Before the advent of shopping malls, the internet and other modern inventions on which we spend our time, the people of Rochester have belonged to a variety of organizations some of which are still with us today. Growing up in Rochester, my mother belonged to Girl Scouts (briefly), 4H and also spent a lot of time at the Grange.
When it became time for my sister and me to sign onto an organization, my mother chose Camp Fire Girls, which were very active in Weymouth (where we lived) and the surrounding area. She liked this group because their organizational plan called for small groups of six to 10 girls meeting with their leader in her home.
My mother was the leader of my group as we moved through Bluebirds, Camp Fire and, in our teens, Horizon. In the process, after Bluebirds, we earned beads much like Boy Scouts earned badges. These beads were sewn first to a vest and then to the Horizon Club Native American style ceremonial dress. We stayed with the organization until moving to western Massachusetts in my mid-teens. During those years, we also attended day camp where we learned to swim, row a boat and paddle a canoe among many other nature-related things.
This all leads us to a framed charter found in our museum and part of the current exhibit. It is for the Segwum Camp Fire Girls of Rochester, Massachusetts. I was surprised that my mother never mentioned a Rochester connection to Camp Fire. However, researching this piece, it is possible that this group was before her time. The charter refers to joining the circle of sisterhood which could lead to a healthy life in touch with nature, “the soul of beauty and the heart of truth”. All this is written in an old- fashioned style.
Camp Fire as it’s known today (after being called Camp Fire Girls of America and then Camp Fire USA) was incorporated in 1912 in Washington, DC. In a short time, the organization numbered 60,000 girls. During World War I, those girls sold over one million Liberty Bonds and 900,000 Thrift Stamps to support the war effort.
Camp Fire is considered to be the first non-sectarian multicultural organization for girls in America. By 1975, it also became gender inclusive. Throughout its history, respect for nature and the environment has been its central theme. Even today the influence of Native Americans inspires ceremonial activities, clothing and camp and council names.
Nancy Drew, Hardy Boys, Bobbsey Twins books and Archie’s Comics have featured Camp Fire girls. Some Camp Fire girls who have become well known in different fields are Shirley Temple, Beverly Cleary, Savannah Guthrie, Janis Joplin, Gladys Knight and Madonna.
By Connie Eshbach