Evening star., 1907-08-26

on tina. line. From the first there have been
more applicants for admission than we were
able to receive, and though the numbers
have grown from 25 to 800. we are obliged
to reject the applications of 200 or 300
worthy and ambitious young women every
year. 1t is impossible to prevent this with
our present facilities. We crowd in as
many we can take care of, but we can
not sacrifice the interests of those who are
here by crowding them too much. We could
easily take care of double our present num-
Der.
"One-third of the young women come
from villages and towns of less than 5000
inhabitants. Two-fifths of them have had
no high schools within reach, and those
who come from where there are ordinary
facilities for education are either orphans or
half orphans The fact that one-third of
all these young women have already done
something toward self-support before they
came to Northfeld tells its own story.
me work in the classrooms Is OF
preparatory but practical nature Those
who graduate are prepared to enter any
institution for higher learning, but at the
same time have practical, general educa-
ton. Special emphasis is laid upon the
teaching of the Bible. The object of the
school, in Mr.. Moody's own words was
to help young women of very limited
means to get an education such as would
have done me good when | was their age.
l want to help them into lives that will
count the most for the cause Of Christ.
Manual Labor Required.
Another feature is manual labor. Every
boy at the Mount Hermon School is
quired to do the equivalent of two hours
work each day either in the fields or about
the stables or the workshops of the farm,
while at the seminary every young woman
is required to do her share of the house
work and work at least one hour day.
There are no servants at either place.
Everybody takes his or her turn in wait
ing on the rest. But there is a practical
side of it. at the same time, because the
work is an apprenticeship for some trade by
which the student may earn a living in
after life. The boys directed by in
telnSent farmers, carpenters ard other me-
chaniCs. while the housework of the girls
Is supplemented by lectures and the study
of books on domestic science laundry
work. kitchen chemistry, hygiene, domestic
economy, keeping of accounts, typewriting,
sewing, dressmaking, millinery, darning.
patching, etc.
IF a man can't do his share to meet the
expense, he isn't worth educating" Mr.
Moody used to say.
1t was never his design to make Lis a
charitable institution. HIS object was only
to place Its advantages within the reach of
earnest young men and women who were
willing to work for them. The tuition,
room and board for one session of four
months in either school have been $50
which is probably the lowest of any institu-
tlon for secondary or higher education in
the country, and is less than one-half the
actual cost. Small as this charge is, how
ever, it means a hard struggle and the
strictest economy on the part of most of
the students, and fully 20 per cent Of them
are compelled to- earn the money them
selves, or at least portion of it.
A Yearly Deficit.
Because of this low tuition charge it is
necessary for the trustees of both instltu-
tions to raise at least 500 for every stu
dent in every school year, which comes in
contributions from those who are interested
in the Christian training of young men and
women.
At the girls school are nine dormitories
accommodating from forty to ninety stu
dents each. which are under the immediate
charge of matrons who look after the
girls, assign them to their duties and
teach them the science of housekeeping.
The girls are required to work in the
kitchen. but laundry work Is optional.
Each girl is required to look after her own
laundry Or pay some else to do It,
But those who do the general laundry work
are volunteers who ire paid SO much apiece.
and many of the girls are glad Of the op-
portunty.
During the last year there were 400
girls from 80 different states and % from
foreign countries-Canada, 8; Cuba, 3;
India, 4; Mexico, 4; South America, = and
each from China, Scotland, Sweden and
Turkey. Massachusetts contributed 1O4;
-.ew York. So; Connecticut, a; Vermont,
81: Pennsylvania, %; New Jersey, 10; New
Hampshire, 13, and the other states less
than 10 each.