HEALDSBURG COLLEGE

M. E. CADY

At present the Healdsburg College district includes California, Nevada, Arizona, and New Mexico, but the constituency of the college is very largely obtained from the state of California. Nevada has about one hundred Sabbath-keepers, while in Arizona and New Mexico the number is still smaller. The church-membership of the district is a little over four thousand.GCB April 4, 1901, page 56.5

The general interest in Christian education has been steadily increasing for the past two or three years, until at the present time there is a real interest on the part of most of our people in this important branch of the Lord’s work. In the school year 1899-1900 the enrollment was larger than it has been for several years. It numbered two hundred and fifty students. During that year there were eight church schools in operation, but at that time the work had not been very well organized, so that the results growing out of the church-school work were not very satisfactory.GCB April 4, 1901, page 56.6

During the present year, 1900-101, we have seen an advance in the church-school work: this is a source of great encouragement. There are thirteen church schools now in operation, with an enrollment of about four hundred pupils. In these schools seventeen teachers are employed, there being two teachers in the school at San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Fresno. We heard good reports from all these schools, and believe that the success of the work has resulted from the more systematic and careful organization of the work. At the teachers institute held last summer at San Jose, the church-school work was carefully studied in all its different phases, and a manual was prepared which outlined the course of study to be carried on: so that at the present time the same text-books are being used in all our church schools, and the same general plan of presenting the subjects is followed by the teachers. The church-school work, in order to succeed, must be thoroughly organized, and unity of action must prevail in order to give it strength and permanence.GCB April 4, 1901, page 56.7

The present year in the college has been quite gratifying, especially in view of the fact that but little field work was done during the summer vacation. The present enrollment of the college is two hundred and ninety. About fifty of these were those who came to attend the special Bible course held during the winter months.GCB April 4, 1901, page 56.8

The general spirit and work of the school have been better this year than last. There have been special visitations of the Spirit of God at different times during the school year, and the students have yielded to the convictions that the Spirit of God has brought home to their hearts by consecrating their-lives a new to his service. Elder Daniells was present for a few days during the first part of February, and the Lord greatly blessed his labors to the good of the school and the church. After he left Healdsburg, the work was still carried on by the teachers, and there has been good fruit borne from the work thus started. The faculty have felt more and more the importance of personal labor with the students. The reaction which so often comes in connection with a revival effort has not come to the school this year; and we believe that by faithful, earnest labor the good work begun may go on, so that there will be a healthy religious growth on the part of both teachers and students.GCB April 4, 1901, page 56.9

There has been a spirit of unity and harmony in the faculty so that the work has progressed without any friction. On the part of the students there has been a spirit of co-operation with the teachers; and, generally speaking, the students have manifested a desire to progress as rapidly as possible in the work of preparation for some place of usefulness in connection with the cause. Many are looking forward to working in some special branch of the third angel’s message, such as the ministry, medical missionary work, canvassing, Bible work, or church-school teaching.GCB April 4, 1901, page 57.1

The industrial work being carried on at the present time includes printing, broom-making, tent-making, and the general work which comes in connection with the college and the college home. We find that the manual labor is one of the best disciplinary measures that can be brought into the school work. It serves as an outlet for the surplus energy that accumulates during the time the students are engaged in intellectual work. Each student is expected to perform—hours’ manual labor a week, in part payment for his regular expenses.GCB April 4, 1901, page 57.2

We hope to be able to start classes next year in dressmaking and domestic science. During the past year, a large class has been engaged in the study of practical nursing. This work is under the supervision of trained nurses, and the results have been very satisfactory thus far. Arrangements have been made to have the college give the first six months of the regular nurses’ course for those who expect to take the training class at the St. Helena sanitarium. We believe that this will more fully unite the interests of the two institutions, and prove to be a blessing to both.GCB April 4, 1901, page 57.3

Healdsburg College has an indebtedness of about $40,000. A little over a year ago, the question of liquidating the debt of the college was considered at the Stockholm camp meeting, and other local camp meetings held during the season. About $22,000 was pledged to be paid in three years’ time. The plan proposed by Sister White of devoting the proceeds from “Christ’s Object Lessons” to help relieve our institutions from debt, has been presented to our people in this district, and has met with general favor. Last fall a general canvass would have been made of the district if the publishing house could have provided the books. The books can now be had, and the month of May has been set apart for a special effort in the sale of “Christ’s Object Lessons.” The entire force of Conference workers will devote their time to the circulation of this book, and we believe that a large number will be sold, so that with the pledges amounting to $22,000, and the money which will come in from the canvass made during the month of May, the college will be nearly, if not fully, relieved from the heavy debt that has encumbered it for several years.GCB April 4, 1901, page 57.4

As we take a retrospective view of the educational work in this district for the past two or three years, we are greatly encouraged, and believe that the next two years will see a marvelous work accomplished for our people and their children in the line of Christian education. The conviction is fast gaining ground that it is through the grand principles of Christian education that the children and youth are to be separated from the world, and become thoroughly established in the truths of the third angel’s message. Through the education thus obtained, many workers will be trained for the cause of God, and the third angel’s message will soon swell into the loud cry. May God hasten the day.GCB April 4, 1901, page 57.5

M. E. CADY, Pres.