Notes Afield by W. E. H.

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · May 14, 1914

Notes Afield

By W. E. H.

AFTER nine months of close confinement in office work, it is truly refreshing and inspiring to spend some time in the open field. Here is where the real problems of education are being worked out. Here is where our plans and theories are being tested. Here is where the real struggle is on to combat the subtle forces of evil, and to work deliverance for our boys and girls in the spiritual crisis of their experience.

Our school men and women have truly a difficult task in hand to meet the competition of the free schools and counteract the lure of the world to our young people. But they are performing that task nobly, and with increasing success. God, who has called them to this responsibility, is continually causing them to triumph over menacing besetments on the right hand and on the left. Broader views of the work, clearer apprehension of its scope and balance, and deeper conviction that the principles of Christian education will stand every test that is brought to bear upon them, are constantly adding strength to our school centers and our modes of administration.

Our schools are experiencing a beneficial reaction from the union conference sessions held last winter. The earnest spirit of soul winning, the determination to increase our church membership, that has taken hold upon our field workers, is having the effect in our schools of deepening consecration, of pressing more vigorously preparation for field service, and of seeking new recruits for the student body. Increase in the attendance at our schools means the salvation of more of our young people. It means better schools. It means more and better-qualified laborers. This means increase in church membership and the hastening of the end. It is something we can afford to work for with all our hearts and with all our means.

While our educational workers are much disappointed at the postponement of our convention, yet the deferring of this meeting leaves the summer free for strong, aggressive effort in building up local school interests. There is a spirit among our educators to apply themselves diligently to this task, that their schools may in no sense fall behind our evangelistic work with its new impetus to advancement.

Lake Union Conference

There was much educational activity at this conference, and with good results. Elder I. H. Evans presented in a strong way the importance of raising the educational standard of our licentiate ministry to at least twelve grades. If we can judge from the number of earnest inquiries later, on means of doing this, there was a good response by our workers. Men with families, men who have not done school work for years, men who have had success in soul winning, but who are not satisfied with their educational attainments, are courageously pressing into line for greater efficiency.

The Ministerial Reading Course conducted by the General Conference Department of Education was explained as one means within the reach of all for self-improvement. No one is willing to acknowledge that he cannot read three books a year in addition to his regular study, yet this amount thoroughly done and kept up from year to year will substantially increase the reader's fund of knowledge, and stimulate improvement in methods of labor.

The missionary agent of the union, J. B. Blesser, reports one hundred and forty-one young people who are going out this summer to earn scholarships. About forty of these are from Emmanuel Missionary College, and all have taken institute training for this work. The academy students also are going out in larger numbers than heretofore.

The plan of endowing scholarships of fifty dollars each was presented and favorably received. Both the Review and Herald and the local conferences purpose to carry it out. This plan is especially intended for persons already in the work who need more education, and for those who are so situated that they cannot go out and earn scholarships, but yet give promise of making successful laborers after receiving further preparation. Persons of private means are encouraged to endow these scholarships, either annually or permanently. The North American Department of Education has already received one voluntary scholarship of this kind, with the promise of another soon, to be placed where most needed.

The plan adopted at the time of the General Conference last summer for limiting the academies to ten grades in a union where there is located a union conference training school, was adopted by the Lake Union Conference. This plan was already in operation there in most of its features, and while there was a desire on the part of some to extend the scope of the academies, as provided for in an exemption clause, it was decided that the time for this advance move had not yet come. The chief reasons for this decision are that it would result in serious injury to the support of the college, and would require considerable investment in academy facilities to do satisfactory work in the eleventh and twelfth grades. The academy men accepted this decision in a most commendable spirit of Christian fortitude and loyalty, and went back to their schools with the expressed determination to throw their strength into making the best ten-grade schools the union has ever had. As one principal expressed it, the special function of these schools is to do strong work in the common branches. When this is accomplished in all our schools, and the Bible is given its rightful place as the foundation and guide of all, we shall have a solidity in our entire system that we have long needed but not fully attained.

Time at this conference was also taken for valuable round table work in the interests of the church schools and industrial education. The educational superintendents and secretary are of excellent courage, and have made substantial improvement in both methods and results.

W. E. H.