A History and Evaluation of Camp Shiloh
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Abilene Christian University Digital Commons @ ACU Stone-Campbell Books Stone-Campbell Resources 1958 A History and Evaluation of Camp Shiloh W. Pence Dacus Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.acu.edu/crs_books Part of the Biblical Studies Commons, Christian Denominations and Sects Commons, and the Christianity Commons ACU LIBRARY p - Ir / 111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111 0 3064 0019 2630 A HISTORYAND .EVALUATION OF CAMPSHILOH A Thesis Presented to the faculty of the Graduate School Abilene Christian College In Partial Fulfillment of the R quirements for the Degree Master of Science •n-t E.SI ~ ';J..S'°f "Df4C!.U $ by Pence Dacus w. .., August 1958 /,.,33 of t'IBRARY ABILENE CHRISTIAN COLLEGE ABILENE, TEXAS This thesis, dirocted and approved by the candidate's committee, has been accepted by the Graduat Council of Abilene Christian College in partial fulfillment of the r quirements for the degree of MAST.EROF SCIENCE /______..-- Dean Date THESISCOMMITTEE CKNO EOGv1.ENTS Th ~iri t r wish s to express his appreciatio nd gratitud for the assistance of his consulti g co!llmittee conposed of Mr. Carl pin, r. ~ d arton, and !\r. ~ illiam N. -ry r. Grateful acknowl dgment is also mad to Mr. Clinton David on for hi speci l assistance ith somo of th d~tails of the th sis nd to Mrs. Olive Dacus, the writ r's oth r, and Miss Janis Arrington for their help in making correct ions and offering suggestions for improvements in form. TABLE OF CO ENTS CHAPTER PAGE I. THE PROBL ~ • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 1 Statement of the Problem 1 • • • • • • • • • • • • Significance of the Study • • • • • • • • • • • 1 Sources of Oat • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 2 Li its and Scope of th Inv tigation • • • • • 3 Li itation of Technique mploy d.. • • • • • 4 Definition of T rms. • • • • • • • • • • • • • 5 Summer Bible c mp ••••• • • • • • • • • • 5 Spiritual •••••••• • • • • • • • • • • 6 Follo up program.. • • • • • • • • • • • • 7 II. THE HISTORYOF CAMPSHILOH ••••••• • • • • 8 Historical Background.. • • • • • • • • • • • 8 Camp Hunt Establish • • • • • • • • • • • • • 11 Camp Shiloh found d •••••• •. • • • • • • 12 Obst cl s ncounter d. • • • • • • • • • • • 14 Prop rty purchased • • • • • • • • • • • • • 15 Whythe property was purchased • • • • • • • 17 Equipment obt ined ••• • • • • • • • • • • 17 III. THE PURPOSEAND NATURE OF CA SHILOH. • • • • • 20 Ess ntials for Making Camp Shiloh Pos ibl •• 21 Purpose of Camp Shiloh • • • • • • • • • • • • 22 Objectiv s of Camp Shiloh •••• • • • • • • • 28 THE NEED FOR CAMP SHILOH • • • • • • • • • • • • 30 iii CHAPTER PAGE Aiding Soci ty • •••• • • • • • • • • • • • 32 Spre ding th Go p 1 ••••• • •••••• • 35 V. THEPROORAM OF CAMPSHILOH •••••• • •••• 47 Schedule and Routi e • • • • • • • • • • • • • 47 C mp r enrollment •••••• • • • • • ••• 49 Basic schedul of flCtivities • • • • • • • • 51 Various Phasas of the Camping Program. • • • • 54 Dy camp ••• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 54 Class s. • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 55 D votionals ••••••••••••• • • • • 56 Singing • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 57 Health ands fety •••••••••• • • • • 58 R creation and waterfront activities • • • • 59 Nature study •••••••••••• • • • • 60 Crafts • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 60 Kitchen and foods ••• • • • • • • • • • • • 61 Work details ••••• • • • • • • • • • • • 61 Overnight e mping... • • • • • • • • • • • 62 Cant en • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 63 Special PrQblems in the C p Oper tion •••• 63 Problems of camp routine • • • • • • • • • • 64 Natur of c mp rs. • • • • • • • • • • • • 64 Diseipl ine • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 66 C mper s lection • • • • • • • • • • • • • 67 iv CHAPTER PAGE Interruption by visitors ••••••••• 69 Care of clothing • • • • • • • • • • • • .• 70 Camp morale. • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 71 Problems of th administration • • • • • • • 71 Securing f inanc s • • • • .• • • • • • • • • 71 Publicity and promotion • • • • • • • • • • 72 VI. THE STAFFOF CA SHILOH • •• • ••••• • • • 74 Introduction •••• • • • • • • • • • • • • • 75 Role of the Director • • • • • • • • • • • • • 77 Ch ract ristics. • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 77 The director s leader ••••••••• 78 The djrector's influenc as an ex mple to the staff •••••••••••••••• 79 Eulogy of h-. lxidie Grindl y • • • .• • .• • • 80 Role of the G neral ager •••••••••• 81 Char cteristics • • • • • .• • • • • • • • • • 81 Eulogy of • Leonard Kirk ••••••••• 81 Role of the Counselor •• • • • • • • • • • • • 82 Duties • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 82 Qualifications ••••••• .. ·• ..... 