intvgene Posted February 10, 2004 Share Posted February 10, 2004 I came across this ad when I was looking through the newspapers at my library. It's from the NY Times in '81. Here's the transcription: This Christmas, give the present that gives the future - Atari Computer Camp. Atari opens your child's mind to the world of computers with a comprehensive computer camp curriculum for beginner to advanced levels that encompasses practical computer theory, hands-on experience and a stimulating program of guest speakers, field trips and lectures. Experienced Camp directors have been selected to co-ordinate a round-the-clock program of camp sports, recreation activities and social activities. Young people 10-16 can attend 2, 4, or 8 week sessions in July and August at convenient camp locations across the country. Send your $100 refundable depost now and Atari will send you a Computer Camp Gift Certificate in time for Christmas. American Express, Mastercard or Visa charges welcome. For more information and a free brochure, call [contact info]. Staff applicants should apply in writing. So, did anyone go to one of these camps? Anyone have any info on them at all? I'd be interested to hear what they were like. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Goochman Posted February 11, 2004 Share Posted February 11, 2004 I got a brochure when I was younger - I really wanted to go but they were very pricey and it appeared all you learned was Logo and such Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+davidcalgary29 Posted February 11, 2004 Share Posted February 11, 2004 Curt Vendel has much interesting information pertaining to Atari's summer camps, and I'd contact him for more info. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gregory DG Posted February 11, 2004 Share Posted February 11, 2004 I went to computer school back in ~1982. They used Atari 800's to teach programming on, but I don't think it was an Atari sponsored thing. It was fun though. On the last day we were allowed to go to the video arcade across the hall and play for free. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+davidcalgary29 Posted February 11, 2004 Share Posted February 11, 2004 I went to computer school back in ~1982. They used Atari 800's to teach programming on, but I don't think it was an Atari sponsored thing. It was fun though. On the last day we were allowed to go to the video arcade across the hall and play for free. ^^^^^PRIVILEGED SNOB When I went to computer camp in 1982, I had to use VAX computers with 0K that kids used to download pix of Star Trek characters compiled with alphanumeric characters, and to play text games like "Moria". Now that I think about it, we spent most of the time trying to hack into a local college's mainframe. I remember succeeding at one point, although this wasn't very hard, as passwords were only 4 (alphabetic) characters long at the time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AtariDude Posted February 11, 2004 Share Posted February 11, 2004 Actually I liked the games Moria and Rogue. They were fun games to play. I used to play the ST version of Rogue a lot and even beat it a few times. And how many people here have played a Infocom game like Zork or Planetfall or Enchanter? Come on.. fest up. You know those games were better than the graphic games of even today because you got to use the greatest graphic generator of all time..your brain I would have loved to have gone to an Atari camp but I am pretty sure that it was probably going to be too expensive for our family. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vic George 2K3 Posted February 17, 2004 Share Posted February 17, 2004 That would have been an interesting place to have gone to, had they actually had more camps of that sort accessible. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cow comrade Posted October 7, 2015 Share Posted October 7, 2015 i really need info on this Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keatah Posted October 7, 2015 Share Posted October 7, 2015 We did our own computer camps. Whenever we did sleep overs we all bought our electronic stuff with us and pooled it all together. We had 10x enough variety to last 2 or 3 days and we could do things at our own pace. Combine all that with the Space Shuttle and Space Colonies and Omni and we were in heaven! Shuttles and Colonies were big in the 70's and early 80's. One summer we did go to JPL, and we packed the car with Atari for playing at the hotel. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Savetz Posted October 7, 2015 Share Posted October 7, 2015 i really need info on this Listen to http://ataripodcast.libsyn.com/antic-special-episode-atari-summer-camp(click the POD button to listen) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
psomerf Posted January 4 Share Posted January 4 On 2/10/2004 at 6:22 PM, intvgene said: I came across this ad when I was looking through the newspapers at my library. It's from the NY Times in '81. Here's the transcription: This Christmas, give the present that gives the future - Atari Computer Camp. Atari opens your child's mind to the world of computers with a comprehensive computer camp curriculum for beginner to advanced levels that encompasses practical computer theory, hands-on experience and a stimulating program of guest speakers, field trips and lectures. Experienced Camp directors have been selected to co-ordinate a round-the-clock program of camp sports, recreation activities and social activities. Young people 10-16 can attend 2, 4, or 8 week sessions in July and August at convenient camp locations across the country. Send your $100 refundable depost now and Atari will send you a Computer Camp Gift Certificate in time for Christmas. American Express, Mastercard or Visa charges welcome. For more information and a free brochure, call [contact info]. Staff applicants should apply in writing. So, did anyone go to one of these camps? Anyone have any info on them at all? I'd be interested to hear what they were like. I sort of went. I was a teaching assistant in 1983 (Camp Chesapeake) and 1984 (Camp New England). If you are still here, what do you want to know? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Savetz Posted January 4 Share Posted January 4 14 minutes ago, psomerf said: I sort of went. I was a teaching assistant in 1983 (Camp Chesapeake) and 1984 (Camp New England). If you are still here, what do you want to know? Was it fun? Should I just interview you about it for the Antic podcast? -Kay 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pcrow Posted January 4 Share Posted January 4 I went to two weeks at the Atari Computer Camp in Danville, CA. It was fun. I still have my green Atari Computer Camp T-shirt. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
