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1972 1973-1974 1976 1979 1980 1982

1972 Myron Schuit stepped aside 1973 Land in Greencastle, Camp Ponderosa, an 80 acre Released Time Gary and Nancy Hull First CBM national can-
as general director to develop the PA, was given by three site in north Alabama was enrollment in assigned to work at didate school ran at
concept of the Bible Mailbox local farmers purchased from the Univer- PA was 2,359; National Office to Camp Gilead. Duane
Clubs with Bible Club Movement, sity of Alabama for $80,000. reaching 58% of assist National Direc- Matthews served as
Intl 1974 Camp Joy-El opened Later it was named the eligible tor Clyde Robison; dean. It ran for three
Built from March 17-July Ponderosa Bible Camp. served until 1987 weeks with no recess.
1972-83 Clyde Robison served as elementary
the national director; then 10th through the help of Bess Robertson served as the students Today classes are held
national representative until 1989 volunteers first camp director. for one week at the
National Headquarters.

S. Clyde and Betty Robison Camp Joy-El main building Ponderosa Bible Camp Gary and Nancy Hull First Candidate School

Rolling Chapels
Unrest hovers over CBM uring the 60‘s and 70‘s CBM
I D
n the 1960‘s CBM was reaching 350,000 school children
was a mission in flux and
staffed by many nervous
through monthly visits to the public classroom. However,
missionaries. Some areas ended their
during that same time dark clouds of opposition were forming.
The Bible was no longer seen by some as the final authority. CBM public school ministry and as a result
had earned the respect of many locals, but opposition continued to a few missionaries resigned from
CBM in order to continue teaching in
surface in several areas. the public classroom. Other areas
On February 1, 1971, Judge Dalton of Harrison- continued on in the public classroom
burg, VA, ruled on a law suit that CBM was in viola- with the blessing of the local authori-
tion for teaching Bible to public school students in ties.
Page County, VA. In a few short months CBM lost In Florida and Virginia CBM pur-
the opportunity to minister to almost 10,000 students chased mobile classrooms, ―Rolling Anne Bell and Reba Thompson, Keystone Heights, Florida
in Virginia. Myron Schuit, National Director, recom- Chapels‖. In northern Florida, in
mended that we phase out our public school ministry 1968, Anne Bell and Reba Thompson acquired the first Rolling Chapel, the shell of a
as of that school year. Each divisional director was new Winnebago. It was then equipped for a classroom. They had left the public class-
to take steps to prevent additional lawsuits. room and ministered to boys and girls though private schools and after school Bible
Unrest hovered over many CBM missionaries. Workers were clubs. Students were encouraged to do Mailbox Club lessons and memorize Scripture
encouraged to consider Released Time, after school clubs, the Mail- to earn a reduced fee for summer camp.
In Culpeper, Virginia, under the guidance of the chairman of the local CBM commit-
box Club Ministry, and the telephone ministry. Some workers chose tee, Mason Hutcheson purchased their first chapel in 1972 and used it for Released
to leave CBM in order to stay in the public schools. Encouraged by Time. Jean Gale made the transition from teaching 2,000 students in schools to Re-
local authorities, several CBM divisions continued to do Bible leased Time. The mobile chapel could seat approximately 30 students and is still used
classes in the public schools. in Virginia after 28 years of use.
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