A VISIT TO THE COLLEGE by C. W. Stone

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Nov 30, 1876

A VISIT TO THE COLLEGE.

By C. W. Stone

We had the pleasure, a few days since, of spending part of a day at the Battle Creek College in this city. The building itself is of a very pleasing outward appearance, and is situated in the most elevated part of the city, of which a beautiful view is obtained from the tower of the College. For several miles around, the College is the first building, from its prominent situation, to attract the attention of the traveller.

As you pass along the busy part of Main St. towards the west, the College building stands directly in front of you, about a half mile distant. It is surrounded by beautiful grounds, which are being fitted up in a very attractive style. The building is in the form of a Greek cross, which is a cross whose opposite arms are of equal length. It has two main entrances in front, one upon the right wing and the other upon the left. Upon the first floor are two large and convenient school rooms, besides large entries, hat rooms, &c. These school rooms are numbered 1 and 2. On the second floor, the arrangement is much the same, and the rooms are numbered 3 and 4. On the third floor is the lecture hall extending from front to rear, over rooms 3 and 4 below. In the left wing is a recitation room, and in the right wing, the College museum. This museum is young, but it promises to become a very interesting feature of the establishment.

Descending into the basement, we find another commodious recitation room where the chemical and philosophical apparatuses are stored, and where classes in chemistry, philosophy, and physiology recite.

We were just returning from our hygienic déjeuner at the Health Institute, when the melodious notes of the “first bell” rang out their timely warning to teacher and pupil to repair to the scene of action for the day, and report ready for duty. Something of the power of habit impelled the writer to yield obedience to this morning summons, which for the last thirteen years has called us to the school room as teacher about fifteen hundred times; and, falling in with pupils who were bending their steps thitherward, we soon reached the College and ascended to the second floor, where we awaited the calling of the roll. This being finished in the different rooms, the pupils marched quietly to the lecture room above, to attend morning services.

We cannot say that the tones which proceeded from the cabinet organ, which evidently is in its dotage, were particularly soothing; but the chorus from that assembly of young men and women, boys and girls, happy and cheerful in the enjoyment of a good school, was really inspiring. During the prayer that followed, the school all knelt down. After prayer, the majority of them went down stairs, leaving a class of about thirty, who finished the hour with a singing exercise under the instruction of Prof. Bell.

This was a very interesting rehearsal. Opportunity is found here for learning the rudiments of the science and of making some progress in the art.

The next hour we spent in No. 4, listening to Prof. Brownsberger’s grammar class. Prof. B., who is the principal, is a man whose pleasing manner puts you at once at ease and makes you feel at home; and while we listened to the cheerful recitation, and noted the thoroughness with which every point was discussed, we almost wished for our boyhood days, that we might be a school-boy once again.

At this same hour, another class in grammar was reciting in No. 3 to Prof. Bell. At a previous visit, we heard that recitation. Prof. Bell is a teacher of great experience, and as a thorough disciplinarian and instructor, he is not readily excelled. A perfect recitation was required from every pupil in the class; and the good results of this requirement were made apparent by evidence that the lessons had been well studied.

We passed most of the third hour in listening to the first reading class, in No. 2. This is one of our favorite recitations, therefore we were much interested. A good degree of thoroughness was observed in this room, the teacher Miss. Nellie Rankin, endeavoring to have each stanza read until the reading of it reached a sufficiently pleasing style. The forenoon was finished by us in the lecture room above, where another reading class was reciting to Mrs. S. M. Spicer. Considerable attention was paid to articulation, and to the definition of words.

In the afternoon we took time to visit room No. 1, to hear Prof. H. J. Spicer’s arithmetic class. This class was digging out the principles of fractions. We were pleased to see that the teacher required the pupils to give the principles involved in each step, and work enough at the board to make each process clear. We were pleased also to notice the gentlemanly and lady-like decorum of the students during the recitation, and for that matter, we might say, during the day, and throughout the house.

A very interesting class in physiology recites every forenoon in the basement to Dr. J. H. Kellogg, M. D. We know of no place where clearer instruction in this study would be likely to be found.

Space forbids our dwelling longer upon details, but we must say of the school as a whole, that in point of order, clearness of instruction, and general regulations, it is a school of much merit, and well worthy of the patronage of our people, or of any people who would place their children under the care of God-fearing teachers, teachers who interest themselves, not only in the progress of the pupils, but in their moral behavior out of school, and in providing that proper influences may surround them at their boarding places and rooms.

C. W. Stone.