Salutations to you. We greet you in the name of Jesus. It is I, Kuro, that is writing to you. I desire that you should present our request to the head of the Conference of Seventh-day Adventists. As we have read from time to time in the letters and papers that have been sent to us, our hearts have been made glad to know of the advancement of the gospel in different lands. We rejoice when we read our paper, Tuatua-Mou. It speaks the truth, and everything is made plain. We desire that the book upon the prophecies of Daniel be sent us. We have waited long for it, and our earnest wish is that it may also get out among the people and give light, as our little paper is now doing every month—in this generation.
We ask of you to press our petition before the chief of the Conference, that he be so minded as to send us a teacher for our children. We want our children to be fed upon the Word of God, and taught the lessons of service under its instruction. Let the new year open with this blessing upon us, and a teacher be here in our midst. Or, do we ask too much of you, when we do this? Perhaps our children are despised in the eyes of the Conference; it must be so, or otherwise our children would have been provided with a teacher. Still, it can not be so, for Jesus is no respecter of persons. He loved all alike. He invites all who are weary and heavy laden to come to him, and he will give them rest. In the same manner he calls unto him the children, in that he said: “Suffer little children to come unto me,” and hinder them not. We responded by giving our children to the Lord, but we can not have them taught for the Lord in other schools. It may be that we and our children have done wickedly, and so this is the reason why we have not had a teacher before now.
The Word of God exhorts us to “ask,” and the assurance is that “we shall receive.” Therefore we ask you to send us a teacher not only for our children, but for ourselves.
It is enough.
From KURO, Church Clerk.
Principles and Methods
By Lula Tarbell-Leary
The Teacher and His Work
“AND God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers.”
Does every teacher realize that God has called him to the place in which he finds himself? If he does fully realize that his calling is one of the great gifts from God, and sets himself at work to develop and discipline this gift in the service of God, he is on the right road toward success in his sacred calling.
The child’s first and most important teacher is the mother. This fact needs but the illustrations of some of the strongest Bible characters to prove its truth. Who was the first teacher of Moses? of Daniel? From daily lessons learned at the side of their mothers these men in their childhood gained lessons which made them men whom God could use to do his great work. “First impressions are the most lasting;” therefore it behooves every mother to be, if possible, the one who molds the minds of those whom God has entrusted to her care.
Next to the mother, the influence of the teacher is felt in the life of boys and girls, and of young men and young women. Nearly every young person who has attended school, and from the school has gone out to battle successfully with the duties of life, if asked, would say that his teacher’s influence had been one of the greatest factors in helping him to reach the goal of his ambitions.
I remember of hearing on one occasion one of my first teachers tell her early experience. When only a young girl, she left her home in the New England States, and went to Ohio to teach school. It was a hard school. Soon after it started, she found that the discipline was too much for her, and wanted to go home. She wrote to her brother, telling him her difficulties, and saying that she desired to come home. The reply came from the brother; but it was not a compliance with her request. Instead, he wrote to her thus: “Don’t you dare come home until you have conquered your school. Stick to your post!” The influence of that teacher who remained and conquered her difficulties could not but have been felt by her pupils. Teachers who overcome the difficulties which arise, help their pupils to overcome the obstacles in their way; and when these young people find themselves in actual service, whether in the foreign or in the home field, perhaps the remembrance of their teacher’s example will lead them to stick to their post.
The teacher’s work includes much more than the daily routine continued in the schoolroom. The true teacher’s chief aim is character building. Character is the one thing which we need to form in this world for eternity. The only aim and ambition we have is to prepare for eternity; therefore the one desire and aim toward which all the teacher’s work should tend is to assist his pupils to secure that one important thing—character.
The privileges and opportunities of the teacher in helping his pupils to build character are many and varied. In the schoolroom, on the playground, one who is observant can find many lessons to teach besides the lessons taught from books. It is the little things in life which are oftentimes the most important, and go to make up the great things. The teacher has a great work; but it is the little things in his work that help to accomplish his stupendous task.
The church-school teacher, as well as those in our higher schools, will find that his work extends far beyond the doors of his school. His opportunities in the church, in the Sabbath-school, among the parents, and in missionary work afford him privileges for effective work for the Master. But in this he should not neglect his profession, but make that work first,—the one important thing,—do that work well, and then as he has time, let him lend a helping hand.
