Educational Progress in the Southwestern Union Conference
By C. SORENSON
In the early days of our work in this field the idea was to have a school for the Texas Conference. Oklahoma and New Mexico were not thought of so much, as there was at that time no Southwestern Union Conference. I believe the brethren, however, were led by more than human wisdom in selecting a location for the school. We find by actual measurement that the distance from the southern part of Texas and from the northern part of Oklahoma to the school is just about the same; so the academy is located very nearly in the center of the conference. Arkansas is also about the same distance from Keene as is the western part of Texas; so the school is quite favorably located to give our young people a suitable training right in the home field. An important feature in our school has been the canvassing work. We find that the State agents give a good deal more attention to this work than it has received heretofore. During the year 1906 Texas had seven canvassers in the field. They were students in the school, and they sold and delivered $1,090.95 worth of books. The next year there were nine canvassers, and the value of books delivered amounted to $2,445.50. During the year 1906, Oklahoma had four canvassers, who delivered $1,638.69 worth of books. The past year there were eight canvassers in the field, double the number that were out last year; but because of a partial crop failure, the sales were not as large in proportion to the number of canvassers, the amount being $2,218.21. In 1906 Arkansas had two canvassers from the school, who together delivered $314 worth of books. The past year there were six canvassers from the school, and these delivered books to the amount of $713. There have been some improvements along industrial lines, which I think might be of interest. During the past year, we were able to offer students work to the amount of $4,807.50. This comprised work on the farm, in the tent factory, the bakery, broom factory, etc., and gave a good many worthy students quite a lift on their expenses. It was a very effective way of providing scholarships. If there had been no provision made in this way, some of the students would either have had to leave school or borrow money to pay their expenses. The spiritual interest of the school is well worthy of consideration, as I believe it is to be the most important factor of all; for not only should the student have a well-developed mind, but also the mind of Christ. “Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus.” Without humility and the Spirit of Christ, no amount of intellectuality will avail in the service of God. The Lord has been very gracious to us, and we have had some real outpourings of the Spirit of God. Several months before the school closed last year, there was not a single student in the school home who had not given his heart to God, and been baptized, and was preparing to work in the cause. There were six in the graduating class, and all of these are at present engaged in some branch of the work, or taking further training for service. During the week of prayer this year, at two different times seventeen persons were baptized.