Young People Not in Our Schools by Frederick Griggs

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Apr 20, 1916

Young People Not in Our Schools

By Frederick Griggs

One of our union conferences has had compiled statistics which reveal in a startling way the fact that our schools have possibilities which they have not yet realized. In this union conference it was found that of 1,318 young men and women who are taking or should be taking work above the eighth grade, only 471 are in the academies and colleges of the union.

These figures are at once sad and yet inspiring,—sad, in that so many of our young men and women are not in our schools when they should be; inspiring, from the fact that they present to us a task that is at once both a pleasant and a responsible one. Undoubtedly every union conference would reveal a similar task if similar statistics were compiled.

Our schools mean the salvation of our young people. It is rare that a young man or woman who has been in them for a number of years ever departs from our faith, and in the majority of instances such students become workers in the cause of truth. It is sad indeed that nearly two thirds of our youth are not under the influences of our schools. The spirit of the world is strong. It is much more difficult for young men and women to be loyal to truth and right today than it was a quarter of a century ago, and the dangers confronting those who are not in some way associated with gospel work are fearful. This is the sad feature called to our attention by these statistics.

On the other hand, every boy or girl that we bring into our schools is placed on the high road to service in the kingdom of Christ, and his chances of a useful life and a home in God’s eternal kingdom are greatly multiplied.

“The duty that lies next to the church members is to care for the children and youth.” It thus becomes the duty of every church member to concern himself in an intense way about the education of the younger members of the church, and of those who are not members at all. This is a God-given responsibility, and evidently from the facts already cited, one that is not being discharged. Now, if ever, should Israel know what to do, and when this duty for our young people is pointed out as clearly as it is, we should do it. The church members should surround our young people with every inducement to attend school this coming year. Thousands of them are in the high schools, who, under proper encouragement, will put forth an effort that will place them in our own schools another year, and this may mean their salvation. Let us work as never before to save our youth. FREDERICK GRIGGS.