By Mr. JAMES FRASER, M.A.
ONE of the chief requisites of a successful missionary teacher is a first-hand knowledge of the pupils under his care. This is not easily attained at Ingwenya for each year brings to
the school an increasing number of new faces, which to a European eye appear puzzlingly similar. This year, for instance, we have no fewer than twelve girls bearing the name of Emily and although three of these have the same tribal name, it takes considerable time and effort to distinguish between the physical appearance of one and another, not to mention gaining some knowledge of their home and family circumstances. The fact that a fair proportion of pupils glory in odd names like Only, Nothing, Sixpence, Gate, Jelly and Lizard, singles them out from their schoolmates, and by giving the teacher a good starting point, these pupils lend courage to master a knowledge of the names and faces, and, if possible, dispositions, of the less conspicuous newcomers.
This year our enrolment has arisen to above four hundred, and of these at least one hundred and thirty are new to the school. Had we received all who sought admittance, our numbers would have risen to the five hundred mark, but our limited accommodation forced us to turn away many boys and girls whom we should have otherwise welcomed to the spiritual and educational benefits of the mission. The Government’s policy of centralisation of natives means more and more congestion in the native reserves, and naturally results in a sharp increase in the school population of the reserves into which the people flock.
Our largest class this year is std. II, which numbers one hundred and four, and is divided between two teachers. Classes V. and VI. which are my own special care have increased in size by nearly fifty per cent. since last year.
Despite numbers which are well-nigh unwieldy there is no indication that the work of the school is deteriorating in the least. In May of last year and February of this, the school was examined by the circuit inspector who on both occasions declared the academic work to be “thoroughly good.”
A new scheme is now in force whereby the work formerly spread over the first three years of a child’s school career is covered in two years. The process of adaptation to the new conditions demands a great effort on the part of the teachers of the children
involved, and it has yet to be seen whether the education of the Rhodesian native is sufficiently advanced to justify the change.
It is gratifying to observe a great improvement in attendance throughout the school. Last year the boys’ attendance was far from satisfactory and there were several withdrawals before the school had been a month in session, but this year, after three month’s attendance, only one boy out of a total of one hundred and eleven has grown weary of school life.
Last year I mentioned that a start had been made with vegetable gardening near the new well. After a reasonable time it was found that the soil there, a heavy black clay, was altogether unworkable, and the site of the garden has now been shifted to a sandy spot behind Mrs. Radasi’s kraal. About half an acre of land has been fenced in, and ninety plots, most of them eighteen feet by four feet, have been made. Tomatoes, potatoes, cabbages, spinach, onions, peas and beans are grown and do well. The plots are owned and tended by the girls of standards I. and II. and the boys of standards III. to VI. A considerable effort has been put forth to conform to the Education Departments’ requirements in this connection, but the circuit inspector would like to see a greater area of land devoted to vegetable gardening and a larger number of pupils engaged in the work.
Fully one hundred young trees have been planted on the mission grounds by the boys during industrial periods. A number of these are now about three feet in height.
In the wood-carving class, useful articles like rakes, thatch-beaters, spoons, yard sticks, hammer and axe handles and skeys have been made.
I do not propose to refer in detail to the academic work of the school, but I may mention that when the results of last year’s standard VI. final arithmetic examination were made known, it was revealed that Ingwenya topped the list of native schools in Matabeleland. As an indication of the standard achieved in English by class VI. (the highest class in the school), I submit the following letter written by a girl who became a member just six months
ago. The letter was written in response to a request to tell their friends in far away Scotland about the March communion. Each pupil in the class wrote a letter, and this one has been chosen as the best:—
My dear Friends,—I would like to tell you about our communion season here at Ingwenya. We began our services on Thursday which is our baptizing day. On that day many babies and three schoolgirls were baptized. Doctor Macdonald preached. He explained what baptism is, and as I was listening, I heard him say that baptism was a sign of being baptized with the Holy Ghost, and is given to those who prefer to follow the Lord Jesus Christ than to walk in the ways of the world. He read from the Book of Psalms, psalm 51 verse 7 which says:—”Purge me with hyssop and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.” On Friday we held a prayer meeting at which Mr. Tallach read three psalms from the book of Psalms, and six men prayed. They all prayed that the Holy Ghost would be poured on themselves and on the people. On Saturday we had the usual preparation service. Many people assembled for the first service on Sabbath when Mr. Tallach preached on Matthew chapter 27, verse 36. Before the second service the followers of Jesus were given tokens, and after Doctor Macdonald had preached in Isaiah chapter 55, verse 1, we took the Lord’s supper. We were happy as we remembered all that Jesus has done for us. On Monday we had a thanksgiving service to thank God for His kindness during the communion. I was thanking God for giving us peace when so many people in other lands are being killed in war. I was also very glad because thirteen schoolgirls became members at this communion season. I hope you may have a happy time, my friends, when you remember the death of the Lord Jesus. Your loving friend, Amelia Mthamo—
The “Pilgrim’s Progress” class is still held on Wednesday evenings and is attended by about forty of the senior girls, all of whom have manifested a lively interest in this fascinating allegory. They have a special admiration for Bunyan’s ingenuity
in supplying his characters with appropriate names such as Mr. Hold-the-World, Mr. Talkative, Mrs. Bat’s Eyes and Mr. Ready-to-Halt. At our last meeting we completed the second part of the book. So much regret was expressed on bidding Bunyan farewell that it was decided to continue the meetings and enter upon a brief study of “The Holy War.”
A large proportion of this year’s boarders are newcomers, and in view of this we were greatly relieved when several of our older Christian girls whose influence for good we can rely upon, returned in January to continue their studies for yet another year. When we see one of the classrooms lit up at night, we know that a number of these girls have met together for prayer and that in their prayers they will not forget their unconverted comrades who are a source of special concern to them as well as to the missionaries.
Through the kindness of Mr. James Stewart I have been able during the past year to visit three of Matabeleland’s large mission schools. It was most interesting to examine the work and organisation of these schools and to note how the different missionaries tackled the spiritual and educational problems which are the common heritage of all who seek the uplift of the African. It was very refreshing to find that two of the missions visited are thoroughly evangelical in outlook and are at one with ourselves on fundamentals such as the Fall, the Atonement and Regeneration. In these days when so many missionaries seem to regard Christianity and present-day civilisation as interchangeable terms there is a call for aggression and expansion to those who preach a Crucified Christ and thereby leave the Africans in no doubt as to where they stand in relation to God and man.
I close with a hearty vote of thanks to all who have contributed towards the successful conduct of the school during the year which is past: to Mr. Tallach for his generous assistance in manifold ways, to Doctor Macdonald for so willingly and regularly conducting First Aid classes for the girls of Standards IV. to
VI., to Mrs. Tallach and Mrs. Macdonald for their diligent supervision of the girls’ industrial work during Miss Nicolson’s prolonged absence, to Mrs. Radasi for her motherly care of the boarding girls, to the native staff for their ready co-operation, and to the many friends in the homeland who have sent gifts of money, material and equipment. Mr. MacGillivray is again worthy of special mention in this connection, for the supplies of equipment he has sent out since last May have been exceptionally useful.
The prayers of God’s people are earnestly solicited on behalf of the large family of young Africans whom it is our privilege and responsibility to educate in the truth as it is in Jesus. Remember especially the boys who hitherto have been less responsive than the girls to the call of the Gospel, and who in some respects are more exposed to subtle and soul-destroying influences. The ready victim of false teachers, and the perplexed witness of varying standards of religious life, Africa’s manhood has dire need of being moulded by the Word of God, “which liveth and abideth for ever.”