DIOCESAN SUNDAY SCHOOLS

Evening Star, Issue 21077, 14 April 1932, Page 14

DIOCESAN SUNDAY SCHOOLS

TEACHERS' ASSOCIATION The annual prize-giving ceremony in connection with the examination Held under the auspices of the Dunedin Diocesan Sunday School Teachers’ Association in November last was held on Tuesday evening in St, Matthew’s Schoolroom, when Bishop Richards presided over » large attendance of scholars, parents, and teachers. The secretary read the examiner’s report, and the president (.Canon Button), in speaking to the report, said that they had been very fortunate in having an examiner who was a parish priest and who was in touch with Sunday school children. Mr Roberts, not being in a Sunday school affiliated to the association, was able to act as examiner, and they owed him a great debt of gratitude for setting the papers and in trying to see just what the children meant by their answers to the questions. The report stated that junior scholars evidently found it difficult to write down what they had learned, and the speaker thought it would be an excellent plan to give the children written tests fairly frequently, so that they would be able to write down what they knew. Tests set once a year, as in this examination, were very desirable, as they brought the children of one school into competition with children of other schools. He paid a tribute to those men and women who were giving their time and thought to the work of the Sunday schools, not only by taking classes on Sunday, but by taking a personal interest in the children, and he hoped that parents would give the support to those teachers who were giving this voluntary service. It was very necessary that religious training should bo given to the young people, especially in difficult times like the present, when so many influences were at work to undermine the teaching of Jesus Christ. Bishop Richards said he was very glad to see such a good attendance. He congratulated the association on the examiner’s report, which he considered one of the best they had had, One great point in having the Sunday School Association was not only that children moving from one place to another had the same teaching, but also that tbo children were being taught from an excellent syllabus, drawn up with great care and thought. He told the children that the things they were learning now, if learnt carefully, were things they would never forget, and he stressed how very important it was to know the Catechism and to know the story of our Lord’s life and teaching. The things learnt in Sunday school were the things that made for true happiness and taught them how to build up good characters. The bishop then presented the prizes and certificates, the first prize being won by Isabel Gillies, of St. Martin’s Sunday School, and the second prize ty Frances Mitchell, of St. Paul’s, A programme consisting of the following items was much appreciated:—Recita tions—Olive Erridge, Margaret Bundo, Joyce Gibson, Florence Glue, Frances Mitchell, Enid Freeman, Ellen Lockhart; Maori duet (in costume) by Lola Lockhart and Audrey Mong; piano forte duets, Joan Shackleton and Nellie Richmond; living statuary _ .entitled ‘ Ideals,’ girls from St. Martin’s Sunday School; sketch, ‘Tragedy of'ho Lighthouse,’ boys from St. Martin’s; ghort plays, girls from St.. Matthew’s*