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

A Call for Sound Financial Policies

A month later, Ellen White had something to say about the tuition rates and balancing the school budget: 4BIO 311.2

There is a very great mistake made in setting the price of tuitions so low. It cannot be thus. It is a wild movement. 4BIO 311.3

If I had known it before the matter had gone out, I would not have consented to have any such prices. I have had the matter presented to me that one cause of the debts accumulated in Battle Creek has been low tuition and rates for rooms and board, and then not proper management to bring the outgoes to harmonize with such prices. 4BIO 311.4

The Lord would have His people act sensibly. They cannot possibly keep from sinking under the outgoing expenditures. When they have tested this way of management long enough to see the outcome, why do they repeat the same thing term after term? You will have less students—that may be and may not be. But whichever way it shall turn, there must be wise managers in every school who understand the practical workings of the expenditures and the income, and the outgoes must harmonize with the income. Therefore, do not dishonor the educational interests with mismanagement. 4BIO 311.5

Let there be careful tact and wisdom in all our school arrangements and place the tuition sufficiently high to make ends meet. The Lord is not glorified by any such unwise managing. If the correct management of the school in setting the tuition at a figure to clear expenses shall bring in less students, then let the risk be run on the safe side, and there will be a better class of students.—Letter 193, 1897. 4BIO 311.6