Camp Tohkomeupog - East Madison, New Hampshire

Many Moons Ago... during the summer of 1932, there came to this little valley, a woman by the name of Mrs. Maud Hersey. A housemother at the Moses Brown School in Providence, RI – Mrs. Hersey had decided to bring a small group of students on a summer retreat. The property was owned by Edward E. Hoyt, and operated as Purity Spring Mountain Inn. Mr. Hoyt provided her with a “bungalow” for her boys. While here, she developed a friendship with Mr. Hoyt’s son, “Milt”. Through this connection, Milt found employment at the Moses Brown School, and eventually enrolled at Brown University. Milt also took charge of the summer program for Mrs. Hersey. Over the next few summers, he continued bringing small groups of students to his father’s land. In 1935, Milt partnered with John Hanson, a college friend at Brown – and together they decided to re-organize the boys summer program. They moved out of the “bungalow” and up to a large, sturdy farmhouse on the Hoyt property - the Harmon homestead. “Purity Spring Camp for Boys” had 6 campers that summer. Soon after, the name was changed to Tohkomeupog – a modified Indian translation of the English, “Spring Water”.

Tohkomeupog today… still rests on what was once the old Harmon homestead, but now plays host to an enrollment of about 110 campers per session. Campers are divided into four encampments or "clans" based primarily on grade at school. Each clan has its own set of cabins, playing fields and program specifically designed to satisfy the needs and desires inherent to that age. Each clan is guided by a select group of counselors, working under the supervision of an encampment director. Encampment directors are all college graduates, many of whom are teachers during the school year. Campers live in comfortable screened in cabins with bathroom facilities and electricity. Each cabin typically houses 4 to 6 campers, along with a full-time counselor and frequently, a CIT. Although the buildings, facilities and programs have seen substantial modification since the early days, basic ideals and philosophies of Camp Tohkomeupog have remained steadfast throughout the years.

Bear Clan - (2nd - 4th grades) - an introduction to all activities is offered to our youngest campers. Longer rest periods, earlier bedtime, more story hours, lots of games and a program adapted to their interest and ability characterize this encampment.

Deer Clan - (4th - 6th grades) - activities and games become more complex with an emphasis on teamwork and organization. Sports are more competitive and occasionally other camps are engaged in competition. Hiking and canoeing trips become a bit more strenuous and allow campers to gain practical experience using their campcraft skills.

Panther Clan - (6th & 7th grades) - activities advance to higher levels of skill and games become more highly contested. Sports competitions against other camps become more frequent. Mountain trails become tougher, while rivers become wilder as whitewater is introduced into the curriculum. Mountain biking and rock climbing are added as adventure options. Occasional dances with nearby girl's camps add a social component to the program.

Wolf Clan - (8th - 10th grades) - skills are polished, as campers tend to focus on those activities in which they wish to excel. Opportunities exist for more extensive overnight trips, with sea kayaking being the newest addition to the program. More inter-camp competition, more coed activities and a greater emphasis towards leadership typify the program of our oldest campers.