Educational Work in the South
By C. L. Stone
DURING the past four or five years, the expression, “The South is a hard field,” has been heard frequently. Not infrequently do we hear it said, “The South is the hardest field.” Whether the difficulty attending the labor is expressed in the positive or in the superlative degree, the work is before us, and must be done. While interested ones five hundred or a thousand miles away may theoretically solve the knotty problem, yet it necessarily is left for those in the field to grapple with the real situation. The call for means and for consecrated laborers for the South is also frequently brought to our attention. It is true that the South is a hard field. For it, means must be solicited. If consecrated workers are needed anywhere, they are needed in the South. After five years of labor in this field, observation has taught me that even the consecrated worker does not always succeed in the South. As a companion for his consecration he must also be blessed with that indispensable requisite, adaptability. A constant stream of interested workers is pouring into the South, but like the wind described by Solomon, it “goeth toward the south, and turneth about unto the north.” One can readily see that the supply of workers is not materially increased by this stream that flows both ways. Long ago the brethren in the South recognized that workers for this field must be secured from among the Southern-born youth. Since the youth were untrained, a goodly number were sent North to secure an education. For various reasons but few of these ever returned. These facts have brought us face to face with the school problem in this field, and considering the numerical weakness of our conferences and the poverty prevailing in many sections, this is a much greater problem than the school question in the North. For instance, compare the founding of the intermediate school at Hazel, Ky., with one of like character in a Northern State. I have in mind one such school, which, after having a donation of a good farm, put improvements upon it to the amount of ten thousand dollars the first year, and was under obligation to double that amount in future years. The Hazel school, which is expected to do the same grade of work, was obliged to start with an outlay of only six hundred dollars the first year. This six hundred dollars was the only resource with which to supply land, buildings, and facilities for conducting an industrial school. By judicious management, and by securing one or two temporary loans, a building that will accommodate eighty students was erected on a plat of six acres of land. With a moment’s thought one can readily believe that none of the luxuries, and but few of the necessities for school work could be provided with this meager sum. There were seats with desks, and abundant blackboard space. We were thankful for even these facilities. Up to the present, nothing has been added to this with the exception of a few denominational books, and the “Encyclopedia Britannica,” which were kindly donated. During the past three years, by earnest effort, and much sacrifice on the part of the givers, sufficient money was raised to purchase a four-room cottage, to which four smaller rooms were added. This building is the only home the school has to offer to its family. It is pitiable to note the helpless condition of many of the young people in our conference. The aggregate of promising young people would be sufficient for a good-sized intermediate school. In traveling from church to church one finds in almost every place, from one to ten young people almost or wholly without means. One father said, “If you could meet the expenses of my children after they are at school, I could not secure means to pay their car fare to the school.” After looking the conditions over, I was thoroughly convinced that he told me the truth. While in many places the brethren are not in so close circumstances, yet his was by no means an isolated case. With these facts staring us in the face, it seemed imperative that something must be done that students might help themselves. The matter was laid before the church at Hazel, and at that meeting sufficient money was pledged to purchase fifty acres of land. The original school building was then transferred to the church to be used for meeting and church-school purposes. The school now has land to clear and buildings to erect, which provides work for the young men. There is, however, no money in the treasury with which to provide buildings. A large barn has been erected by the principal, and by students who are glad for the opportunity of meeting their expenses in this way. The material in this building was obtained almost entirely from timber cut on the school land, the sawing being done by one of our brethren. An exhausted bank account and an empty flour barrel are not an unusual coincidence with us. Although the school has been in session more than five months this year, less than fifty per cent of the salaries due to the faculty has been met. From a financial point of view, this outlook would seem discouraging, but in reality the outlook for the school was never brighter. The spirit in the school, and the progress of the earnest class of students, have been so satisfactory that the hearts of the management are full of hope and courage. It is the earnest wish of the school board to continue building on the school farm during the summer and fall, and if the property now used as a school home could be sold, this would be possible. Is there not some good Adventist family desirous of locating in the South, who could purchase this place? This is located a short distance from the church and church-school, and is only half an hour’s walk from the intermediate school. This property is advertised in another column. Any donations to this work will be most gratefully received.