The Opening of Union College
By C. C. Lewis
THE enrolment is two hundred and twelve before the close of the first week. Students will be coming for several weeks yet. So far as the total enrolment is concerned, it is a little larger than last year, but there is a marked increase in the number of students in the Home. Last year at this time we had only ten or eleven tables. Now we have sixteen.17 Our enrolment at the Home is one hundred and eleven. As for the character of the pupils, I think I have never seen a more earnest class of students together. One marked feature of the opening is the small number of seventh-grade pupils. Last year the grammar and arithmetic classes in this grade were large, and had to be divided at the beginning of the second term. This year we have seventh-grade classes only in the grammar and arithmetic, and there are only five or six pupils in these. I believe by another year we can, in our announcement, eliminate the seventh grade entirely. The organization of the school was effected easily and quickly. We gained a day's time over last year, being ready to take up regular recitations on Friday, instead of on Monday as we did last year. One hundred and twenty-six persons have enrolled in the different Bible classes. Most of the remainder of the students have either completed the Bible work or else have some excellent reason for not taking Bible study this year. There are only a few who do not wish to take Bible study. No special effort was made to induce them to choose Bible studies, but nearly all seemed glad to do so. The enrolment in industrial studies and trades is also encouraging. Sixty-six is the number at present. The industrial studies come at three o'clock in the afternoon, and many of our students desire to work in the afternoon to help meet their expenses. If it were not for this fact, there would be many more in the industrial classes, but we feel gratified that the number is so large. An excellent spirit pervades the school. This is especially noticeable in the Home. Although circumstances beyond our control have made it impossible to have the Home in perfect readiness for the students, yet there has been heard no murmuring or complaining. At the social meeting in the Home parlor at the beginning of the Sabbath, it was evident that the Spirit of the Lord was present in a marked degree. A large number of cheerful testimonies were borne in quick succession, and it seemed as if the work was beginning where it left off last year. The same was true in the social meeting in the chapel Sabbath afternoon. We are encouraged to believe that the blessing of the Lord will rest upon the work at the college in a larger measure even than it did last year, and the teachers and students enter upon the work with hearts full of courage and good cheer.