p. 19 | Among Our Schools by Frederick Griggs

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Tacoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Mar 4, 1915

Among Our Schools

By Frederick Griggs

In company with Elder I. H. Evans I left Washington early in January to attend a number of union conference committee and school board meetings, and to make an extended visit to our schools.

Emmanuel Missionary College

We first went to Berrien Springs, where the Lake Union Conference Committee met for its work of auditing and to plan for the summer’s campaign. The Emmanuel Missionary College Board also at this time held its annual meeting for the election of the faculty and the forming of plans for the coming year. Last July this committee and school board met to consider the general educational interests of the union. At that time Elder I. H. Evans, Prof. W. E. Howell, and I met with them. This union, in common with two or three others, has a large number of academies. This seems to beget financial difficulties which are oftentimes serious. The academies desire to carry work through twelve grades. To do so requires an equipment in laboratory and library which but few of our academies have, and a teaching force greater than can be afforded by many. This plan also naturally limits the college attendance so that its financial difficulties are greatly increased. At this meeting held in July, it was decided that the academies of the Lake Union should limit their work to ten grades, save in special cases, which for a time were to be provided for. There was a serious question on the part of the academy managers as to whether the academies could secure an attendance under this arrangement sufficient to meet their running expenses, and it was further understood that such schools as could not do this should be closed.

It was therefore with much pleasure at this recent meeting that we learned that these academies are all prospering, in several instances far beyond the expectations of those in charge. All save one or two are filled to their full capacity. The college has a far larger attendance than ever before, and there is good prospect that the previous yearly losses in the school finances of the Lake Union will this year be changed into gains. The college is enjoying the most prosperous year of its history, with its large enrollment, its excellent class of students, and its large graduating class. Scarcely any change was made in the faculty list for the coming year. This will tend to further strengthen the work of the college next year.

Clinton German Seminary

We next attended the annual meeting of the board of our German school. This is the first year of Elder J. H. Schilling’s connection with the school as its president, and we were much pleased to find the school in such a prosperous condition. The enrollment has increased over that of last year, and the faculty and student body are enthusiastic in the upbuilding of the seminary in all phases of its work, and in increasing the attendance this next year. The students in our schools often can do much more than the faculty to increase the enrollment. To illustrate: One student, an unconverted boy, went to Union College a little over a year ago, and was converted. This year he returned, bringing four other young persons to receive the benefits of the school. What this boy did can be done by hundreds of others.

Union College

It was naturally with peculiar pleasure that I again met the teachers and students of this college. It was very gratifying to find a larger enrollment than that of last year, and to note a deep spiritual condition in the school. President Morrison and his faculty are working very earnestly and successfully for the upbuilding of all phases of the work of the college.

An important change in the legal organization of the college was made at this meeting. Heretofore the property has been held by the Central Union Conference Association, but at this time a corporation was formed of representatives of the Northern, Central, and Southwestern Unions. This corporation assumes the financial obligations of the college, and its general management. The financial obligations, however, are in reality assumed by the Central and Northern Unions, in a ratio of two portions for the Central to one for the Northern. The Southwestern Union, because of its present heavy financial burdens, was not involved in the financial obligations now resting upon the college, but otherwise assumed its share of the general management of the college. This new organization augurs well for the future prosperity of the college, as it binds together the school interests of these three unions, placing upon them this relative responsibility for the welfare of this, our largest school.

The faculty of the college remains essentially the same for the coming year as at present, and the plans laid for the work of the ensuing year were progressive. The treasurer’s report showed the school as operating without loss. The liquidation of the entire debt within the next year or so has been undertaken, and so, from every point of view, there are many reasons for gratitude for the present prosperity of the school, and courage for its future.

In connection with the meetings of the Union College Board occurred meetings of the International Publishing Association, at which the property and work of the association were turned over to the Pacific Press Publishing Association, and also meetings of the Central Union Conference Committee, when the annual audit was taken, and general plans for prosecuting the work of the conference were formed. All these important meetings were distinguished by a remarkable spirit of brotherly love and cooperation.

From this place Elder Evans returned to Washington to attend important legal meetings of the College, the Review and Herald, and the Sanitarium, and also the bookmen’s convention, and I left to attend meetings of the Western Canadian and North Pacific Union Conference Committees and to visit our schools in these and other union conferences.

FREDERICK GRIGGS.