may ask. Easily. Pupils flocked from far
and near. They came by the hundred. Presently
the term was cut down nearly half, but the price remained
as before. To be exact, the term-cut was to seven
lessons —price, three hundred dollars.
The college “yielded a large income.”
This is believable. In seven years Mrs. Eddy
taught, as she avers, over four thousand students
in it. (Preface to 1902 edition of Science and Health.)
Three hundred times four thousand is—but
perhaps you can cipher it yourself. I could
do it ordinarily, but I fell down yesterday and hurt
my leg. Cipher it; you will see that it is a
grand sum for a woman to earn in seven years.
Yet that was not all she got out of her college in
the seven.
At the time that she was charging the primary student
three hundred dollars for twelve lessons she was not
content with this tidy assessment, but had other ways
of plundering him. By advertisement she offered
him privileges whereby he could add eighteen lessons
to his store for five hundred dollars more.
That is to say, he could get a total of thirty lessons
in her college for eight hundred dollars.
Four thousand times eight hundred is—but
it is a difficult sum for a cripple who has not been
“demonstrated over” to cipher; let it go.
She taught “over” four thousand students
in seven years. “Over” is not definite,
but it probably represents a non-paying surplus of
learners over and above the paying four thousand.
Charity students, doubtless. I think that as
interesting an advertisement as has been printed since
the romantic old days of the other buccaneers is this
one from the Christian Science Journal for September,
1886:
“Rev. Mary Baker G. Eddy, President
“571 Columbus Avenue, Boston
“The collegiate course in Christian Science
metaphysical healing includes twelve lessons.
Tuition, three hundred dollars.
“Course in metaphysical obstetrics includes
six daily lectures, and is open only to students from
this college. Tuition, one hundred dollars.
“Class in theology, open (like the above) to
graduates, receives six additional lectures on the
Scriptures, and summary of the principle and practice
of Christian Science, two hundred dollars.
“Normal class is open to those who have taken
the first course at this college; six daily lectures
complete the Normal course. Tuition, two hundred
dollars.
“No invalids, and only persons of good moral
character, are accepted as students. All students
are subject to examination and rejection; and they
are liable to leave the class if found unfit to remain
in it.
“A limited number of clergymen received free
of charge.
“Largest discount to indigent students, one
hundred dollars on the first course.
“No deduction on the others.
