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The Colegio Adventista del Plata During 1915

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Review and Herald Publishing Association · Tacoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Jan 20, 1916

FromReview and Herald, Vol. 92, No. 4.

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The Colegio Adventista del Plata During 1915

By H. U. STEVENS

THE school year that has just closed in the Colegio Adventista del Plata has been one of advance. The enrolment has not been so great as in the two previous years, but it has been satisfactory. At the very beginning of the year all the students were present that could be accommodated with the new building unfinished. A good grade of school work has been done and the Lord has blessed us richly. There have been some hard battles won by the young people in their Christian experience, for which we feel deeply thankful.
NEW DORMITORY OF THE COLEGIO ADVENTISTA DEL PLATA
NEW DORMITORY OF THE COLEGIO ADVENTISTA DEL PLATA
The new dormitory was finished and dedicated on the second of May. About 150 neighbors and friends were present in the large dining room where the services were held, and all enjoyed the reminiscences of the early days of the school, told by some of the pioneers. It was an inspiring occasion, and made us feel like consecrating our lives anew to the educational work in this field, where efforts are so much appreciated. The new building has largely increased the capacity of the school and added to the facility of management, helping materially in the order and discipline.
Daily manual labor on the part of every student and teacher has become an established feature of the school. All the work of the school is done by the students under the supervision and with the cooperation of the teachers. Improvements, also, are made whenever possible, with student labor. During the past year three students who were somewhat experienced in masonry, built the second story of the new power house which is to serve as quarters for the bakery, and thus helped to pay their expenses in school. A sewer nearly half a mile long was constructed, a large part of the labor of digging being done by the students. A garden was planted and cultivated for the benefit of the kitchen,—entirely by student labor under the management of one of the regular teachers, who, besides managing the work, did his full share of the labor.
We are firm believers in the benefits of manual labor and find it one of our best helps in keeping down expenses and in reducing disciplinary troubles. Plans are developing for introducing trades, and we hope to see something realized in this direction during the coming year.
The harvest of souls has been progressing steadily. At times the conflict seemed dark and perplexing; but we are glad to say that a number of the dear children and young people have found their Saviour, and have consecrated their lives to his service. During the year the rite of baptism was celebrated three times, twenty of our students taking this important step.
A short time after the school work began, our primary teacher, Lorenzo Gil, succumbed to a malady with which he had been suffering for months. He made a brave fight for life, ardently desiring to continue to serve his Master, whom he loved devotedly. But the all-wise Father saw fit to lay him away till the Life-giver comes; and while our hearts have bled with anguish, we confidently trust him who does all things well. Our brother rests in the new cemetery which has been opened on our own land, a short distance from the school, the first one to be buried in that sacred spot.
The graduating class consisted of nine students. Six of these are finishing their primary studies, two have completed a two-years' course designed for those preparing for the Bible work, while one has completed the four years' academic course. The six are planning to continue their school work in connection with the secondary department of the school; one will enter the nurses' class in the sanitarium. The two finishing the Bible workers' course will go into the Bible work; while the one who has finished the academic course will be employed as a teacher in the Colegio Adventista the coming year.
The Argentine Conference held its annual session on the school campus immediately after the close of the schoolyear. Besides many other interests, considerable attention was given to school matters, not only in this center, but throughout the field. During the past year there have been seven church schools operating in this field, and the demand for this class of schools is increasing. We are doing what we can from this center to foster them, and our efforts are meeting with appreciation on the part of the parents. There is a great army of sturdy youth among our people in South America, if only it can be trained for service!
The outlook for the coming year is bright, and we are expecting 1916 to be the best year of our work. The need of trained workers is increasing, and more is expected from the school year by year. May the Lord guide in all the plans that are laid, and give strength and wisdom in carrying them into effect in his name, is the earnest prayer of those who feel the burden of the work at the Colegio Adventista del Plata.
H. U. STEVENS.