Work at South Lancaster Academy During the Present School Year
By Frederick Griggs
FREDERICK GRIGGS
ALL things considered, South Lancaster Academy has had a good year's work. The attendance has been regular, one hundred and sixty having been enrolled during the year. The health of the students has been most excellent throughout the year. We have had with us, on the whole, a very earnest class of young people. A goodly number are planning to enter the work, about twenty expecting to engage in canvassing this summer.
A canvassers' institute was held in April, and a lively interest was awakened in this important branch of the Master's work. From fifteen to twenty are prepared for church-school work next year. Several of our young men are going out with tent companies this summer. Some are looking forward to the mission work in New York City.
Nearly all our students had some experience in the canvassing work the past year, the school having closed twice to give them an opportunity to canvass for “Christ's Object Lessons.” A number of books were sold, and better than this, the students gained rich experiences. As the result of their work, several have become interested in the truth, one having been baptized and joined the church. As the students went into the surrounding towns and cities, in many cases they awakened a lively interest in our school.
In many ways the students have shown a most commendable spirit and loyalty to the work. They have been deeply interested in the building of a boat for the New York harbor work. The proposed erection of a dormitory for the young men has also aroused much enthusiasm. One of our students made a gift to the institution of thirty-five hundred dollars toward the erection of this dormitory. This at once made the building of the dormitory seem possible, and all united in an effort to secure the remainder of the funds necessary. A good degree of success has attended this effort. We hope, with the blessing of God and the help of our friends, to have this building ready for occupancy in September, when the next school year will open.
The church schools throughout the Atlantic Union Conference have been successful. From twenty to twenty-five were in operation during the past year, and most encouraging reports have been received regarding the work of these schools. Plans are already being laid for the establishment of schools in new places this coming year.
A good interest has been shown in our industrial work. The farm has been productive; the broom shop, which was established four years ago, has had a most prosperous year. There is an increasing demand for the products of the shop. This work has been the means not only of educating young men in the art of manual work, but of helping to pay current expenses.
For this coming year arrangements have been made to introduce a strong commercial department. The work is to be made practical as well as theoretical.
The sanitarium and the New England Tract Society have thrown open their offices, and are planning for a part of their regular accounting work to be11carried on by the students when they shall have attained a degree of proficiency that will enable them to do this. This will give the students an opportunity to gain a practical knowledge of accounting, which may, we believe, be used to advance the cause of present truth.
The school management are planning for a stirring summer school in the interests of our church-school work, from July 2 until August 19. We hope to have with us all our church-school teachers, and many of our young people who are engaged in public-school work. A most excellent course of work has been outlined, and we believe that this will be a more profitable summer school than any which we have ever held in the interests of the church-school work in the Atlantic Union Conference.
The spiritual condition of the school has been good. Eight have been baptized, and others are looking forward to this ordinance. The faculty continually endeavor to keep before their minds the importance of this central school here in the East, and to realize that it is the mind of God that it should do a great work in preparing laborers for this large and important field.
