ANNUAL REPORT-EXECUTIVE OF COUNCIL FOR CHRISTIAN EDUCATION IN SCHOOLS

White Ribbon, Volume 32, Issue 1, 1 May 1960, Page 8

ANNUAL REPORT-EXECUTIVE OF COUNCIL FOR CHRISTIAN EDUCATION IN SCHOOLS

Each year the work of the council grows, and this last year has been one of expansion. One of the most encouraging aspects of th council’s work is the improvement in staffing scl ools with voluntary teachers of the Bible. One district recorded an increase of 40 per cent, in the numbers of voluntary teachers, others have shown substantial increases. But, of course, a great deal remains to be done. Some schools still are without any religious instruction. It is the aim to ensure that every child whose parents do not object, receives in school a general knowledge of the Bible and of the development of the Christian Faith. It is obvious that the clergy and full-time Church workers cannot meet this need alone. They are helped by a large number of lay workers in the case of the latter considerable progress has been made by organising local rallies and training courses. It is significant that the schools are most adequately staffed in Otago and Southland where the council has a full time District supervisor, the Rev. E. M. Enright, the council aims to have similar officers working in other districts and we have much pleasure in stating that Sister Margaret Read is now our Field Secretary and has been \isiting many districts during the last year. We feel that her visits have been a great help to those visited, also to the council. Sister Margaret finds that the work of the council is not as widely known as the council would like. Whet* Sister Margaret is in your district, go to hear her and ask her to speak at your meetings, you will be rewarded. At the National Council of Churches “Life and Work” Conference held last May, the Council for Christian Education was responsible for the topic, “Christian Education”. In the findings of the Conference it was parsed: “That this conference affirm that a general knowledge of the Bible, the Christian Faith and the influence of Christianity upon culture and civilisation is essential for complete education. It is the birthright rt children to receive this heritage, and it is the responsibility of the public education system in co-operation with the Church and the home to ensure that they have the opportunity of doing so. Unless this opportunity is provided in the schools, a large number of children will not receive their rightful heritage. A school (“urriciilum which omits religious knowledge, omits a significant portion of our cultural heritage, fails to cater for the most important part of the child’s nature and distorts the perspective in which mental and physical training should be viewed.” Also, “That this conference supports the action of the N /. Council for Christian Education in seeking the inclusion of religious knowledge among the options for School Certificate”. Their affirmations indicate that throughout all education there is a great litcd for Christian Teaching. Preparations are going forward to put before the Commission on Education (to be held in i 960), the great needs of Christian Education in our land. Meanwhile the service books, activity books, etc., for use in schools are still in great demand, also Hand Books for teachers. As you will see. the Council for Christian Education has many sides to the w’ork on hand beside the one half hour weekly Bible lesson —ALICE M. SIRED (Wellington).