University of North Carolina at Asheville
D. Hiden Ramsey Library
Special Collections/University Archives

Oral History Register
for

Ruth H. Camblos

OH-VOA C36 Ru

Voices of Asheville Oral History Collection
D.H. Ramsey Library Special Collections, UNCA

Title

Creator

Dorothy Joynes for Voices of Asheville Oral History Collection

Subject

LCSH:
Camblos, Ruth H.
Asheville (N.C.) -- History
Smith-McDowell Museum (Asheville, N.C.)
Church schools -- North Carolina -- Asheville
Catholic schools -- North Carolina -- Asheville
St. Genevieve-of-the Pines (Asheville, N.C.)
Buncombe County (N.C.) -- History -- Study and Teaching
Education -- North Carolina -- Asheville -- History

Subject

Keyword:
Smith-McDowell House ; St. Genevieve of the Pines ;  Gudger House ; Junior League of Asheville ; Carolina Day School ; Asheville School for Boys

Description

Abstract: Mrs. Camblos details past and present extensive fund-raising for the Smith-McDowell house, including a grant awarded by the North Carolina legislature. Stabilization of the house, technical museum requirements, and restoration are described. She describes efforts that were made to discover original turn-of-the-century plans for the garden and grounds of the property. She describes her connections with St. Genevieve's school and the merger of the school with the former Asheville Country Day School to form Carolina Day School. She edited the text for a book about St. Genevieve's written by Mother Margaret Potts.  She describes her involvement with the medical auxiliary and the Junior League. She also discusses tourism and the necessity of preserving western North Carolina's natural beauty.

Publisher

D. H. Ramsey Library Special Collections, University of North Carolina at Asheville, NC, 28804

Contributor

Date

Electronic Record Issued: 2002-04-03

Type

Sound ; Text ; Image

Format

Physical Description: 7-page abstract ; 1 90-minute audiocassette and 1 copy ; 3 color photographs ; 1 manuscript ; newspaper articles and brochures

Identifier

Source

OH-VOA C36 Ru

Language

English

Relation

References: VOA Jane Bingham Oral History ; VOA Frances McDowell Oral History ; VOA Eileen McCabe Oral History ; VOA Margaret Potts Oral History ; VOA Kathleen Winters Oral History ; St. Genevieve's Remembered by Mother Margaret Potts

Coverage

Acquisition

Donor number: 146 ;  Date of acquisition: 1998

Processed By

Dorothy Joynes, Ruth Beard and staff

Interview Date

Interview Location

Biography

In the early 1970's Mrs. Camblos, wife of physician Joshua Camblos, published a book, Shopping Around the Mountains, with Virginia Winger.  It sold very well, with several subsequent editions. Through Frances McDowell, she became involved with the Smith-McDowell House, during the earliest part of its restoration and development. In 1982 the French Broad River Garden Club gave her an award for her work on the Smith-McDowell grounds. She assisted in editing a book about St. Genevieve's written by Mother Margaret Potts. She is also involved with the medical auxiliary and the Junior League.

List of names

Side 1:

[5] Background.
She contacted Frances about the museum, learned it was in embryo stage, and volunteered to help.  She had discussed starting a shop with a friend when a neighbor encouraged her to write a book. [Frances McDowell, Virginia Winger]

[17] "Shopping around the Mountains" was published in 1972, distributed through 18-20 counties and sold out in 8 months.

[48] Asheville Mall was new and hers was the only guide book in town.  This was reprinted several times. [B. Dalton]

[69] She was interested in the plans for a museum as she had attended St. Genevieve's and knew it well.  [Gudger House, Smith-McDowell House]

[100] She joined the Board and describes the interior.  [Johnny Baxter, Richard Sharp Smith, Richard Morris Hunt]

[131]  As a member of the board of the Asheville Community Concerts, she suggested a benefit for the house to be held in the Civic Center.  $1500 was raised..  An "Antique Attic" sale was held in the Biltmore Town Hall.  She went to a foundation and got a matching grant.  [Sally Appleby Williams]

[209] A-B Tech, which owned the property, gave a 10-year trial period to establish a museum.

