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ALABAMA

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Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Jan 15, 1901

FromReview and Herald, Vol. 78, No. 3.

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ALABAMA

By W. Woodford

Oakwood Industrial School

After an absence of four years, I visited this school during the recent Week of Prayer. When the institution was first started, I spent six weeks helping in the work of repairing the building. On account of duties in connection with the work among the churches and new fields, I did not find time to again visit the place until now.
The Lord has surely been in this enterprise from the start. One can hardly realize that it is the school that was begun five years ago. The students now number fifty. The young men and women are busily engaged with their studies in the school, on the farm, in the cooking and other departments, fitting themselves as workers in the Master's vineyard. From careful observation, I believe that a solid foundation has been laid in this school for the education and training of church school teachers and workers for the Southern field. At the close of this school term several teachers will be ready to enter the openings that are awaiting them. It will assist the faculty very much if those churches desiring teachers for their schools will open correspondence.
The school is much in need of more room. Several parts of the buildings that have been erected are not yet completed; but must be soon in order to accommodate the students, as a large number will be admitted next term. The management of the school has decided not to create a debt; but to go just as far as the money goes, and there stop. Hence we trust that the brethren will push the sale of the new book, “Christ's Object Lessons,” the receipts from which in this district will go to the building up of this institution and the providing of apparatus, which is much needed for the instruction of the students.
The faculty are planning to hold a teachers' normal institute next summer, from six to eight weeks, as the case may demand, for all the teachers of the South. So let our teachers plan to attend. Particulars will be announced later.
The Week of Prayer was a season of blessing to the entire company at Oakwood. The Spirit of God was present at every meeting. Hearts were touched as sins were pointed out; and the sins were put away. We pray that new victory will be gained. Of their poverty all gave an offering. The amount given for the annual offering was one hundred and twenty-five dollars.
As I left, taking with me one of the students to fill a call from the school at Montgomery, the students were deeply affected. She had a place in all their hearts, having been in the school nearly four years. May God bless the work that is being done at Oakwood, and may the people assist with all their power; for here is a work that is moving in the right direction, educating the people to work among their own race.
W. WOODFORD.