Educational Convention by H. R. S.

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Jul 7, 1910

_Educational Convention_

By H. R. S.

The educational convention, held at Berrien Springs, Mich., June 10-20, in every way exceeded the expectations of those who came. The attendance was larger than any of us had dared to hope, there being about one hundred fifty delegates, representing all our training-schools throughout the United States and Canada. From the very beginning, it was evident that the teachers had come for one purpose—to study the needs of the hour, and plan their work to meet those needs. Perfect harmony marked the work of each day, and when the convention adjourned, and the teachers scattered again to every part of the United States, it was with the feeling that the session had been a great blessing, both spiritually and in bringing about closer harmony and greater unity in our educational work in all its departments.

We were most hospitably entertained by the management of the Emmanuel Missionary College, and with perfect weather every day, and the pleasant surroundings of the college, nothing was left to be desired.

To give one a better idea of the work of the convention, it should be stated that the program was divided into two parts: (1) the forenoon, given to general work, as outlined in the program below; (2) the afternoon from two to five forty-five, when the convention was divided into sixteen sections, each section spending the time in close study of those matters pertaining to its interests. Each morning from six thirty to seven o'clock, the teachers observed the morning watch, following the texts of the Morning Watch Calendar. The following general program was then carried out:—

_PROGRAM_

_Friday, June 10_

11:30 Devotional Service 2:30 Address: “The Convention and Its Work” — H. R. Salisbury Meeting and Organizing of Sections 7:15 Vesper Service: “The Education of the Heart” — C. C. Lewis

_Sabbath, June 11_

9:45 Sabbath-school 11:00 Sermon: “The Holy Spirit, the Teacher” — H. R. Salisbury 3:00 Bible Study — F. Burg 8:00 Social Hour:—

Reception by the Department of Education, and the faculty of Emmanuel Missionary College.
Solo — Mrs. S. A. Smith
Greetings — O. J. Graf
Response — E. R. Palmer
Solo — Frederick Griggs
Symposium on Social Education (five-minute talks): (a) Value of Social Education, M. E. Kern; (b) Social Gatherings, Mrs. Sheperd; (c) Table Etiquette, Myrta M. Kellogg; (d) Social Forms and Usages, Mrs. F. D. Chase.
Solo — Gerard Geritsen

_Sunday, June 12_

8:30 Devotional Service: “The Morning Watch” — C. L. Benson 9:00-10:30 “Maintaining the Balance in Educational Effort” — C. W. Irwin “The Use and Abuse of the Academical Degree” — C. C. Lewis Discussion, led by J. L. Shaw 11:00-12:30 “Qualification and Training of Teachers for College Work” — O. J. Graf “The Preparation of Students for Specific Lines of Gospel Work” — M. E. Kern 7:45 Address: “Our Times, Our Message, Our Schools” — Frederick Griggs

_Monday, June 13_

8:30 Devotional Service: “Feeding on the Word” — W. E. Videto 9:00-10:30 “Thoroughness in Preparatory Work” — C. L. Stone Discussion, led by M. E. Olsen “The Home—Its Relation to the School” — Mrs. C. C. Lewis Discussion, led by F. M. Burg 11:00-12:30 “School Regulations” — C. B. Hughes Discussion, led by C. S. Longacre “Games and Recreations” — C. C. Lewis Discussion, led by O. J. Graf 7:45 Symposium: School Homes

_Tuesday, June 14_

8:30 Devotional Service: “Spiritual Reform” — M. E. Kern 9:00-10:30 “The Place of Industries in the College Curriculum” — E. A. Sutherland “The Financial Features of Industrial Education” — B. M. Emerson Discussion, led by C. W. Irwin 11:00-12:30 “Reports of Progress in Industrial Education” — Presidents of Schools and Heads of Industrial Departments 7:45 Bible Study — A. G. Daniells

_Wednesday, June 15_

8:30 Devotional Service: “Power of Example” — W. J. Blake 9:00-10:30 “How Colleges Can Promote the Foreign Mission Spirit” — C. L. Benson “The Place of the Foreign Mission Seminary in Our System of Schools” — A. G. Daniells 11:00-12:30 “The Fireside Correspondence School” — W. E. Howell Discussion, led by E. R. Palmer “How to Fill Our Schools With Students” — M. E. Kern Discussion, led by M. E. Cady 7:45 Bible Study — A. G. Daniells

_Thursday, June 16_

8:30 Devotional Service: “Personal Work” — M. B. Van Kirk 9:00-10:30 “The School Home” — Alma J. Graf Discussion, led by H. G. Lucas “The Mission of the Educational Magazine” — Frederick Griggs Discussion, led by C. W. Irwin 11:00-12:30 “What Should Be Taught in Our Schools?” — M. E. Cady “Education of Bible Workers and the Needs of the Cities” — Mrs. A. T. Robinson Discussion, led by A. G. Daniells 7:45 Bible Study — A. G. Daniells

_Friday, June 17_

8:30 Devotional Service: “Let Us Not Be Weary in Well Doing” — H. A. Morrison 9:00-12:30 Reports of Committees 2:30-4:30 Reports of Committees Vesper Service — Frederick Griggs 8:30 Bible Study — A. G. Daniells

_Sabbath, June 18_

9:45 Sabbath-school 11:00 Sermon: “The Presence of the Holy Spirit for Efficient Service” — A. G. Daniells 3:00 Social Service 8:30 Bible Study — A. G. Daniells

_Sunday, June 19_

8:30 Devotional Service — B. L. Howe 9:00-12:30 Reports of Committees 2:30-5:30 Reports of Committees 7:45 Stereopticon: “Our Schools” — Frederick Griggs

_Monday, June 20_

8:30 Devotional Service: “The Consummation of Our Hope” — F. M. Burg 9:00-12:00 Reports of Committees.

In the afternoon, from two to five forty-five, departmental meetings were held. These sections, numbering sixteen, each in charge of a secretary, were as follows:— (1) Administration; (2) School Homes and Domestic Science; (3) Bible; (4) History; (5) English; (6) Ancient and Modern Languages; (7) Physiological and Physical Science; (8) Mathematics; (9) Industrial Training; (10) Commercial Training; (11) Public Speaking; (12) Normal Training; (13) Medical Education; (14) Music; (15) Art; (16) Foreign. These departments met every afternoon for six days; then the convention spent the remaining three days in discussing resolutions and plans which had been formed in these different sections during their six days’ study.

These sections were permanently formed, and secretaries were appointed by the Educational Department to have charge of them. This will greatly unify and strengthen the departmental work in all our training-schools.

It had been planned that Prof. W. W. Prescott give a Bible study each evening; but as he was kept away by the illness and death of Mrs. Prescott, Elder A. G. Daniells, who was present during half of the session, gave a Bible study each evening while he was with us.

It was voted at the convention that a full report of this meeting be published, including not only the general papers which have been mentioned above, but also many of the papers which were read in the various sections during the afternoon sessions. This report will also contain the resolutions, and many of the discussions growing out of them. As soon as it is prepared, due notice will be given in the REVIEW and conference papers, as doubtless not only all the teachers and ministers will desire a copy, but a large number of our people in America and in other fields will wish to avail themselves of the opportunity to study more deeply the plans set forth by this convention.

At no time since the beginning of the educational work in this denomination has the outlook seemed so bright as at the present. As we separated, it was with the united prayer that as teachers we might make the educational work the power that God would have it in the closing of this grand message, that the students passing through our schools would have only that training which in the mind of God would be essential for making them efficient workers in his cause, and fit them for translation into the soon-coming kingdom of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. H. R. S.