p. 17 | Cheering Reports From Our Schools by W. E. H.

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Oct 16, 1913

Cheering Reports From Our Schools

By W. E. H.

There is a marked rise in the attendance at our advanced schools, according to reports that are now in. Numbers do count in raising the enthusiasm of our teachers and in making a good balance-sheet at the end of the year. They count still more in raising the spirits of our recruiting-officers at home and abroad. Increase in attendance means so much reducing of that fifty per cent of our children and youth of school age who have been attending the secular schools. Before the school year is over, it will mean new names in the book of life and additions to the roster of missionary volunteers. Growth, when proceeding from normal causes, is not only an evidence of health, but a promise of long life and better days. How much more inspiring it is to work at building up the attendance of a school than to mull over bad accounts and mistakes of the past! In the God-given talents of our youth and in the Spirit-filled work our schools are doing for them, lies the hope of our last-day evangelism. The spirit of educational rally is in the denominational atmosphere. It is our privilege to breathe it deep, and hold up the hands of our faithful, burden-bearing educators by helping fill their schools to the threshold, and by giving them the moral backing they deserve.

Union College

Six days after the twenty-third annual opening, President Griggs writes in a spirit of healthy optimism on the year's outlook, as follows:—

“Our school has opened in splendid form. The enrolment last year on Friday afternoon was 227, this Friday afternoon 252, and the list is steadily climbing. I think we shall have a splendid year. Our enrolment in the normal department is stronger than it has ever been before, and in the model school it is better than we have had in several years. So we are very hopeful for splendid results in all lines of our school work.”

This is an increase of 11 per cent in attendance, and if the president reflects the spirit of his faculty and of the student body, it means an increase of 111 per cent in achievement.

Pacific Union College

Writing eight days after the fourth annual opening in their new location, one of our veteran educators, Prof. G. W. Rine, who has seen our college work in California rise and fall and rise again, speaks thus hopefully:—

“We have opened the college year with the largest student body the school has yet had. We have at least a half-dozen actual college classes.”

For an institution that has had to build itself up from the ground, almost entirely in material equipment, and entirely so in faculty and curriculum, this showing is most encouraging. I am sure that every college man in sister institutions will extend across the plains and mountains the hand of hearty fellowship and good will to President Irwin and his devoted faculty in these uplifting days of their new school year.

South Lancaster Academy

Thirteen days after the opening date of our oldest and largest academy, Principal Machlan writes in the same strain as the others:—

“You would be interested to know that we have more students enrolled now than the total enrolment of last year. They are a very fine company of young people, and we are very thankful for them.”

The enrolment last year was considerably over three hundred. Their fine new normal building has just been dedicated, and is now occupied for the first time, with Mrs. H. E. Osborne as director of the work.

Mount Vernon College

We have not heard directly from this school, but learned from a member of the board the other day that the enrolment then was one hundred and sixty, the high-water mark in attendance since the institution was opened. The dormitories are overflowing into the homes of the people in the vicinity, and the courage of every one concerned is high. These good results are partly the product of President Salisbury's vigorous campaigning during the summer.

Emmanuel Missionary College

While President Graf, writing under date of October 3, speaks for himself, it is worth noting especially the promptness in putting students to work,—an element in their practical discipline which will count for much in their future usefulness in helping speed this message. Add to this the largest opening enrolment yet, and that picture of one hundred students standing up at one time to witness for Jesus, and why should not this college experience the “best year” of its history?

W. E. H.