This request being obeyed amid considerable confusion, with Marcia Dayne appointed from the Fort Adams District, and the council excused to draft the basic laws for the week, the faculty was introduced, one by one.

Each teacher was given the opportunity to describe his or her course, so that out of the eight or nine courses offered every delegate might select two besides the two which were required of all students, and so qualify for an Institute diploma.

J.W. found himself enjoying all this hugely.  It appealed to his growing sense of freedom from schoolboy restraint.  If he did go to any of the classes, it appeared that he could pick the ones he liked.  Up to now he had entertained no thought of any serious work, but the faculty talks about these courses made him think there might be worse ways of spending the week than qualifying for an Institute diploma.  The whole thing seemed to be so easy and so friendly.  Of course he could see that the study would not be much, even if he signed up for it, being just for a week, but it might not be bad fun.

Morning Watch was an experience to J.W.  He was surprised to find himself staying awake in a before-breakfast religious meeting, and was even more surprised to be enjoying it.  Something about this big crowd of young people stirred all his pulses, and the religion they heard about and talked about seemed to J.W. something very real and desirable.  He thought of himself as a Christian, but he wondered if his Christian life might not become more confident and productive.  In this atmosphere one almost felt that anything was possible.

Meal times turned out to be times of orderly disorder.  J.W. and his friends were at a table with other groups from the Fort Adams District, and he quickly mastered the raucous roar which served the District for a yell.  Before the end of the second day his alert good nature made him cheer leader, and thereafter he rarely had time to eat all that was set before him, though possessed of a boy’s healthy appetite.  It was simply that the other possibilities of the hour seemed more alluring than mere food.

From the first day of the class work J.W. found himself keen for all that was going on.  There was variety enough so that he felt no weariness, and the range of new interests opened up each day kept him at constant and pleasurable attention.  Without knowing just how, he was catching the Institute spirit.

He walked away from the dining hall one noon with his pastor-friend, and he talked.  He had to talk to somebody, and Walter Drury contrived to know of his need.

“Why, Mr. Drury,” he said, eagerly, “I’m just finding out how little I know about the church and real Christian work.  I thought I was something of an average Methodist boy, but if the people at home are no better than I am, I can see how being a preacher to such a bunch is a man’s job.”

“Correct, J.W.” said the minister.  “I find that out many a time, to my humbling.  But honestly, now, are you learning things you never knew before?”