There is a time for training children and a time for educating youth, and it is essential that in school both of these be combined in a great degree. Children may be trained for the service of sin or for the service of righteousness. The early education of youth shapes their characters both in their secular and in their religious life. Solomon says: “Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.” This language is positive. The training which Solomon enjoins is to direct, educate, and develop. In order for parents and teachers to do this work, they must themselves understand “the way” the child should go. This embraces more than merely having a knowledge of books. It takes in everything that is good, virtuous, righteous, and holy. It comprehends the practice of temperance, godliness, brotherly kindness, and love to God and to one another. In order to attain this object, the physical, mental, moral, and religious education of children must have attention. {3T 131.2}

Der er en tid til at opdrage børnene og en tid til at uddanne de unge og det er af vigtighed, at begge disse ting i stor udstrækning forenes i skolen. Børn kan opdrages til syndens tjeneste eller til retfærdighedens tjeneste. De unges tidlige opdragelse giver deres karakter form både i deres timelige og i deres religiøse liv. Salomo siger: »Væn drengen til den vej, han skal følge, da viger han ikke derfra, selv gammel.« Dette er bestemt tale. Den opdragelse, Salomo påbyder, går ud på at lede, uddanne og udvikle. For at forældre og lærere skal kunne udføre denne gerning, må de selv forstå "den vej", barnet bør gå. Dette indbefatter mere end blot boglige kundskaber. Det omfatter alt, hvad der er godt, dydigt, retfærdigt og helligt. (132) Det indbefatter udøvelse af afholdenhed, gudsfrygt, broderlig venlighed samt kærlighed til Gud og til hverandre. For at opnå dette mål må man tage sig af barnets fysiske, åndelige, moralske og religiøse oplæring.