A CHRISTIAN TRAINING-SCHOOL DIFFERENT FROM OTHER SCHOOLS.
By Emery D. Kirby
SPECIALIZATION is the order of the day. No man now pretends to know everything or to be able to do everything. While once a man, in addition to being a farmer, might also have been his own shoemaker, doctor, lawyer, tailor; to-day with less expense he can secure better results by giving his whole time to the best farming possible; and if a physician is needed, he hires the service of one who has given his whole time to becoming as good a physician as possible. It is so, too, with shoes; I can much better afford to buy the cobbler’s service than to turn cobbler myself. This division of labor arises not only from the extent of human knowledge and the variety of human needs, but also from the desire to economize time. One would need the years of an antediluvian to learn everything, and so it is no longer attempted; but he who would do everything becomes the “Jack-at-all-trades;” he who would know everything, the superficial man with a smattering only of many things. The general law of supply and demand growing out of this division of labor, has called for schools of special training to4furnish the different kinds of products demanded by the world’s present needs. In other words, instead of the college that gave a general training, which, be it ever so good in itself, yet did not turn out students able to do some one thing, at least, as soon as they left school, there has sprung up everywhere the professional school,—the school of law, of medicine, of mines, of agriculture, of engineering, and so on through all the list—a special school for each special human need. And this is not confined to the professions: the trades, as well, have each their special training. It seems only sensible then, does it not? if a school is to be founded and maintained, that one should be pretty clearly settled at the outset as to what its definite purpose is. If there is any reason for its existence, it must be a special work to be done. If, then, a training-school is to be established and supported by the church; shall it not be just as distinctively a Christian training-school as the dental college is a dental college as distinguished from every other kind of college? If this is so, then just as the dental college has its peculiar subjects of study and particular courses of practical work, such as making teeth, filling teeth, practical work in anatomy, etc., will not the Christian training-school have its own peculiar subjects of study and its own peculiar kinds and methods of practical work? But all their distinctions are external, formal,—such as pertain to the material or physical. It is easy enough to distinguish a law school from a medical school by the subjects studied, and the professions entered upon by the student after he leaves school; but Christianity is not a profession as law is a profession: it is not a system or science as medicine; it is not a philosophy or doctrine,—it is a life. The Christian training-school must differ, then, not only from other special schools as any one of these differs from another, this difference being a formal difference in the letter,—and there must be this difference,—but it must differ in spirit; else it is not a Christian training-school. Let me repeat: There are many special schools, each differing from every other in its purpose. The Christian training-school is one of these: and it differs from all the others, as any one of them is different from all the rest. In addition, however, it must differ from all these in a way that no other of them differs from its fellows,—in spirit. Even in the preparatory work that fits alike for all of these schools, this characteristic difference of spirit must distinguish the Christian training-school. Although the same facts are to be acquired, these facts are studied in a different setting; they are seen in a different relation, and the result is not knowledge alone, but belief, faith, and love. Beyond phenomena and natural law is seen the unseen—not agent only, nor yet Creator alone, but Father. Does it not seem clear, then, that the Christian training-school, whether it be at Battle Creek, South Lancaster, College View, or any other place, should be a school different from every other kind of school in the world?—different in purpose, different in courses and studies, different in methods and spirits, different in results? And, more, if a special message and reform has called out a people from all other churches, will not the schools of that people be as unlike those of other denominations as the people itself is unlike all others? In other words, a Seventh-day Adventist training-school will be distinctively Seventh-day Adventist, and it will become more and more so as light shall be shed upon special truths for this time. If intensity is taking hold of every other element of the age, it must take hold of us and our schools, if we are to hold our ground even, much more is it necessary if we are to advance. Very interesting is the study of the gradual transition that has taken place in the character of our schools. At first the idea seemed to prevail that we needed schools in order that the youth of the denomination might secure an education under favorable Christian influences, the education itself being not very different from that given by5other schools. The usual studies were supplemented by Bible study. But the ordinary text-books, courses, college sports, made up the life of the student. From this early view through all shades of opinion and experience, we have come to the present yet imperfect and not very clearly defined or realized position, that our text-books and courses must be different from those of other schools; that better exercise can be obtained from useful employment than from field sports; and that one of the most important parts of the student’s education is to be obtained from manual labor that both takes the place of games and helps to pay the expenses of the student while in school. Then, too, it is more clearly realized that wisdom is of God, and that behind and above all human efforts must be the power of God, if a true Christian education is to be attained. And without disparaging in the heart what we ourselves have thought or done in the past, or what others are doing, is it not our duty to look to the Lord, as the servant to the hand of her mistress, for constant present guidance? and if others are led in different ways, “what is that to thee? follow thou Me,”