Joe at RBA (Ridgecrest Baptist Assembly) (1966-1968)
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Many of the ministers who spoke at Ridgecrest may be found on the
"Sermons from South Norfolk: Audio" web page.
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(Rev. Frank Hughes, Jr. served several terms on the Assembly's Committee of the Sunday School Board of the Southern Baptist Convention, which managed and developed new projects and buildings for Ridgecrest and Glorieta.)
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“From the Mountain Top of Vision and Inspiration, Southern Baptists
would carry the message of Jesus into every valley of human need.”
(From B. W. Spilman Auditorium cornerstone, 1938)
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Cornerstone, Spilman Auditorium:
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Joe with Mom and Dad Weeks:
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(Don Evans directed the Staff Rec Programs, 1967).
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Audio Visual Library Staff:
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Miss Florida Waite was on the AVA (Audio Visual Aids) staff and was the Secretary of the Library Department, SBC:
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A newspaper article from 1964 in El Paso, TX, described her at one the of the library conferences she led:
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When Florida Augusta Waite was born on
September 6, 1892, her father, Frederick, was 47, and her mother, Elizabeth,
was 28. She had two brothers and three sisters. She died on November 2, 1977,
in Escambia, Florida, at the age of 85, and was buried in Pensacola, Florida.
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Florida Augusta Waite was born September 6, 1892 and died November 2, 1997 and is buried in Saint John's Cemetery, Pensacola, Escambia County, Florida.
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In the picture from Ridgecrest seen above, Sandy is showing Jim Chambers and Joe Hughes how to splice and repair a motion picture film.
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Sandy Scalco from Meridian, Mississippi (born May 20, 1945) worked on the Audio-Visual Crew with Joe. He attended Meridian High School, pictured below, and was involved in the Band, Science Club, a major theater production and the Thespians.
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Sandy later attended Mississippi State College, Starkville, MS:
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Sandy was a member of the Blackfriars Drama Society while in college:
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Sandy was also a member of the IEEE:
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While on a genealogy vacation in 2016, we stopped in Meridian and saw this theater where Sandy and his father had worked:
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Joe in the Audio-Visual office:
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Interior view of Spilman Auditorium from balcony:
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PA staffer sitting at controls of equipment, which was located in a pew about 2/3 back, center section. It was Altec equipment:
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Joe in the AVA Recording Booth in the Spilman Auditorium on a Sunday morning:
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Jim Roberts, in 1965 photo below, served on the Staff from 1965-1968:
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Joe with his girlfriend, Cathy Gourley:
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Cathy was born in 1947, North Carolina, and lived in Penhook, Virginia. Her father was Frank Arnett Gourley. She had one brother and one sister. Unfortunately, it did not work out for us to be married. She married Jackson Maxfield Garrott, son of Baptist missionaries to Japan. Both she and her husband attended Carson-Newman College, Jefferson City, TN. with four-year degrees. She had previously attended Averett College, Danville, VA. and earned the A.A. Degree before transferring to Carson-Newman.
Cathy Gourley, Franklin High School, Virginia picture, 1964:
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Cathy Gourley, high school senior picture, 1966:
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Wayne Stith, in next 2 pictures, was born 1946, Richmond, Virginia, and attended Thomas Jefferson High School and the University of Richmond. He married Marian Hasse, 1977.
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Ken Chestnut (Jackson Kenneth Chestnut, Jr.) in next 2 pictures, worked with me on the Audio-Visual Staff. He attended Jenkins High School, Savannah, Georgia and Armstrong Atlantic State University, Savannah, Georgia. He married Leslie Brown.
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Ken Chestnut, member of Baptist Student Union, Armstrong Atlantic State University:
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Harold Lindsey,
Junior High School Anniston, Alabama
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Harold Lindsey, High School photo Anniston, Alabama
Harold John Lindsey, two college photos, Jacksonville State University, Jacksonville, Alabama:
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Parking lot outside Boy's Dorm, which was called the Waldorf Astoria:
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Jane Frances Kiser, in next 2 photos, was born July 22, 1947, Lebanon, Russell County, Virginia; married James William Evans in 1969. She graduated from Westhampton College and he from University of Richmond, then North Carolina State University Graduate School. I went to Bluefield College and roomed with her brother George "Tommy" Kiser.
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Jane Kiser, Joe, and Mrs. Hughes at RBA:
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Staffers at a meal together:
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Special Mention: Paul Davidson, who came to Ridgecrest every summer and sold toys to the children who would attend with their parents.
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Special Mention: Mrs. Mayme Cox, seen in the next photo, served several years at RBA as head hostess of Pritchell Hall. Some Staffers who worked with her were known as "Mrs. Cox's Little Darlings."
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Many photos and information are from various editions of "The Cakira" the Staff annual published every summer.
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The following prose by G. Kearnie Keegan, appeared in two different CAKIRA annuals:
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Dr. C. Roy Angel spoke at an evening service, Lake Dew, 1966:
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Rev. Raymond Fowler Staples
was the first Manager of Ridgecrest:
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While serving on the Staff, I learned two things from one of the ladies who worked in the library section of our Audio-Visual department. First, that Rev. Staples, retired and living in Black Mountain, NC at the time, fell dead while walking down a street in that town. He was taken to an Asheville hospital and pronounced DOA. And second, that when it came time to find a successor to Robert Guy, who had decided to return to Hospital Administration, the Sunday School Board voted unanimously on the first ballot, to ask Willard K. Weeks to assume the position as Manager of Ridgecrest.
-J.Hughes
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Mr. Robert Guy, seen in next 2 photos, was Manager of RBA prior to Willard Weeks:
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Photo of old Pritchell Hall:
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Dr. W.A. Criswell, preaching at RBA, 1954:
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Dr. R.G. Lee, seated on the platform in the original auditorium, is being introduced, 1953.
