Ellen G. White: The Australian Years: 1891-1900 (vol. 4)

A Start with Buildings for Avondale College

Land had been cleared on a high rise in the ground with the hope that when funds were available, a beginning could be made in putting up school buildings. The master plan worked out by W. C. Sisley and adopted by the union conference committee called for three buildings as a beginning—the central building for administration and classrooms, flanked on either side at a distance of one hundred feet by dormitories for the young men and the young women. These were to be erected on what L. J. Rousseau described in his letter to the churches, dated February 25, 1895, as “one of the prettiest elevations that could be found in the whole vicinity.”—DF 170, “The Avondale School, 1895-1907.” 4BIO 226.2

But before there could be buildings, there had to be lumber, milled from trees cut from their forest. This called for a sawmill. W. C. White, writing to his brother Edson on August 3, described plans for the building to house the mill. He reported: 4BIO 226.3

Brethren Rousseau and Metcalfe Hare have been in Sydney for two weeks buying building materials, horses, wagons, farming implements, fruit trees, et cetera, et cetera.... Last night we advertised for a boiler, engine, circular saw, planer, turning lathe, and for a brickmaking plant.—8 WCW, p. 31. 4BIO 226.4

He commented, “We shall have very busy times at Avondale for the next few months.” 4BIO 226.5