Northeast Music Camp

Northeast Music Camp, Ware, Massachusetts, USA

This camp was started by Arthur and Ellen Booth in the early 1970's in Ware, Massachusetts. The Booths had previously been associated with New England Music Camp in Maine. They left NEMC in 1969. In about 1971 they started Northeast Music Camp with help from Ruth and Jim Steffy as well as Nancy & Jim Sandahl. Jim Steffy was the first Band Director. Ruth Steffy worked in the camp office in the early years. In the early years the Sandahls were the Head Counselors and assistant Directors. Don & Donna Kitson assisted with maintenance and the office work during the 1970's. In later years the Kitsons were the Head Counselors. Marianna "Ma" Willard was the Registrar for many years.

The camp was located on Hardwick Pond Road which became Turkey Street right in front of the Inn. The Inn was the home of the music staff. Hardwick Hall was an old barn that had been converted into a music hall large enough to house a full orchestra and audience. The Dining Hall had a room large enough to feed all the music staff [usually around 20] , counselors [usually around 18] , nurse and secretarial staff as well as 175 campers in a sitting. The Dining Hall also had a full kitchen, practice area, Canteen for candy and such, and a shower house on the side. The nurses building was just to the left of the Dining Hall. The Booth's house was across the driveway from the nurse's house. Originally there were at least 2 practice cabins behind the Dining Hall but in later years a single practice cabin was located behind the Dining Hall.

The Camp had three Boy cabins and five Girls cabins.

Boys Cabins were:Sousa [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Philip_Sousa] - youngest - age 10 - 12Ellington [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Duke_Ellington] - age 13 - 14Ives [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Ives] - ages 15 - 18

Girls Cabins were:Copland [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aaron_Copland] - age 10 - 11Gershwin [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gershwin] - age 12Hanson [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Howard_Hanson] - age 13Harris [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roy_Harris] - age 14Thompson - age 15 - 18

In addition on the lower camp there was a Head Counselor's Cabin, a recreation storage shed, an Arts & Crafts Cabin, a shower house, a practice cabin that was later dedicated to drums and then became the Counselor's lounge. An old cabin in the woods was used as the Nature shack for many years and then as the Counselor's lounge in the 1980's until it was torn down.

In the early years large tents were used as practice spaces. In about 1982, a series of small cabins were constructed that 2 people could practice in. A few of these had old pianos in them.

On the grounds were also a very large field that had a baseball diamond, softball diamond, 4 square courts, tether ball courts, two tennis courts and Volleyball courts. A tall flag pole with a bell was located directly in front of the Head Counselor cabin. Every morning and evening a flag ceremony was held at which point a trumpet played as the flag was raised or lowered and folded. Announcements were made at these times. For many years there were benches that spelled out the letters N M C that were designated smoking areas. Obviously things were different back then.

The camp was located on Hardwick Pond and had a beach and 2 boathouses. The camp owned five or six large aluminum canoes.

The camp offered private instrumental lessons for most orchestra and band instruments as well as vocal and piano. Every 2 weeks a large concert was held to showcase the talents that would have the Concert Band, Chorus, Treble Choir, Orchestra and Jazz Band perform. Generally each played 4 or 5 songs that they had learned during the last 2 weeks.

The camp also offered a variety of non-music activities including tennis, camp craft, arts & crafts, canoeing, swimming, soccer, field games, archery, etc.

In about 1976 a new game system was developed called the Color Corps. The camp was divided into four teams [four colors] that worked throughout the season to win the right to be the Color Corps Champions. They competed in many different events throughout the summer. The Color Corps Champions were: 1976: Heredity, 1977: Gold Rushers; 1978: Navy Neurotics; 1979: Sublimes; 1980: Lavender Lunatics; 1981: White Lightning; 1982: Hot Pinks; 1983: Elemonators; 1984: Brown Sugar; 1985: Ultra-Violet Rays; 1986: Summertime Blue; 1987: Khaki Jacks; 1988: Frustration; 1989: Ablackadabra.

On Wednesday nights the Music Staff would present a Recital. On Friday nights the campers would present a recital. Sometimes Les and Terri Cambell would come and do special slideshows. Saturday's were either concert day or a field trip day. Most of the campers would ride to nearby Tanglewood or Sturbridge Village. Sometimes a field games, water sports competition or a carnival would be held on the weekends.

The camp offered two week sessions in multiples up to eight weeks until 1987 when the season was shortened to six weeks due to the expanding school years. The week prior to camp start-up was known as Counselor Week when the counselors would come in and clean and fix the place up. Schedules were developed and classes were prepared during this week. Near the end of Counselor week the music staff would begin to arrive.

In 1986 Mr. Booth passed away after a long health issue. At that time Mrs. Booth brought the Sandahls back to NMC to act as the Directors. They did this for the 1987, 88 and 89 seasons. At the end of the 1989 season the camp closed permanently as NMC.

Prior to the establishment of NMC the facility was a camp named Camp SHARI, established in 1924, and owned by Paul B. Feinberg, 22 Church Street, Ware, Mass. Enrollment was 100 with 25 staff, and run for boys and girls. The fee in 1934 for $350. By 1940 the camp was known as SHARILAWN for Girls and SHERWOOD for boys. The owners were Mr. and Mrs. Paul B. Finby, 325 West End Avenue, New York, N.Y. The fee in 1940 was $300, and it was claimed that the camps had been established in 1919. The camps apparently closed in the late 1950's, and were reopened for several years starting in 1963 as Camp Calumet. Calumet was owned by Robert Steck , 410 Central Park West, New York, New York. The fee in 1966 was $650 for four weeks and $350 for four weeks with no tipping permitted. Occupancy was advertised as 75 boys,75 girls, and 54 staff. The facilities still exist and have been used for many different types of groups in recent years including band camps, dungeons and dragons live action camps, social camps, etc.