Page 116 - Neglected Arabia Vol 2

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NEGLECTED ARABIA 15 '

THE EDUCATIONAL DEPARTMENT
"They ceased not to teach and [>reach Jesus Christ. (Acts 5:42)
Of the Mission’s four schools for hoys only one may he called a full-
fledged institution since the other three were each under the wing of the
station evangelistic missionary who could devote only psjrt time to school
work, Still ull the school* report jirogrc**, I
Mr, Vtui Kaa reports fur the Uuiruh Hoys* Schuol, "In bo fur a> num- '
licrs count ut ull, the current yeur hu« surpassed ull records with the highest \
enrollment, reuching 280. The averugc uttcnduncc wus 214, of whom 123 i
were Moslems, 69 Christians, and 21 Jews, and of these Moslems 13 were
iu the High School, 36 in the Middle School, 27 in the Primary School and
•18 in the Elementary School. The Bible lessons were given chief thought.
Sixteen Bible classes were taught daily, all of the higher boys and the
majority of the others being taught by Mr. Bilkert or myself. The teachers’
prayer meeting on Sunday mornings gave tone to the whole week and is
iu my estimation the source of greatest strength. There were about 15
boarders for the greater part of the year. In May, three boys graduated
from the High School. Two of them secured suitable positions and the :
third entered Hope College this autumn. Sports and athletics under Mr.
Kssebaggers were very popular and the football team defeated all comers.
Frequent hikes and excursions were taken, some being very arduous and
testing the endurance and sportsmanship of the boys to the limit. The Ara­
bic Literary Society under the.entire management of the pupils themselves . IJ:
ias developed real talent. The frequent references to Christ in the speeches
and essays indicated that His teachings are being understood and absorbed. * ,
The Lincoln Literary Society ended the year with a grand final effort on
the Mission lawn and elicited the amazed approval of visitors. The con­
vert Abdul Fadi is loyal to his profession. He undergoes scarcely any
l<rsecution at present and his conduct is a gratifying testimony to his faith.
“The school is now cramped beyond all reasonable bounds and a new 1
building is an imperative necessity, both for more effective class-room work
aid also to house the boarding school suitably and to provide the opportuni­ ! .
ties for social activities which so frequently present themselves. Above all, • i !
1 bespeak the prayers of the Mission for scverul boys who have heard i !
Christ's voice but find dlsciplcshij) too arduous."
Mr. Calverley writes of the Kuwait Boys’ School, “Our school goes on
year after year making an inadequate response to an increasfng demand for
Its educational service. The year’s enrollment amounted to 51 pupils, of
thorn 33 were new, but the average attendance was only 23, indicating
that the school as conducted at present could not hold the students it at­
tracted. We kept the school open in the morning all through the summer.
A full time educational missionary with a moderate budget and a great en­
thusiasm could make a flourishing school here.
“It is in connection with the school that one of the year’s most promis­
ing events is taking place. A prominent man of the city put one of his sons
in our charge for us to give him the kind of education that in our judgment
fould be best for him. There were no restrictions and no strings to the
iffcr. The best we have been able to do so far has been to give the assistant
racher the privilege and responsibility of his training. The boy is an ij.
especially attractive one, responsive and teachable, and what from our )!-

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