A Legacy of Vision, Faith & Leadership

Hubert Smothers was elected the fourth President of Harrison Chilhowee Baptist Academy in 1970. In his acceptance speech to the Board of Trustees, he quoted Isaiah 51:1, saying he was returning to the “pit from which I was digged.” Hubert was referring to his connections to the academy that dated back to 1934 in Trenton, Tennessee. That was the year his father, Jesse H. Smothers, felt the call to preach at age 36. He promptly moved his wife and four children, including nine-year-old Hubert, to HCBA. The move forced Hubert to face challenges early and head-on; his mother washed and ironed clothes for dorm students to help pay the tuition for her husband, Hubert, and his siblings.

Hubert persevered and graduated from HCBA in 1943. He continued his education at Cumberland University in Lebanon, Tennessee, where he was captain of the football team and was named “Most Outstanding Athlete.” Hubert received his A.B. (Latin for B.A.) degree in 1949.

His subsequent work history and further education include:

• For four years, he coached and taught students at Greenbrier High School in Greenbrier, Tennessee.
• During the 1953–1954 academic year, he served as Admissions Counselor for Shorter College in Rome, Georgia.
• In 1955, he received the M.A. from George Peabody College for Teachers in Nashville (now part of Vanderbilt University).
• From 1956–1958, Hubert was the Director of Public Relations and Student Enrollment for Belmont College (now University), Nashville.
• He was Personnel Supervisor of the Baptist Sunday School Board (later to become Lifeway) from 1958–1961.
• In 1961, he became Assistant to the Director of the Service Division, Baptist Sunday School Board of the Southern Baptist Convention, and in 1966 became Director, serving until September 1970 when he was appointed President of Harrison Chilhowee Baptist Academy.
• In 1970, he was also serving as President of the Tennessee Baptist State Brotherhood and was a member of the HCBA Board of Trustees, having been elected to the Board in 1967.

As the academy’s fourth leader to hold the title President, Mr. Smothers immediately distinguished himself with his charismatic personality and dynamic leadership style. He was intimately familiar with the academy and needed no warm-up period. That was good for the academy because, at the time of his election, the Tennessee Baptist Convention was seriously considering eliminating all support for the school. Mr. Smothers skillfully led trustees and Baptist supporters throughout Tennessee and from other parts of the country to defeat two formal motions to close the school.

Launching proactive initiatives, Mr. Smothers led the academy from 1970 until his tragic death at age 59 in a fire at his house on campus on January 1, 1984. Among the many successes during his remarkable tenure are the following accomplishments:

• An endowment campaign resulting in the naming and dedication of the auditorium in honor of Oscar and Victoria Atchley Woody
• Century II Capital Campaign
• Unprecedented international student enrollment growth
• Initiation of a program of education for the deaf (1972)
• In light of the prevalence of GED opportunities, he led the transition from enrollment of non-traditional-age high school students to the establishment of the Preachers School (later, Bible Training Center and Seminary Extension Center).
• Noteworthy guest speakers on campus:
  • Corrie Ten Boom, renowned Holocaust (Ravensbrück) survivor and author of The Hiding Place and In My Father’s House
  • Television personality Greg Walcott
  • Comedian Grady Nutt
  • Denominational leaders Courtney Wilson, Keith Parks, and Chester Swor
• Added the 22,000-square-foot Luther Ogle Building (former Seymour Primary School) to HCBA assets
• Constructed a highly functional metal maintenance building
• Established commuter transportation van routes to Knoxville, Maryville, and Gatlinburg
• Led the academy to achieve regional accreditation by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (1979)
• Led the academy to become a member of the Tennessee Association of Independent Schools and Mid-South Association of Independent Schools

Mr. Smothers was married to Earlene Jones of Nashville, who served faithfully alongside him as “First Lady” of the academy. Five of their six children graduated from HCBA: Gail; Mark (Candace), Class of 1972; Brenda Hammond (Bob), Class of 1973; Kay Riddle (Tom, ’77), Class of 1976; Greg (Laura), Class of 1983; and Drew (Kristi), Class of 1985. Three of their grandchildren graduated from The King’s Academy. One great-grandson, Martin Schiverdecker, is currently enrolled, making him the Smothers family’s fifth-generation academy student.