83 Role of the Teacher •••••• • • • • • • • • 85 Duti s ••••••• • • • • ••••••••• 85 Qualifications •• • • • • • . ·• 86 Other St ff M mb rs. ••••• • • • • • • • • 87 V CHAPTER PAGE Chief counselors • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 88 Education 1 director • • • • • • • • • • • • 88 Recre tion director. • • • • • • • • • • • • 88 N ture study director. • • • • • • • • • • • 89 Cr fts director • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 89 Office staff • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 89 VII. RESULTSAND CONCLUSIONS • • • • • • • • • • • • • 91 Results • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 91 R ched campers with the gospel.. • • • • • 92 Re che<l rel tiv s of capers w·th the go pal 95 Benefited Camp Shiloh st ff ~embers. • • • • 96 Fostered other ible cm s • • • • • • • • • 98 Promot d Chr·sti n t C ti n • • • • • • • • 98 Provi ed ide 1 rr ng m nt for folloVi up progr m. • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 99 Community cc pt nee • • • • • • • • • • • • 104 Work rs move t r • • • • • • • • • • • • 105 Conclusions • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 105 BIBLIOORAPHY• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 108 APPENDIXA. C mp Schedule • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 111 APPENDIXa. Duties of Director • • • • • • • • • • • • 112 APPENDIXc. Qualificati ns of Counselors • • • • • • • 113 APPENDIXD. Qualifications of Teachers • • .. • • • • • 115 APPENDIXE. Application for Campship • • • • • • • • • 117 CHAPTF.RI THEPROBLEM This study is a presentation of the organization and problems involved in beginning and maintaining summer Bible camp. The purpose is to (l) display the differenc s between a summer Bible camp and other camps; (2) explore the possibilities of a Bible camp like C mp Shiloh in helping to c rry out the great commission of Jesus in att. 28119; d (3) present specific f cts about a Bible camp in oper tion which may offer helpful suggestions to camp organizers and planners interest din similar work. II. SIGNIFICANCE OF TI-IE Sll..DY There is much material available to camp organizers and directors concerning the operation of camps. There is also a wealth of material regarding the operation of camps that are controlled by religious groups. Some of the in formation available is about Bible camps established for the express purpose of seeking and saving the lost. ~ st of this information. ho ever. deals in generalities. There has been very little written about some of the problems and methods in organizing summer Bible camp. To carry it one 2 step further, there has been almost nothing written specifi cally bout one summer Bible camp, dealing with the speci c problems and methods of its operation. This thesis vas written to furnish x mples of how it was done at one of the summer Bible camps: Camp Sh·l h. The purpose of this st dy was to gather and present . facts about th operation of Camp Shiloh in such a way that future organizers and directors cud ev luate their own programs in the light of tried and tasted methods already utilized. Thi would lleviate part of the problem th t camp organizers have in se rching fr hints and uggesti ns in a maze of m terial d lin rv th c ing n gener 1. III. SOURCS OF DATA the secondary source material n c ping as us d only as a comparison to measure th standards of one specific Bible camp with the accepted standards of camps in general. This data were obt ined from books and magazines bout camps, both religious and non-religious. The primary source of data, however, were bulletins, manuals, books, newspapers, reports, magazine articles, staff criticism sheets, .and news letters in the files of Camp Shiloh. Letters requesting in formation were sent to workers who had had some experience with the work at Camp Shiloh. Personal interviews provided background for the study of the problem. The personal ex- 3 perience oft e author. ho 1ad, or ed as day camp c unse lor for one ear t Camp Shilo and h spent seve 1 months in the ork of th c urchin ew rk c·ty~ serve to sup pl .et the b c ground for the study. An th r thesis, written by a stu:ient t Harclin-Si ons University ~ho h d spent several years in Bible camp work~ ,as als use s source m teri 1. It was speci lly helpful for this study since the uthor, though a-i ting on Bibl 0 camps in gener l, had ,or ed about on ye t Camp Shiloh. IV. UMITS AND SCOPE OF THE INVESTIGATI This sttdy w s d f s . -r Bible c mp th tis oper ted by members of the Church of Christ. The entire study w snot limit d to Camp Shiloh although th pri ry source material was limit d to that p rticul r c p. The secondary source material of th investig tion w snot limited in scope. The investig tion covered most of the important areas of the C mp Shiloh program lthough it w s by no mens ex haustive. In some of th phases of thee mp program only a f w facts were presented s a consider tion of their place in the Bibl c mp progr m. This limitation s due to the vast numb r of sections of the progr m that could h ve been investigated. Also, many of