INTERLOCHEN, Mich. (AP) – What’s in a name? Plenty, if you ask the Interlochen Center for the Arts, which is locked in a legal battle with a New Hampshire summer camp with a very similar name.

The famous fine-arts camp near Traverse City is accusing the Interlocken International Camp in New Hampshire of violating its national trademark, which it acquired three years ago.

Interlochen insists it must stamp out any potential confusion, though its marketing chief could not offer an example of a family that picked the wrong one. The legal dispute has dragged on for two years, partly because of a change in courts and an unsuccessful attempt at mediation.

After spending more than $400,000 in legal fees, Interlocken founder Richard Herman said the case “has taken over my life.” Now, high-profile educators, alumni of both camps and national camping groups are coming to his defense and asking Interlochen to soften its position and take another stab at settlement.

A Massachusetts man, Bert Paley, has sent children and grandchildren to both camps. His son, Richard, is a bassoonist with the Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra in Israel.

“There has never been any confusion about the names and mission of these two great places,” Paley told The Grand Rapids Press for a Sunday story.

In a letter to Interlochen employees, President Edward Downing blamed the standoff on the New Hampshire camp.

“It is not our desire to engage in litigation,” he said. “But we have a responsibility to do so whenever necessary to protect Interlochen’s 75-year-old name and cherished reputation.”

First known as the National High School Orchestra Camp, and later as the National Music Camp, Interlochen has grown into a prestigious training ground for young people interested in a variety of fine arts. It is named for a tiny town near the camp.

There are studios for sculptors, practice huts for violinists, a 200-seat theater for live performances and the outdoor Interlochen Bowl. More than 2,000 young people, including many who have to audition for a spot, attend the summer camp at $3,500 for four weeks.

Alumni include singer Norah Jones, opera soprano Jessye Norman and CBS newsman Mike Wallace.

Interlocken got its start in 1961 when Herman, a teacher, took over a camp in southern New Hampshire. It covers 500 acres and includes a lake called Boulder. He had about 30 kids during the first summer, half of them from families that worked at the United Nations in New York.

Today, Herman offers two four-week sessions at a cost of $3,325 for each session. The camp attracts 350 youngsters, mostly from New England, and is popular enough to have a waiting list.

“The mission of the camp is building friendships through understanding,” Herman said. “The word “Interlocken’ seemed to speak to the idea of bringing kids together. The name is honest, it’s real. It has nothing to do with Interlochen Center for the Arts.

“I had no reason to want to piggyback,” he said.

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On the Net:

Interlochen Center for the Arts, http://www.interlochen.org/

Interlocken International Camp, http://www.interlocken.org/

AP-ES-09-07-03 1324EDT