J.Scott Coverdale Jr. (Mr. Coverdale’s son) passed away on June 30th, 2013 in Tucson Arizona. He was ever disposed to pull out old Hy-Lake catalogues and remember those good days on the Caney Fork River. After moving to Arizona in 1972, he also served as camp director for summer camps, and his children worked in many camps as well, in Arizona, New Mexico, New Hampshire, Manitoba and others.
He is survived by his wife of 57 years, Mary Coverdale, and his four children, Christy, Jenny, Scott and Tom.
Jonas S. Coverdale founded Camp Hy-Lake in 1931, with seventeen campers and four staff members in two wooden buildings and five tents, it grew to a masterfully planned and constructed camp of forty buildings with 190 campers and thirty staff members.
From the beginning it was an experiment in creating experiences for young men that might help them grow up and reinforce the best within them. The idea of attending a Summer camp was new. The idea that creating opportunities for competition and sportsmanship within a structured program to reinforce achievement for every camper, was unheard of.
Prep schools were an answer to the academic and competitive development, so Major Coverdale recruited the best and brightest teachers from the South’s leading prep schools. Camp Hy-Lake found a unique niche among families with the means to seek the best experiences for their sons.
Jonas Coverdale also found a way to promote Hy-Lake in, what today would be called, a viral manner. He built exposure in a dozen city newspapers by supplying photographs of campers returning home to that newspaper’s market. Each year he created a “catalog”, really a picture book of campers in group pictures, with emphasis on key city groups. He also started in 1931 shooting silent movies of activities. This website was created from the thousands and thousands of photographs and hours of 16mm film.
W, Paul Redick was born April 3, 1911 at Camden, TN, graduated from Camden Elementary and High Schools and attended University of Tennessee, Martin and received an A.B degree from Cumberland University at Lebanon, TN in 1936, later attended Peabody College and Vanderbuilt University, Nashville where he received an M.A. degree.
In 1931-34 Paul was teacher coach at Camden Hugh School; during the period 1936-50 he was busy as Coach, Intramural Athletic Director and engaged in the Social Studies program of Castle Heights Military Academy at Lebanon. During the period from 1936 through 1960, he was Director of Hy-Lake Summer Camp for Boys at Quebeck, TN.
For a period of 18 years, 1950-1968, he was Headmaster at Battle Ground Academy at Franklin, TN. After 1968 he was employed by the State of Tennessee as Director of Special Schools.
He wrote a book, “It Happened at Hy-Lake”, published in 1972 by Blue and Gray Press, Nashville, TN.
