Earlier text: How She Found the TruthTHE summer vacation is rapidly passing; the school year for all our schools in the northern hemisphere will shortly begin. In our church-schools, and indeed in all our schools, everything should be in readiness for a successful year's work: a good beginning helps wonderfully in making a good ending. To see the buildings thoroughly clean and well repaired, creates a spirit of courage in both teachers and pupils. Particular attention should be given in our church-schools to the well-being and comfort of the pupils. It often occurs that schools are conducted in badly ventilated and poorly equipped rooms. It is little short of a calamity to go to the expense of employing a teacher, and then not provide her with a comfortable room, and with sufficient and suitable materials with which to work. Our children should have comfortable seats, well-lighted and well-ventilated rooms, charts, maps, well-chosen reference books, and a sufficient supply of all material to enable good work to be done. Parents do not act wisely when they go to the expense of paying tuition, and then fail to provide proper conditions and supplies for good work. These provisions should be all made, and a term of proper length (not less than seven months, and better eight or nine) should be planned, before the schools begin. There is no reason why our school terms should be any less in length than those of the public schools. We should erect a standard of education which is in no particular behind that of the public schools. The next few weeks are very important in determining the success of our schools for the coming year. THERE is room for advancement in the teaching of this important subject in all our schools. Our children are to be trained to become missionaries, and they are to be so educated that they can cope with the emergencies met in the mission fields; they are to be able to help those who are weaker and less enlightened, and our system of education should always have this end directly in view. In order for this to be accomplished, our educational system must be practical. Our children must be taught the great value of manual work, that it is valuable and ennobling, and that it is to be done heartily and skilfully. They must be shown that only that kind of education is valuable which can be practically used. Of course we, as teachers, must have a comprehensive idea of what is practical. When we teach our children to use their hands skilfully, we are giving to them a valuable training. We do not teach merely that our children may pass examinations; this is only a secondary consideration. Primarily, the end in view is the giving to our children the power to do work, and to do it well,—the ability and the courage to meet with and overcome obstacles, and to be sensible in dealing with all life's problems. Proper training of the hand and the eye and the whole body is one of the surest means to this end. There is great opportunity for advancement in all our schools in agricultural lines. Our primary schools can have small gardens. During the winter our study should be of a nature to create a love for, and an understanding of, agricultural work. Much of this instruction may be given in the schoolroom at a time when the children can not work in their gardens. If this instruction is wisely given, it helps wonderfully in creating an ability to do intelligent work in a garden, and indeed to do well all kinds of manual work. Let us seek to create a deeper love for all forms of manual training in all our schools during this coming year. Shall We Have a Church-School?
THIS question is being asked, without doubt, in scores of churches at this time. In four or five weeks the public schools of the United States will begin, and thousands of our children will either attend them or attend schools which we provide. The spirit of prophecy has given very definite instruction concerning this matter: “If we do not have schools for our youth, they will attend other seminaries and colleges, and will be exposed to infidel sentiments, cavilings, and questions concerning the inspiration of the Bible.” “The church should take in the situation, and by their influence and means seek to bring about the much-desired end. Let a fund be created by generous contributions for the establishment of schools, and for the advancement of educational work.” “I say again, Establish schools for the children wherever there are churches; where there are those who assemble to worship God, let there be schools for the children. Work as though you were working for your life to save children from being drowned in the polluting and corrupting influences of this life. If people would encourage the church in which they are members, and establish small, humble school buildings in which to do service for God, they would accommodate their own children within their borders.” The early Christians took a sensible view of the education of their children. In the early23 home life, the child was taught the Scriptures, and there entered into his young life an education which led away from the heathen and worldly influences of the time to a life of purity and faith. Shall we have a church-school?—Yes, by all means. We would better deny ourselves of all the luxuries, and even the comforts and necessities of life, rather than deny our children that education which helps to prepare them for heaven. Good primary schools, in which the Word of God is made the basis of all instruction, in which it is the warp and woof of every educational effort, can but shape the life of the child for good. No self-denial should be considered too great for such results as may be obtained in a thoroughly Christian school. Shall we have a church-school?—Yes, a thousand times yes. The Cleveland (Ohio) Principals’ Meeting
THIS meeting was called by the General Conference Council at Washington in May. The report of the meeting appears elsewhere in this department of the REVIEW. It will be seen from the report that much was accomplished by the meeting. Its real life, however, was found in the harmonious discussions of the topics under consideration. There is no question that our intermediate and advanced schools are making steady progress in their efforts to furnish to our young people that kind of education which will liberally qualify them for valuable service in this land and in the mission fields of all the world. A great responsibility rests upon those in charge of these schools. This seemed to be thoroughly appreciated by all present at the meeting. Many of the principals and union conference educational secretaries attended the session of the National Educational Association just preceding our meeting. Some very valuable suggestions were made as to methods at this meeting. We believe that this principals’ meeting will result in much more thorough and effective work in our intermediate and advanced schools this coming year. The Educational Section of the Review
By Editor
At the educational convention held at College View two years ago, it was voted to publish the Educational section in the REVIEW, once each month, taking eight pages, instead of two a week, as had been the former custom. In considering the matter of the Educational section at the principals’ meeting at Cleveland, Ohio, it was the unanimous opinion of those present that it would be better to return to two pages each week than to continue the custom of eight pages a month. We find, however, in conferring with the publishers of the REVIEW AND HERALD, that during these two years so many other departments of the General Conference have taken up the use of the REVIEW, that it will be impossible to give two pages regularly each week to the Department of Education; accordingly, it will be necessary to have this educational matter printed eight pages each month, as we have been doing since the convention at College View. We are very anxious to make the Educational section of the REVIEW more valuable than ever during this coming year. Arrangements have been made with Mrs. E. M. Long by which she will furnish a series of articles on manual training. These articles will be illustrated and will give an outline course, and offer suggestions for the teaching of manual training in our primary schools. We believe that our primary teachers everywhere will find these articles of great value. We are also promised a series of articles upon reading, from Miss Katherine B. Hale. Miss Hale is one of the authors of the “True Education” reading series, and her articles are sure to be highly appreciated. We also plan to have special articles of a practical nature upon all other lines of our primary work, such as geography, teaching, etc., which will be of great value to our teachers. But to make this section of the REVIEW the most valuable, our teachers should be free to write concerning any phase of their work in which they have had special success. We can make the Educational section of great value to all phases of our school work only when all make an effort to fill it with valuable matter and helpful suggestions.