Notes Afield by W. E. H.

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Sep 3, 1914

Notes Afield

By W. E. H.

The Pacific Union Conference

Ever since the establishment of Healdsburg Academy in 1882, historically the second of our advanced schools, California and the territory now included in the Pacific Union Conference have been a field of much importance in educational activity. At the present time, this union conference, with the second highest membership in the United States, has the largest enrollment in its church schools, has about $6,000 more invested in its buildings and equipment, and spends not far from $10,000 more a year in its maintenance, than any other union. The progressive spirit among the people in a newer part of our country, together with the faithful efforts of educational leaders, has tended to lay hold more generally and more fully upon the principles of true education given this denomination years ago, than has the spirit manifested in some of the more conservative sections of the country. The influence of this work has made itself felt noticeably in our general development educationally.

For about ten years, Healdsburg Academy, afterward Healdsburg College, was our only advanced school on the Pacific Coast. In 1892 Walla Walla College was established, with Milton Academy (Oregon) preceding it for a time. Then followed San Fernando Academy in 1902. The patronage of Healdsburg College being thus reduced north and south, its indebtedness steadily increasing, and its environment becoming less and less desirable because of the town’s growing up around it, the doors of the school were closed in 1908 till a better location could be secured. In the interim Lodi Academy was opened. Then the new college site was determined upon and the college reopened late in 1909.

In due time it became apparent to all that a readjustment of institutional work in education was needed. The union conference was the proper body to undertake this work. Under the leadership of the union president, Elder E. F. Andross, himself an experienced schoolman, the work of adjustment was begun in a preliminary meeting in 1912, and continued at the union conference in March, 1914. At this time it was decided that San Fernando Academy, on account of its distance from the college (over five hundred miles), and its large local constituency (3,581 in 1912), should remain as an academy of twelve grades, giving a commercial course and a one-year normal course; that Lodi Academy

do ten grades of work, with certain additional work for resident students; that the Phoenix conference school, about four hundred miles from San Fernando Academy, and about nine hundred from the college, continue as a ten-grade school; and that all graduates of suitable age from academic courses who give promise of becoming efficient workers, continue their education at Pacific Union College. Definite territorial lines were laid out for each of the schools in the union. Textbooks and school regulations were to be as nearly uniform as possible throughout the union.

It was decided also to issue a joint calendar for the schools of the union. A copy of this calendar has come to hand; it is entitled “Pacific Union Conference Affiliated Schools.” Since the college and Lodi Academy are managed by the same board, complete information about both is given in this calendar, it being found that fourteen pages of information, rules, and regulations, being common to both, did not have to be duplicated. Since San Fernando has issued a special calendar of its own, not so much space is occupied by it in the joint calendar.

One more important step has been taken by the Pacific Union Conference to place its schools on a basis of higher efficiency. The total educational indebtedness of the union is $90,000. There is needed for school improvements the sum of $60,000. The union has therefore undertaken to raise $150,000 within the next eighteen months, dividing their amount into 3,000 shares of $50 each, none of it to be paid till all the shares are taken. Early in the camp meeting season more than one fifth had already been taken.

With these new adjustments and plans, a spirit of hopefulness and courage is taking hold of the people at the very thought of relief from the scourge of debt, and the prospect of building strength into the institutions engaged in the noble work of saving our young people and of developing recruits for the finishing of the work.

San Fernando Academy

On arriving at San Fernando Academy, in company with Elder Andross, I found the closing exercises for the school year had already begun. The senior and junior students gave a program in the evening in Esther Hall, as they call the ladies’ dormitory. The evidence of careful preparation, the nature of what was given, and the good cheer among the students, with numerous friends present, united to make the evening pass off well.

The next evening the graduating exercises were held in a town hall, as the academy chapel is not large enough to accommodate all the visitors. No formal address was given, but each member of the class contributed a part, literary or musical, followed by brief talks by the president of the board, the president of the union conference, and the writer. The Advent note gave a clear sound in the program, and the townspeople present gave excellent attention.

