Written by Robert L. Matthews posted on January 13, 2011 22:23
Last month’s article “Camp Grindstone” reported that today
membership in the American Canoe Association [ACA] is
approximately 50,000. In 1884 that number was roughly 500 to
600. What impressive growth!! But numbers don’t tell the whole
story. Back then the Association’s book of rules stated that
“the crew of each canoe shall consist of one man only.” None the
less a dozen or so women were honorary members “in deference to
their sex.” That attitude eventually changed as in 1944 the ACA
gave women the right to vote and in 1980 a women was elected
commodore of the ACA. The camp was governed by a strict set of
rules. Women stayed in their own camp called Squaw Point and
were not to visit the main encampment from five o’clock in the
afternoon until after eight o’clock in the morning. The morning
restriction gave men time for an early dip and breakfast. While
not confirmed in the magazine article, my guess is there might
have been a third camp for marr