Let the teacher not forget that to a great degree his pupils will be what he is, and that “the opportunity for doing good is not greater in any other calling, unless it be the ministry of the gospel—and a Christian teacher’s work is a holy ministry. Many of the world’s greatest, wisest, and best people have been teachers.”
LULA TARBELL-LEARY.
Methods in Reading
By J. C. Brower
A Study in Literature
The Chambered Nautilus
“This is the ship of pearl, which, poets
feign,
Sails the unshadowed main,—
The venturous bark that flings
On the sweet summer wind its purpled wings
In gulfs enchanted, where the siren sings,
And coral reefs lie bare,
Where the cold sea-maids rise to sun
their streaming hair.
“Its webs of living gauze no more un-
furl;
Wrecked is the ship of pearl!
And every chambered cell,
Where its dim dreaming life was wont
to dwell
As the frail tenant shaped his growing
shell,
Before thee lies revealed,—
Its irised ceiling rent, its sunless crypt
unsealed.
“Year after year beheld the silent toil
That spread his lustrous coil;
Still, as the spiral grew,
He left the past year’s dwelling for the
new,
Stole with soft step its shining archway
through,
Built up its idle door,
Stretched in his last-found home, and
knew the old no more.
“Thanks for the heavenly message
brought by thee,
Child of the wandering sea,
Cast from her lap, forlorn!
From thy dead lips a clearer note is born
Than ever Triton blew from wreathed
horn!
While on mine ear it rings,
Through the deep caves of thought I
hear a voice that sings:—
“Build thee more stately mansions, O
my soul,
As the swift seasons roll!
Leave thy low-vaulted past!
Let each new temple, nobler than the
last,25
Shut thee from heaven with a dome
more vast,
Till thou at length art free,
Leaving thine outgrown shell by life’s
unresting sea!”
Preparation on the part of the teacher—a thorough understanding of the poem and the lesson it teaches—is essential. I have found a large spiral shell very useful in studying the life of the nautilus. If this can not be had, a good drawing may be made on the board.
Have your pupils learn all the new words after reading it first to the class aloud. It would be fitting to correlate your work by having several nature studies about mollusks as an opening exercise for a few mornings, then in the afternoon have the class use it for a language exercise in a written story, with further correlation at the close of school, by having a spelling lesson with the words newly learned from the morning’s reading lesson.
The theme of this poem is humanity’s heart cry for freedom from sin. The subject is the “Chambered Nautilus.” Subjects and themes are not the same. This is true of all literary themes and subjects, the latter being the key-word of the embodiment.
The embodiment of this poem is a little dead nautilus; its life history as interpreted in its “sunless crypt” and “irised ceiling” now revealed; a long stretch of illimitable shore; the ocean depths; a boundless sea; an infinite sky—these and more are entirely adequate to express this theme. This theme, like all literary themes, deals with human life. It is universal, which is true of all themes in true literature.
The golden chord in literature, like that in mathematics, is the equation. Literary equations are just as fascinating and interesting as the equation in mathematics. Those in this poem are as follows:—
The “ship of pearl” is each human being; “the unshadowed main,” human life itself and all that it means. Again, we are termed a “venturous bark,” and we voyage oftentimes in “gulfs enchanted,” which are life’s pitfalls; the gentle “siren” is the tempter; the “coral reefs,” the things that do the work of destroying all who venture there.
In the second stanza, Dr. Holmes tells of the complete wreck of the little nautilus. Notice that its life record revealed the fact that its life was a “dim dreaming” one, ours one of achieving and doing; its life is dead to many things, for it can not converse nor see as we can, nor read, nor think, nor have noble ideals and follow them as we can. It has not the strength of noble manhood and womanhood, for it is a “frail tenant,” but nevertheless frail though it be, it does not allow its shell to master it, but shapes its “growing shell,” and is master of its destinies. We, too, often unlike the nautilus, permit our difficulties to overcome us, and succumb to environment. Notice that the little animal, while having a beautiful house, ever clean and garnished like the rainbow, works away continually in the depths of ocean darkness. Although nature has not endowed it with high and noble faculties, it does not murmur, nor complain, nor give up, nor is it dissatisfied with its lot, but plods on faithfully “year after year,” using the endowments given it to do its life-work. Its growth is not by jumps and bounds, for it spreads its “lustrous coil.” The little nautilus continually outgrew its shell—a thing we seldom do. We allow petty things to annoy us, forgetting that ’tis better to be wronged a thousand times than be the one who wrongs.
