The institution owns sixty acres of land, about one mile from the centre of the city. That part of it occupied by the buildings, commands an extended view in all directions. The buildings are two plain, four-storied, brick dormitories, one for boys, the other for girls. These also afford rooms for teachers, and the basement and first floor of the boys’ building give space for chapel, schoolrooms, library and reading-room. Many of these rooms are entirely unfit for these uses, and are much needed for sleeping rooms. By an hour’s work each day, the students care for the buildings, cultivate the grounds, cut the wood, and do the house-work, except the cooking.
The Graves Library contains about four thousand volumes, and has an endowment of five thousand dollars. The library and reading-room are thoroughly used. Excepting for the library, the school has no endowment, but depends for support on the American Missionary Association, and the State of Georgia, which latter has appropriated to it $8,000 annually.
The name “University,” when adopted in 1867, signified nothing, save as a prophecy. As such it was adopted. It foretold the capacity of those, for whom the school was especially founded, to advance in education, till they should need the advantages of a full university course. It foretold the willingness of the friends of humanity to furnish these advantages. There is no longer any doubt of the complete fulfillment of the first prophecy, provided the second can be speedily accomplished.
ITS WORK.
REV. C. W. FRANCIS.
To prepare teachers for the education of the children of more than half a million of poor and illiterate people is, and must remain, the chief work of the school. The ability to read and write is the smallest of the needs of the people, old and young, among whom such teachers are called to labor. They must teach the elements of morals and religion, of social and domestic life, must supply the forces which are to shape and guide the people from serfdom up to an intelligent, Christian citizenship. The course pursued in this school consists essentially in separating the pupils by means of a family school from all old associations and habits, and subjecting them for months and years to a strong and watchful discipline, in surrounding them with the most earnest and aggressive religious influences, in giving them the best mental training and furnishing which the time and facilities will allow, thus to stamp upon them new characteristics, and mould them so that they will represent and teach the best Christian culture and civilization. That they may resist the strong influences pulling them down on every hand, they need to be thoroughly fixed and set in character before leaving school. Such a complete transformation of character and life as is aimed at here, requires time and the constant exercise of the highest skill and patience. It is no ordinary education which is sought, but a special and peculiar training for a high and holy missionary work.
The demand for teachers from this school is continually greater than the supply. In the last catalogue were the names of 214 pupils, and of these, more than 150 are known to have engaged in teaching during the year. In the previous year, out of 240, more than 175 were at work in the same way. And this number includes nearly every person in school whose age and attainments gave him even the smallest fitness for the work. The school term lasts nine months, and there is but one vacation, including the three summer months. It is the practice of the pupils to pass directly from school to their work in teaching, and many have done so for a number of years, without going home or having a rest. They have in day-schools an average attendance of thirty-five or forty; and as most have night-schools, and nearly all organize Sabbath-schools and temperance societies, it is not unreasonable to estimate that more than 10,000 people are every season reached and instructed by the present pupils of this school, while a still larger number are under the instruction of former pupils. They, for the most part, find their own places, collect the pupils, secure a building—either a church, shed or cabin, or, in lack of these, build a log-house or bush-arbor; and so, all through the hot months, the work goes on from year to year. The seed is widely scattered, but it is not lost.
This school bears a very close relation to the special church work of the Association as well as to the general religious welfare of the whole people. A large majority of the pupils become Christians before leaving school, and only one or two have been graduated without giving evidence of Christian character. There has been special religious interest every year in the history of the school. One missionary to Africa and several ministers in active service, caught their inspiration here.