Your ShelfYour Projects

An Important Meeting

7%

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · May 5, 1910

FromReview and Herald, Vol. 87, No. 18.

Read the full edition

An Important Meeting

By F. G.

OUR educational workers will remember that for some time consideration has been given to the question of a convention for the teachers in our training-schools. The conventions of 1903 and 1906 gave special attention to the matter of church and intermediate school work; and, comparatively speaking, the work of our training-schools did not receive a proper amount of careful study. It was at one time hoped to hold a meeting for the study of the problems of our advanced schools at the time of the last General Conference, but for various reasons it was deemed inadvisable.
The question of such a meeting was given careful attention at the Council recently held in Washington, and it was voted that such a meeting be held. The definite action was as follows:—
“1. Recognizing the special need of strengthening our work above the tenth year, we recommend that such a convention be held this coming summer.”
“2. That the time be early in June.”
“3. That we accept the invitation of the Lake Union Conference Committee to hold this meeting at their college at Berrien Springs, Mich.”
“4. That all our advanced schools be requested to send the heads of their leading departments.”
“5. That the traveling expenses of all accredited delegates be thrown into one fund, and borne equally by all delegates, thus making possible the attendance from all portions of the country.”
“6. That the expenses of these delegates be borne by the schools, or the conferences to which those schools belong, or by both, as may be arranged by them.”
“7. That educational secretaries of union conferences be delegates to this convention.”
It will be noted that the time of the convention is given early in June. Upon careful consideration of this matter, it has been felt necessary to place this date June 10-20. This time is chosen in view of the fact that a number of our schools do not close until the first weeks of June, and if it were placed earlier than this date, it would be impossible for these teachers to attend. It will be necessary to place some of the summer schools at a little later date because of this. But it has seemed to the department that our educational cause would be better served by having the teachers of the training-schools present at the convention than it would be by commencing the summer schools at the usual time. We feel confident that our union conference educational secretaries and their associates will co-operate heartily with us in this matter. It will also be noted that the plan of traveling expenses is such as to make possible the attendance of delegates from all portions of the country.
We find it impossible to emphasize too strongly the importance of this meeting. Never before have our advanced teachers had the privilege of associating themselves together for a consideration of the problems of their work. In our various departments each teacher is practically “a law unto himself.” He uses the text-books and methods that seem best to him. He has not had the privilege of conferring with teachers in our other schools doing similar work.
It is planned, at this meeting to form sections, such as history section, Bible section, etc., and to get the teachers who are working in any particular line together to confer with reference to various features of their work. Not only will the convention be of special benefit to these teachers, but the great problems of our work in the preparation of men and women to carry forward the various lines, will be thoroughly discussed. We must seek to be very practical in our work,—to follow out the instruction which has been given to us in this important matter. We look for this meeting to give a standing and impetus to our training-school work such as will enable it to do its work far more efficiently.
We trust that our boards of management and our teachers will make every effort to attend this meeting, and that our people everywhere will seek the Lord that his leading and Holy Spirit may direct in all of its considerations.
F. G.