Union College, Cape Town, South Africa
By C. H. Hayton
ANOTHER school year of the Claremont Union College was brought to a close on Dec. 8, 1903. The students and patrons gathered in the church and listened to a well-rendered program, and an educational address by Elder I. J. Hankins. A retrospective of the school year brings many encouraging and some discouraging features to light. The school has been, and is at present, very short of experienced workers. Repeated calls have been made, but the need still remains. The teachers have been overworked; the industries have suffered, until the only feature remaining in this line is the farm. The printing office has been taken over by the South African Union Council, and is now under its control. Over against this debit sheet of the year's experiences, we have the co-operation and willingness of the students. Their appreciation of the school, and their earnest endeavors to make the most of every opportunity were shown in their desire to return after the holidays. The Friday evening social meeting was well attended, the interest being good throughout the year. The health of the students has been well preserved. For these encouraging features we thank God. The finances of the school are sound. The balance sheet for the year ending Dec. 31, 1903, shows one hundred and forty pounds sixteen shillings and one pence in the bank, and nine pounds eight shillings and five pence on hand. The college debt has been reduced from twenty-six hundred pounds to twenty-two hundred and fifty pounds through the sale of “Christ's Object Lessons,” by the brethren in the field. The outlook for the payment of a similar amount the coming year is good. We have felt the hand of the Lord in the reduction of the taxes for 1904. Whereas, in past years we have been paying eighty-one pounds on a valuation of seven thousand pounds, the Claremont municipality has kindly reduced this to thirty-six pounds on a valuation of three thousand pounds. The school opened its new year, Feb. 8, 1904. The outlook is very encouraging. Ninety-three students were in attendance on the first day. Their ages range from six to nineteen years. Half of this number are not children of Adventist parents, but come from neighboring22homes. The school enjoys a good local patronage, and stands high in the community. People are willing to send their children to us even though the Sabbath, Christ's second coming, and the unconscious state of the dead are taught them. We feel greatly encouraged to press on in this work; for many of these truths become topics of conversation in the various children's homes, and seeds of truth are sown thereby. While our school is primarily a training-school, it partakes also of the nature of a missionary school in opening its doors to all who are willing to come and be taught. The teachers at present connected with the school are Mrs. C. H. Hayton (beginners), standards 1, 2; Miss Helen Hyatt, standards 3, 4, 5; Miss E. I. Burrill, standards 6, 7, 8; C. H. Hayton, standards 9, 10, 11; C. Walston, business manager; and Mrs. W. C. Walston, matron. Miss K. Lawrence has charge of the colored school. While there have been many perplexities and difficulties connected with the school work, yet the years spent in Africa have been pleasant and profitable ones to me.