With this, nature was no longer readily available to people. Education professionals started to wonder how this disconnect from the natural world would affect the children, as many of their fondest memories were times of unstructured play and discovery. A worry that the children of the present would not experience this sort of freedom emerged—and from it—a brilliant solution. A solution that has carried through to the 21st century, and from which a billion-dollar industry has arisen: summer camp.

 

In the early 1920s, amidst the emerging industry of camp, a man named Fred B. Philbrick started Camp Waukeela on the shores of Crystal Lake in the foothills of the White Mountains. The small camp was a great success, attracting kids from the busy streets of Boston, as well as many from the local area. Waukeela was unique in its care of and belief in young girls’ ability to be independent. The 1920s at Waukeela were filled with adventure. Campers and counselors lived in simple platform tents and spent their days riding horses down the not-yet-paved roads of Eaton. By the 1930s, the simple platform tents had been transformed into rustic wooden cabins whose walls would soon be filled by camper’s names. Waukeela was a special place, and people who came to it would often stay for many years, feeling a strong sense of belonging.

 

Not much has changed since the beginning of camp. The world is, of course, very different than it was 100 years ago—and camp has had to adapt to these realities—but people who visit camp after 50 or 60 years still say they see it just the same as they did back then. It still has that same powerfully magical feeling that started all those years ago. Still, children seek independence and friendship while being bolstered by the assurance that they are, in fact, capable. And, of course, at camp are able to nurture a deep and holistic connection with nature in a world where, for many, access to natural beauty is waning.