Advent Pioneers Biographical Sketches and Pictures

GOODLOE HARPER BELL

PIONEER EDUCATOR
April 1832 — January 16, 1899 APBP 6.1

Professor Bell was perhaps the ranking educator of the Seventh-day Adventist denomination in its earliest years of educational work. “The first strong, sound, progressive educational work of Seventh-day Adventists began with the coming to Battle Creek of Goodloe Harper Bell in 1866.” — Pioneer Stories Retold, p. 185. APBP 6.2

At that time this young married man was 34 years old and, contrary to most opinion, was largely self-taught except for some months that he spent at Oberlin College. He was prominent in public school work when the public school system began in Michigan in those days. APBP 6.3

His first visit to Battle Creek was with a friend who became a patient at the newly established Health Reform Institute, but the next year Professor Bell came back for treatment himself. He liked the Battle Creek methods and enjoyed working on the grounds and in the garden of the Sanitarium. His health greatly improved. APBP 6.4

Battle Creek College, dedicated January 4, 1875, was largely the out-growth of a private school begun by Professor Bell in that city. He wrote several textbooks for the study of the English language but was best known for his eight little books entitled Bible Lessons for the Sabbath School. APBP 6.5

From June 1869 to November 1871, Professor Bell was editor of the Youth’s Instructor. When Battle Creek College was founded he was made head of the English Department. Sydney Brownsberger was principal, James White was president of the college, Uriah Smith was head of the Bible Department. APBP 6.6

He might have lived to a ripe old age had it not been that in 1899, in his 67th year, while riding in a carriage drawn by his spirited horse, he had an accident and was killed. Thousands of people mourned the passing of this beloved teacher. APBP 6.7

See: Pioneer Stories Retold, pp. 185-192; Footprints of the Pioneers, pp. 187-194. APBP 6.8

A Story About Goodloe Harper Bell

Professor Bell’s friendliness and his love for juniors helped in founding a Christian college. One day while Brother Bell was working in the garden of the health institute at Battle Creek, Edson and Willie, sons of Elder and Mrs. White, who lived on the corner of Washington and Champion Streets, just below the sanitarium, happened to pass by and saw the professor working. He was friendly to the problems of the boys and they liked him at once. When they asked him questions about school work he gave them clear answers! In fact he could make it plainer than the teacher at their own school. So Willie and Edson hurried home to the Whites and told them about their discovery in words like these: APBP 6.9

“Oh, Father and Mother, we met the most wonderful man at the sanitarium! He is a patient there. And he is the best teacher! — just the kind of teacher we would like to have. He answered all our questions, and he made it all so interesting. We wish we could have him at our school.” APBP 6.10

Well, Elder White and other parents waited upon Professor Bell and encouraged him to start a private school. This he did. The private school developed until it was taken under the wing of the General Conference. The lower story of an old Review building was used for the schoolrooms and the upper story was made into a comfortable little home for Professor Bell. APBP 6.11

Now we have said that Professor Bell was friendly. He was also a strong disciplinarian. One day in class a student named Dan T. Jones, who later became a missionary to Mexico and later still, the Secretary of the General Conference, was sitting in rhetoric class. He was a thoughtful boy who would like to reach his conclusions only after he had had time to think. He was a good Missourian in every way, but rhetoric and English were hard for him. One day his number (students had numbers in those days) was called and he wasn’t expecting it. He was supposed to read a long paragraph from the textbook, but he had trouble finding the paragraph. Finally he found it, but did not move to his feet until he did. Professor Bell could not tolerate such sluggishness. “Mr. Jones,” he said, “is evidently asleep. Someone please wake him up.” APBP 7.1

Dan Jones replied, “No, sir, I am not asleep. I am hunting the paragraph.” APBP 7.2

Professor Bell replied, “Hunting? Hunting? Do people in Missouri hunt sitting down? Are you too weak to get up? Boost him,” he said, referring to the young man in the seat next to him, “Boost him.” APBP 7.3

Well, that was the way Professor Bell was. Strict and stern. Sometimes overly so. But he got results and somehow the students loved him. It took that kind of a person to run a school back in the 1860’s. And that was the kind of a person Professor Bell was. Do you think that it is good for teachers to be stern sometimes? APBP 7.4