SUNDAY SCHOOL

Auckland Star, Volume LXX, Issue 19, 24 January 1939, Page 13

SUNDAY SCHOOL

MAY SUSPEND IT. CHILDREN'S WARDS. HOSPITAL DISCUSSION. DOCTORS VOTE AGAINST IT. Medical opinion at the Auckland Hospital would suspend the Sunday school at present conducted in the children's ward on the grounds that it is detrimental to the working of the hospital. Thi* opinion wa9 expressed at the Hospital Board meeting last night in the recommendation of the complaints committee that the school be discontinued.. The question was keenly discussed, some members speaking strongly against the recommendation, and finally it was referred back to the committee for further investigation and report. The doctors' viewpoint was briefly expressed by Dr. Hilda Northcroft, a member of the .board: "The spiritual pood is negligible—the physical harm is considerable." "Unorthodox Methods." l>r. J. W. Craven, medical superintendent of the hospital, had reported to ■the committee, as follows:—• "For some years Sunday school has been conducted in Wards 20 and 23 by representatives of the Bible Training Institute. I have conferred with the senior members of the nursing staff in these particular wards, and they do not feel tha-t any useful purpose is served. The methods adopted are somewhat unorthodox, and discipline very difficult to maintain, and as regular church services are held throughout, the hospital, including these wards, it is recommended that the Sunday school l>e discontinued. Meantime the sisters have lieen instructed that the regular work of the wards must go on without interruption." Reporting further last night Dr. Craven said that Sunday was a crowded day for the children. Immediately after their midday meal they had the Sunday school, and there was only a quarter of an hour between the end of this and the beginning of the visiting hours. In that time the nurses had to prepare the children for the visitors. The children iiecaibe very excited. "It is not a properly conducted Sunday school—and if we are going to have a Sunday school it must be a proper «ne. Discipline suffers 'considerably. There i* far too much excitement. It doesn't do them any pood. Years agoj I used to be a Sunday school teacher myself, and I think it is a wonderful work, but in this case it is no wonder half the 'children are sick in the late hours of Sundays." j Spiritual Need a Stressed. The spiritual needs of the children were strewed by Mr. J. V. Mackv, who tlrged that the school be retained. It was a serious matter, he said, if the Sunday school authorities could not conduct such a school as this in a proper manner. • was quite sure that any complaints in that direction could be overcome. As one who had had considerable experience in youth work, he thought the good.that came from S.unday schools and Bible classes was incalculable. There were so many influences at work in the present aire undermining the spiritual side of life that they should do everything in their power to foster it. That was a matter for the parents, sujrjiested Mr. W. A. Bishop. Mr. A. J. Moody, who presided, considered that no harm would come from the suspension of the school. Questioned, Dr. Craven said that church services were held in the children's wards about once a month. Mr. Moody: To be quite frank, I would not have a church service held there at all. To ft questioner he added, "No. It is not compulsory—but they can't get out. Thev can't help themselves.'* Mr. .T. Sayegh said that it was only after the committee had discussed every possible suggestion for a change in the hours that he had agreed to the recommendation that the school should be discontinued. After other members had given their opinions it was decided to refer the matter back to the committee.