Camp Massasoit, Then and Now - Reflections and Insights Across Generations

The program that we all know as Camp Massasoit possesses a long and treasured history. Over the last eighty-four years there have been various directors, several generations of staff, and a considerable number of youth who have made the decision to spend their summers growing and playing together within the woods of Springfield College’s East Campus. Throughout these years subtle changes have been made to the program, adaptations that mark the flow of innovation, but one thing has always remained the same: a commitment to providing meaningful opportunities for our campers and staff alike; experiences that are both fun and empowering, in an out-of-doors setting. 

We asked one individual who has maintained tremendous ties to the people and mission of camp to reflect and provide a little insight into the history, as well as the future, of our great space. Dr. France, aka “Ted”, is a lifelong educator and current Co-Chair of the School of Physical Education, Performance, and Sports Leadership at Springfield College, however he got his start right here at Camp Massasoit as a staff member and camp director. Now he is the father of a former camper turned counselor. Below he sheds light on his time of involvement and the evolution of Camp Massasoit into what it is today:

“I am humbled to have an opportunity to share some of my experiences working with students, faculty, and families in making Camp Massasoit the exceptional outdoor learning experience it continues to be today. When I was an undergraduate at Springfield College, Camp Massasoit was run as a special program somewhat apart from the other East Campus programs. Though historically it had been part of the overall East Campus program areas, in the 1980s it had been moved under the management of another department area on campus.

"In 1994, I began as a Professor at Springfield College. I was responsible for East Campus, Outdoor Pursuits [a weeklong camping and community experience for college students] as well as teaching the outdoor recreation curriculum/courses. Camp Massasoit came into my responsibility that same year. Dr. Gretchen Brockmeyer called me to her office to discuss Camp Massasoit. She explained in that meeting that the camp was not operating at its fullest potential and that there was little to no connection between the camp and student learning in the Physical Education and Outdoor Recreation majors. We agreed that this was not acceptable at Springfield College, this [camp] was part of the ‘grand experiment’ and design of the East Campus as an outdoor learning laboratory. I became the Director of Camp Massasoit that year.

"Our first step was to reconceive the curriculum at camp. It seemed to me that the ideal course of action would be to return to the mission of the East Campus, to function as a laboratory for college students interested in working with youth in the out-of-doors. It was at this time that the Four Areas of Respect were integrated into Camp Massasoit. From these Four Areas of Respect, all of the program areas were aligned with the outcomes defined by this philosophy; if anyone wanted to run an activity at Camp they had to first explain how the experience would contribute to one or more of the Areas of Respect, and, how the outdoors would be integrated. This process was fun and provided many great conversations with students in the Camp Programming and Design course that I was teaching. I learned so much about the notion of ‘less being more’ when it comes to being intentional in program design, implementation, and the many ways in which experiential learning can be at the heart of all learning at camp, especially with regard to ‘education OF and THROUGH the outdoors’.

"This redesign of Camp was all about making a program that would be meaningful to families and youth, however, staffing, training and summers were also about an educational experience for Springfield College students. We created an environment in the summer that was founded on exploration and adventure for the kids, yet was also a summer of service and learning for the students working as counselors. We were willing to try new things and change those that weren’t working as planned. This is how we did things at East Campus, Outdoor Pursuits, and Camp… we learned OF the outdoors and THROUGH the outdoors, all of us. It still amazes me, the great teachers, coaches and recreation professionals that began their careers at East Campus playing and learning and still continue to impact thousands of kids and families in other communities because of these early learning opportunities.

"Each experience I had working at Camp reinforced what I had always known about teaching students at Springfield College: service is not something that we do to other people, it is something that we do with them. You have to get to know people before you can serve them as a teacher, coach, or recreation professional and we do this very well at Springfield College. Additionally, East Campus and by nature Camp Massasoit, is not just a facility where discrete learning experiences happen: East Campus is a way of learning and teaching. The out-of-doors is not good or bad by itself, it is only a setting that provides opportunities for leaders and participants to have experiences. The intentional learning that happens there is realized through the process-oriented mission that defines all that happens. Finally, I would be remiss if I didn't end with what makes me proud in having played a small part in the history of our outdoor learning laboratory, East Campus. I am proud that the mission, programs, and high quality learning is still happening today and in knowing that I helped continue to meet the mission that was passed on to me by the faculty that came before, and to pass it along to those that came after.

"To watch my youngest son, Hayden, attend Camp as a child from 5-15 years old and now watching him lead a group of campers is pretty special. I know that Camp is in good hands and he will build the same types of relationships that will help him become the best leader he can become, a Springfield College leader.”

-Ted France

We went on to reach out to Hayden and inquire about his thoughts and experiences as a Camp Massasoit camper and the transition to being a member of the staff:

“East Campus has been a part of my life pretty much for as long as I can remember and has been an extremely influential part of it. Before I was old enough to attend camp myself, my mother would bring me out to visit my father. Once I reached the minimum age to attend camp I went every single year. I’m fortunate because not everyone has such great opportunities like access to high elements, rock climbing, archery, and just being close to nature in so many ways. 

"I learned a lot in my years at camp; of course I learned about outdoor skills like how to build fires, that basics about climbing and paddling, but I also learned how to work in groups, meet people, and how to help others that may be in need. Camp taught me to always leave an area better than you found it. And year after year the camp values remained the same: respect yourself, respect your counselors, respect your peers, and respect your environment. These Four Areas of Respect can be applied anywhere in life and have helped me get through many obstacles and they continue to help to this day.

"Now that I’m a counselor, there are many aspects that I really love about working Camp Massasoit; first off one can’t beat working outside all day. But my favorite part of camp as a staff member is to see a camper that, at the start of a session, may have been quiet or hesitant to climb or get in a boat, and then after a few days the camper really opens up and is having a blast playing in all the games and even getting a little bit higher when climbing each day. It’s very rewarding. Another thing that I really love about working here is the staff. I felt like even though some days were more demanding than others, we were still always in it together and laughing and having a good time. The people I worked with were all very genuine, kind people that loved what they were doing, which was awesome.”

    -Hayden France

We hope you are as inspired as we are after reading these two accounts. There is power in the passing of the torch, and to see Hayden in action at Camp is to feel the lessons of his father Ted manifesting. The intentionality of the past, the focus on meaningful experiences and the Four Areas of Respect, lives on and we couldn’t agree more with the sentiment, Camp Massasoit is in good hands.