A Visit to Our Huntsville School
By Arthur G. Daniells
In company with Elder J. S. Washburn, I recently had the privilege of spending two days at the school for the colored people, at Huntsville, Ala. This was my first visit to this institution. My stay there was too brief to enable me to speak very positively regarding the more important and difficult features of this school; but there are some features that I feel free to place before the readers of our church paper. I presume it is understood by all our people that the mission of the Huntsville school is to give our colored young people in the South the advantages of an education. It is hoped that a fair percentage of those who attend the school will develop into useful workers in the cause of the third angel's message. At the present time, there are about forty boarding students in the school. This number is about equally divided between young men and young women. A few of the youth in the neighborhood attend the school as day students. Some of the boarding students have been in the school a number of years, and have shown themselves faithful, loyal Christians. Brother B. E. Nicola, who has been the principal of the school for about five years, has bent all his energies to the education of the colored youth who have been placed under his care. Those who know anything about the colored youth, and the educational problem in the South, can easily imagine the difficult task the principal of that school has on his hands. The closest application is required from early in the morning until the retiring bell has sounded, and the lights are out. This is a task that no man would seek for amusement, nor for the moderate remuneration granted. Whoever accepts this position does so for the uplifting and salvation of a very needy class. I was profoundly impressed with this from what I saw, and I bespeak for Professor Nicola and his associate teachers the interest and prayers of this denomination. But the labor and perplexities of this school are not confined to the school-room. Those who have charge of the work on the farm have a stupendous task upon their hands. Young men and young women go there without means, to earn enough to pay their board, lodging, and tuition. But few, if any, of these have ever been trained to work systematically and perseveringly. They are without skill, order, and perseverance. There is very little they can do as it ought to be done. A very important feature of their training at this school is to teach them how to be industrious, and to do their work well. In order to make this phase of training what it ought to be, those in charge should have a strong staff to assist them, and abundant facilities for their work. But these are not provided for Huntsville. As I looked the ground over, I felt that the time had come for the denomination either to make more of the Huntsville school or to terminate it. I do not believe it is possible to secure results from the present arrangement that will justify the toil, care, and expense of operating the school. This is not a criticism of those who do the work in the schoolroom, nor of those who carry on the work on the farm. The fact is, we have made only a beginning in providing what is necessary for a colored industrial school. During the last week of the Southern Union Conference a large amount of time was given by the newly elected school board to the needs of this institution. They were not able to solve the problem to their satisfaction. They have the matter under advisement, and will no doubt speak to our people through the REVIEW during the present year. I believe that when the situation is plainly stated, so that all can understand it as it is, there will be a cheerful response to a call for help to place the colored school in a better position. But notwithstanding the lack of teachers, means, and facilities, those who have worked so earnestly and untiringly in this institution have been cheered with good results. We can not do less than give them our prayers, and we may add to these, gifts of clothing, food, and means as the Lord has prospered us. More will be said later in behalf of the Huntsville school.