Shippensburg University - Cumberland Yearbook (Shippensburg, PA)

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Now if we love God, will we not have him for our companion, and will we not become more like him? After all is not the chief aim in life to be good. ' This characteristic of love for God is very necessary for one who wishes to teach. For the influence which the teacher throws around her has a great effect on the formation of the characters of her pupils. It is in our Young Woman's Christian Association that we are strengthened. Early in the fall we had a visit from our State Secretary, Mrs. Lowry, who was an inspiration to us, giving ns many useful hints as to the method of our work, and reviving us spiritually. During the latter part of the winter term she paid us another visit. Saturday evening, March fourth, she met the ladies in the school parlor, where the girls circled around the room in comfortable positions, while Mrs. Lowry talked to them about the State Convention which was l1eld at Pittsburg. Both her visits were profitable ones. The Association did not send delegates to the convention as has been the custom, on account of the distance. In the course of our work we had a series of meetings. We cannot tell how much we enjoyed these gatherings. It was there that we talked with God, asking his blessings upon us and praying for those in our midst who were so anxious to be one with us in Christ. Our efforts were not in vain for we had many happy conversions, and those who went felt stronger for the day's work which was to follow. The Y. W. C. A. gave a reception at the opening of each term. These were given to bring the new girls in touch with the Association work, and were fair examples of the social part of our efforts. May the spirit for Christ's work, which we have received as members and workers of the Y. W. C. A. of this Normal School follow us as we leave the school, and may it go out with us into life to battle with the world. May we always be filled with this love for Christ, so that when we are about to depart from this life we may be able to say: So live that when thy summons comes to join The innumerable caravan that moves To the pale realms of shade, where each shall take His chamber in the silent halls of death, Thou go not like the quarry slave at night, Scourged to his dungeon, but sustained and soothed By an unfaltering trust, approach thy grave Like one who wraps the drapery of his couch About him, and lies down to pleasant dreams. 0 18

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ll. W- C. Zi. N the thirteenth chapter of Paul, the Apostle's letter to the Cor- inthians, he writes this-And now abideth faith, hope, and love: these three but the greatest of these is love. In years to come when we may recall the Young Womanls Christian As- sociation ofthe Cumberland Valley State Normal School, we shall hold in memory the existence of this noblest of virtues- Love. The Association during the year eighteen hundred and ninety-nine may well have had for its motto Love and felt that we were trying to live up to it. Indeed it seemed as though tl1at was our motto, for, in the work as a band of girls it seemed to pervade the atmosphere that Love for God was one of the best, one of the highest qualities that any one girl could wish to possess. When we love God, we keep his commandments. When we love God, we are interested in the welfare of our associates. We feel confident that this love for God has been with us from the many little spiritual feasts we have had during the year. Almost every girl in the school is a member of the Association, if not active they are associate members, and they are so willing to take their part in tl1e work. These are good stout chords that vibrate every time they are called upon to work for Christ in the services, which are held Sunday evenings in the large chapel, immediately after supper. The good we have received from these weekly meetings has proved to be food for the soul. They are so helpful to us in overcoming the trials of the days which intervene. After a week's toil in the classroom we look forward to these meetings with pleasant anticipation. As we cast a retrospective glance in the school record we find a great change in this part of the school life. We find the Young Woman's Christian Association had an early existence, but the workers were not so many as they are to-dayp nor did the students think that the spiritual and religious training was so essential to success as the intellectual training. During our life at the Normal we find a difference, the students seem to have realized the fact that one who is preparing to teach must be well read in not only the sciences, but l1e must also know a great dealwabout the Bible. For what doth it profit a man if he gain the whole world and lose his own soul. Some one has said that we are known by the company we keep. A 'fviifn ,

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q. M- A. 42,5 ,V 4 . -aw- QQJ I A' v fx, SK, and it shall be given youg seek, and ye shall findg 'f Alla 5 t knock and it shall be opened unto you: St. Matt. 7 : 7. ' p In these words we have found comfort in our school work as well as in our Christian duties. God is ever willing to fave 'X give unto those who ask in faith. He is also at the gate of mercy ready to open u11to those who seeking for wis- dom and understanding knock. The preceding passage of scripture directs our attention to the change which has taken place in the lives of students of colleges and boarding schools during the last twenty years. The thoughts that for- merly confronted a young man wl1o contemplated taking a course at some institution, and the experiences through which he had to pass upon enter- ing the school until he was thoroughly initiated and became a full mem- ber: of the orders instituted by the members of the school, are known to- day only as stories told us by our fathers. Those who, upon entering school, were laughed and sneered at and left to find their way and take care of themselves as best they could, are to-day greeted with hearty wel- comes and are cared for by those who were at the school before. This change in the lives of students has rebuked many of the vices and evil influences that were once common among the students. Especially is this true of Normal Schools. These changes in the lives of students are largely due to the increased attention paid to moral and religious training. People realize that the man wl1o is most successful in preparing him- self for the faithful discharge of the duties of life is the one who receives moral and religious as well as intellectual and physical training. This is especially true of the young man preparing to teach 5 for it is he wl1o has charge of the child while character is in its formative state, when every chord that is struck in a tender mind vibrates at the throne of God. This being true, it is of tl1e utmost importance that the highest moral principles should be inculcated in the hearts and minds of those who are 19