Can a Small Conference Have an Intermediate School? by C. L. Stone

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Apr 4, 1907

Can a Small Conference Have an Intermediate School?

By C. L. Stone

At the present time there are few conferences that do not have one or more church-schools within their borders. Whether a conference be large or small, the effect of primary schools is to create a demand for a more advanced school.

For a conference of fifteen companies composed largely of families in moderate circumstances, to undertake the establishment of an academy seems unreasonable. The task is all the greater with the present circumstances in which each conference is pressed almost to the limit with financial burdens. Hence none may depend upon his neighbor to help.

Let it be borne in mind that in many of the smaller conferences in the States and in the islands, but few of the youth are prepared to meet school expenses with cash. Instead of inducing some philanthropic brother to invest a hundred dollars to meet the year's expense of one young man, lead him to invest that amount in an industry or in the development of some natural resource, that one or more young men may, by economy in their use of time, earn their way for a period of years.

Suppose, for example, good timber land is obtainable. In some of our conferences land having on it valuable timber can be bought for a reasonable price. Suppose a conference raise two thousand dollars in cash, and this is all invested in timber land. By looking about, some brother, having an experience in running a sawmill and in methods of marketing timber, and who needs the help of a higher school for his family, can be secured to settle on this land; thus a resource is at once established.

In opening the school secure all the earnest young people of the conference, as well as tents sufficient to accommodate them. With tents for homes and a schoolroom, with the woods for a resource and a field of labor, and with young men of energy for students and for laborers, open the school.

Building and furnishing material can be largely secured from your own land; and as the land is cleared, bring it under cultivation.

The writer has known more than one young man to do a very fair year's school work with less than twenty-five dollars in cash as a resource. This has been possible in a few cases, but it requires such close economy of time and means that very few will pay the price.

It is a mistake to struggle with debts incurred by erecting too large buildings. Let the buildings all be simple, neat, and befitting the use for which they are erected. Likewise they should be adapted to climate and locality, and with a view to increasing accommodations as the needs demand.

With proper watch-care for the credit of work done, and with a careful marketing of the finished product, such a school may not only stand above debt, but increase its facilities as resources are developed. C. L. STONE.