For many Minnesotans, summer camps bring back a certain kind of nostalgia — memories of campfire songs, outdoor activities and creaky bunk beds remind current and former campers of childhood adventures. But one thing you might not find at camps in 2020? Ghost stories.
Some say classic stories about haunted cabins or woodland monsters can be considered emotionally scarring to campers, and tall tales over late-night campfires now might be few and far between.
Attitudes at camps are mixed. A study of 86 camp professionals across the country found that 31% of camps prohibit ghost stories, while only 13% encourage them.
Groups like the American Camp Association (ACA), a national organization that aims to ensure the quality of camp programs, haven't taken a hard stance on scary stories, said spokesman Kyle Winkel. Almost 100 Minnesota camps are ACA-accredited, but there's no state-wide standard that will stop a child from Bigfoot-induced nightmares.
Storytelling has been a part of camps since their creation in the late 19th century, said Leslie Paris, associate professor of history at the University of British Columbia and author of "Children's Nature: The Rise of the American Summer Camp."
Founded out of anxiety over an increasingly urban and industrialized society, camps were formed to give children the experiences in nature that adults in earlier generations had growing up, explained Paris.
Most stories told back then were those of American pioneers or Native American legends, she said. But while records of scary stories pre-World War II were few and far between, it doesn't mean they didn't exist — an informal piece whispered in a tent probably wouldn't make it into the archives.
"I think all of these stories were designed to build community in different ways. And one way to do that is by sharing a scary experience, while … still keeping kids safe in their bunks at night," she said.
