Battle Creek Church School
By J. G. Lamson
Friday, June 3, marked the close of the church-school at Battle Creek, after a very successful year. The entire enrolment for the year was two hundred and fourteen, and the average attendance was in the neighborhood of one hundred and sixty, the average membership being about one hundred and seventy-five. Four teachers besides the principal, and five since the first of February, have been employed in giving instruction to the first eight grades. Prof. W. E. Cornell kindly gave the school four months' drill in penmanship, and there was marked improvement in the handwriting of those grades in which the instruction was given. Miss Mary Lamson devoted some time to tutor work for classes above the eighth grade, and until January the principal carried the work of one grade. Four persons received normal instruction and actual drill in first grade work, under the competent guidance of Mrs. Flora Williams, formerly model teacher in the Keene Academy. As a result of the Bible work by the teachers, the revival in January, and faithful work since, over fifty of the children became members of the church during the year. So well pleased has the church been with the work of the teachers that they have all been asked to remain for another year, and some of them have signified their intention to do so. During the year a fine new brick veneer building has been erected, at a cost of about six thousand dollars, and considerable over half of this has already been paid. This large sum of money, with the running expenses of the school and the many other calls, has made heavy demands on the church, but the brethren are of good courage. The deficiency in the teachers' fund is now less than one hundred dollars, and next Sabbath will doubtless see that all cleared away. As principal of the school during the year just passed, I can not refrain from expressing my appreciation of the unfailing loyalty of my co-workers. There has not come across our work during the year the slightest shadow of variance, and the credit of the year's work I gladly accord them. I have never before taught a school where so little criticism of the teachers has reached my ears, where the necessary cases of discipline reported to the principal were so few, and where the managing school committee gave so kind consideration to the desires of the teachers. To the Lord we give all the praise. J. G. LAMSON.