School at South Lancaster, Mass by Stephen Nelson Haskell

Seventh-day Adventist Missionary Society · Oakland, California · May 4, 1882

School at South Lancaster, Mass.

By Stephen Nelson Haskell

BY ELD. S. N. HASKELL.

MANY of the readers of the SIGNS are familiar with the fact that within the last few months a greater interest than ever before has been taken by our people in opening denominational schools in different parts of the field. Their methods of instruction in respect to making it as practical as possible differ from those that are employed in the schools around us. Our school at Battle Creek has prospered so that from a very small beginning it has become a prosperous College. The two Conferences, one on the Atlantic and the other on the Pacific Coast are leading off in the school enterprise. California has a large building, and with its able corps of teachers, the indications are good for a prosperous school. We rejoice that the time has come when God's providence is so highly favoring the Pacific Coast. In some respects our school in New England has no less favorable indications. God's providence has seemed to favor the opening of the school. There are no teachers among Seventh-day Adventists whose well-earned reputation has better secured the confidence of our people than that of the teachers connected with these two schools.

The school at South Lancaster opened this morning, April 19. The matter of connecting manual labor with the school has been considered, and at a special meeting, Bro. Farnsworth from New Hampshire, who acted as spokesman for the students, after making appropriate remarks, presented the following resolutions:—

WHEREAS, It has required sacrifice on the part of the founders of this school to start the enterprise, and will require still more to carry it on successfully, therefore,

Resolved, That we as students desire to show our appreciation of the efforts put forth in our behalf, by doing all we can to build up this institution.

Resolved, That we, the young men and boys of this school, request the school committee to provide us a piece of land for cultivation.

Resolved, That we will donate to the school the proceeds of all that shall be raised on said soil.

These resolutions were immediately followed by the following from Sister Redman, of Maine, expressing the sentiment of the young ladies:—

Resolved, That we, the young ladies of the Lancaster school, feeling anxious to do our part in sustaining the same, will be responsible for the laundry work, and for all necessary repairs in the clothing of the young men who devote their time in cultivating land for the benefit of the school, and that we will be glad to help in any other way whenever opportunities present themselves.

All the resolutions were unanimously adopted. Those young ladies who board together are expected to receive instruction in those things which pertain to household duties. An acre of land has already been furnished to the students, according to their request, and all will be cultivated in the interests of the school. The missionary work will also be taught in a manner to connect theory with practice. The SIGNS will be remailed to localities where tent labor is to be put forth the coming season, and this will be near such churches as can co-operate in the missionary work. Then, during vacation, or at other proper times, the students will have an opportunity to visit those to whom they have sent the periodicals, to canvass and to do colporter work. Then those fitting themselves to labor in the cause, will have an opportunity to be gaining an experience with instructions received.