Ted Cavins, camp pioneer - Obituary

Camping Magazine, Nov-Dec, 1994 by Richard D. Peterson

Each fall those of us in camp take time to reflect on the summer just completed -- its highs and its lows, the unforgettable campers and staff, the long hours spent doing something we love. Fall allows us to catch up from the summer and to ask, "Was it all worth it?"

This fall, I also reflected on the August 10th death of one of our movement's great leaders: Theodore "Cap" Cavins. He hired me for my first camp job in 1970 at Camp Mishawaka for Boys in Grand Rapids, Minnesota. At the time, I assumed this was the one summer in my life I'd be a camp counselor. Now, 25 years later, I'm still in camping. It all began with Ted Cavins.

I know that many of us feel Ted's loss greatly. But I also know that the field of camp is stronger today because of his untiring efforts.

Ted Cavins was first a camp counselor in 1929 at the Association for the Improvement of the Condition of the Poor (AICP) Boys' Camp in Tuxedo, New York. In 1930, he was hired to go to Camp Mishawaka by the founder, George F. "Doc" Green. Cavins stayed there until his retirement in 1975. In a 1986 article in Camping Magazine, Cavins said that Mishawaka was very different from the hot plains of Illinois where he grew up or his first camp site in New York. He described it as, "the kind of place that I had missed all my life." With the death of Doc Green in 1933, Cavins began his leadership of Mishawaka, helping the camp grow and flourish over the next 42 years. By 1960, he was able to devote his full time to camp, and in 1963 a girls' camp was added.

"Running my camp was probably the best thing I did for camping. It's also the best thing I did for myself," he said. "It provided me with a rich life." Upon his retirement, Cavins left two fine camps that served boys and girls from throughout the United States and other countries, with third generation campers present most seasons.

The legacy of Ted Cavins and Mishawaka is important to the camp movement, but his contributions went far beyond the cool lake shore in Northern Minnesota. He was a Life Member in the American Camping Association and contributed to its growth in many ways. He worked with a great group of national leaders during his years in ACA: Rey Carlson, Eleanor Eells, Stan Michaels, Hedley Dimock, Kit Hammett, Hugh Ransom, Otto Rosahn, Waldo Stone, Herman Popkin, Helen Haskell, Fred Rogers, Gene Altman, John Howe, and others.

In 1955-56, Cavins served as president of ACA and deemed the establishment of the first permanent national headquarters at Bradford Woods the main accomplishment of his term. During this time, an ACA committee made the first efforts to introduce international staff to American camps. ACA National Board of Directors also went on record mandating that ACA meetings only be held in facilities that were open to people of all races. These trends of international awareness and racial integration were exhibited in the Mishawaka of the 1970s.

Cavins was an active member of the Chicago (Illinois) Section and the Private Independent Camp (AIC) group. He was a founding Trustee of the Fund for the Advancement of Camping. He received every award that the association offers, culminating in the Distinguished Service Award in 1981. He was one of the people that others turned to for advice. ACA leaders always sought out his opinion on critical issues. When asked to describe him, people have used terms like: "a man of deep faith... totally dedicated to the power of camp... a man of unquestionable integrity, perseverance, and hard work."

Throughout his entire career, Cavins was aided and supported by his wife, Nina. Every summer her special camper stories and the mother's touch for a homesick camper were important contributions to the Mishawaka community. She also maintained their home, with their two children, while Cavins tended to camp business and trips. They celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary on December 25, 1993. Both Ted and Nina Cavins are enrolled as Pioneers of Camping in ACA.

In 1986, Cavins summarized many aspects of his philosophy based upon his years of experience: "Join ACA and make the camp standards your bible. ... Make a lot of friends in the camp profession. They will help you gain insights into the camp field. ... Prejudice has no place at camp or in our society. Camp is a great place to 'undo' prejudice. ... Camp directors should love their counselors and campers. That's what running a camp is all about."

When I question the worth of what we do, either this fall or at other times, I think of the legendary pioneer that I was privileged to observe first hand for 25 years. Each of us in the camp movement has been blessed by mentors. Indeed, our movement exists today because of all the leaders who have gone before us and crafted the remarkable legacy we call camp. Our challenge today and tomorrow is to continue to follow the lead of Ted and Nina Cavins and our other great pioneers, to serve people through the medium of camp. We know that because of them we can make a difference in many lives. Yes, for this fall and every fall, the answer for me is a resounding, "It's really worth it."