Rhys Hall, David (1915–2014)

David Rhys Hall was an outstanding researcher, educator, and educational administrator who served in the South American, Inter-American, and North American divisions. He was interested in earth sciences and a collaborator with Adventist institutions in defending creationism.¹

Ancestors and First Years

David was born in Gaiman, Valle del Chubut, Argentina, on October 2, 1915. He was the fourth child of David Ivor Rhys (1879–1967) and Edith Elizabeth Hall (1884–1951). He was the grandson of William Casnodyn Rhys (1851–1941), pastor of the first Baptist church of the Argentine Patagonia, who arrived from Wales with his wife, Frances Margaretta Stephens, and daughter Myfanwy (requested by the Welsh Colony) in 1879. In Chubut seven more children were born, the oldest being David Ivor Rhys, David’s father. David spent part of his life until he was 16 years old on a 250-acre (100-hectare) farm granted to William C. Rhys by the Argentine government. David’s mother language was English.

Grandfather William built a house on his farm in Treorky, Chubut, where he lived with his family until they returned to England in 1893 in order to educate their children. In London David Ivor Rhys learned carpentry, married Edith Hall, and had two daughters, Edith B. Rhys (1906–1992) [de Ernst] and Gladys A. Rhys (1908–1997) [de Replogle]. In 1909 he decided to fulfill his persistent desire to return with his family to the Welsh Colony of Argentina.² The Rhys-Hall family had seven other children born in Argentina: Megan Rhys (1910–1990), John Rhys (1912–1997), David Rhys (1915–2014), Leslie Rhys (1921–1990), Lesta Rhys (1926– ) [de Calvo]), Ivor Garfield Rhys (1928–1938), and Edgar Rhys (1931–2007).

David received elementary education at the English/Welsh Middle School in Gaiman, Chubut, Argentina, where he was taught in three languages: Spanish, English, and Welsh.

David’s parents were Baptists and accepted the Adventist message introduced by missionaries Arthur Nelson and his wife, who graduated from Loma Linda University, California. Nelson gave Bible studies in Gaiman to the couple Rhys-Hall and the older brothers. He also invited their children to attend River Plate Academy, Entre Ríos, Argentina. All the children studied in that institution. At age of 15 David raised money to pay for his transport while driving the car and taking care of the horses of canvasser Vere Fitzroy (Roy) Chamberlayne. David graduated as a teacher from River Plate Academy (1932–1937) and was baptized in November 1932 by John Douglas Livingston.

David Rhys married Adela Chaij on July 11, 1938, in Florida, Buenos Aires, Argentina. Adela was born on May 24, 1916, in Buenos Aires, Argentina, in the house of Gabriel Chaij and Agustina Samaán. She was baptized on December 31, 1932. She studied five years at River Plate Academy; where she graduated as a teacher, as well as a stenographer and typist. She was a teacher of secretarial sciences in the River Plate Academy, Entre Ríos, Argentina; secretary and teacher in Uruguay Academy, teacher of secretarial sciences and Spanish at Chile College; teacher of secretarial sciences and Spanish, also librarian, at Inca Union College, Peru. Later she was secretary in the Inter-American Divison, in Miami, Florida, United States. She helped in the training of pastors and secretaries in all these institutions. She had a special interest in the presentation of cultural programs in Adventist schools. Adela died on September 3, 2011, in Loma Linda, California, United States. The Rhys-Chaij family had three children: Nidia Esther Rhys de Vyhmeister, Mirtha Elva Rhys, and Carlos David Rhys.

Years of Service and Studies

In 1938 Rhys was employed by the Adventist organization as a principal and teacher at the Bernardino Rivadavia Elementary School in Florida (today Buenos Aires Academy), Vicente López, Buenos Aires, Argentina. During his management, secondary studies started in that institution. In 1942 he requested the official incorporation to the institution. By examining competence before the Ministry of Education of Argentina, he because a professor of mathematics (1943). In the same year he was called to serve in the River Plate Academy, Entre Ríos, Argentina, as dean and professor of mathematics. He dedicated the years from 1943 to 1955 to this institution, being a decisive factor in the official incorporation of high school studies.³

In those days he showed great interest in topography, geology, paleontology, and astronomy. He was a fossil collector and made his contribution as a science teacher. In 1945 he was designated vice director and professor of River Plate Academy. In pursuit of further training he obtained diplomas as a teacher of geography (1947) and in citizen culture (1955) in the National Higher Institute of Teachers of Paraná, Entre Ríos, Argentina. In 1974 he added to his responsibilities that of academic director of River Plate Academy. In 1953 the formalization of the Normal School (teacher training) was obtained. Between 1956 and 1960 he was general director of Uruguay Academy. Also, there he obtained the official incorporation of the study program.

In 1959 he studied theology and archeology of the Near East at the Adventist Seminary in Washington, D.C., in the United States. From 1961 to 1964 he was president of Chile College. In these functions he managed and obtained government recognition for the Normal School (teacher training) (1963), through an agreement with the University of Concepción (Chile). From 1964 to 1966 he was a tutor in the Department of Languages at Andrews University, in the United States. In 1965 he graduated with a master’s degree in education from Andrews University, Michigan, United States.

From 1966 to 1971 he acted as vice president and academic dean of Inca Union College, Lima, Perú (currently Peruvian Union University). He also managed and achieved the official accreditation of the studies offered there. Between 1973 and 1975 he worked in the mapping laboratory of the University of California, Riverside. In 1975 he obtained his doctorate degree in earth science: geography in the University of California, Riverside.⁴ Between 1975 and 1980 he became director of the department of education in the Inter-American Division. Part of his task was to obtain recognition from the Department of Education of the General Conference and local governments (which was achieved with the schools of Santo Domingo, Haiti, Jamaica, the Caribbean, Costa Rica, and Colombia). At that time he also directed Educación. In 1980 he studied archaeology in Tel Aviv University, Israel. He retired from active duty in 1980, after 43 years of intense and very meaningful service.

