Fireside Correspondence School by W. E. HOWELL

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Jul 28, 1910

Fireside Correspondence School

By W. E. HOWELL

Please Read This

These are days when the latent power of self-development concealed in our young people is being transformed into kinetic energy. It is the time when the touchstone of opportunity is being applied to the cherished desire which every young person harbors, or thinks he does, of obtaining an education.

“All is not golde that hath a glistening hiew, But what the touchstone tries and findeth true.”

It is easy for a young man to admit that he wants an education, that he ought to go to school. But how deep-rooted, how genuine, how earnest, that desire is, may be determined by applying the touchstone of opportunity and noting the result.

This is the work now going on at our camp-meetings and other general gatherings which are attended by representatives of the schools. Men who have themselves fought their way through a college course against great odds, men who have year after year stood as teachers and trainers of youth, who have forced their way to school through tangles of difficulty and obstruction,—such men are now in the field, standing face to face with young people and parents, encouraging, stimulating, and helping to clear the path schoolward.

This is a noble work. God bless these faithful recruiting officers, and God bless and arouse the recruits. But after all is said and done that can be, there still remain a host who are confronted with the insurmountable, so far as leaving their homes or their work is concerned. Thank God that educational opportunity is now broad enough to include even such! It is said of Mohammed that when praying for a certain mountain to be removed nearer his domicile, he made the provision that if the mountain would not come to Mohammed, Mohammed would go to the mountain. In the case of the school, we may truthfully say, If you can not go to school, the school will come to you. This is the special mission of the Fireside Correspondence School.

“We Will Catch Them Later”

So says the president of Union College, who is spending part of his summer campaigning for students. At his own instance, he writes:—

“We find at the camp-meetings so many who are unable, for various reasons, to attend school; but if we can get them to doing work in the Correspondence School for a year or so, we will catch them later.”

And the Correspondence School is willing to have them caught; it will even be a party to the catching; for it counts it part of its mission to help fill the residence schools with those who ought to be there. Our first year's work is already producing some “catches” of this kind. Some have felt a little fearful lest the Correspondence School should be “unfortunate enough” to attract some students who might otherwise go to our residence schools. It seems to us that such fear is groundless, and that the president of Union College has struck the key-note that sounds true. But this is not all he says; hear him further:—

“I can assure you that when I again come to pay attention to the matter of obtaining students for school, I find myself appreciating more and more the value of our Correspondence School. I feel that the heads of our schools ought to avail themselves of this very valuable means of filling their schools; for it goes without saying that young men and women who otherwise would never become interested in their further education, may, through the Correspondence School, be aroused to put in force earnest efforts to attend one of our schools. I am so glad that I can say to these people that their credits are acceptable to our schools. Not only are young people benefited by this work, but when I see our brethren and sisters who in all probability never can have the advantages of one of our schools, and yet who long for greater education, I feel grateful that we can offer them the Correspondence School, where they can obtain work in Bible, history, and other lines which will qualify them better for service in their homes and neighborhoods and for the general enjoyment of life. You may depend upon it I shall do what I can to forward the interests of the Fireside Correspondence School.”

Credits Accepted

At the recent educational convention, the following action was taken:—

“That we accept the credits of the Fireside Correspondence School in single subjects in any year of our regular courses; that the total number of such credits not exceed one half the amount required for the completion of said courses in our colleges and academies; and that the last year's work be taken in residence.”

For further information on courses of study and terms, address the Fireside Correspondence School, Takoma Park, Washington, D. C.

W. E. HOWELL, Principal.