Quietly it makes its transition from a smaller shell to a larger every time—quite the contrary with humanity. Then it builds up “its idle door.” And why an idle door?—Simply because it will never in the nature of things use that door again. It could not if it wished, for it is physically larger than the year before, and has outgrown its shell. Its future dwelling is too large for it at first, so that it has to stretch “in his last-found home,” and knows “the old no more.” Just here is where the truth is idealized, and this makes it literature.
Low in the animal scale, with everything against it, the nautilus does something that we, with our much more complex life and manifold faculties, fail to do. It is an inverse ratio, and hence this line, the last one of the third stanza, makes this a noble selection of literature.
Humanity desires, yes, longs, to be like the nautilus in this respect, for this is an ideal. But, alas! we are not always careful to live the present so well that we have a larger dwelling, spiritually, than the preceding one, nor do we grow so large that we can not go back into our old ways again if we choose, nor do we build up “an idle door” between our past and present. We, like the nautilus, could shape our “growing shell” if we would; but we do not. We love the ideal some, but the real much better.
In the death of the nautilus the author reads its life’s history—an important lesson for him, and for us, also, for he is merely speaking for humanity. The notes of this message not only disturb the superficial senses, but enter the “deep caves of thought,” where the real conflict between right and wrong takes place.
Truly our past is a low-vaulted one; but is your new temple a nobler one than the last? Is your dome widening, giving you the desired freedom? Are you leaving your outgrown shell—never to use it again?
J. C. BROWER.
Conversions at St. Stephen’s College
By PERCIVAL J. LAIRD
The following is an extract from a letter received recently from the principal of St. Stephen’s College, of my old mission, Hongkong: “One lad asked that he might speak with me, and then declared not his faith in Jesus Christ as the Son of God (that he said he had believed for some time), but his determination to confess him in baptism. . . . He was our dux, and had gained his A. B. in the Oxford senior examination. Through that week there followed others, all from the upper school, one by one coming quietly, some not knowing that others had decided to become Christians. . . . One dear lad said: ‘Sir, I want to be baptized.’ ‘Why?’—‘Because I must, for this is the last chance, I think. Six months ago I wanted to ask for baptism because I believed that Jesus Christ was my Saviour. My father objected, and I yielded. I do not wish to be undutiful to my father, but I must at all costs confess Christ in baptism.’ Acting on advice, on the following Sunday he told his father, and to his surprise, his father raised no further objection than to point out from a Chinese point of view some of the disabilities he would be under as a Christian.”
Fees at this college are one hundred ten dollars a quarter for boarders, exclusive of text-books. Boarders provide their own beds. Day boys pay thirty-seven dollars a quarter. One hundred thirty-three students were in attendance last year. I have just received a card which says that thirteen out of fourteen have passed the local Oxford examination. They held a meeting to thank God for their success.
Two young men to whom I taught English at Tokyo last year write me that they are still holding on to Christ. One, a medical student, has a weekly attendance of about twelve at a Chinese Bible class in his quarters.
Our Seventh-day Adventist Brother T. S. Fung, a man who would rather forfeit his M. A. degree than break the Sabbath, was brought to Christ as a result of attending Elder F. W. Field’s Bible classes in English. He has been disappointed in not being on time to begin this year’s course at the Japanese Imperial University. We trust that he may come here and help us for a time.
Teaching English was the entering wedge among the fifteen thousand Chinese students in Japan, from whose ranks a goodly number have been baptized since I left there last year.
It might be urged that these are meager results when compared with schools where the Chinese language is used exclusively, or where English is taught an hour or so every week. Not to go beyond my own experience and recent immediate associations, let me say that nearly fifty such schools failed to produce even one baptism in several years. Should such schools be closed as failures? PERCIVAL J. LAIRD.
