Fireside Correspondence School by W. E. Howell

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Mar 3, 1910

Fireside Correspondence School

By W. E. Howell

Some Motor Thoughts for Would-Be Students

We are continually surprised and gratified at what can be accomplished by correspondence study. Fifteen years’ previous experience in the school-room never produced as large a proportion of excellent papers as are coming in from our one hundred fifty-one students to our desk by every mail. Students who start with careless habits of thinking and expressing themselves, with slackness in spelling, punctuating, and choice of words, and with handwriting that is scarcely legible, show a remarkable readiness and facility in disciplining themselves on these points, at our suggestion or insistence, sometimes to the extent that we hardly recognize a new paper as being from the same person who had previously been prompted.

In truth, students are surprised at themselves, with a twofold surprise: first, they do not often sense how careless they are in these respects; second, they are astonished at what improvement they can make with painstaking effort. When a paper does not meet the standard we have set ourselves in this correspondence work, either in form or in content, it goes back to the writer by the next mail to be done over. Most of our students are glad for the chance when a few red markings show how faulty their work is; some have done their work over without being so requested, for the sheer pleasure of doing things better, and of keeping up their record to a high plane. Occasionally one thinks he is abused or rated too low, till we give him a few seed-thoughts, ask him a few questions about his aims and hopes for the future, when he falls in line gracefully, and thanks us for good counsel.

With a more substantial and appreciative class of students, it has never been our privilege to deal. They are saying nicer things to us than we deserve, but perhaps the reader would enjoy hearing the sentiments of some in their own words. A Bible worker writes:—

“I am glad your school was started. It gives me the privilege of improving each year, and staying in the work at the same time. I am working for others to take advantage of it also.”

A home missionary whose test papers are a delight to look upon, says:—

“I am much interested in my studies, and find that I am improving a great deal, even though I have had this course for only two months. I am truly thankful that some way has been provided for us who can not attend school to learn through correspondence.”

From a farmer’s daughter whose paper suggests a neat, well-kept home:—

“I am so glad I am one of the Fireside Circle. It seems to be just what I was looking for. I for one am enjoying my studies very much, and the grades on my test papers are much higher than I dared expect.”

From a nurse, aged fifty, whose aim is “improvement:”—

“I delight in the study of something definite, and can not understand why so many of our young people whose minds are yet so free and so susceptible to study should pass by such golden opportunities and not make more use of their time. I so often wish they could be made to understand what they might do if only they would try.”

From a young woman who broke down in health while taking a nurse’s course, but who is taking some work by correspondence to apply on her course:—

“I think the correspondence study is just fine so far as I have taken it. I sometimes think I ought to know my book by heart when I get through, for I study it hard enough to know it. I like the correspondence study better in some things than school, for in school we have to recite whether we have our lessons prepared or not. In correspondence study we have to have our lessons prepared, or we wouldn’t have anything to send in.”

From a farmer, aged forty-eight, whose aim is “to work for others:”—

“I do appreciate what you are doing for me, and begin to feel quite well acquainted with you. And while I don’t expect to get as much out of this study as younger, brighter minds would, I realize that I am getting something from it that will be a real help to me.”

From a student in bookkeeping who had to do the first two or three lessons over twice, but whose courage has never wavered:—

“I like studying by correspondence very, very much. I certainly have enjoyed these three months’ study around the Fireside, and mean to keep right on.”

There is nothing like making a beginning in what one wants or expects to do sometime, except to “keep right on” after he has begun. While quite a number who “expect to take up correspondence study a little later on” are still putting it off, some of our students are almost half through their course, and by the time summer is here will be ready to take up a new course. One of our very best students says she “hopes to have the privilege of being a pupil as long as there is a correspondence school.”

Dear reader, if you want to join the ranks of those who are earnestly seeking an education and are pursuing it every spare moment, enroll in the Fireside Correspondence School. You can prepare your lessons on time that others let run to waste. We find that the people who are really the busiest make the best students. Here is how a student in New Testament Greek, himself a burden-bearing foreign missionary, committed to memory a sentence in Greek:—

“Studied it carefully five minutes. Reviewed it while riding my wheel on business trip. Had it all but predicate. Looked that up on my return. Repeated it again and again while in barber’s chair, and found I had it.”

The sun did not set that day on “nothing attempted, nothing done.” This is the kind of snap that makes something in the world—makes headway in self-improvement; when he “hasn’t the time,” makes some; when he “doesn’t see his way clear,” clears it; makes positions seek him; makes dollars—incidentally; makes a successful missionary; makes his goal.

Let any who may want to make a beginning now, bear in mind that the doors of the Fireside Correspondence School stand wide open day and night, twelve months in the year; that there is no “set” time for you to enroll except in the ever-living present, big with promise; and that our address is still Takoma Park, Washington, D. C.

W. E. HOWELL, Principal.