A New Year's Gift by W. E. Howell

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Dec 30, 1909

A New Year's Gift

By W. E. Howell

WHO can think of a personal gift to a friend that would be more expressive of real interest in him, more practical and substantial in kind, and more lasting in its benefits, than a scholarship in the Fireside Correspondence School?

A box of bonbons might tickle the palate for a day or two, a New-year's card with some beautiful sentiment on it might please the receiver because he has been remembered, a new garment is good as long as it lasts. But these are all externals, which, though enjoyable and legitimate in themselves, fall short of really helping a man better to fulfil the purpose of his being in the world.

When it comes to the matter of education, that, if rightly given, opens a man's eyes to new and better views of life, smoothes the rough places for his feet, increases his happiness and usefulness, and qualifies him better to discharge whatever responsibilities the exigencies of life have placed upon him.

YOU who wish to give something as an expression of your love or regard, had you thought that a small investment in a correspondence scholarship for your son or daughter, your brother or sister, your niece or nephew, your cousin or your best friend, would bring a continuous blessing to the recipient during most if not all the year to come, and would return a usury of satisfying pleasure to the donor? It might become the turning-point in some one's experience. It might become the first rung in the ladder of upward progress, for a young person to learn that he can actually accomplish something worth while through his own application and perseverance, guided by qualified teachers, even if circumstances have all seemed against any means of self-improvement in the past.

You who wish to do something definite and positive in raising the standard of your own usefulness, even if the spring-time of youth has passed into summer or perhaps the summer begun to fade into the autumn of life, is there any time better than the opening of a new year to take the first step? How surprised you may be to learn from making the attempt, what you can accomplish in improving your education.

For the encouragement of all, we may say that we have already in the Fireside Correspondence School several who are enjoying the privileges of the school from the generosity or self-sacrifice of a relative or friend. We have also those who have the courage to undertake studies though advanced in age as far as from fifty to sixty-three years! And they are making a success of their work.

The rate at which the Fireside Correspondence School is growing in the appreciation of those who are wide-awake to their opportunities, is indicated by the fact that its enrolment has considerably more than doubled since the opening day, less than three months ago. But there is still plenty of room. Do not hesitate to send in your applications until notified that all the available space is taken!

Bear in mind that you can enroll any day in the year; that you can advance at a rate of speed suited to your circumstances and ambition; that all the work in all your lessons is personally inspected by competent, God-fearing teachers; that you are always at liberty to ask questions on any point of difficulty or information in your lessons; that you get a course of forty lessons in preparatory subjects for ten dollars and the matriculation fee of one dollar (on the first subject only), in collegiate subjects for twelve dollars and the matriculation fee (first subject only), and of twenty lessons in a subject of either class for half the tuition and the whole matriculation fee (first subject only); that you furnish your own books and postage; that you get a maximum of help for a minimum of expense; that our courses cover subjects in Bible, English, mathematics, history, New Testament Greek, pedagogy, and physiology and hygiene; that we have several new courses in prospect to be ready in from two to six months; that the new year just before us may become your record year in personal attainment if you take opportunity by the forelock instead of by the heel; and that you can obtain all necessary information about correspondence studies by addressing Fireside Correspondence School, Takoma Park, Washington, D. C., U. S. A.

W. E. HOWELL, Principal.