Freshman Camp Meeting

A photograph of a meeting held during the Freshman Camp of Springfield college, c. 1950s. The meeting is led by a camp adviser. A group of campers, both women and men, are seated around him, listening attentively. The first Freshman Camp was held in the third week of May 1930.The Freshman Camp was largely organized and implemented by Edgar Munroe Robinson. Robinson brought many of the boys’ work and physical education ideas from the YMCA and Boy Scouts of America to Springfield College and its Freshman Camp. He also assisted in building the two camp lodges: Pukwana Lodge and the Pueblo of the Seven Fires. The Freshman Camp tradition continues today with the College’s Outdoor Pursuits program for students. Outdoor Pursuits is a week-long camping program that takes place at Springfield College's East Campus. The program begins a few days after the college's classes end in May and is offered to all freshman but is required for specific majors of the college. During the week, students are assigned different jobs, such as the cook, office assistant, day time security and health and safety aide