Summer Normal Term at the Nashville Agricultural and Normal Institute, Madison, Tenn

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · May 6, 1909

Summer Normal Term at the Nashville Agricultural and Normal Institute, Madison, Tenn.

June 23 to Aug. 31, 1909

DURING this term, a special effort will be made to prepare teachers to take up farm missionary school work in the Southern States. A good beginning has been made in this work. Last year about five hundred children were attending the little farm mission schools that have been established. We trust this number will be increased this year.

The key-note of the Southern educational conference just held, April 14-16, at Atlanta, Ga., was the rural industrial school. It was recognized that two great problems are confronting the people of the South. The first one is the race problem, carrying with it a misconception of the dignity of manual labor; the second is how to prevent the flow of people from the rural districts into the cities. It seemed to be the prevailing opinion of those attending this great educational convention that the only solution for these conditions is the rural schools, which must be brought to a standard of such efficiency that they will train the children for country life just as the city schools are now training children for town life.

It is clear to us Seventh-day Adventists that these educators, in arriving at this conclusion, are in harmony with the following instruction from the Lord:—

“For twenty years it has been before our people that they must do a special work in the Southern States. When the Lord repeatedly sends messages to his people, it is because he desires them to follow the light he gives. Our people have not yet done their full duty by the Southern field. Every city in the Southern States, and every town and village must have earnest work done for it. . . . I have received words of encouragement for our workers at ——, who are trying to give their students a practical education while establishing them in the principles of our faith. The students are learning how to till the soil and how to build plain, simple houses, and these students are encouraged to go out and establish other industrial schools, where they in turn can educate their students how to plant, and how to build.”

Brethren and sisters, the Southern people are ready for this special work. The Lord is ready. We would like to correspond with all who are ready to receive a brief training to enter this field, and who would like to attend the summer school. Send at once for an announcement. Address E. A. Sutherland, Madison, Tenn.