Additional information
by Kenneth Edward Bingham (Author)
GROTON SCHOOL CAMP, the first summer camp in the U.S. for the "underprivileged boy" of the city, was established in 1893 on Willoughby's Island in New Hampshire along the beautiful Asquam (Squam) Lake. This Camp, as well as other social programs for wayward and neglected children, became a hallmark of the Progressive Era (1890-1920). Many of our child-related laws and attitudes about the child blossomed during this period, as "reformers" articulated a new vision of what childhood could and should be. While this book includes a general history of organized camping in the U.S. and what led up to it, these pages also capture the day-to-day activities at Groton School Camp. The portal into early Camp life is supplied by fascinating photographs and the original Camp journal, written by the Camp founder, Endicott Peabody (also founder of the prestigious Groton School of Groton, Massachusetts) and his brethren. We can only appreciate how far we have come when we look back at where we started. Bingham's story takes us from a time of changing attitudes towards the "child"-in the late 1800's-to the genesis of the Camp idea-on through the Groton School Camp years-and finally to the current Mayhew Program-an organization for at-risk boys. (All profits from this BOOK go to the Mayhew Program)
Author Biography
THE EDITOR, KEN BINGHAM, was born the youngest of seven in 1947 in Brockton, Massachusetts. His father died in 1955 leaving his mother to raise the rambunctious four boys and three girls alone. Toughing it out, she raised all of them successfully. Bingham has especially fond memories of his camping days at Groton School Camp. Mr. Paul Abry was the Camp director then. According to Bingham, "Mr. Abry and the Groton School Staff ran a wonderful program for us ragamuffins, and treated us special. Summer Camp was a big deal for us kids." Bingham's passion lately is to help nonprofits--like Mayhew--promote their organization through the use of their own rich history.
