THE OAKLAND CHURCH SCHOOL.
By C. H. Jones
FOR over three years the question of establishing a church school has been agitated here in Oakland. Not because we have no good public schools, for we feel that Oakland is specially favored in this respect, but because parents have felt the need of their children having religious instruction interwoven with the teaching of the sciences. Accordingly, when the plans were submitted for a new church building, the wants of such a school were taken into consideration, and suitable rooms provided on the first floor. But it was not until this summer that things began to take definite shape. On Thursday evening, July 2, at a special meeting of the church, called to consider this question, after thorough discussion, resolutions were adopted favoring the opening of a kindergarten and primary class at once. A School Board, consisting of five persons, was also elected at this meeting, "whose duty it should be to procure teachers, prescribe a course of study, provide means of support, and have the general management of the school interest." The Board at once entered upon the duties assigned them, and Monday, September 2, everything was in readiness. In fitting up the rooms, providing material and appliances for the kindergarten department, and in all the arrangements, the Board has endeavored to have everything first-class. Other schools have been visited, and the good things of all, so far as possible, have been combined and brought into this school, until we think we can safely say that we have the pleasantest rooms, the best appliances, and the most suitable furniture of any school of this grade in the city. On Monday, September 2, the school was formally opened, with an attendance of forty-two, including a corps of five teachers. Many others expect to join the school immediately after the camp-meeting, and in the course of a few months we confidently expect that the membership will be largely increased. The school has been divided into four grades, viz., Kindergarten, Primary, Intermediate, and Grammar. Special attention will be given to Bible study and religious instruction, and this will be a special feature of the school. The teachers themselves are devoted Christians, and understand from experience what this work is. The evening classes, which were started in connection with the Pacific Press last January, will hereafter be under the management of the School Board, thus uniting our entire school interests here in Oakland. From eighty to one hundred have attended these classes in the past, and we trust that when they are re-organized, which will be immediately after the camp-meeting, a much larger number will attend. Classes will be formed in reading and spelling, penmanship, arithmetic, grammar, book-keeping, and stenography. We feel that the hand of the Lord has been in the work thus far, and, by his continued help and blessing, we confidently expect it will succeed.