Among the Schools by William E. Howell

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Dec 21, 1916

Among the Schools

By William E. Howell

It is a great privilege to have any part in the Lord's work. It is especially gratifying to see that work prosper. Such strides are being made in our educational progress that the work of the General Department at Washington is steadily increasing, especially in amount, and we hope also in efficiency. To say the least, it is growing more and more enjoyable as we see it better organized, its field of promotion and research enlarging; as we see our teachers better trained, our advanced schools one by one throwing off the yoke of debt, and the enrolment of students in all grades increasing year by year. Every day brings its own special reward in one form or another, and our courage cannot do otherwise than run high.

But it is not enough to sit at a desk day after day, even though it brings the privilege of feeling the pulse of the world-wide field throbbing at its common center. It is not enough to be confined in an office and receive felicitations and criticisms and inspiration through the mail alone, as stimulating as all these are to do our best in the service we endeavor to render. No, there is a multitude of workers and students whose faces we see only in imagination in our pent-up quarters, until sooner or later they call us afield. For here, after all, is where the real thing is, where the real work is being done that keeps our office spirit alert and doing. We need contact with these realities, for it gives us a keener appreciation of what our field problems are, and a broader view of how we can help solve them.

Such is my high privilege at this writing. I should indeed be ungrateful if I did not share with our readers the benefits of a month's tour among our schools.

Graysville Academy

This is a familiar name to some of our older educators and to a multitude of young men and women who are now to be found in working harness. Founded more than twenty years ago by Elder G. W. Colcord, and developed under the principalship of such men as C. W. Irwin, N. W. Lawrence, J. E. Tenney, M. B. Van Kirk, C. L. Stone, and others, this school was rechristened several years ago as the Southern Training School, and served the entire Southland in this capacity.

The past autumn the school was moved to a new location, but Graysville, so long our educational center in the South, had a sufficient local constituency of our own people to justify the continuance of a ten-grade day school. Hence the old name, Graysville Academy, was revived, and the school was opened in September, with Miss Rochelle Philmon, a former teacher in the training school, as principal and teacher, and Prof. G. H. Baber as business manager and teacher, with others to assist. The total enrolment is eighty-three, with most of the grades from one to ten filled. The teachers are working hard to make

their instruction first class in every respect. Their course of study is in harmony with the General Conference course, and their recitation periods are up to standard. Little manual work is being done, owing to many demands at once upon their means for facilities at the opening of the school, but the teachers express themselves as determined to develop this important phase of education as soon as possible. Little difficulty in discipline has been experienced so far, and the spirit among the students seems good. Several will be ready to pass on to the new school at Ooltewah next year.

Southern Junior College

This is the new name of the Southern Training School, now transferred to a farm near Ooltewah, Tenn., about sixteen miles east of Chattanooga. "Junior college" is a name now frequently given to schools that do two years of college work in addition to the regular academic grades from nine to twelve. It is analogous to the term "junior high school" applied to schools that do only two instead of four grades above the elementary.

This school opened October 18, and has already enrolled fifty-one students—enough to fill every available room yet fitted up. This is an excellent record, considering the fact that the farm was not purchased till about the first of October, and that everything in the way of preparing quarters for teachers and students had to be done in so short a time. The girls are comfortably housed in the commodious farmhouse, which has already received a new coat of paint. This building also provides a dining-room and a kitchen. The boys are distributed in cottages and tent houses. The teachers are living partly in cottages, partly in tents, and partly in the dormitory, sharing with the students in every respect the limitations and inconveniences necessary for the time being.

While I was there a cold wave was on, and Professor Thiel and the six boys assigned him were kept very busy during work hours preparing firewood for the many stoves in use. Professor Marshall, with another crew of boys, is looking after the work of repairing and fitting up, while at the same time caring for the poultry. Professor Field, the Bible teacher, is leader of another group of boys. Professor Atteberry, the business manager, is on the go at all hours between his class periods. Mrs. Marshall has her normal work in full swing. Brother McGee, the printer, was just mailing an edition of the Union paper printed in their new quarters.

The morale of teachers and students is excellent. One teacher said he had never enjoyed his work so much in his life, with the quiet environment, the eagerness of all the students to work, and the privilege of rebuilding the school from the foundation. Every student I spoke with said “Fine!” One group of boys have named their cottage We-Like-It.

The school carries twelve grades this year, with a class in every subject but two. Since the opening was late, the recitation periods are one hour in length, so as to bring the recitation work up to the standard amount of time and have the school close about the same time as our others.

The greatest present need of the school is the payment of pledges made by its friends, and contributions from its well-wishers who may not have pledged. Here is a work well worthy of every dollar that can be spared immediately. The school belongs to the people, and the teachers must not be left to carry its burdens alone.

Oakwood Manual Training School

This school for our colored believers in the South is located near Huntsville, Ala., on an old-time plantation. Few of our schools are better situated for their purpose. The climate is mild and equable, the soil is being brought up to excellent productive strength, and the environment is unusually favorable.

Here are gathered this year one hundred and ten boys and girls, with a prospect of increasing to one hundred and fifty before the year is over. A fine new dormitory, completed the past year, houses the girls, while the boys now occupy the building vacated by the girls. The class work begins at 7:30 and continues to 10 A. M., when teachers and students resort to manual labor till 5 P. M. Classes are then resumed till 9 P. M., with chapel in the evening. The school carries twelve grades, with pastoral, normal, and nurses' training courses. Five teachers will be graduated this year from the two-year normal course. Practically all the graduates from last year's pastoral and nurses' courses are now in the work.

Crops are unusually good this year. About thirty-five acres of cotton have yielded a bale to the acre, while the general average in the South is one bale to three acres. With a bale weighing about five hundred pounds and with the price of cotton now up to twenty cents, this yield brings excellent returns. Sorghum is practically a double yield, with the price increased, while the corn averages twenty-five bushels to the acre, and sweet potatoes two hundred bushels to the acre with the present market price at one dollar. With Brother John M. Swofford as farm superintendent, students do all the labor on these crops, as well as most of the mechanical work on the place, under the direction of Brother F. W. Halladay.

The orphanage has eighteen children at present, and has sent to the school dormitory several who had become old enough for the transfer. Miss Reeder has charge of the sanitarium training work; she and Miss Bartholomew, the normal director, are staying by the work from year to year. Elder W. L. Bird has succeeded Elder T. H. Jeys as Bible teacher, the latter now being in Plainview Academy. Prof. George Jeys is preceptor and teacher. Sister Cartright is the efficient matron, and Miss Williams, of Washington Missionary College, is preceptress.

Professor Boyd and his staff are of excellent courage, and enjoying the best year in the history of the school. The colored work is sure to gain strength as the product of this school is added to its laboring force. A ministerial institute for Negro laborers in the North American Division will be held here in midwinter. About fifty are expected to attend.

W. E. HOWELL.