Another School Year

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Aug 6, 1908

Another School Year

THE summer vacation is rapidly passing; the school year for all our schools in the northern hemisphere will shortly begin. In our church-schools, and indeed in all our schools, everything should be in readiness for a successful year's work: a good beginning helps wonderfully in making a good ending. To see the buildings thoroughly clean and well repaired, creates a spirit of courage in both teachers and pupils.

Particular attention should be given in our church-schools to the well-being and comfort of the pupils. It often occurs that schools are conducted in badly ventilated and poorly equipped rooms. It is little short of a calamity to go to the expense of employing a teacher, and then not provide her with a comfortable room, and with sufficient and suitable materials with which to work. Our children should have comfortable seats, well-lighted and well-ventilated rooms, charts, maps, well-chosen reference books, and a sufficient supply of all material to enable good work to be done. Parents do not act wisely when they go to the expense of paying tuition, and then fail to provide proper conditions and supplies for good work.

These provisions should be all made, and a term of proper length (not less than seven months, and better eight or nine) should be planned, before the schools begin. There is no reason why our school terms should be any less in length than those of the public schools.

We should erect a standard of education which is in no particular behind that of the public schools. The next few weeks are very important in determining the success of our schools for the coming year.