And There was Light

And There was Light is a history book by Myron F. Wehtje published by the Atlantic Press (Atlantic Union College House Publishing) in 1982. The book was published celebrating the 100 years of creation of the Atlantic Union College.
Summary
The Atlantic Union College arguably has one of the richest histories of all college establishments in the United States. And There was Light provides a historic view of South Lancaster Academy, Lancaster Junior College and also the Atlantic Union College. The book begins by narrating the history of South Lancaster town before it housed this institution, said to be one of the oldest educational institutions of the Seventh-day Adventist Church which still remains as of April 2011.
According to this book, by the time South Lancaster Academy was opened in 1882, Lancaster had no sectarian schools. Nevertheless, in most New England towns, including the town of Lancaster, several congregational churches had been founded. When South Lancaster Academy opened its doors to the community, it became the first Christian Institution who operated under a sectorial system in the North-East of America.
The idea of the need of a high quality education with Christian values soon was conceived in the minds of the administrators of the Seventh-day Adventist New England Conference. Stephen Haskell was one of the most prominent Christian of his time and he worked hard to encourage quality education. After several meetings, the conferences of the Seventh-day Adventist church agreed to support the idea of establishing a preparatory school in the area. With the approbation of the school, Haskell proved to be a great publicist. On April 19, 1882 the school was opened with 19 founding scholars.
The second part of the book documents the transition of the school, from the level of South Lancaster Academy to Atlantic Union College.
By 1885-1886 the principal of the school, Charles Ramsey, announced that the school had been proud to increase its population to 117 new students, and by 1887-1888 the school's opening enrollment rose again to 150 new students. In one opening ceremony, Ramsey said that the school, as a class, was more mature in mind and character than ever before. During the following years, the number of students remained almost the same, averaging 150 to 168.
Years later, the school had to deal with the consequences of the World War I, the number of students decreased even though the war did not have notoriety in the United States. By the end of the World War I, in 1917, a prison camp was established in South Lancaster and German soldiers were kept there; in contrary of the rest of the nation where anti-German sentiments arose, South Lancaster Academy students were friendly that some German soldiers tried to flirt young women that came to visit the new town attraction (prison).
By 1918, the school changed its name from South Lancaster Academy to Lancaster Junior College. The book explains that this change was necessary due to the new academic programs offered by the school. In addition, new graduate students believed that the name "college" would give the school greater prestige.
The school move forward throughout the years and on February 17, 1922, members of the Seventh-day Adventist conference in the northeast of the nation, voted to change the name of the school to Atlantic Union College.
The book ends making an epilogue of the college since 1928.
Understanding the Time
The book is rich in history information and may be useful for historians, librarians, archivists, teachers and public in general who want to know more about the town of Lancaster, Massachusetts, in the 19th and 20th centuries.
Some important events occurred during the timeframe when the Atlantic Union College was founded according to the books are:
* According to the federal census of 1850, Lancaster, Massachusetts had a population of 1,688.
* By 1850, The town of Clinton, Massachusetts was born.
* In 1849, the Worcester and Nashua Railroad began to serve in Lancaster, Massachusetts.
* By 1850, the town of Lancaster, Massachusetts, maintained 11 public elementary schools.
* The era of nurtured denominations begins in the earliest 1800's.
* By 1882, when the school was founded the Baseball was a popular game in the nation.
* Spanish-American war by 1898.
* The great depression that started in 1929.
* The World War I begun in Europe in 1914.
* Because of the World War I, American antipathy toward Germany discouraged students from studying German.
* The outbreak of the World War II in 1939, affected student recruitments at college.

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