p. 956 | Other Opening Schools by W. E. H.

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Washington, D. C. · Oct 2, 1913

Other Opening Schools

By W. E. H.

Foreign Mission Seminary

The annual opening of the Washington Foreign Mission Seminary, the seventh since it was made a special school for the training of foreign missionaries, was held in the chapel on the evening of September 17. Inspiring and deeply spiritual talks were given by Pastors Spicer, Thompson, and Evans. Two notes sounded clear and certain in these talks: one, that the importance and extent of the work we have to do demands superlative, conscientious effort to master the daily tasks of the schoolroom, with special emphasis on language, Bible, history, and natural science; the other, never to lose the vision of Christ’s sacrifice that called us to his personal service and that impels us to carry his saving message to the waiting kindreds of the earth. The appointees and other students present gave us the impression that they would make up in earnestness what they lack in number while others are gathering in for the new year’s work. In spite of the fact that our Mission Board has sent out this year not only an unprecedented number of foreign workers in our own history, but a number, too, that astonishes older and more wealthy boards of other denominations, our general leaders are still looking for more men to fill pressing calls. How good it is to be pushed in so noble a cause!

Takoma Park School

The Takoma Park Intermediate School opened September 15 with nine full grades of work and three teachers. The first day’s attendance was 85, the largest in its history, now increased to 90. With the Sabbath services now transferred to the new church building, the school building is wholly given up to school work, and every square foot is in demand. There is an excellent rally in spirit and purse to make this year’s work tell for solid results.

Alberta Academy

From far western Canada, Principal Beardsley writes: “Our school opens October 15, and the prospects are that we shall have over 150 academy students, besides possibly 50 primary pupils. God is wonderfully blessing our work here, for which we feel very thankful.”

Kansas Church-Schools

Although Kansas has suffered severely from heat and drought the past summer, this has not affected church-school prospects for the coming year. Miss Crawford, educational superintendent of West Kansas, writes: “There will probably be from twenty to forty more pupils in our schools this year than were in school last year in this conference.”

A Reflection

As these encouraging reports of school openings begin to come in, I cannot but reflect upon the contrast between the appeal made by devoted teachers to the hearts of our boys and girls (such as that in Walla Walla College, for example), and the ideals set before the great multitude of youth now gathering in the secular schools. There is a vast difference in results between the culture of head and hand, as good as these are, and that culture which, without neglecting the head and the hand, goes to the core of the whole question and centers all culture in the heart. W. E. H.