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Dr. R.G. Lee, preaching his famous sermon, "Pay-Day, Some Day."
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(Some of the next pictures from "Swannanoa Valley" by Mary McPhail Standaert and Joseph Standaert):
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Dedication of new Spilman Auditorium:
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Interior of Spilman Auditorium today, after recent enlargement:
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Scripture verse on side of
Children's Building:
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Robert L. Middleton's
book written on the occasion of the 50th Anniversary of Ridgecrest Baptist
Assembly, has now been put into the public domain, and is offered here for you
to read:
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"Ridgecrest"
a booklet published in 1928, by Dr. Bernard W. Spilman (for whom the Spilman
Auditorium at Ridgecrest was named), is now in public domain, and offered here:
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"B.W. Spilman--The Sunday School Man" has been put in public domain and can now be read below. It is a biography of one of the key men who had a major influence on starting Ridgecrest.
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Under the administration of the SBC
Education Board, steps were taken to have a summer camp for boys and girls. The
initial step was the building of a 15-acre lake, now known as Lake Ridgecrest.
The long-range plan called for a girl’s camp on one side of the lake and a
boy’s camp on the other side. Today, Lake Ridgecrest is the centerpiece at Camp
Ridgecrest for boys and Crestridge sits on the opposite side of I-40. Under the
leadership of Mrs. J.M Dawson, then of Waco, Texas, a girl’s camp, known as Camp
Swannanoa, was operated in the summer of 1926 and 1927. A large two-story
residence was purchased from Dr. B.W. Spilman; it was used as a camp
headquarters building. A number of cabins and other facilities were then built.
However, logistical business issues caused the camp to close in 1928.
When the Baptist Sunday School Board took charge in 1929, they realized the
need for a boy’s camp. Under the leadership of Mr. Noble Van Ness, who was
active with the Boy Scouts at that time, plans were made to open a boy’s camp
in 1929. Mr. Frank E. Burkhalter served as director during the inaugural
summer. The camp was programmed for one two-week trial session. The results
were so rewarding that planning for the 1930 season was begun immediately.
Van Ness knew the key to success was to have a highly regarded, qualified
director. He selected Charles W. Burts, a young student at Yale, who had five
years of experience a counselor and assistant director in other private camps.
Charles worked with Van Ness to enlarge the 1930 season. Based on the success
of the first two-week session, they planned for eight weeks of camp. Burts
served as director each summer through 1938.
Attendance was small during the first years. Burts later estimated that between
40 and 50 boys attended each session. The program offered a variety of
activities, and a strong Christian emphasis permeated every aspect of camp
life. A worship service was held early each morning and each evening.
The Native American motif that traditionally been the camp trademark began in
the 1930 season. Campers and staff have continued to meet for Council Rings
through the years. This was designed to help boys grow strong of heart and
body, while the Christian emphasis led them closer to their Savior.
One historic feature of Camp Ridgecrest for Boys is the large log building in
the center of the campus. It was completed in 1942 and houses the kitchen, two
dining hall wings, and a gym. The gym area has a huge fireplace at one end that
allows for meetings to take place on cool mountain evenings. The building is
the largest, oldest, vertical log structure east of the Mississippi River.
Camp Ridgecrest usually operated for one six-week session. Burts cut the season
back from eight to six weeks after the 1930 season. In 1950, Perry Morgan felt
the time had come to enlarge the camp and enlist a full-time director.
Through the years, the strength of the staff has been a major factor in the
camp’s success. Listing the multitude of persons who have given of themselves
to camp is not practical. However, listed below are the directors and their
years of service.
Frank E. Burkhalter:1929
Charles W. Burts:1930-1938
John W. Hughston, Jr.: 1939-1940
J.D. (Red) Franks, Jr.: 1941
Darrell C. Richardson: 1942
Richard C. Burts, Jr.: 1943
J.W. Hill: 1944
Perry Morgan, Manager and Director: 1945
Chaplain Nat H. Brittain: 1946-1947
James R. Howlett: 1948-1949
George W. Pickering: 1950-1955
Harry McCall, Jr.: 1956-1958
Wayne Chastain: 1959-1963
Ken Bryant: 1964-1965
Darrell Richardson: 1966-1968
Monroe Ashley: 1969-1973
Rick Johnson: 1974-1984
Ron Springs: 1985-Present (Source: Camp Ridgecrest for Boys website).
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This was the Manager's House, located behind and to the right of the Auditorium Annex Building:
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Two popular hiking trails for the staff were Kitsuma and Rattlesnake Mts. Here are pictures of Kitsuma:
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Rattlesnake Mt on left; Copperhead
on right, in next picture:
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Information about Rattlesnake Mt:
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Two articles from "The State" Magazine of North Carolina about Ridgecrest:
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An article appeared in the "New York Times," July 1970:
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The Staff celebrated "Christmas in July" on a selected day when no guests needed to be served. It was a team-building event, as we knew we would probably not see each other over the Christmas holidays.
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(A "CPT" was shorthand for...well, if you were a Staffer, you know!)
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Dad Weeks speaking at weekly
Staff Meeting:
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Mrs. Weeks in audience listening to her husband; Joe Hughes is sitting directly behind her:
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Information about Hubert B. Smothers, who spoke at the RBA Staff Meeting, August 17, 1966:
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Dad Weeks always announced the start of each meal in the Dining Hall, sometimes including announcements, and closed with a Blessing:
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Dad Weeks always closed a staff meeting by reading 1 Corinthians 13, followed by singing a Gospel chorus, either "Thank you Lord for Saving my Soul" or "If I have wounded any soul today":
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