p. 19 | Estrada Palma School, in Cuba

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Dec 7, 1911

Estrada Palma School, in Cuba

By Mrs. Ida FISCHER-CARNAHAN

Our school, Estrada Palma, began its present term the first of September, with an enrolment of eighteen, about double the number with which we began last year. At the present time we have twenty-six. Every desk is taken, and should those come who are expected, I do not know where we shall seat them.

Our night school has also begun, with nine white men who are interested in the truth. These young men are attending all our meetings, and are expecting to unite with the church. They seem to be above the average in intelligence. We do not know what led them to come to us, unless it is the cottage meetings that have been held among the people who have children in the school.

Our new building is finished, and we are occupying it. We appreciate this appropriation of the General Conference, for we were crowded into small quarters, indeed. Our work is known all through this part of the island. Only the other day an American woman of another denomination, who has been carrying on orphanage work for the last thirteen years, but is now forced to abandon it, drove twenty-five miles to visit us, to see our school before recommending us to some of the patrons of her school who wish to place their children with us. She seemed well pleased with what she saw, and said she expected that there would be some students from her “home.” My daughter is now in Havana, arranging with an American family to bring back three of their boys.

Elder U. Bender, our union conference president, and Elder E. W. Snyder, the superintendent of this field, were with us at the dedication of the building. The building is paid for and the title has been secured. We do not wish to convey the idea that it is all smooth sailing here; for there are times when we do not know how we shall meet questions that arise. But in some way God helps us out; then we feel ashamed of our lack of faith. We have had but few facilities, and the people for whom we have been putting forth effort are the laboring class, who do not have much money to invest in education; so our tuition has been fixed to meet that class. The rich here do not wish to send their children to a boarding-school with the poor, and especially where work is a feature of their education. Even our youngest student has his task to perform. These children come to us knowing nothing of how to labor.

Some of our own people are poor, and we feel they ought to have the opportunity of attending our school. Not long ago we received a letter from an isolated brother whose wife died, telling us that he had three children he would like to put in the school, two of whom are attending the Spanish public school. But, like many of our people who are pioneers, he has not had the money to send them. We do not feel able to make any offer to help him, although we desire to. We have all we can do to meet present expenses. This brother is a Scandinavian. There are other persons that are worthy.

The advancement of the school in so short a time seems almost marvelous to us. About two and a half years ago we were holding our sessions in a palm-leaf shack; now we have this comfortable building. The porches are not yet put up, nor the structure painted, but these will be done soon. This building may seem modest to some; but to those of us who have struggled with poverty and the trials that we have had to face in building up the work, it seems grand, indeed, and we feel grateful to the Lord, who has placed it in the hearts of some of our friends to manifest an interest in us and to help us.

Our hearts were touched as we listened to Brother Bender’s words the Sabbath afternoon of the dedication. This was his second visit, and he knew something of the perplexities through which the school has passed. We still have difficulties to meet, and expect to have as long as we are in the service of Christ. But he who has stood by us and given success to the work, will care for it to the end.

We feel, as one of our Cuban patrons said, that our school is a light here in this part of the dark world. Pray for us that we may render good service.

Mrs. Ida FISCHER-CARNAHAN.