Squam Lakes Conservation Society - Squam Lookout Articles

The above song is a favorite of those of us who were lucky enough - - privileged really - - to go to Singing Eagle Lodge.

The two-month girls camp under the direction of Dr. Ann Tomkins Gibson, “Doc Ann,” was open from 1920 until 1966 on Bean Cove. She had run a camp called Iroquois on Winnipesaukee from 1917 to 1919. When she purchased the land on Squam everything moveable - - songs, teams, camp colors, people - - came with her. Only the camp name, which seems to have been attached to the site, stayed behind. Before opening a camp, Doc Ann had married, had a son, lost her husband, and gone to medical school and become a surgeon. This would be impressive in any day and age, but especially so in her time - - she was born in 1879.

Doc Ann believed in building character. One of her favorite sayings was: “What you are speaks so loud I can’t hear what you say.” She pushed us to be everything we could be. But, she did so tenderly, with a fantastic sense of humor, and we had fun, fun, fun. Being on one of the most beautiful lakes in the world, and on a most beautiful spot on that lake, was icing on the cake.

People came back year after year. For someone to have been there 10 years was not unusual. Almost everyone came for the full two months. And, mothers who had been here sent their daughters. We’re now up to the third generation . . .

Canoe trips and mountain trips were a big part of our lives. On both we always wore our white sailor hats (Doc Ann insisted). We started with Red Hill. Then came Chocorua, Moosilauke or Cardigan, Lafayette, and Washington. We trotted up and down the trails in record time, glorying in our toughness.

Those of us who were there in later years always lamented that we weren’t allowed to do as they’d done in the 1920s and 30s. They got to walk to and from the mountains carrying their bedrolls, and sleep on the summit. They also camped for three days on the Isle of Shoals. In the 1940s, they rode round in the back of a big open truck.

We took canoe trips all over Squam - - day trips, overnights - - off we’d go in our green Old Town canoes. Favorite places to camp were the Loon Islands. We all loved the dinner menu which rarely varied: spaghetti, coleslaw made on a “flutter board” (there was sometimes a bit of sand in it), “bug” juice (punch), and, the piece de resistance, s’mores for dessert. The older girls also had an overnight on Winni or Lake Sebago.

When not out on trips, we did all the expected summer camp sports: track, basketball, softball, hockey, lacrosse, kickball, volley ball, archery, tennis, badminton, ping pong, swimming, diving, canoeing, sailing, and in our spare time, jacks. Each Saturday we had an intense, hard-fought meet, Pines vs. Birches.

As one could predict from the name, we sang, and sang, and sang. We did a big show: a Gilbert & Sullivan up until the 1950’s, then Broadway musicals. We sang at meets, in the dining room after meals, at Council Fire, at Church, and at Hymn Sing. “Dear Lord and Father of Mankind” was our favorite - - supposedly it was written on Squam, but we’ve never been able to verify that. We sang any place, any time. The number of songs we knew (and most of us still know) was amazing - - we could go for several hours (we did on the bus to the mountains), and never repeat ourselves. In addition to singing the standard ones everybody knew, we made up our own words to existing tunes - - about camp, funny ones, gory ones, team songs, and every outing had its own “Trip Song.” Some became perennial favorites; some died a rapid, unlamented death.

We lived in tents right on the water. How grand it was to lie in bed at night and listen to the loons calling and the water gently lapping against the shore. There was no electricity or running water in the tents. Facilities were a half-mile hike away - - and, there the water felt like it was only a degree or two above freezing. Washing one’s hair in it was a brain-numbing test of character. Hot showers, available under the kitchen, were shared with the local residents - - frogs and spiders.

Doc Ann did not do any advertising - - everything was word of mouth. Because of this, campers tended to come from the Philadelphia or New Haven area, or through Rockywold-Deephaven. One was invited. Most of us still have our invitations, carefully preserved in our scrapbooks. If you didn’t measure up, you were not invited back. Period.

Doc Ann was way ahead of her time. She was as expert at Tough Love, concerned with ecology (she was eternally picking up litter), respectful of the original Indian inhabitants of the land and interested in their ways and lore. Women’s lib was not something we’d ever heard of - - but we didn’t need it - - we had the example of this incredibly vibrant, successful woman right there in front of us.

Doc Ann’s shining example, the philosophy she instilled in us, and the friendships we formed in those
days have created bonds that last a lifetime. The land on Bean Cove was sold around 1970, but we have
found a new home at Camp Deerwood. Ever since our first reunion there in 1973, Deerwood has graciously
and warmly welcomed us. There is an active alumnae association that disseminates news and runs reunions.

We couldn’t bear to see our summer home die, so in 1975 (Doc Ann died in March of 1974), a new
two-week girls camp was started by a group of alumnae, and is still going strong. It takes place at Deerwood,
after their season has ended. And so, “way back in the woods,” our heritage is being passed to a new
generation.