This Is The School That Faith Built
Columbia Bible School is humbly grateful for its new classroom building and facilities for this school year. This building was built entirely by faith.
Fifteen months ago the Board of Trustees initiated a building program of $40,000 with only $2,200 in the bank. The board determined that patrons of the school would give labor, material and money. Since the building has been completed and we look back on the efforts put forth, there is only one answer — God was with us.
The building was constructed with only one salaried man. The response was over-whelming in volunteer labor. Many times we would have 300 man-hours in a day donated by willing workers. The 4th of July, 40 painters painted the entire building. On Labor Day 60 friends of Columbia Bible School painted, washed windows, installed Venetian Blinds, and got everything in readiness for school. I have never seen such response for volunteer work.
Business houses contributed liberally. One saw mill gave us $2800 worth of lumber. A Masonite processing plant sold us 1/4 inch Masonite, regularly 18 a square foot, for the unbelievable price of 4 a square foot. The saving in this one item alone was $630. Cement, electrical supplies, window glass, and other items too numerous to mention were sold to us at token prices because these business houses were interested in Christian education.
We got individuals to contribute to our school. The largest single contribution was $1500. We received money, though many gifts were small, from Tennessee to California. People who have never met us and have never seen our school sent funds. We believe God was using them to help us build to educate these boys and girls. We are eternally grateful.
We have a complete building now for High School and Grade School. However, we need some equipment in our Science, Home Economic, and Music departments. The school properly is valued at $162,500. We believe the reason why we are blessed with this good building is not only because of our Heavenly Father, but we have also enjoyed the confidence of our brethren in Christ. We have stated repeatedly from the pulpit and the pew — "The Board of Trustees of Columbia Bible School believes the school and church should be separate and that the responsibilities of perpetuating the school, especially financially, should be done by individual Christians and not by the treasury of the church of the Lord. The board makes a clear-cut and positive distinction between the school and the church. The two are distinct and different; the church being a divine institution under the oversight of elders, while the school is a human institution under the direction of a Board of Trustees." We have a $25,000 mortgage. This must be relieved soon. We want to make plans for college work in the very near future.
On behalf of the Board of Trustees, the officials, and the faculty of Columbia Bible School, we take this means to express our appreciation to our many friends who help us advance the cause of Christian education in the Northwest.