Hughes, Ray Harrison Sr.
Ray Harrison Hughes Sr. (1924-2011) twice served as president of Lee College, first in 1960-66 and again 1982-84. Hughes was young and energetic, only 36 years old when first appointed as president. He connected well with youth and brought fresh vision and motivation. He was born in Georgia, but spent most of his childhood and youth in Ohio.
President Hughes had attended BTS in 1939 and even preached his first sermon in a homiletics class at Lee. He learned to memorize scripture at the influence of teacher Avis Swiger– and typically quoted passages of scripture from memory in his sermons. Having served as a pastor, he was elected to denominational leadership posts beginning in 1950, and he had directed the denomination’s national Sunday school and youth program. He was popular in the pulpit, the speaker for the denomination’s national radio program (Forward in Faith), gifted at connecting with youth, and willing to try new things. He also was determined and tended to not take no for an answer but find a way to make it happen.
Just after he became president in 1960, the news arrived that Lee’s 2-year Junior College had received accreditation by the Southern Association, the culmination of work began more than a decade prior. Within two years a denominational Report on Education would recommend the college renew its commitment to expanding the liberal arts college into a 4-year program. President Hughes embraced that task with intentionality.
The Hughes presidency broke all records up to that time. New academic structures and programs were adopted. Faculty ranking was instituted and tenure first offered in an effort to retain good faculty. Greek-letter social service clubs were organized, with the first two being Upsilon XI and Delta Zeta Tau (DZT). The first "Sadie Hawkins Day" event was held and "Parade of Favorites" began. The first “College Day” held in 1964 with more than 1,000 attending, and enrollment began to increase, up to almost 900 by the end of his presidency. As a visible symbol of the renewed growth and vision, a new administration building was constructed and then a large science building.
All throughout his tenure, President Hughes and Academic Dean Herbert Walker held meetings with representatives from the Southern Association to move Lee toward a 4-year liberal arts college. As part of this recommendation, the high school division was dissolved in 1965.
In 1966 President Hughes left Lee, was elected Assistant General Overseer, and earned his doctorate. He later would serve as general overseer of the Church of God on three separate occasions. He returned to Lee as president in 1982, but his second tenure was not as successful. Times had changed; Lee had changed. Yet, in the 1960s, he had successfully guided the school and helped save it from being closed.
The former Hughes Hall dormitory was named for him, as is the current New Hughes Hall.
/ L.F. Morgan
President Hughes had attended BTS in 1939 and even preached his first sermon in a homiletics class at Lee. He learned to memorize scripture at the influence of teacher Avis Swiger– and typically quoted passages of scripture from memory in his sermons. Having served as a pastor, he was elected to denominational leadership posts beginning in 1950, and he had directed the denomination’s national Sunday school and youth program. He was popular in the pulpit, the speaker for the denomination’s national radio program (Forward in Faith), gifted at connecting with youth, and willing to try new things. He also was determined and tended to not take no for an answer but find a way to make it happen.
Just after he became president in 1960, the news arrived that Lee’s 2-year Junior College had received accreditation by the Southern Association, the culmination of work began more than a decade prior. Within two years a denominational Report on Education would recommend the college renew its commitment to expanding the liberal arts college into a 4-year program. President Hughes embraced that task with intentionality.
The Hughes presidency broke all records up to that time. New academic structures and programs were adopted. Faculty ranking was instituted and tenure first offered in an effort to retain good faculty. Greek-letter social service clubs were organized, with the first two being Upsilon XI and Delta Zeta Tau (DZT). The first "Sadie Hawkins Day" event was held and "Parade of Favorites" began. The first “College Day” held in 1964 with more than 1,000 attending, and enrollment began to increase, up to almost 900 by the end of his presidency. As a visible symbol of the renewed growth and vision, a new administration building was constructed and then a large science building.
All throughout his tenure, President Hughes and Academic Dean Herbert Walker held meetings with representatives from the Southern Association to move Lee toward a 4-year liberal arts college. As part of this recommendation, the high school division was dissolved in 1965.
In 1966 President Hughes left Lee, was elected Assistant General Overseer, and earned his doctorate. He later would serve as general overseer of the Church of God on three separate occasions. He returned to Lee as president in 1982, but his second tenure was not as successful. Times had changed; Lee had changed. Yet, in the 1960s, he had successfully guided the school and helped save it from being closed.
The former Hughes Hall dormitory was named for him, as is the current New Hughes Hall.
/ L.F. Morgan