South Lancaster Academy
By Frederick Griggs
On Wednesday, September 17, South Lancaster Academy opened its doors for its twenty-first year's work. We were pleased to have with us that morning Elder S. N. Haskell and Sister E. D. Robinson, the widow of Elder D. A. Robinson. Brethren Haskell and Robinson may almost be called the founders of South Lancaster Academy, such an active part did they take in the establishment of the school. Brother Haskell and Sister Robinson spoke to the students concerning the early experiences in this work. It seemed peculiarly fitting that these tried servants of the Lord should be with us at the opening of the twenty-first year's work of the school. The removal of the New England Sanitarium from this place to Melrose would naturally have a depressing influence upon the work of the school, and yet the effects of this were not seen in the opening of the school; for we had a larger attendance the first day of the year than we had the first day of last year. Nearly every seat in our chapel is now taken, the enrollment being over one hundred and thirty-five, and others are still coming. On the whole, the students are of a considerably more advanced age than those of any former year since I have been here, and nearly all of them have a definite work in view. Our new commercial department has started out very finely. We have already found it necessary to increase our seating capacity, and have been obliged to employ additional help in this work. The work of this department is very encouraging to us, because we continually have in mind the needs of the cause in our work of education, and there is certainly no other work in connection with the third angel's message in which there seems to be a greater dearth of competent workers than in the conducting of our business. We are looking for a still larger increase of students in this department. Our young people everywhere in the Atlantic Union Conference who have an inclination for this work should not connect with the business schools of the world at large, where the whole aim of the work is different, but should enter our school here, where the theoretical work is connected with the actual accounting of the various departments of our denominational work. The board of management have also employed Mrs. E. M. Long, who for years was connected with Battle Creek College as teacher of sloyd, to open up and take charge of a manual department for our young ladies, so that they may be given an opportunity to work, similar to that given to the young men, who work on the farm and in our broom shop. In this department, baskets and small articles of furniture in wickerwork will be manufactured. I must not omit to add that there seems to be, in the very beginning of our school, a deep spiritual sentiment. We have18strong expectations that the work of the school this year will result in placing laborers in the vineyard of the Lord in the near future.