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West African Training-School

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Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Oct 20, 1910

FromReview and Herald, Vol. 87, No. 42.

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West African Training-School

By T. M. FRENCH

T. M. FRENCH
There were some experiences in connection with the purchase of our new school property, which I thought would be of interest to our people at home; but I have reserved them until we could make sufficient improvements to have a picture taken of the building. [This picture will appear in the Week of Prayer number of the REVIEW.—Ed.]
When it was decided to locate our school on a farm, where we could give a more practical training, as well as make our school self-supporting, it was quite a question what part of the colony would be most favorable for such an enterprise. Elder D. C. Babcock and I spent several days visiting some of the valleys of the Sierra Leone Mountains, and up the Sierra Leone and Magbele rivers; but we were unable to secure a suitable site for a school.
When we were almost in despair, the Lord directed our attention to a property near Waterloo,—a thriving village twenty miles inland on the railroad. This property had been for sale for some time, but the owner had been unable to dispose of it. He had asked Elder Babcock six hundred pounds for it only a year ago. Now, through neglect of the premises, and allowing the yards and fields to grow up to bushes and weeds, and the fences to fall down, he sold us the farm for seventy pounds.
The same week that the purchase was made, Mrs. French and I moved to Waterloo; and I immediately began, with the help of some native boys, to clear the land, and put in a crop. Scarcely had we begun, ere the rumor was out that the Catholics had bought the farm, and had begun to improve it. We had not known that others were talking of buying the property, and had worked so quietly and quickly that the people knew nothing of our plans until we were in possession.
The Lord has blessed every effort put forth in establishing our school here. We immediately cleared the premises, laid out the yards, planted ornamental shrubbery and fruit-trees, and put in a small crop. This gave quite a different appearance to the place; and from the attitude of the people, and their remarks, we could see that their interest was aroused. Their interest and confidence have steadily increased.
At first it was thought that the house would be of little use to us. It was a large stone dwelling, strongly built, but had been exposed to the weather for lack of repairs for some months. However, we repaired the roof, and tore out the old partitions, portions of the floors, and the ant-eaten joists. We then concreted the first floor throughout, put in new partitions and joists, set up new door-casings, rehung the doors, and painted the house inside and out, thus putting it in a very presentable condition. The cost of repairing was small, as we did all the work with student labor.
As soon as the house was finished, about January 1, Mrs. French and I moved into the lower front rooms, and the boys up-stairs. We have room for fifteen boys on the second floor. The dining-room in the rear on the first floor will accommodate twenty-five or thirty. Our home is more than filled now, and we have been obliged to find room in a rented building for the overflow.
Our surroundings are very beautiful and convenient. Shut away from Waterloo on the north by a mountain stream, and situated some distance from the other villages, we have a very quiet, healthful location. We have an abundance of pure water for home and garden use from two mountain streams which head not far above us, one of them passing directly through our farm. Although shut away from direct communication with the villages, still our influence will be felt. We are situated on two important roads, leading far into the interior; and in Waterloo, where we have a day-school of sixty-five attendants and a church of over thirty members, we are again brought into contact with the people. Waterloo is the most important center in this part of the colony—a gateway into the great Mendi and Temne tribes, thus affording excellent opportunities for reaching these peoples with our out-stations. A Temne chief visited our farm a few days ago, and gave us a cordial invitation to open up work in his country. We shall soon have young men ready to press into these openings.
We feel grateful to our Heavenly Father for the way he has blessed us in opening up our educational work for this needy people; and we are praying that this may be but the beginning of a mighty movement to carry the third angel's message to the millions of West Africa. Brethren, pray for us.
Waterloo.