VALUE QUESTIONED

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23717, 26 January 1939, Page 12

VALUE QUESTIONED

HOSPITAL CHURCH SERVICES SUNDAY SCHOOL WORK DISCONTINUANCE SUGGESTED (Special to Daily Times) AUCKLAND, Jan. 24. “To be quite frank, I would not have church services held there at all; it is only tormenting unfortunate people,” said Mr Allan J. Moody, chairman of the Auckland Hospital Board, at a meeting of the board when a recommendation was received from the Complaints Committee that the conducting of Sunday school in the children’s ward should be suspended, as it interfered with ward work. A correspondent suggested that Sunday school in the children’s wards should be held from 1.45 p.m. to 2.15, so that the children might have an interval between the Sunday school and visiting hour. No Useful Purpose The medical superintendent, Dr J. W. Craven, in a report, said that for some years Sunday school had been conducted in wards 20 and 23 by representatives of the Bible Training Institute. He had conferred with the senior members of the nursing staff in these wards and they did not feel that any useful purpose was 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 be discontinued,” Dr Craven said. “ Meantime the sisters have been instructed that the regular work of the wards must go on without interruption.” Mr J. V. Macky advised against hasty action. He suggested that the matter should be referred back to the committee for further consideration. There was immense value in Sunday school training for children and the board should do nothing destructive of children’s religious life. After further discussion Dr Craven was called upon to report verbally. “ Just a Travesty ” “ The discipline and the whole thing are just a travesty of a Sunday school,” he said. “I am not against Sunday schools but I think that there is far too much excitement. I do not think it does the children any good.” Dr Hilda Northcroft: From Dr Craven’s report it would seem that the spiritual good is negligible and the physical harm considerable. Mr Moody said that -he was not opnosed to Sunday schools, but he felt that the children should not be unduly disturbed. They were patients for only a short time, and it was the board’s duty to see to their physical welfare. Religious instruction was more a matter for their parents. Members of the committee responsible for the recommendation emphasised that they appreciated the value of religious instruction, and said that they had reached their decision only after earnest consideration. The proposal was referred back to the committee for further examination. f