Walla Walla College by M. E. Cady

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Nov 1, 1906

Walla Walla College

By M. E. Cady

On account of many of our former students not being able to secure their books so as to make their deliveries before September 12 (caused by the burning of the Pacific Press Plant), it was decided to postpone the opening of the school until Wednesday, September 26.

Accordingly the students and many of the patrons and friends of the school met in the college chapel, Wednesday morning, at nine o’clock. The room was quite well filled. Some stirring remarks were made by the president of the board and some members of the college faculty regarding the purpose and object of the school, and its bright prospects for the coming year. The college department enrolled ninety students, and the normal department enrolled thirty-eight pupils, making a total of one hundred and twenty-eight students the first morning. School has now been in progress just three weeks, and the enrolment in the college department at the present is one hundred and forty-three, and forty-four in the normal department. This makes a total of one hundred and eighty-seven enrolled, and still others are coming almost every day. It seems probable that we shall have two hundred and fifty pupils this year, which will be a gain of fifty over last year’s record. Last year’s record showed a gain of fifty over the previous year.

We have an excellent class of students, many of them being well matured; so in a short time they will be prepared to enter the work. The students are taking hold of the work in good earnest, and with the blessing of God added to their efforts, we expect to see great results.

Walla Walla College has a strong faculty, a band of workers “whose hearts God had touched.” Every department of the school is under competent instructors, and the faculty is of sufficient size to give each student the needed attention, and to look carefully after the spiritual and industrial features, as well as the academic work.

We are glad to be able to say that the normal department is now a regular feature of the college work. The children of the church are the pupils of this department, and the practise teaching is done under the direction of four experienced teachers, known in normal schools as “critic teachers.” We have new quarters for carrying forward this work, suitable rooms being provided in a building a short distance from the college building. We have the pupils, the facilities, a strong normal faculty, and now we would like to have our local conferences encourage suitable persons to

take the normal training work. We have a class of eight or ten, but we ought to have more than twice that number. The hope of our church-schools lies in a thorough preparation of the teachers for their work.

The music department has been strengthened by securing another competent teacher. We now have three teachers in the department, teaching vocal music and giving lessons on the organ and the piano. Instruction is also given in band and orchestra music. Our aim is to make the work of the music department of such a character as will be an aid in gospel work.

As we face the work of the year, our hearts are encouraged by the many evidences we have that God is working with us and for us. Our aim is to do our utmost to swell the army of workers which is to take this gospel of the kingdom to all the world in this generation, and to this glorious task we dedicate our lives, day by day. M. E. CADY.