Opening of Walla Walla College
By C. C. Lewis
WALLA WALLA COLLEGE opened September 30, with a fair attendance. In view of the sickness of last year, we looked forward to the opening of the school with much anxiety, fearing that the attendance would be small. We were much pleased, however, to see as many students in the chapel on the first day as we had last fall, and the enrolment will doubtless be larger than that of last year. At present, the enrolment is nearly one hundred, forty-eight in the college department, and fifty in the church school. Six weeks have already gone, and there has not been a case of fever in the school or in the village, although it is six weeks later than the beginning of the sickness last year. The health of the students has been good, and we are praying that this favorable condition may continue throughout the year. We are trying to make improvements in regard to industrial training. Twice a week all the students meet for an hour in industrial classes. Classes are already organized in printing, tent-making, baking, engineering, broom-making, cooking, nursing and treatments, and carpentry. Three large classes of ladies in sewing, garment-making, and dress-making are waiting to be started upon the arrival of the teacher, Sister Rubie Owen, of Cleveland, Ohio, who is expected daily. In addition to these classes for instruction, which embrace the whole school, we have three methods of industrial education of a more practical nature for the “home” students. First, every student who desires is given one hour's domestic work each day, for which he is allowed ten cents an hour, to be applied on his regular expenses. Second, every student is required to engage in some industry an hour each day for four days in the week. In most cases this industry is the same as the industrial study which is taken up twice a week in the afternoon. The object of this work is to put into practical use the principles studied in the industrial classes. Third, quite a number of students are given additional work in connection with the industries, in order to assist them in defraying their expenses. All the teachers have a part in the industries or industrial classes, and some of them in both; so that while this department of our school work is not by any means what we would like, yet we feel that distinct progress is being made. Our new business manager is taking hold of the work with a great deal of prayerful energy and encouraging success. The work has been thoroughly organized into distinct departments, and an account is being kept with every department. In order to facilitate this work, a retail store has been built as an addition to the health food factory, where all the products of our industries will be sold, and through which the supplies for the different departments will be ordered and distributed. All feel hopeful that the college will be able to meet its running expenses the coming year,—a result which few of our schools have succeeded in accomplishing. We are glad to note the increased interest in Bible study, under the labors of Elder G. A. Snyder, who carries the burden of the Bible work. Other teachers assist in this work, and at present we have seven large classes in Bible study. Elder Snyder has felt a deep interest in the spiritual welfare of the students, and also of the people in the village. He is giving a course of sermons in the public school building on Sunday nights. The two large rooms of the building are thrown together, and the house is well filled every night. A deep interest is being aroused among the residents of the village, who are not Seventh-day Adventists. In all the meetings connected with the church and college, there are indications of the work of the Spirit of the Lord. Several have taken their stand on the Lord's side without any special urging in connection with the regular meetings. A deep interest is being taken in the missionary work, and some of the old-time fervor to proclaim the coming of the Lord is seen. Dr. Dunlap has a large class who are preparing for the medical missionary work, taking up regular studies in the two years' nurses' course which went into operation this fall. There seems to be a deeper interest in the church school work. Although no special effort was made to induce people to send their children to school, yet the success of the last year's work has drawn a larger number of students than last year; although there is one grade less in the school, it has been found necessary to secure an assistant. The school is used as a school of observation to those who are preparing to engage in church school work. Quite a number are engaged in this work, and we hope by another year to be better able to supply our church schools with teachers. On the whole, we feel of good courage in the Lord. There are many difficulties and perplexities, but the Lord is able to lead us through them all. We are living in a time when pride, worldliness, and irreverence are prevalent. Our school has fully its share of these elements; but at the same time we find a goodly number of young people who have entered school with a definite object to prepare themselves to labor in some branch of the Lord's work, and we hope that this class will increase until the whole lump is leavened. We believe that the Lord is soon coming, and that the one great duty of God's people is to give the warning message to the world in this generation. The object of the educational work is to prepare men and women to engage in this work; and we shall never cease to labor and pray that the Lord will bring this school, as well as all our schools, into that condition where it will do the work for which it was ordained by heaven.