Our Schools in Other Lands by H. R. S.

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Mar 23, 1911

Our Schools in Other Lands

By H. R. S.

Meiktila (Burma) Industrial School

A SCHOOL calendar just received from Brother Robert T. Thurber announces the opening of this school. Brother Thurber writes:—

“We can boast of only rented quarters as yet, but have conducted the school for about six months, with a total enrolment of sixty boys. We have not taught any industries, and so far have confined our intellectual work to the standards. But we have just hired a Chinese carpenter and contractor, who will teach the boys, and superintend the building of the school. By the time this reaches you, we shall have bought land, and begun. We have succeeded in raising about five hundred dollars in cash, and two thousand dollars in pledges, in the country here, and expect to get much more. But we must have some help from our people, too; and if we get it, this Burma school bids fair to exceed our first expectations.”

Avondale (Australia) School

A letter just received from Prof. B. F. Machlan tells of the continued success attending the educational work in Australia:—

“You will no doubt be interested to know that we started this year with the best attendance in our history. We have our boys’ hall filled, and have had to make a second home at the Avondale Health Retreat, where we have a nice family of boys under an assistant preceptor. We have a few more rooms left in the young ladies’ hall, but the prospects are now that these will soon be taken. Ten per cent of our students are full pay, thirty-five per cent industrial, and fifty-five per cent half pay; that is to say, ten per cent pay their way in full; thirty-five per cent pay nothing, but must have their board, room, tuition, books, and, in many cases, clothing, from the school; fifty-five per cent work five hours a day, and pay eighteen pounds for the year. As we had extended the course of study, I was in doubt as to how the students would take hold of the work, and was much pleased to see the willingness on the part of all to take up the longer courses. Up to this time, our teachers’ course had been only two years, and really meant very little to the one who took nothing but that course. Now it is four years in length, and will fit our students to do good work as teachers. Our commercial courses were also strengthened. Some changes were made in the Bible training-course. These changes, I am glad to say, seem to meet the approval of the brethren, and also of the young people.”

“We have had our regular January rains, and everything looks beautiful and green, and the prospect for crops is good. Of course this means much to us here. Our farm ran at a loss last year. Indeed, I think it hardly ever has paid; but we hope this year to make it pay, and we are straining every nerve to that end.”

British East Africa Mission School

Our brethren have to work slowly and patiently among the native tribes of Africa. Truly with them it is “precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little.” However, the gospel of Christ is all-powerful; and by the patient efforts of our mission teachers, it finds its way to the hearts of those who have been brought up in the midst of the darkest heathendom.

“We have,” writes Brother A. A. Carscallen, “a nice class of boys coming forward for baptism, but I am not hurrying them. I want to be sure they are going to stay, and that they are in earnest, before we urge them to take that step. We hope to baptize several in a few months. I shall be very glad to report a few members in this dark part of Africa. I have been on this site for over four years now, and have labored hard; and if I can see a few of our boys take their stand for Christ,—and a stand that will last,—I shall feel fully repaid for all I have done. They are now beginning to grasp what it means to be Christians, and are taking a lively interest in the people. I sometimes hear some of them say such things as this: ‘We must think of and love the lives of others;’ and in their prayers they say, ‘We wish to spread thy Word, O God.’ So you see they are thinking of telling others what they have themselves learned.”

How true it is that wherever Christianity goes, the spirit of the Author of Christianity asserts itself in the lives of the believers, and they are not content until they have passed on to others that which they have received. H. R. S.