Our Colored Training-School
By B. E. Nicola
As we recall the many kindnesses of the friends of this institution in the past, we feel sure that they will be interested in hearing occasionally of its progress and its work. This is the ninth year of the school, every year of which has brought fresh evidences of God's love and tender care of the work. In opening a school for the training of colored workers, the effort was of necessity an experiment, and these have been years of close study of the situation, and an effort at solving some problems. Quite a number of changes have consequently been introduced in the plans of the work; yet the general policy of establishing an institution in which all worthy students who might apply should be received, and permitted to work their way, when necessary, through a course of training, remains the same. The beginning, of course, was small, but the school has steadily grown from year to year in numbers. And these experimental years have, we believe, established confidence in the propriety and the effectiveness of a training-school especially for colored workers. And it is certainly clear to all who keep up with the spirit of our times, and make an intelligent study of the much discussed "race problem" of to-day, that it is of the highest importance that in our work there should be a most thoroughly trained class of men and women among the colored people, who will be able to carry the message with force and wisdom to their own race. Nothing but the third angel's message in a converted heart will ever solve the race question to the mind of either colored or white. Those unacquainted with all the circumstances will not understand the difficulties in selecting a class of students for a place like this. With practically no constituency to begin with, the school became at once a place where a student must not only be taught how to be a worker in the cause of truth, but in most instances he must be taught every step of the way to a knowledge of the truth, and thus considerable time must be spent in preparation. Yet almost all of those who have stayed in the school for a year have accepted the truth. One of the chief difficulties is to get them to remain long enough to become thoroughly grounded in its principles; for they generally go home at the end of the year, and in many cases are not able to return, and being surrounded by adverse influences, are led away. Yet in nearly all instances those who have a knowledge of the truth, and have come here to prepare as workers, are now engaged in the work, or are still under training, and our most enthusiastic supporters are the students who have gone into the field as workers. The problem of securing from the student's labor the cost of his expenses, and at the same time teaching him an industry, as well as giving him a literary training, has proved one most difficult to solve. Consequently only a few industries could be introduced, and these such as are most practicable under our surroundings. There is scarcely a more practical study for the Seventh-day Adventist young man and young woman than the study of all that goes to make a good practical farm and home. Such training is being given in the work the student does while earning his expenses. Practical sewing is done, also weaving; canning and molasses making were successfully carried on in their season; and a broom-making outfit is on hand for the winter's work in making up the broom corn we raised. In any of this work we can go only as far as we can raise means to introduce it, as nothing can be raised from our students, either by work or otherwise, toward this improvement. In the earlier years of this school the contributions toward its support were frequent, but as the institution grows older, naturally there is a decline in the interests that would bring it its support. And yet nothing has happened, nor can happen, to change the conditions which made it impossible for the student to bring into the school a sufficient amount for its support. The colored people among us are practically as poor now as they were eight years ago. And yet we have not the policy — nor do we believe in it — of simply giving the people an education which they themselves may be able to earn or buy. But we have adopted the plan of first bringing from the student all that is possible for him to furnish by honest effort and good work, after which we feel it is proper to do for him by philanthropic assistance what he is unable to do for himself in gaining a Christian education; and in any direction which we see that the student can be led to do more, and to depend less, we call upon him to do it. At best, however, these students, as has been the case in other schools where it has been tried, are unable, through industrial means, to bring in sufficient to support the school. Hence the institution must look to its friends, or very soon it must close its doors to the great work for which it was planned. Like the other schools for colored students in the South, we are unable to charge tuition, but consider that we have done unusually well when we receive from them sufficient to pay their boarding expenses. But this leaves our teachers without a source of income from the school, and leaves us without means with which to make improvements. So at present the question confronts us as to what shall be done. We are in great need of a suitable girls' home. Without this we shall be unable to give the training which should be given. Our teachers this year have paid their way to the school, and so far have not received a dollar for their services. But we have the utmost confidence that the Lord will provide as he has every step of the way. This school is not local; being the only colored training-school among us, it draws its students from all directions. Its support should come from as wide a field. And yet at our last board meeting, it was seriously felt by some members to be the proper thing to close its doors until some substantial financial basis could be found. Could such a step be pleasing to the Master? It was thought best to continue trusting. While every dollar is spent with the utmost economy, there must still be philanthropic assistance. For fear that some of our people should think that this is an unusual request, let me state that in our neighborhood there are two other colored schools, both of which are so supported. One of them receives regularly fifteen thousand dollars a year in this way, and the great Tuskegee Institute in this State receives from eighty thousand to one hundred thousand dollars annually, for its support, besides what is paid by the students. Locally a good spirit prevails, many blessings attend teachers and students, and souls are turning to the Lord. Prin. Huntsville Training-School.