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Volume 6 Relation of U.B/EUB Virginia Conferences to Shenandoah University Dec. 26, 2013

secretary of education would be a proper thing to do. A. P. Funkhouser. Dr. Brook followed in
appropriate remarks.

Report of Shenandoah Collegiate Institute and School of Music (pp. 38-40). Dear brethren:
When good government and good citizenship can be secured economically, if at all, without education,
then schools will mean an extravagant expenditure of money. But until such time, a wisely conducted
school is the greatest factor of economy in the making of a nation. It may cost something to maintain a
good school, but it costs more to do without it. The state without the school is like the ship without the
disciplined crew—it may float, but it is in danger of rock, derelict, or of any adverse wind. The same is
true of the Church.

The State helps its people to be good citizens by free public schools and endowed colleges and
universities; but the State is not very careful as to the moral atmosphere of its schools, and, as a
consequence, bad influences are crystallized into bad habits in the learner. The students of these schools
constitute the bulk of citizenship, and, consequently determine the standards of right in municipal and
civil government. When skepticism as to religious subjects is general, and fixed by university training
and leadership, what a task has the Church placed upon it, to stem the tide of unbelief, and to turn the
energies that are antagonistic to Christianity into a vitalized force for God!

The Church is awakening to the imperative need of the times. Every denominational or Christian
school, stands as a protest against a partial education of man at the expense of the rest of him, and is a
plea for his complete education. It is a school with its window always “open toward Jerusalem.”
Mistakes may be made by such a school, but no blame for such a mistake can be laid at the door of the
Church. But such a school has a great struggle ahead for it. It must depend, first of all, upon the good
character of its work to win patronage; then it must be loyally supported by the Church establishing and
owning it.

Your School at Dayton, Va., aims to be such a school as I have been declaring is needed, and
badly needed, in our country. If it is doing such work as helps young men and young women to be
better citizens, to establish better homes, to do better work in their chosen professions, and to serve
better in the Church, then every member of every home connected with the Virginia Conference ought
to speak proudly of Shenandoah Collegiate Institute and School of Music as “our” School and ought to
encourage worthy young people everywhere to partake of its advantages—for its advantages are
exceptional as to character of work done, healthfulness, and morality of its location, and for its low
rates. But if it is not such a school as can command your admiration, it is incumbent upon you to point
out wherein it fails to merit your approval.

Those who have been watching the growth of Shenandoah Collegiate Institute and School of
Music will be glad to hear that there is increase of attendance over last year. There has never been a
time when more interested inquirers were to be found than at present. Many are writing about next year.
And the prospect for increase in a spring term attendance was never equal to that for the term beginning
this week.

A few changes in the teaching force may be noted. Miss Ivy F. Pierce (New England
Conservatory of Music) fills the place held last year by Miss Dosh as teacher of piano. Miss Viva D.
Crommett (New England Conservatory of Music), holds the place in voice training that was held by
Miss Allen last year. Miss Brooks, of North Carolina, was also secured to assist in Piano. Rev. G. P.
Hott is at present the treasurer of your School, having been elected to the position last June. To the
already well-equipped Music Department, a valuable pipe organ has been added; and the demand for

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