BETHEL INDUSTRIAL ACADEMY.
By H. A. WASHBURN
The winter term of the Bethel Industrial Academy (heretofore known as Woodland Academy) is just closing. It is the general opinion of the faculty that this term has been richer in the blessing of God than any preceding term. The week of prayer brought special blessing with it, and each succeeding week has been more abundantly filled with spiritual blessing than the preceding one. We have the most gracious evidences that the Holy Spirit is at work here, developing an army of noble missionaries from among our children and youth. While numbers are in themselves no evidence of the success of a Christian school, yet we are thankful for the prosperity which the Lord has given us in this respect. There have been one hundred and forty-three students in attendance at the school since the opening of the fall term. Our daily attendance during the last term has been about one hundred and ten. We are endeavoring continually to make our school more industrial in character. Industrial work for students in the home, and industrial study for all students of the school, are made as truly a part of the work as is arithmetic or grammar. Each student selects one or more industrial studies, unless excused by vote of the faculty. The first hour following the chapel period is devoted to industrial classes, which recite under regular teachers. Classes in the following branches have been continued throughout the winter term: agriculture, horticulture, floriculture, carpentry, sewing, cooking, and nursing (simple treatments). At first this seemed to be a great innovation, but the students now look upon industrial education as an important matter. The industrial instruction is made more practical to the students in the home than to those residing outside. Every student in the home spends some time daily in work, generally occupying most of the afternoon in labor. All the teachers of the school engage in work with the students during the afternoon. The lady teachers divide among themselves the responsibilities of the work in the various departments of the home, while the gentleman teachers engage in outdoor labor with the young men, cutting wood, clearing land, erecting buildings, etc. Some very neat buildings have been erected by the students, under the direction of one of the teachers, who is a skillful carpenter. By means of this manual labor, all students in the home have earned a large portion of their expenses. The young men have earned about one half of the expense of their board, room, and tuition, and the young ladies have earned about one third. The industrial work, which was a source of some difficulty in the early part of the year, is now recognized as the best means next to the Bible lessons, for maintaining good school discipline. Our people should by all means send their children to the school home, rather than move their families to the vicinity of the school. Vastly more can be accomplished for the youth when they are under the care of the teachers all the time. We sincerely trust that those contemplating moving to the vicinity of any of our schools will regard this counsel. We are giving earnest study to the agricultural work, by which we hope to accomplish several objects, among which are the following: to teach the gospel in the operations of tilling the soil; to teach a scientific knowledge of farming; to place our school on a good financial basis, at the same time giving opportunity for many students to attend the school who have little or no money. In all probability our strongest term of school will soon coincide with the season of active farm work. From these statements it may be correctly judged that the work of the school is practical and elementary, rather than of a character to militate against the interests of the larger schools. From the results we have observed, we are confident that the attendance at our larger training schools will be augmented by the wise establishment and management of intermediate industrial schools. This school is certainly a blessing to the Wisconsin Conference, and similar schools would be blessings to our other Conferences.