San Fernando Academy has enjoyed a stability of management that has contributed much to its success. Prin. Harry G. Lucas has just completed his eighth year in that office, and has been elected for two years more. Prof. A. Parker Smith, son of our lamented Elder Uriah Smith, has served as teacher of the sciences for five years, and Miss Ada Somerset as normal director for two years, both chosen again for next year. The academy has lost two of its teachers this summer, Brother and Sister W. S. Boynton, who have gone to connect with a private school enterprise in Georgia.

San Fernando Academy has recently passed through an experience, painful to most schools, of reducing its grades and courses somewhat to come into harmony with the union conference readjustment of schools. This school once before changed its name from “college” to academy because it felt the latter name was true to its work. It has gone through the recent change with such grace that both its principal and the president of its board can speak of the academy with an emphatic our, and are determined to live in harmony with their sister schools and the highest interests of our common cause.

Pacific Union College

Three years ago it was my pleasure to visit for the first time the successor of dear old Healdsburg College, where I had spent six years of my own teaching experience. On that occasion I accompanied President Irwin in a two-horse surrey from St. Helena station eight miles up a mountain road in the heat of the day in a rainless July, consuming more than two hours on the way. I thought then that my old schoolmate had developed more courage than I since leaving college twenty years ago, to undertake the building up of a college in that remote place. School was then held in old buildings already on the place, the new dormitory for ladies having just been inclosed.

This time I was met at the station by a young man in an automobile; and accompanied by Elder Hibbard, the Bible teacher, and Professor Paap, the teacher of English; I was set down on the steps of the same dormitory in about thirty minutes. (It is no more than fair to say that the automobile was taken by the college to apply on student expenses.) As I entered the dormitory, comfortably furnished and neatly kept, and found there and in the other dormitory and in cottages 230 earnest, contented academy and college students, I felt to thank God and take courage that men and women had been raised up to pioneer such an enterprise. Through the faithful and continuous labor of such veteran educators as Prof. C. W. Irwin, M. W. Newton, Harry A. Washburn, C. C. Lewis, Geo. W. Rine, F. W. Field, Miss Hattie Andre, Mrs. A. E. McKibbin, with the addition of several younger in experience but equally faithful, like Prof. and Mrs. J. H. Paap, Prof. and Mrs. Robbins, Miss Hale, Mrs. Robison, Mrs. Miller, and their latest accession, Elder E. J. Hibbard, veteran teacher and minister, the college has been put upon a basis of efficiency that will compare favorably with our older colleges.

In truth, this school enjoys advantages that some of our other schools may well envy, and to my certain knowledge do envy. One does not hear a word about baseball, tennis, or other sports. When dinner is over, there is a scattering of young men to the industries,—running the sawmill, logging, felling trees, cultivating crops, excavating, building, teaming, and the like, for two to five hours. The young women have reed furniture making, gardening, sewing, laundering, cooking, and housekeeping. No cook is employed, but the matron, Mrs. Robbins, with three girls on extra time and other girls on regular time, has the food prepared and served for about one hundred and seventy-five people, and teaches three classes besides. The cooking and bill of fare are excellent. For educational purposes, if the boarding could be on the American plan, the menu and dining service would be as nearly ideal, in the writer’s view, as in any of the eighteen schools he has visited on this tour.

Very little is heard also of entertainments. Such as are given are of a distinctly educational character. When the students need a little relaxation from work or study, there is an estate of sixteen hundred acres to ramble through. For the ladies, there is set apart adjoining their dormitory a large range of woods and pasture where they may go at will to revel in the beauties of nature. The gentlemen have the rest of the forest. Sometimes both join company with their teachers on some excursion connected with their studies, or on some gospel mission to the neighbors or villages round about.

In this Waldensian retreat, earnest young men and women from all walks of life are learning to know God and his works. The enrollment the past year was about fifty per cent higher than the previous year, yet the discipline was easy. Young people from the heart of the city learn to love the rich environment of nature, and are reluctant to leave at the close of the year. So far there have been only one or two college graduates, but there is prospect of about twelve for next year. The main building has not yet been completed. The rear part is being used temporarily for chapel and recitation rooms, and serves the purpose well. The building will not be finished till the money is in hand. The large fund being raised by the union conference provides $25,000 for this purpose. There is prospect of considerable increase in attendance next year.

W. E. H.