Mrs. White was exceedingly concerned about the harmful effects of public schools and urged church members to avoid them if at all possible. As expressed below, she was surprised "at the apparently indifferent attitude of some, notwithstanding the oft-repeated warnings given...." This is an excerpt from an article entitled "The School Of The Home."
Mrs. E. G. White,
Excerpt of talk given at the St. Helena (Cal.) Sanitarium Chapel, 6 a.m., July 14, 1902.
Upon fathers and mothers devolves the responsibility of giving a Christian education to the children entrusted to them. They are never to neglect their children. In no case are they to let any line of business so absorb mind and time and talents that their children, who should be led into harmony with God, are allowed to drift until they are separated far from Him. They are not to allow their children to slip out of their grasp into the hands of unbelievers. They are to do all in their power to keep them from imbibing the spirit of the world. They are to train them to become helpers together with God. They are God’s human hand, fitting themselves and their children for an endless life in the heavenly home. – {SpM 242.4}
"The education of our children begins in the home. The mother is their first teacher. When they become old enough to attend school, shall we permit them to enter the public school?"
The education of our children begins in the home. The mother is their first teacher. When they become old enough to attend school, shall we permit them to enter the public school? – {SpM 242.5}
Many years ago, in Oakland, my husband and I conversed with a public-school teacher in regard to the public schools in the city. He said to us: If parents knew of the iniquity that is to our certain knowledge practised in these schools, there would be a furor raised in regard to these schools such as neither you nor I can imagine. The young people are rotten; and what kind of homes they have is more than our teachers can tell.” – {SpM 242.6}
"This statement was made over twenty years ago. Have the conditions in our public schools improved since that time?"
This statement was made over twenty years ago. Have the conditions in our public schools improved since that time? – {SpM 243.1}
"“We are in the world” they say, “and we can not get out of it.” But, parents, we can get a good way out of the world, if we choose to do so, we can avoid seeing many of the evils that are multiplying so fast in these last day."
Some fathers and mothers are so indifferent, so careless, that they think it makes no difference whether their children attend a church school or a public school. “We are in the world” they say, “and we can not get out of it.” But, parents, we can get a good way out of the world, if we choose to do so, we can avoid seeing many of the evils that are multiplying so fast in these last day. We can avoid hearing about much of the wickedness and crime that exist. – {SpM 243.2}
Everything that can be done should be done to place ourselves and our children where we shall not see the iniquity that is practiced in the world. We should carefully guard the sight of our eyes and the hearing of our ears, so that these awful things shall not enter our minds. When the daily newspaper comes into the house, I feel as if I wanted to hide it, that the ridiculous, sensational things in it may not be seen. It seems as if the enemy is at the foundation of the publishing of many things that appear in the newspapers. Every sinful thing that can be found is uncovered and laid bare before the world. – {SpM 243.3}
Mrs. E. G. White