The True Missionary Spirit
By Ellen G. White
If God's people had possessed the true missionary spirit, the lands lying in darkness would ere this have been enlightened by their self-sacrificing labors. Our publications would have been multiplied, this literature circulated, and the message of truth would have gone forth with no uncertain sound. This message which God bids us carry to all parts of the world, is his last message of mercy to a perishing race.—Mrs. E. G. White.
Simple Interest
By L. G. Paap
AMONG mathematicians it is a well-known fact that any sum put out on interest at 6% will double itself in 200 months, or 16 years and 8 months. For instance, the interest on $590 for 200 months at 6% equals $590. Using this as a basis in all simple interest problems, the work is all very easy and interesting, and when learned, is not easily forgotten, as with other methods more difficult. The method also has the advantage of being based on the decimal system, which is thoroughly scientific. A little explanation will make the method quite clear to all our teachers.
The interest on $648 for 200 months at 6% equals $648. The interest on $648 for 20 months—which is one tenth of the 200—equals $64.80, or one tenth of that for the 200 months. The interest on $648 for 2 months—which is one hundredth of 200 months, or one tenth of 20 months—equals $6.48. The interest on $648 for .2 months, or six days—which again is a decimal of the other—equals $.648. You may better understand the following simple illustration:—
Six hundred forty-eight dollars on interest for 222 months at 6%: $648.¹64.²6.³48.⁴648.
The decimal points equal respectively: ¹ equals the interest for 200 months; ² equals the interest for 20 months; ³ equals the interest for 2 months; ⁴ equals the interest for .2 month, or six days.
No trouble need be experienced in finding the interest for any other rate. For instance, at 7%, divide by 6 and add; for 4%, divide by 3 and subtract from that at 6%, or multiply by 2. The apt individual will devise numerous ways, and, in fact, it adds zest to see how simply a problem may be worked at any rate.
As an illustration, to find the interest on $480 for 4 years, 2 months, 12 days, at 7½%, you see at a glance that 50 months equals one fourth of the 200 months, so $480 ÷ 4 = $120, the interest for 50 months, or 4 years and 2 months; 12 days equals two times six; but the interest for six days equals $.480 so the interest for 12 days equals $.480 times 2, or $.960; $120 + $.960 = $120.96, the interest at 6%. But 7½ is 5/4 of 6, therefore divide by 4 and multiply by 5, and you have the interest for 4 years, 2 months, 12 days, on $480: $120.96 ÷ 4 × 5 = $151.20.
In all problems reduce the years to months, and then find some fraction of 200, 20, 2, or 6 days.
This system once taught, displaces all others. Any wishing help on the method, please send a number of problems worked out to the undersigned, at Cottage Grove, Ore., and corrections will gladly be made, and suggestions offered privately.
L. G. PAAP.
Right and Wrong Modes of Discipline
By W. C. Mathewson
There are two kinds of discipline, right and wrong. They must be distinguished by teachers, trustees, and parents, if the best results follow. They are radically different in origin, character, and results. There is not much danger, then, of a failure in recognition.
One kind of discipline is maintained by means of immediate compulsion, the pupil’s obedience being not from personal choice, but wholly owing to outward force. The other kind employs the arts of persuasion, vividly setting before the pupil the advantages arising from right doing, and the disadvantages which must surely follow the opposite course of action.
Inspiration has not left teachers in ignorance as to which to adopt. “Minds are constituted differently; while force may secure outward submission, the result with many children is a more determined rebellion of the heart. Even should the parent or teacher succeed in gaining the control he seeks, the outcome may be no less harmful to the child. The discipline of a human being who has reached the years of intelligence should differ from the training of a dumb animal. The beast is taught only submission to its master. For the beast, the master is mind, judgment, and will. . . . Mind, will, conscience, are under the control of another. It is not God’s purpose that any mind should be thus dominated. Those who weaken or destroy individuality assume a responsibility26that can result only in evil. While under authority, the children may appear like well-drilled soldiers; but when the control ceases, the character will be found to lack strength and steadfastness. Having never learned to govern himself, the youth recognizes no restraint except the requirement of parents or teacher. This removed, he knows not how to use his liberty, and often gives himself up to indulgence that proves his ruin.”
