Why the name “Wingdale University Post Graduate Seminar”?
The weekend’s first year (1991) was different than all others that came after it in regards to sponsorship. In 1991 Michael Brochstein rented the camp and ran the weekend as a private event. Since the camp was not a sponsor of the weekend that year, he couldn’t use the camp’s name other than to say that Camp Ramah was where the event was taking place. As Camp Ramah in the Berkshires is located in Wingdale, NY, the first word of the name is obvious. Wingdale, NY is a fairly rural small town (notice the local farms etc) and does not contain any school of higher learning beyond that of the local high school. Given the character of the town, the name Wingdale University sounded humorous as it seemed absurd on some level given the local reality. In 1991 the weekend was called the “Wingdale University Happiness Clinic”. Say what you will about the name but it seemed to sound like much more fun (and having one’s tongue planted firmly in cheek) than “Just Another Singles Weekend Run By Some Gu
