Report of Healdsburg College
By E. D. Sharpe
THE enrolment of Healdsburg College for the present school year, 1903-04, is one hundred and seventy-five, and the average attendance about one hundred and thirty-five. This embraces the collegiate department, including students in and above the eighth grade. The enrolment of the Students’ Home is one hundred. The primary department, or church-school, has enrolled about one hundred and fifty students, and the average attendance has been one hundred and fifteen. Taken together, the two departments show an enrolment of three hundred and twenty-five, with an average attendance of two hundred and fifty. As a whole, we have a good class of students; and although most of them are very young, the average age being about eighteen, they are energetic, and anxious to prepare themselves for usefulness in the cause of the Master. About one half of those in regular attendance are in or below the tenth grade. There is one very encouraging feature, however, about the students, and that is that the greater number have given their hearts to the Lord, have chosen some definite work, and are bending their energies in the direction of their chosen avocation. Fourteen are preparing for the ministry, twenty-one for teaching in some of our institutions, nine for teaching in church-schools, six to become doctors, ten to become nurses, four to engage in Bible work, five to be canvassers, nine to be bookkeepers, eight to be stenographers, five to teach vocal and instrumental music, three to engage in kindergarten work. Besides the collegiate and primary departments, we have the following departments: printing, plumbing, blacksmithing, baking, tailoring, sewing, cooking, farming, carpentry, and hydrotherapy. Each department is superintended by a competent teacher. In order to elevate the work and save financially as far as possible, we have the college teachers take charge of the industrial departments that they are able to conduct. From 7:45 A. M. to 12:20 we conduct our regular college work. At 1:45 P. M. our industrial and trade work begins, and continues until 4. During this time all the students are busy in the various departments, each at the trade that he has chosen. It may take one or two years to complete the trade. The teacher of each department calls the roll, and grades the degree of proficiency in the work in his department. Excuses are also required for absence or tardiness. Once a week the teacher of each department spends one hour in conducting class recitations. These lessons are simply the science of the trade which is being taught. The lessons are prepared by the teacher, duplicated on the mimeograph, and given to each student on the instalment plan, so that when the course is completed, in one or two years, the students have a good book containing the theoretical instruction concerning the trade pursued. We are endeavoring to place the industrial work upon the same basis as the collegiate or intellectual. The coming year we expect to charge tuition for each trade, perhaps about $1.50. This will make the trades self-supporting. We can not come out even unless we charge tuition, and I believe it is just as important for the student to pay tuition for carpentry as it is for grammar. The business manager looks after the business of the departments in a general way, although each foreman is supposed to keep his own account, and manage his department. The president is supposed to have general oversight of the industrial work, the same as over the college department. Each student is expected to work fifteen hours a week at his trade,—two hours a day during the week, and five hours on Sunday. Every Sunday morning we have chapel exercises; we call them industrial chapel exercises. All the teachers of the industrial department and of the college are present. About one hour is devoted to these exercises; during this time the teachers discuss various phases of industrial education. The college teachers work with the students during industrial hours. Every college teacher is supposed to work at least fifteen hours a week at the trades. In this way, we make the work and the study one, and it is a material help to the school to engage in this work. It gives health, vigor, and life. We have been endeavoring to bring about some improvements in the college department. We feel that we need to strengthen our courses, as well as to sustain them. We believe there are two dangers,—one is to cheapen our work, and the other is to bring in matter that is not absolutely necessary. We have been exerting very determined efforts so to arrange the work that no student can pass over the elementary principles of study into the higher without first having acquired a good degree of proficiency in the fundamentals. In other words, we have all students that come to the college take an examination. We are also planning to have instruction in voice culture, so that every student may be taught how to breathe and use the voice. We have been conducting a large public-speaking class. We believe that we ought to have a special course for church-school teachers, that they may be instructed in work that will prepare them for their definite profession. A church-school teacher has a great work before him, and requires the best of instruction. There has been a good degree of spirituality in the school. While there has been no extraordinary spiritual revivals, yet we have had some very precious seasons of heart searching and contrition. During the week of prayer, the students, with the exception of two or three, responded to the movings of the Spirit of God, and gave themselves to his service. We are endeavoring to improve the spiritual condition of the school, and our great desire is that every student shall give his heart to the Lord.