The preceding quotation expresses God’s opinion of the force method. Read now what he says of the persuasive method: “The parent or teacher who by such instruction trains the child to self-control will be the most useful and permanently successful. To the superficial observer his work may not appear to the best advantage; it may not be valued so highly as that of the one who holds the mind and will of the child under absolute authority; but after-years will show the result of the better method of training.” — “Education,” pages 288, 289.
Any teacher or parent faithfully practising the right method, whose work is receiving undue criticism, will find some consolation in reading Gal. 6:9. It is possible, of course, for teachers to fail in school government when using the right method; but, is the method to be condemned because of failure on the part of teacher or parent? Perhaps the failure is wholly imaginary on the part of the critic. Perhaps he is a “superficial observer,” as mentioned above. If so, all that he needs to do is to wait patiently for further developments.
If a teacher has poor order while attempting to use a right method, back-biting and criticism are not only unneeded, but are detrimental to the school. In such a case, appropriate suggestions made at the proper time and place, personally to the teacher, may result in great improvement in the discipline. This is missionary work, and as such, it will require prayer, tact, and careful forethought on the part of the one making these suggestions. If they are sternly or authoritatively given, the teacher, who is only human, may be tempted to ignore them. Imagine yourself in that teacher’s place, and practise the golden rule.
W. C. MATHEWSON.
Methods in Primary Schools
By Sarah E. Peck
Helps in Reading
BIBLE is the most important subject to be studied in school or elsewhere. But, while this is unquestionably true, it is equally true that reading is the most important study, for it is the key that unlocks every other subject.
The inefficient teaching of reading during the first years of a child's school life is in many cases responsible for his failures in later school and college work. Not occasionally, but frequently, a student fails of comprehending a lesson in Bible because he does not know how to read. He fails, perhaps, in the solution of some mathematical problem. In his search for the error, he reconsiders the process of reasoning; he scrutinizes the figures; he adds, subtracts, multiplies, or divides over again; he consumes time, energy, and patience, only to find at last that his failure is the result of an incorrect reading of the conditions of the problem.
Thought getting and thought giving are the alpha and the omega of reading, but in the attainment of these ends the prompt and accurate recognition of words is of vital importance. How may this be secured? The answer lies in the one word drill—patient, persistent, frequent drill.
The following drills are regarded by the most progressive and successful primary teachers as indispensable:—
The Sight-Word Drill
As soon as the child recognizes the fact that the thoughts which he has been reading are composed of parts called words, he is ready for the sight-word drill. This is conducted by means of cards, on one side of which the word is written in clear, bold script, and on the other side the same word in correspondingly large print. This set of word cards, one of which is given in the accompanying illustration, consists of one hundred cards, each about five by eight inches in size. The words used on the cards include all that are found in the “foundation” work of the “True Education Readers,” Book One.
At first, the teacher will use no more than five or ten of these cards, and the script side only; but as the child's vocabulary increases, new cards upon which appear the new words will be included in the drill. Not more than two minutes once or twice a day are needed for drill from these cards, but that much time should be given, and given regularly.
To conduct the drill, the teacher should hold in one hand the cards to be used. The cards selected should contain only words that have previously formed a part of the child's sentence exercises and drills. For an instant one of the cards is displayed before the class, the pupils being required to respond in order by naming the word displayed.
If a pupil hesitates or fails in instantly recognizing the word displayed, do not rob him of the opportunity to gain power by telling him the word. If you do, you will doubtless need to tell him over and over again. Rather, quietly hand him the card for private study, and proceed with the class drill. If when his turn is again reached, he can not name the word, write upon the blackboard a short, familiar sentence in which the troublesome word occurs, and underline the word. If this fails, try another and more familiar sentence in the same way. If this method is pursued, it will seldom, if ever, be necessary to tell the word, and the power the child has thus gained will give him confidence, and enable him the more easily to conquer the next difficulty.
Sometimes, however, if the child can not respond instantly, it is better for the teacher to call out, Class, and have the class tell the word. But in no case should the drill be allowed to drag. If the proper rate of speed is maintained, a teacher can go round a class of twenty in one minute, and the attention of the entire class be held on every word card displayed.
The drill may be varied by allowing all to respond in concert, or by letting one pupil respond until he makes a mistake, or by letting the class “spell down” and “spell up” in its round. The effect of such drill is an arousing and a quickening of the mental powers and a cultivating of keen perception. It is to reading what mental arithmetic is to arithmetic.