His activities and academic contributions were many. He helped to obtain the official recognition of 11 institutions from ten different countries and in two divisions. He joined the Geoscience Research Institute (GRI), in Loma Linda, California, U.S.A., where he held many research positions and participated in most of the study tours since 1966. He published dozens of scientific articles in magazines like Origins, Ciencia de los orígenes [Origins, Science of Origins] (it started in Spanish in 1980) and others. He promoted geoscience symposia in Spanish-speaking countries and the opening of the GRI chapter in River Plate Academy. He participated in the informative meetings in the SETI (Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence) Project of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), Pasadena, California. He participated in a space education program at NASA (1989). He was part of the Antarctic expedition organized by the Planetary Society, of Pasadena, California, United States (2001). He conducted archaeological excavations in the Bible lands, organized and directed by Tel Aviv University, Israel. He was a member of several prestigious scientific societies in the United States and Latin America.⁵ For his activities and personal interest he traveled extensively across all continents, except for Africa.⁶

He also received distinctions and awards. He was awarded a scholarship by the Organization of American States to expand his doctoral thesis (1975). River Plate Adventist University, Entre Ríos, Argentina, appointed him as professor emeritus. His name appears in the Dictionary of International Biography, Cambridge, Reino Unido (1976); also in Who’s Who in the Southwest United States (1978, 1979).

Activity After Retirement

He served as a teacher of physics and geosciences in the Costa Rica Adventist Academy (SOS Overseas) between 1982 and 1983. Between 1984 and 1988 he was a visiting instructor in many universities in California. He was part of the team of the Geoscience Research Institute (GRI), Loma Linda, California, United States. He did dozens of investigations for GRI and for other scientific institutions. He presented papers, and conducted seminars in Argentina, Brazil, Canada, United States, Peru, and Puerto Rico. He published scientific articles in the magazine Origins, Ciencia de los orígenes [Origins, Science of Origins]. He was chief editor of the latter for more than 20 years. In 1990 he participated in a dinosaur excavation with the University of California.

Rhys fell from a ladder while pruning some plants, and from then on, his health began to decline. However, he never lost his good humor and love for reading and research. He died on September 5, 2014, in Loma Linda, California, United States, at the age of 98. He is buried in Montecito Memorial Park (Loma Linda, California, U.S.A.).

Legacy

David Rhys was passionate about Christian education at all levels. He dedicated his life to education.⁷ He gave crucial importance to the study of the Bible and nature. He organized the fund and the administrative commission of the Victoria Chaij Foundation to grant scholarships to low-income students. He inspired the formation of the David and Adela Rhys Prize for Christian teachers who are outstanding in their work. He collected fossils for teaching, obtained in places near the River Plate Academy, which were the beginning of the museum that was named after him. David Rhys is remembered as a restless, simple, friendly, cheerful man, of fluid and uplifting conversation. He was a true inspiration for his students, colleagues, and friends.

Sources

“Clase del CAP 1952-2002: Recuerdos y bendiciones” [CAP Class 1952-2002: Memories and Blessings]. 96-page material prepared for the meeting of the graduates of River Plate Academy of 1952.

La Voz del Colegio [Voice of the Academy], November 1943-1955.

Mayr, Siegfried G. “Falleció el Dr. David Rhys Hall” [Dr. David Rhys Hall Died]. La Agenda, September 10-16, 2014.

Rhys Hall, David. Memorias [Memories]. Unpublished document, provided by Dr. Nidia Rhys Vyhmeister.

Rhys, William C. La Patagonia que canta: Memorias de la colonización galesa. [Patagonia That Sings: Memories of the Welsh Colonization] (Buenos Aires: Emecé, 2000).

Notes

1. See “Clase del CAP 1952-2002: Recuerdos y bendiciones” [CAP Class 1952-2002: Memories and Blessings] (96-page material prepared for the meeting of the graduates of River Plate Academy of 1952); Siegfried G. Mayr, “Falleció el Dr. David Rhys Hall” [Dr. David Rhys Hall Died], La Agenda [The Agenda], September 10-16, 2014, 6. This similarity was very useful for the work of William C. Rhys, La Patagonia que canta: Memorias de la colonización galesa [Patagonia That Sings: Memories of the Welsh Colonization] (Buenos Aires: Emecé, 2000).↩

2. David Hall Rhys, Memorias [Memories] (unpublished document, provided by Dr. Nidia Rhys Vyhmeister). (Nidia Rhys Vyhmeister is a pediatrician and professor at Loma Linda University, California, United States.)↩

3. La Voz del Colegio [Voice of the Academy], November 1943-1955.↩

4. Rhys’s doctoral thesis was entitled “La Patagonia Media: Interacción de geografía física y geografía humana” [Middle Patagonia: Interaction of Physical Geography and Human Geography].↩

5. Professional Societies: Asociación Argentina de Astronomía [Argentine Astronomy Association], The Planetary Society, The Cousteau Society, The National Geographic Society, The Smithsonian, The Inter-American Society de la Organización de Estados Americanos (OEA) [Organization of American States], BRISCO. Rhys was an honorary member of the Conference of Adventist Professionals, Mexico.↩

6. Rhys visited all the countries of the three Americas, southern and central Europe, Israel, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Thailand, Hong Kong, Japan, Australia, Tasmania, and New Zealand.↩

7. The subjects he liked most were mathematics, cosmography, astronomy, space sciences, didactics and methodology of sciences, and biblical archaeology.↩