Dudley, Sumner F.
Biographical Note
Young men’s work was the heart of the early YMCA, but in the United States, boys’ work soon followed. The pioneer of this focus was Sumner F. Dudley, who served on the staff of the New York State YMCA and as general secretary of the Orange YMCA in New Jersey. Dudley started with a boys literary society and soon convinced the New York State YMCA convention to seat boys as delegates. He organized summer “rambling tours” to the country that, over time, were lengthened into overnight camping experiences. Dudley came to understand — and to convince other YMCA leaders — that the camping experience provided a unique setting for character-building.
In 1891, he established a summer boys camp on Lake Champlain, N.Y. Dudley is often referred to as “the father of YMCA camping.” After his death, the camp he founded was named in his honor. Camp Dudley YMCA is the oldest continually operating boys camp in the United States.