By 1918 the school had graduated some five-hundred and seventy women. The motto of “Service” was the guiding force for many of the school’s graduates. Service for the school meant work with the people of  western North Carolina and the Appalachian region to “stimulate them to higher ideals” through faith. As the 1922 Highlander yearbook says, “Faith is the substance of things hoped for; the evidence of things not seen.” The commitment to service can be seen in the school’s work with the YWCA, with the Presbyterian Board of Home Missions outreach efforts and the many individual efforts by students and graduates to contribute to the community of Asheville and to the western region. The Normal and Collegiate Institute was one of many women’s schools that flourished in western North Carolina in the late nineteenth century and the early twentieth century. Not all had the service mission of the Institute. Most were typical “finishing” schools. The Grove Park School on Edgemont Road in North Asheville was an example of such finishing schools. 

This early model of service to the community was unique in area schools, but a growing number of institutions inspired by "settlement work", particularly the work of Jane Addams and Hull House in Chicago has, today, led to a resurgence of service within the educational program of many schools.

My Dear Mr. Seely: 

I have just been reading Fundamentals of Prosperity by Babson. He made me repeatedly think of you and your way of doing things.

I am up against a hard proposition and want you to advise me as to the solution of the problem. Our Summer School has been a success in numbers and perhaps in other ways. Our problem now is what are we going to do with it next year. 

I spent a few days of my vacation in Columbia University the first of August. While there I signed up two of the greatest and vest-known teachers in the country for our 1922 Summer Session. I don't know why they should come to us when great Universities were bidding for their services. All I know is that they are coming. 

Our difficulties are two; first, I am not certain that Asheville cares enough about our Summer School and an intellectual atmosphere to adequately care for such numbers of pupils as can be brought to us during the summer. If we are to grow and comfortable care for our next session we must have an inexpensive building that will house a hundred and fifty teachers more than the present dormitory capacity of the campus. We will need three outdoor class rooms and a professional group of books for our library. The total cost of such equipment will be in the neighborhood of seventy five thousand dollars. 

My Board will do all it can, but of course nothing big. We will have Home School ready by this time, but all I have mentioned in equipment will be necessary after Home School has been built. Do you feel that Asheville should take advantage of this great opportunity for building a large Summer School: If so, who should bear the expense, and whose business should it be to see that the proposition goes through? I am frank to say that I do not know how big an educational enterprise Asheville ought to swing. I do believe that Asheville now has the opportunity for laying the foundation for the greatest Summer School in the South. Does she want it bad enough to pay for it is the question.

My second problem is that of providing profitable labor in safe surrounding for fifty girls who must have employment during the summer vacation. We gave work and protection to forty four of our girls during the Summer School. Some of the girls are homeless, and many of them who live far back in the mountains have little or no means for earning shoes and clothes. 

If I had two thousand dollars to enlarge our weaving and manual training space we could provide productive work for all of the girls who need our protection during the summer. They would make for sale book ends, book cases, magazine racks medicine cabinets, dressing tables, secretaries, rugs, curtains, homespun, etc. 

The two thousand dollars I am going to have for we must have it for the sake of character development.  If someone does not give me this sum within the next few weeks I am going to pray and believe that you will, and what is more I shall work to make my prayer come true. 

Thanking you in advance for what you will say, I am

Most sincerely, ...."

I have been out of town all this week and just find your letter of the thirty first. 

It would be a great mistake to judge Asheville's attitude by the present or the past few years. Everything is abnormal and I think you will find that every business man is making the hardest struggle he has ever known to keep from sinking  -- many of them are sinking, too!

You can safely figure on at least two more years of the present business conditions; then things will begin to improve. 

I am afraid you are not satisfied with well enough, for the thing you must consider is what you have done and what little Asheville has done has been a great benefit to a great many girls, and can you estimate the void that would be left if through discouragement or disatisfaction because things weren't better than they are, you discontinued what you have been doing?

Any business man is doing well if he keeps his business up to within twenty five to fifty per cent loss over pervous years. My advice to you would be to be patient and whatever you do try to see your duty to carry on the work until the burdens are lighter. 

Very sincerely yours, 

[A note attached to the front of the letters of Calfee and Seely reads: "My dear Mr. Seely: I think your letter to Dr. Calfee splendid and is good advice, not only for Dr. Calfee but for some of the balance of us. Hope to see you tonight if possible. Saturday a.m.   --- Wallace" 9Mr. Wallace B. Davis, President, Central Bank & Trust Co., Asheville, NC)]

"Dear Dr. Calfee: 

I ahve your letter regarding a Summer School, and it is a great deal like I said to you a few weeks ago. 

I talked the matter over with Mr. Davis at the Bank at that time, and asked him what he thought. He stated that he was of the same opinion. 

In financial matters, I am guided more by Mr. Davis' opinion than most anything, and I would suggest that you go in there some time and talk to him about it. 

I am afraid things are too unsteady to undertake anything so big at the present time. I know you would catch me at an impossible period. 

Very sincerely,  ..."