Freshman Camp Chapel (1930)

This lantern slide, “Freshman Camp Chapel (1930),” shows a crudely constructed chapel in the woods. Old catalogue records indicate this image was taken during the 1930 Freshman Camp at the International YMCA College, now Springfield College.Started in 1923 by George Affleck and Edgar Robinson, the camp was nestled “in the pines on the beautiful nature preserve about a mile from the campus on the east end of the Massasoit Lake.” According to Laurence Locke Doggett, Ph.D., this was one of the first camp-training courses in the world. George Baird Affleck (1876-1958) spent his boyhood in the woods of Canada, where he became an enthusiastic trapper, camper, and naturalist. He attended Manitoba Provincial Normal School (g. 1895), University of Manitoba (g. 1897), and Springfield College (g. 1901), where he played on the lawn hockey team. He worked as the Assistant Secretary of the Winnipeg YMCA from 1898-1899 and as the Physical Director of the State Teachers College (Cedar Falls, Iowa) from 1901-1907. He spent the following two years as the Physical Director of the Central Department YMCA in Chicago. In 1908, Springfield College hired Affleck, and he remained here until his retirement in 1941. Affleck was professionally affiliated with the American Student Health Association, National Education Association, College Physical Directors’ Society, AAHPRER, American Social Hygiene Association, and American Camping Association of YMCA Secretaries. For thirty years, he compiled and edited the “Selected Bibliography in Physical Education.” He wrote articles for the Association Seminar, Physical Training Magazine, Pedagogical Seminar, Camping World, Journal of Health and Physical Education, Research Quarterly, and he co-authored the Classification for Physical Education Library. In 1944, Springfield College awarded him the Tarbell Medallion, which recognizes outstanding service. Robinson was heavily influenced by many of the boys’ work and physical education ideas from the YMCA and Boy Scouts of America. He also assisted in building the two camp lodges: Pukwana Lodge and the Pueblo of the Seven Fires. Robinson was a graduate of Springfield College, class of 1901. After graduation, he worked for some time with both the YMCA and the Boy Scouts of America. In 1927, Robinson returned to his alma mater as a faculty member. Robinson was given an honorary Master of Humanics degree from Springfield College in 1928