Some of these word cards contain short phrases; such as, the day, in the night, a tree, etc. The object of these combinations on a single card is to form the habit from the first of associating the articles the and a with their nouns, thus securing their easy, natural pronunciation.
The side of the card on which the word or phrase is printed will be used in drills when the pupils begin the transition from script to print. Many teachers find the transition difficult. Let such try the word-card drill, and the difficulty will soon disappear.
SARAH E. PECK.
(To be concluded)
NOTE.—Arrangements are now being made to provide sets of word cards specially prepared to accompany the “True Education Readers.” The Word Phonetic drill cards cost $1.10 for a complete set. The cost of the cards above described will depend upon the number of sets printed, and for this reason it is desired to know approximately how many teachers desire them. It is hoped that many will avail themselves of this opportunity; for if this is done, we are assured that the sets of word cards can be provided at probably not more than $1 a set. All who are likely to need the cards either this year or next should address The Normal Department, Union College, College View, Neb. F. G.
Thoughts on Object-Lessons
By Ida Fischer Carnahan
(Concluded)
First draw a large sketch, upon the blackboard if possible. Now that the teacher has selected suitable matter for his oral lesson and “objects,” there are four rules that will help him in his work:—
Rule 1.—“Consider the mental capacity and probable attainments of the children.” Having done this, and having chosen those parts of the subject which are fitted to the comprehension of the pupils, do not take more of the subject27than can be taught in the time allotted to the lesson.
Rule 2.—Arrange in your own mind how the subject should be taught, and be sure that your starting-point is right. Each teacher should bear in mind that the proper starting-point of every lesson given to young children is that part of the subject which lies nearest the child’s experience. In teaching lessons on common things, be careful to remember that the use of the object is within closer touch of the child’s experience than its qualities, and qualities nearer than its manufacture and commercial value; so, taking them in order, we find: (1) use; (2) qualities; (3) manufacture and commercial value. In studying natural history with the little ones let them learn first, or rather, dwell first, upon the parts and habits of the animal chosen for their lesson. Next in order give them its life, history, and its place in nature. In beginning with the parts “known,” you reach out to the “unknown.”
Rule 3.—Decide what are to be the special points of the lesson, and write them above the sketch which you have drawn on the blackboard.
Rule 4.—Be careful that the points of the lesson are well connected and arranged in their teaching order. If careful in arranging your lessons, it will not be necessary to repeat so very much, for the children will become interested, and when their interest is aroused, they never fail to learn.
It may be that we do not have books at our command from which to gain much of our information, but by careful observation, our minds will become storehouses, filled with information and truth that will bless our fellow men.
IDA FISCHER CARNAHAN.
The Secret of Teaching Politeness
True politeness will always win its true reciprocation. Two teachers were once walking together in the streets of a large town in New England. Several lads whom they met on the sidewalk raised their caps as they exchanged the common salutations with one of the teachers. “What boys are these that pay you such attention as they pass?” inquired the other. “They are my pupils,” answered his friend. “Your pupils! Why, how do you teach them to be so very polite! Mine are pretty sure never to look at me, and generally they take care to be on the other side of the street.” “I am unable to tell,” said his friend; “I never say anything about it. I usually bow to them, and they are ready to bow to me.” The whole secret consisted in this teacher’s meeting his pupils in the spirit of kindness.—Selected.
Our Schools
By Frederick Griggs
Among Our Schools
LEAVING Nashville, Tenn., where I had been in attendance for several days at the meeting of the Southern Union Conference, I went to Keene, Tex. Our school at Keene is the advanced school for the Southwestern Union Conference. I found here a very fine company of young men and women. There is an increased attendance this year over that of last. The school has grown so that it has been found necessary to occupy rooms outside the dormitory, and the young men have been occupying quite a portion of the building that was recently used as a sanitarium. This union conference is growing so rapidly, and the school is becoming so large, that it seems necessary to take steps at once that will give the institution more dormitory room. This school is beautifully situated in a commanding location, which gives a view of the country for miles around. An excellent spirit of discipline and work seems to prevail in the school.
