SUNDAY SCHOOL NOTES

Evening Star, Issue 19044, 12 September 1925, Page 13

SUNDAY SCHOOL NOTES

[By Forward.]

Items of interest—short, bright paragraphs of news, comments on these Notes, inquiries about difficulties—will be welcomed by “ Forward.” " The supremo aim of all religious education is to enable men to recognise God when they meet Him.” » » » ■» There are few churches in this country that cannot afford to supply their children with the books and materials needed for their religious training. Infeed, there are no churches that can afford to do otherwise. All text books and materials supplied should compare rather more than favorably with the public school texts and materials. » * * c Professor Lawson’s public lecture on ‘ The Necessity for Specialised Training in Religious Education,’ delivered at bho Otago School of Religious Education on Tuesday evening, was full of (ood things. Tho Otago Council of S.S. Unions intends to publish it in full in some of tho church papers, and also in pamphlet form. “Tho first Christian training .vas given by Christ Himself in doctrine, demonstration lessons, and practical work by tho disciples or learners. Christ’s methods wore essentially modern and psychologically adapted to tho needs of each individual, Training must evoke enthusiasm and eliminate useless effort. It would .irouso interest iu the pupil and create skilful methods and conservation of energy. It would engender a professional spirit, with high standard and a pride in good work, and would give a sense of progress, going hand in hand .vit-b the advance of secular knowledge in pedagogy, sociology, and psychology. Progress gave buoyancy, and optimism icd to success. Without training there was a danger of isolation and stagnation.”—Professor Lawson. * B « * In this week’s issue of the ‘Outlook ’ will bo found an essay, 1 Moses, the Man and His Work,’ by Miss M. E. Scorgio, a student of tho Otago School of Religious Education. This essay represents the tost set for tho first term’s work in tho Biblical few months ago Miss E. K. Macfie’s essay, ‘ The Professional Spirit Among Religious Education.,’ was issued in pamphlet form. The work of those two students is evidence both of tho high standard of instruction given at the school and tho ability and thoroughness of the individual students.

PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND RELIGIOUS EDUCATION. ‘Latest Religions Resources in Public School Education,’ by C. A. Hauser, D.D., Ph.D., will repay careful reading by day school and church school workers. “The purpose of this book is to bring into closer personal relationship two groups of educators who should become more intimately acquainted with each other’s important field of work. . . . The average church school leader to-day knows comparatively little of educational procedure, but ho must soon learn it —and the public school teacher has little reason to give serious attention to the church school because of its low educational ideals and the hopelessness,_ until recently, of materially improving conditions. But all this is rapidly changing now.

“Tho world crisis through which wo are passing has pointed out in a practical way the wisdom of modern leaders in general education in placing tho emphasis in education upon conduct, not only in tonus of skill, but also in terms of morals. This change of viewpoint, together with tho shilling of the emphasis in religious education from creed to deed, and tho breaking down of the sharp distinction between the religions and secular, has removed the wide gulf that formerly existed between these two groups of educators and thev respective tasks. “The common goal of the teaching of tho two schools is tho cultivation oi worthy citizens. Tho public schools emphasise citizenship in democracy, and the church schools citizenship iu a democracy that is Christian._ “ Jt is our aim to point out how surprisingly rich public school education is in latent religious resources. It is next to tragic that this material has, of necessity, remained almost entirely unused by tho forces administering church school education. “ A study of public school curriculum material ns it exists to-day will show that it contains broad and deep foundations upon which religion can further build its structure.

“The State would profit if the child could bo sent from the church school with religions zeal added to its ordinary interest in public school studios. This, in addition to the ordinary appeal made to patriotism and good citizenship, there would bo added the desire to please God and obey His laws. In this way democracy could be made to realise its highest form of expression. CHARACTER FORMATION IN A DEMOCRACY. Tho schools of the people will not teach religion, but they will increasingly develop moral objectives for all their work - . Character formation will loom larger and larger in the conscious purposes of public school teachers. Representative educational leaders agree, that tho following are among the more important ideals which the public schools will teach to the children in tho schools of tomorrow. Self-support, the city beautiful, public cleanliness, co-operation, promptness, good workmanship, ecpiality of opportunity, religious freedom, freedom of opinion, freedom of speech, independence of thought, tolerance, due process of law (law ahidiugnessL self-control in word and action, realisation of one’s potentialities, community service, responsibility to tho future, our national mission, intellectual self-reliance, fair _ play, nublio honesty, respect for minority rights, brotherhood of man, respect for the integrity _ of tho individual personality, critical thinking in social, civic, and political fields, truly representative government,, personal industry, duty of intelligence (obligation of a citizen in a democracy to bo as intelligent as is possible to him). Tho democratic State owes its free public schools to the Protestant Reformation. Tho church schools will heartily support the whole of the foregoing, and, in addition, will seek to introduce control into experience in terms of Jesus Christ.

NORTH-EAST VALLEY PRESBYTERIAN SCHOOL. In tho Young Mon’s Institute the parents and teachers of _ the, Northeast Valley Presbyterian Sunday School. met to hear the animal reports of the various departments. Tbo keynote, or aim, right through seemed to he, as the beginners’ report puts it, "To lead the child to the Heavenly Father; to know God, Who provides for all; to know Jesus the Son of God, Who is the friend of little children; to distinguish between right and wrong; and _to show love to God by working with Him for others.” Tho cradle roll has 103 names—-fifty-one hoys and fifty-two girls. Forty-two babies were enrolled during‘tho year, and twenty-four reached tho age when promotion to the beginners’ department takes place. In connection with the cradle roll, there is a committee of ladies whoso duty : h is to visit the homos and to at- , tend cradle roll and baptismal serI vices. Song and story form the major j part of tbo beginners* Sunday after- ) noon.

A feature of tho junior department is the high standard of the homework done by the children, nearly 80 per cent, working regularly. Scholars of this department help in the junior choir on anniversary clay. In the intermediate department decision day was held during the _ year, when a number of scholars signed the decision and forward step cards. This is encouraging for the teachers. Every department gives liberally to the ‘Break of Bay’ fund and theP.S.S.A. The school supports an orphan in the homo. During the evening appreciation of the groat work being done by the Sunday school was voiced by Mrs ■mith and Messrs Hamilton and t'n'en. The Bov. (4. Miller spoke briefly to the parents on the value of sowing good seed in the homo, and, by example, instilling into the children reverence for the Sabbath and tho House of God.