Divine Word Camp Perrysburg, OH
A Once Great Summer Camp
I had a blast, every day you went to four different "Features". They included Arts and Crafts, Archery, Rifles, Olympics, Go-carts, Horsemanship, Boating and Fishing, and Swimming. On Fridays you were free to go to any of these all day long if you wanted!
The boys were grouped into "tribes" and divisions. The Junior division was six tribes of 12-15 kids, aged 6 to 8. The Intermediate division was 12 tribes of 12-15 kids, aged 9 to 11, the Senior division was 6 tribes of 12-15 kids, aged 12 to 14, and finally the Pioneer division was 35-40 kids aged 12 to 14 who lived in the woods in tents!
Each tribe was assigned a camp counselor and most activities were 3 tribes at a time.
In the evenings we also had activities that took advantage of the dark, including night games like commando raids, and espionage. One night every week everyone slept around a campfire and told scary stories. A different night during the week there would be a "council" fire with a number of people dressed as native Americans. They would retell the legend of the mighty chief "White Cloud" and give out awards to campers who were good examples for all.
I met a lot of great people there, and I had 8 spectacular summers with at least one week of fun in the sun. In 1977 I actually spent the whole 8 weeks there. If you stayed more than 2 weeks, you were a "stay-over" camper. This meant on Saturday nights, all the "stay-over" campers would get to do special activities. Usually there were only a dozen or so of us, so we would get to go roller-skating or go to the movies. I saw "Smokey and the Bandit" on one of these weekends.
The summer camp took place at and was run by the Divine Word Seminary that existed in Perrysburg, OH from the 1950s until the early 1980s. It was a high school seminary run by the Society of the Divine Word, a Catholic Missionary order. Until the late 1990's, a few priests and brothers still resided there, but the land and all the buildings were sold to a developer. Everything was demolished, and much of the wooded areas were cut down. The entire site is now several upscale housing developments.
Published by Rick Beryl
Originally from Ann Arbor, MI, I reside in a small town in western Ohio. I've worked in fast food, frozen novelties, market research, a warehouse, and delivered pizza. I've been hourly and salaried and eve... View profile
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49 Comments
Post a CommentI attended Divine Word Camp in the early 70s (71, 72, 73)...Mic/Mac tribe was one I remember being in. Archery, rifle range (things kids would not be allowed to do today), swimming, horseback riding, arts/crafts, stories at night around a fire. Kids today have no idea what they missed oout on. Even the chow was good! It was a time of fun, innocence and learning with no e-mail, twitter, just a transistor radio late at night. Enjoyed it all, would give anything to go back.
I was there in the late 70's/early 80's and yes, it was "good times" and memories for me! What was the address ad where was it located??
I had the pleasure of attending DWC during the Summer '76 for two weeks with my best friend. Some of the best memories include go-cart racing, horse back riding, learning how to fire a riffle and of course stories about Bloody Benny and Seaweed Sally by the campfire. I agree with many of posts that kids today need a true summer camp experience. I'm glad that there are fathers out there passing down stories about DWC.
I can still hear the call to meals - Chickasaw, Choctaw, Cherokee... good memories
fa-da-en-chu, fa da en chu. Ishin billy otto bonasciditon fa dat en chu! Oh that takes me back ojibiwa tribe 83.
Wouldn't it be cool to create a facebook page about Divine Word Camp. Everyone could post pictures and tell their own personal stories about their time there. I think it would be cool!
Right on Daryl, I feel the same way!
Wow, I was telling my daughter about my experiences at camp and just decided to look the up. I was a LIFER, I went to Camp from 1972 to 1979 every year for 4 weeks. Me and my cousin Dominick from the South Bronx, NY. I refer to it as the wonder years. I was in almost every tribe,except the pioneers. Some of my greatest memories are of this place. I could write a book with all my experiences and adventures at Divine Word. It is way too overwhelming to try to touch my experiences there. This place could never exist these days. Life there was innocent and if it wasn't I didn't know anything about it. Kids these days need camps like this... The world would be a better place.
I will never forget one of the counselors instructing us at the beginning of a trail ride to "follow me", then started the horse on a full run to the front of the line, we all took him literally and followed right behind him with all of us riding the horses at full speed, I remember the look of sheer panic in his eyes when he turned around and saw us, but it was the best trail ride we ever had!
It was one of the best times of my life for a black kid from Detroit. I can remember the horse called wild fire and shooting the 22 rifles, fishing and the story of Blood Benny. What a great time we all had.