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Educational Institute

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Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Jul 28, 1903

FromReview and Herald, Vol. 80, No. 30.

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Educational Institute

By M. Bessie De Graw

BEGINNING June 24, there was held at Berrien Springs an educational institute of five days’ duration. The attendance approached two hundred, and included many church school teachers, the principals of the intermediate schools of Lake Union Conference, the educational superintendents of Lake Union Conference, Elders A. G. Daniells, William Covert, I. J. Hankins, S. E. Wight, Prof. Frederick Griggs, secretary of the Educational Department of the General Conference, and from a distance Professor Cady, of Healdsburg College; J. S. Osborne, educational superintendent of California; J. W. Beach, principal of the Elk Point (S. D.) Industrial School; Homer W. Carr, educational superintendent of New York; C. F. Betts, educational superintendent of Dakota; M. B. VanKirk, educational superintendent of Minnesota; Mrs. Flora Williams, and others.
A spirit of co-operation and hearty good will was manifested in formulating plans for the progress of the educational work. Dr. Kellogg addressed the assembly, Sabbath afternoon.
Following are some of the subjects discussed during the convention: The Mission of Christian Schools in the Evangelization of the World, Young People’s Conferences, The Relation of the Sabbath-school to the Christian Day-school, The Strongest Schools Should Be in the Country, How to Start an Exodus from the Cities, Manual Training in Christian Education, The Distinctive Work of Elementary Schools, Intermediate Industrial Schools and Training Schools, The Proper Support of Christian Schools, Methods of Teaching in Christian Schools, Text-books as a Factor in Training Missionaries, The Publication and Handling of Educational Literature, The Missionary Training School of Correspondence, Uniform Examinations for Elementary and Intermediate Schools, etc.
The readers of the REVIEW would probably enjoy a full report of the discussions, but it is impossible to give that. The practical feature of the subjects will appeal to all. Before the institute closed, a summary of the week’s work was presented in the form of the following recommendations:—
1. The Gospel.—In order that Christian schools may remain a potent factor in the work of speedily carrying the everlasting gospel to the world, we would urge all teachers to keep constantly in mind and before their students the truth that the coming of Christ is near.
2. Young People’s Conventions.—We would encourage the holding of young people’s conventions in various conferences at such times and in such places as may be deemed best for the purpose of developing among our young people practical missionary and educational workers.
3. Schools in the Country.—In view of the increasing perils of city life, and the fact that country influences are more conducive to the development of character than are those of the city, we urge teachers to use every rational means to attract our people to homes in the country.
4. Manual Training.—In recognition of the fact that students coming from our schools in the past have been out of touch with practical, every-day life, we would emphasize the importance of manual training in our schools as a means of impressing our youth with the thought that life means earnest work and the bearing of responsibility, and that to this end we employ skilled instructors who will do definite and thorough work, giving agriculture the first place, and making it the foundation of the various manual training classes in all our schools.
5. Length of Term.—That we consider the idea of so regulating and adjusting the work of our schools that long vacations will become unnecessary, and that for the present nine months be considered the minimum term.
6. Home Schools.—That so far as possible families so situated that they can not connect with one of our elementary Christian schools be encouraged to procure a teacher for the training of their children in the home.
7. Support of Schools.—In view of the fact that the present plan of supporting Christian schools is inadequate and unsatisfactory, we would urge upon all our people, especially conference and educational workers, the importance of giving this matter careful study, to the end that some better plan may be devised.
8. Methods.—That we follow the light given regarding the methods of teaching in Christian schools regardless of whether it may lead us nearer to or farther from the methods adopted by the secular schools.
9. Text-Books.—That we recognize the value of text-books free from the errors common to those used in the secular schools, and that we encourage teachers to prepare such books so far as they may feel called of God to do so, and that until such books are prepared, we continue to use those which are most nearly in harmony with the work of Christian education.
10. Educational Literature.—That the teachers be requested to make a special effort to circulate the book “Education,” and that all our people be urged to place in the hands of their friends and neighbors, Elder Jones’s book, entitled “The Place of the Bible in Education,” making a special effort to reach public school teachers with this work.
11. Correspondence School.—That Emmanuel Missionary College be requested to conduct a Correspondence Study Department for the benefit of those of our young people who do not have an opportunity to attend our schools, and that the courses of study offered be of such a nature as to enable the students completing any subject in the course to receive credit in our intermediate schools and training schools.
12. Libraries.—That as teachers, we recognize the importance of having a good reference library in connection with every school, and that we make an earnest endeavor to obtain such a library where one does not already exist.
13. Grading.—That this convention put itself on record as being in harmony with the resolution adopted by the Educational Council at College View, Neb., recommending the use of Professor Lewis’s “Manual for Home and Church Schools” as a guide in organizing and grading elementary schools.
The following additional recommendations were passed by the assembly, with the request that they appear in the REVIEW AND HERALD and the Advocate.
Voted, To request the Advocate Publishing Company to handle such books as are used in Christian schools, and to publish a list of such books.
Voted, To have the educational superintendents in each conference prepare such a list, and furnish it to the Advocate Publishing Company.
Voted, That church school teachers be urged to make a thorough canvass for “Education” among those outside as well as inside our church-membership.
Voted, To recommend to our teachers a systematic course of study in agriculture, to be carried on during the year, and that educational superintendents select a text-book for use by the teachers, and that a regular course of questions and outline of study be published monthly in the Advocate.
Voted, That a system of uniform examinations be established as follows: (a) that questions be prepared by a committee in each intermediate school district, composed of the principal of the intermediate school, the educational superintendent in that district, and one elementary teacher to be selected by the principal and superintendent; (b) that these questions be prepared twice each year, and sent under seal to each elementary Christian teacher, the envelope to be opened in the presence of the pupils on the day of the examination; (c) that the questions cover school work in the sixth, seventh, and eighth grades; (d) that so far as possible the examinations be under the supervision of the educational superintendent or some one appointed by him.
At the close of the institute the summer-school students took their entrance examinations, and were classified. Classes are now being conducted in the following subjects: history of education, psychology and methods, advanced English, physiology and simple treatments, advanced science, bookkeeping and stenography, arithmetic, drawing, painting, kindergarten, cooking, sloyd, and vocal and instrumental music. Other classes will be offered later.
One of the most pleasant features of the school is the Bible study conducted each evening by Elder S. N. Haskell. His lessons are of the most practical nature. A synopsis of these will appear in a later issue of the REVIEW.
M. BESSIE DE GRAW.