SUNDAY SCHOOL WORK

Evening Star, Issue 16662, 19 February 1918, Page 7

SUNDAY SCHOOL WORK

The Dunedin Presbyterian Sabbath School Association met in the Y.M.C.A. Rooms last night. At the special request of the Youth of-the Church Committee, a discussion took place on the wide question ' How Could Our Sunday School Work be Improved (1) From the Dominion Standpoint.. (2) in the Individual Congregations?' ° The president of the association (Mr M. W. .Johnson) occupied the chair, and referred to letters received from Sling Camp and from France from Mr G. W. Carrington (late secretary of the association). Mr Johnson explained that the Youth of the Church Committee desired the suggestions made at that meeting recorded and forwarded to them, so that they might be brought before the Easter Sunday School Conference. Mr R. Duncan offered the suggestion of an endowment fund, to be placed at the disposal of the Youth of the Church Committee. He also favored the'appointment of an educational director by the Church and the fostering of institutes and conferences. Two annual conferences could be held, one in each island, and every ihird year there could be a combined Dominion conference. Church members should bs organised and called upon to offer for various suitable forms of church -work, and by this means many would be added to the stags of the Sunday schools. All ministers ought to have some training in modern, up-to-date Sunday school methods. A conference of Sunday school -workers ought to be held each year after the General Assembly. The Rev. J. M'iller said that the school that had ceaeed to require improvement had ceased to be. The Rev. W. F. Evans said it might be an advantage if the Assembly's committee had three or four of their members in each of the large centres to represent them and carry on the work there. Each school required ~a definite aim, and it was the work of the Assembly's committee to make that aim known. Mr J. W. Todd referred to the observance of special occasions as a means of creating interest in tlio schools, and suggested various activities upon which the children might be encouraged to enter. Everything depended upon the.leader, and a suitable person was not always available. The most successful eohools were those that perpetuated themselves by the oldest scholars from time to time going- back to teach in the primary department. The Rev. A. Don said the committee wished the opinion of the teachers as to how the Sunday schools of the Dominion could be-co-ordinated, and supported the proposal to appoint a director of education. He emphasised' the essential importance of ,the x sympathy and support of the minister as. a factor in Sunday school success. Teachers should appeal to the-As-sembly to appoint a lecturer to give weekly lectures to divinity students on the theory and practice of Teligious education. . Tho Rev. S. Hill (Ta-panui) spoke of the relation of the individual teacher to the success of the school, and regretted that so few teachers had taken advantage of tho Assembly's training course. Ho° suggested thai the Sunday schools of the Dominion should have a foreign missionary of their own. Mr D. Todd proposed the issue of a small pnide book for superintendent*, and another for teachers. Superintendents should besrin the year by laying a definite plan and aim before the teachers, and at the centre of that aim should be a Decision Day. During the* evening a sacred' solo -was contributed by Mr D. Dryden.