I next visited Loma Linda, Cal. An effort has been made to establish an evangelical medical course of instruction in connection with the Loma Linda Sanitarium. I found here a large company of young men and women who are preparing for evangelistic and medical work. The plans for a distinctive medical course have not yet been completed. It is felt that more room is necessary, and increased facilities, if the distinctive medical work is to be a success. At Fernando I found Prof. H. G. Lucas, the principal of the school, and his associate teachers full of courage in their work. This school and the Loma Linda Sanitarium are situated among beautiful orange groves. A strong missionary spirit pervades the school. Last year it raised three hundred dollars with which to assist the mission school at Rome, and this year it is raising six hundred dollars.
At St. Helena I found the Pacific Union holding its biennial conference. Here were assembled many of our prominent educational workers on the Pacific Coast, and from them I learned much of the progress of the educational work in this union, and of their plans for the future. The Northern California Conference alone has between six and seven hundred young men and women over fifteen years of age who should be speedily brought into our schools. This one fact offers a great incentive to our educational workers to conduct effective work in their intermediate and advanced schools. The Pacific Union College at Healdsburg is enjoying a very prosperous year. They feel, however, that there is need of their making some changes to adapt the work more closely to the demands of our cause. Dr. Reed and his associate teachers hope to move the school into the country to some location where they can more effectively carry out the instruction given with reference to our work.
I next visited the three intermediate schools in the western part of the North Pacific Union. They are located at Gaston, Ore.; Manor, Wash.; and Mount Vernon, Wash. The Laurelwood Industrial Academy at Gaston, has an enrolment of eighty-two for the year, with a present attendance of seventy-eight. This school is in charge of Brother R. W. Airey. The Meadowglade school, at Manor, has enrolled one hundred four, the present attendance being eighty. Brother G. E. Johnson, the principal, is assisted in his work quite largely by student teachers. Brother G. F. Wolfkill is the principal of the school at Mount Vernon, which is called the Forest Home Industrial Academy. They have a total enrolment for the year of seventy-six, with a present attendance of fifty-eight. Each of these schools is doing work up to the tenth grade. In each school there seems to be a good grade of work done. They are each located in the country, where they will have opportunities for agricultural work. The two schools in Washington State have much to do yet in clearing their land and getting it in shape to work. The Laurelwood school, however, has considerable land ready for farming purposes.
I next went to Walla Walla. The North Pacific Union Conference was here in session. Walla Walla College is enjoying a splendid era of prosperity in its work. It is full to overflowing with an earnest class of students. A deep interest in all educational matters was shown by the delegates at the conference. It was hoped that at this time we would be able to announce the entire removal of the indebtedness resting upon this school, but the financial panic through which our country has recently passed was felt so severely in the western portion of the United States that it was impossible to collect all the pledges which had been made. These pledges are good, and will undoubtedly be paid in the near future.
The intermediate school at Bozeman, Mont., which is in the North Pacific Union, was next visited. Prof. K. R. Haughey and his associate teachers are carrying on an excellent work at this place. A good state of discipline and a good spirit of work prevail.
The intermediate schools at Harvey, N. D.; Maplewood, Minn.; Elk Point, S. D., were next visited. They are in charge respectively of Prof. N. W. Lawrence, Prof. H. J. Sheldon, and Elder E. G. Hayes. Here I found, as in the other schools, large companies of earnest young men and women. In all the schools which I have visited deep interest has been shown in the needs of our mission28fields, and in the speedy preparation for service in them. It is evident that our intermediate schools are to occupy a very important place in preparing workers for the finishing of our message.
I am writing this report at Union College. Here I have had the privilege of meeting one of the largest companies of our young people which I have ever seen together. The enrolment this year has reached five hundred fifty-three. This is far in excess of the highest anticipations of Professor Lewis and his coworkers. Not only is there a large number of students in attendance, but there is a most splendid spirit prevailing in the work. At the recent meeting of the Board nearly all of the present faculty were re-elected, and steps were taken to increase in a very material way the manual training features of the school. Provisions were made whereby the normal training shall be made more effective. The church-school has been placed under the management of the college and a better equipped normal department is to be the result.
It is an inspiring experience to visit these schools, large and small, and to find such noble companies of young men and women whose chief purpose is to aid in giving this advent message to the world in this generation.
