The work at Huntsville, Ala., was begun about six years ago with two or three students, and has ever since been steadily developing, both as to the number of students and the grade of work they are able to do.
The students are intelligent, progressive young people, and their energies for study and their earnest desire for the most useful education are no small source of encouragement to those having their training in hand.
The Students
Students are not regularly admitted under fifteen years of age, and the average is above twenty. All who enter are supposed to have some knowledge of books, yet this is not always the case, as some of mature years have been received, and given their first lessons. Such cases as these, by their sincerity and rapid progress, often give promise of usefulness. Others have had a good start in public schools, and compare favorably with pupils of any locality having such school advantages, though, as a rule, several years' training is required for their preparation for the work.
The Course
It has not been the policy of the school, however, to offer a long course. Work is offered covering the common branches, and some of the elementary sciences to give a practical knowledge of nature, with the study of the Bible and the Testimonies as a part of each year's work.
As a rule, the students have quite definite ends in view, mainly, teaching, Bible work or the ministry, canvassing, and nursing. Already some are successfully laboring in these lines, and others are in readiness to enter the work. There is a deep earnestness in the heart of nearly every one to do all in his power to lift up his race. Many of them desire to go to Africa, Cuba, or other foreign fields to labor for their people. We are certainly thankful for a training school for the colored race, but when we realize that from a school of only fifty or sixty are to be chosen workers for a vast field ready for a laborer in every county, we feel that much more ought to be done here than can be done with our limited means.
How They Pay
How to make it possible for a class of poor people to attend, who can bring no money with them, has been the question. To require the payment of any reasonable amount of cash is simply to require impossibilities of many even of the most worthy and promising. But it has been undertaken to accommodate such a class by supplying them with work, which is taken in return for their school privileges. To do this, however, puts the institution on a—
Philanthropic Basis
The student works five hours a day, the returns from which are made to go as far as possible toward the support of the work, and the institution must look to its friends for the remainder. Thus almost every student works his entire way through school, except his books and clothing.
The Farm
It is evident from such arrangements that the student and the institution must seek such work as will bring the best possible returns for the labor, and this is found on the farm. The Lord directed in finding an ideal school location five miles from Huntsville, Ala., on one of the best farms in northern Alabama, where almost all kinds of farm and garden crops may be made to produce well. While the farm is employing the young men, the home is giving useful training to the girls in the art of practical domestic duties, a training much neglected by young women who seek a literary education.
They are constantly encouraged to do a high standard of work, and they acquire a degree of thrift and industry and faithfulness that is unusual among the laboring class of their race. In the schoolroom they are taught not to be satisfied with a low standard of school work. They seek to be reformers among their people in all lines of usefulness. It is encouraging that our students are in demand in the homes and on the farm as well as in the schools where our work is known. As soon as the students are prepared, they engage in canvassing or in teaching church schools to help themselves on in the work here.
The present year's work has been a very encouraging one. The students have made good advancement, and have taken special interest in the study of Christian education as setting forth the true object of education.
Our Needs Are Legion
Among other things, we need more room, better school and industrial equipments, and more of the right kind of students. We need one hundred friends of this worthy work who will each give, in addition to the student's work, fifty dollars to support a student in school next year.
We are glad to see large donations going to our established schools. But17this is a field that none of our old schools can supply, and its importance and worthiness demand a hearty support.