[233] The city, county and state contributed to the museum.

[237] Requests for grants were written, pictures and information were packaged and went to the legislature in Raleigh. [Mr. Crawford (deceased), Jack Stevens, Viola Stevens, Francis McDowell]

[303]  First funding stabilized the exterior of the house.  The next amount was to restore the interior.

[311]  In 1981 the house was open to the public. There was no furniture and it was staffed by volunteers.

[323] A-B Tech lent office space in the Hemlock building.  Later space was given in the Wachovia Bank.  [Harvey Haynes, Ray Bailey, Durwood Everett, Sara Hodgekins]

[350] The head of the Department of Cultural Resources outlined the requirements necessary to make this a museum.  Record drawings were drawn up by the firm Six Associates. 

[398]  In 1982 she was given the French Broad River Garden Club award for work on the house.

Stopped at 413 tape rev.
Oct. 15, 1992 in the Smith-McDowell House.

[425]  The award of 1982 discussed (see enclosed).  [Frances McDowell]

[474]  Landscape designer was employed but there was no original design to develop the 1 1/2 acre.

[492] A letter and a book of memoirs were used as clues to search for the original garden plan.  Garden clubs were interested in participating but, without plans to go by, their offers were delayed.  [Frances McKee O'Brien, Frederick Law Olmstead, Texas Bates]

[616] By using an ownership "time line" the help of the Library of Congress staff was enlisted.

Side 2:

[2/7]  It was discussed through correspondence in the archives of the Library of Congress that, if plans existed, they would be in the Olmstead Home in Brookline, Mass.  Her friend went to Boston and the original plans were found.  [Frederick Law Olmsted, Alexander Garrett, Charles Van Bergen, Chauncey de los Beadle, Jean Beach]

[2/45] Garden plans are recorded as #5.  The Garden Club of America gave $5,000 for restoration and some of the finest experts in the country looked over the designs.  [Frederick Olmstead and sons, Rudy Favretti]

[2/105]  Experts from the Biltmore House assisted in plans. [Bill Alexander]

[2/122]  Community interest is increasing thanks to the fine staff.  The present costume display is discussed.  (see enclosure) [David Janssen, Patty Descutner]

[2/170] The various local places of interest for tourists is discussed.  Local people and school children look to the museum for their heritage.

[2/195] The house had been the Asheville Catholic High School.  Some teachers were from St. Genevieve's.

[2/214]  In 1988 the school merged with Asheville Country Day.  She was asked to write a history.  Mother Potts had dictated about 16 tapes.  St. Joseph's Hospital assisted with a secretary to transcribe the tapes and she edited and published St. Genevieve Remembered.  [Mother Potts, Sister Veronica]

[2/270]  The books were signed by Mother Potts and a tremendous crowd turned up at the school. Six hundred and fifty copies were sold in 2 weeks.  Two hundred and fifty more were reprinted and for sale.  [Mother Potts, Jane Bingham]

[2/316]  At the time St. Genevieve's was on the verge of folding because of finances, a Board was formed - largely to raise money.  She was President of the board.

[2/348]  Asheville School for Boys admitted high school girls for the first time. [Jack Tyrer]

[2/357]  She has been a member of the Junior League all her adult life and among other activities trooped puppets to the hospital and was involved in remedial reading.  She was President for two years (1959 and 1960) and helped change the term to 1 year.  [Thoms Hospital]

[2/394]  The changes in the League, Catholic teaching, medical auxiliary, and Asheville is discussed.  She feels the city is vibrant and a greatly desired place in which to live.

[2/488]  She mentions a comment made in the paper that we can't destroy the beauty people came to see and feels that a lot of young people are dedicated to keeping it that way.  [Bill Cecil]

Thanks

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