember my time in Neppies with Peri, Ellen Muth & Maureen "Mo" McConnell; KB and Lena Olson were around too. That was also because my best friend Carol White was there (we met at camp by the way). Carol & I just found each other online after all these years and are having a blast remembering all the great stuff we did at Quid. I loved the canoe trips, especially going down the Susquehanna, shooting the rapids and sleeping on the banks of the river (although the spam is NOT a fond memory). I was never so tan or my arms so strong as after that trip. There was also one doomed portage trip one year; they made us take those dreaded salt tablets (remember those?) and we trekked for miles down the road in the blazing sun with aluminum canoes over our heads. Almost every kid in the unit got sun sickness and we spent a day or so recovering back at camp.

I loved the singing in the dining hall and to this day shake a pot to make sure it's really, really dry. And then there were those great campfires, with more singing. Those camp songs really stuck.

I also remember being a kitchen aide in 1968 although I would most certainly have liked to have that experience wiped from my brain. I will never forget the MacNab family and how they gave us all derogatory, sarcastic nicknames (mine was Speedy) or how they would smilingly chat with one of the black campers and call her "Oatmeal". I'm sure Pam Crabtree would agree that that summer was a horror. The only blemish on my happy, happy memories of Quid.

Camp Quidnunc was what I waited for all year long. It was the reason I remained a girl scout through high school. We did so many fun activities and I made so many great friends.
I had no idea the camp closed down because I've lived in California since 1972, so I'm really sorry that more girls didn't get to experience what was one of the highlights of my life.
I haven't thought about all this in years, so now it's really flooding on back. I'm so glad I found this website. Thanks for making me remember.

Elyse 64-68

OMG!  I just came across your site and I am so excited!  I was in Camp Quidnunc from 1963 to 1967 (12yrs old to 16yrs old).

Ellen Muth was one of my counselors!  Also Boni Evans!  Oh the memories are just rushing back.  My first year I was in Gypsy Skies which was next to Sports & Games just beyond the Dining Hall.

The other years I was in the Waterfront Unit, which was Neppies and then Caravan I think.  My last year I was a pot girl. 
I am a photographer and have dozens of old photos, but am getting a new scanner soon, so it will be a while till I can contribute. 
Do you have a list of emails?  I would love to contact Ellen or Grace Aldag or ?

Please write back, I love your website!!!  My mother also went to Quid in the 1940's and even she's excited!  We were originally from the Bronx, but I am in Minnesota now and she is in Ohio.

Thanks for the blast from the past!!!

Carol "Daisy" White (the Daisy is from when I was a pot girl)

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