Canoeing at Freshman Camp

A photograph of a canoeing as part of Freshman Camp, held on East Campus at Springfield College, ca. 1940’s. A group of campers are sitting and listening to instructions from a camp counselor. Ten canoes appear on the pictures, three of them manned by campers. The activity was held in Lake Massasoit. Many trees are seen on the background.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