psomerf Posted January 4 Share Posted January 4 1 hour ago, pcrow said: I went to two weeks at the Atari Computer Camp in Danville, CA. It was fun. I still have my green Atari Computer Camp T-shirt. Our Computer instructor worked there in '82. He worked in Maryland in 83. Can't remember his name, though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beeblebrox Posted January 4 Share Posted January 4 Interesting. Funnily enough I am amazed we are talking weeks rather than days for these camps. Reading back on the earlier posts it alluded to up to 8 week camp options?!! 8 weeks?!! I am amazed there was enough content!! 😁 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+DjayBee Posted January 4 Share Posted January 4 3 minutes ago, Beeblebrox said: I am amazed there was enough content!! Errr, we have content for some 45 years now. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beeblebrox Posted January 4 Share Posted January 4 35 minutes ago, DjayBee said: Errr, we have content for some 45 years now. Of course, if the camps ran now Heh Heh! 😁 Seriously bitd in the early 80s what would occupy 8 solid weeks at a computer camp? I am curious? I have visions of kids playing space invaders for 8hrs a day in cabins Heh Heh!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Philsan Posted January 4 Share Posted January 4 There were other activities, not only Atari computers related. Among other things here there's the schedule: https://www.atarimagazines.com/v2n7/Computercamp.html 9:00-10:25 a.m. Computer Instruction 10:30-11:10 Drama 11:15-12:00 Tennis 12:00- 1:55 Lunch - Rest Hour 2:00- 2:55 Computer Workshop 3:00- 3:35 Free Swim 4:00- 5:25 Softball Brochure: https://2warpstoneptune.com/2015/03/09/1982-atari-computer-camp-brochure/ 2 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+DjayBee Posted January 4 Share Posted January 4 2 hours ago, Beeblebrox said: Of course, if the camps ran now Heh Heh! 😁 Seriously bitd in the early 80s what would occupy 8 solid weeks at a computer camp? I am curious? I have visions of kids playing space invaders for 8hrs a day in cabins Heh Heh!!! Check Kay's interviews and the links in their show notes: https://ataripodcast.libsyn.com/antic-special-episode-atari-summer-camp https://ataripodcast.libsyn.com/antic-interview-412-linda-brownstein-atari-vp-special-projects https://ataripodcast.libsyn.com/antic-interview-419-bob-elfstrom-the-magic-room https://ataripodcast.libsyn.com/antic-interview-427-margaret-akin-guilbault-atari-camper and the movie made about them https://archive.org/details/AtariComputerCampsOTheMagicRoom 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
massiverobot Posted January 4 Share Posted January 4 You can re-live a few days of Atari Summer Camp this year at VCF East in Wall NJ. The Computer Classroom is back and will feature all Atari 8bits this year. Three days of classes on usage, programming and who knows - maybe some instruction on FujiNet JSON parsing from BASIC as well! More details to come but plan now for VCF East - April 12, 13, 14 -> https://vcfed.org/2023/12/31/vcf-east-2024-is-coming-april-12-13-14-infoage/ Note: below is image from previous year when some other 80's 8bit was used.... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pcrow Posted January 4 Share Posted January 4 I was under the impression that the vast majority of kids only went for two weeks, but if parents wanted to unload their kids for the summer, Atari would take their money. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+davidcalgary29 Posted January 4 Share Posted January 4 I went to camp at Seneca College, outside of Toronto, for eight weeks each summer from '82 to '84, and rearranged my scheduled so that I worked with/at computers for half of each day. The counsellors were well aware of my shenanigans, and steered me away from playing games non-stop on the VIC-20 to simple programming with the VAX system and using (translation: hacking) the e-mail system and the "internet" (translation: MORIA and Lamaze through the University of Minnesota's minicomputer). There certainly was enough content for eight weeks. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
psomerf Posted January 4 Share Posted January 4 13 hours ago, Beeblebrox said: Interesting. Funnily enough I am amazed we are talking weeks rather than days for these camps. Reading back on the earlier posts it alluded to up to 8 week camp options?!! 8 weeks?!! I am amazed there was enough content!! 😁 We had one guy do seven weeks. He showed up midway through the first session. Parents were in the oil industry i Nigeria, and an uncle was ambassador to the US. He was enthusiastic, and you can always find things for the kids to learn. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
psomerf Posted January 4 Share Posted January 4 At both Chesapeake and New England there was also horse riding as part of the curriculum. The thing I remember most about the horse riding was that there were flies as big as B52s. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
psomerf Posted January 4 Share Posted January 4 These were the locations I worked at: 1983: https://www.oldfieldsschool.org/ 1984: https://sbschool.org/ 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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