Teachers’ Institute at Bethel; Wis by C. McReynolds

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Jul 5, 1906

Teachers’ Institute at Bethel; Wis.

By C. McReynolds

OUR institute opened promptly June 6. The attendance has been good. Twenty-six teachers have come, and the time has been well improved from 8:10 A. M. to 6 P. M., with industrial intermission from 12 M. to 3 P. M.

From the first day, a spirit of deep consecration has been manifested to a marked degree. Much inspiration has come to the teachers as they have studied the following practical subjects: School Incentives, Relation of Home Discipline to Schoolroom Discipline, How to Save the Youth and Children through the Primary Schools, Teacher’s Relation to the Church, Opening Exercises for Primary Schools, Dividing Responsibilities with Students, Missionary Work for Students and Teachers, How to Interest Indifferent Patrons, Length of School Sessions, Busy Work for Primary School Children; Agriculture, A. W. Hallock; Denominational History, A. W. Spaulding; United States History in Prophecy, P. E. Shepplar; Health and How to Guard It, Dr. Cora M. Richards; Dress Reform from the Testimonies, Miss Ida Owen.

Elder McReynolds conducted a Bible and Testimony study each morning; Mr. Hess gave work in simple bookbinding and carpentry; Miss Whalen directed in language and geography, and Miss Hallock led out in a study on the Bible for Primary Schools.

God has helped us much. The Bethel Academy faculty has assisted in the teaching as much as they could while looking well after the regular work of the academic department. Professor Spaulding and Miss Ida Owen have assisted much in the work, while the State superintendent of the primary schools and the writer have given their time to the interests of the institute.

Our teachers are all in harmony with the recommendation passed by the Lake Union Conference to the end that all our schools should endeavor to make their school year coincide with the agricultural season of the year. The citizens of Bethel turned out en masse to hear that topic discussed. The sentiment of the resolution met with general approval. The Board of Bethel Academy voted to conform to that plan in conducting the primary department of the school, thus giving an opportunity for study along agricultural lines. The regular school year of the academic department begins with the spring term,

and continues through the summer and fall, with an added winter term.

Christian education is a live question in this conference, and we are studying to place our schools upon the basis set forth in the Testimonies, study along agricultural lines being the A B C of all the education given in our schools.

Teachers have been assigned twenty schools, and prospects are good for half as many more.

Most of our teachers go from the institute on June 25 to engage in house-to-house missionary work during the summer. Ten or more will connect with the special effort in Milwaukee. Some go to La Crosse, and others to Stevens Point, where the annual camp-meeting will be held the last of August.

We are certain the experience gained in this soul-saving work will be both a great blessing and an inspiration to them as they return to their school work in September.

C. MCREYNOLDS.