, 1877-03-04

IHE S4COSD NAA SE95lON
OF the Cook County Suaday-Scheol Convention
commenced in Lover Farwcll Hall yesterday
morning at 10 O'Clock. The attendance was
very light at the opening, but The room partially
filled up during the forenoon. After devotional
exercises, including prayer, singing, aud the
reading of portion Of Scripture, the pzesid cut,
Dr. Blackall, called UP the special order,
Township Work.
Mr.. F. +. Portcr said that out Of the ], 500
townships in Illinois, ,029 were organized for
Sunday-scnool work. The State a1I County
Conventions had been Of great service IN stiau~
lating Sunlayschool scholars and teachers to re-
rcwcd efforts. The first necessity was to sur
yeY the field; second, to stimulate the workers; !;
third, to instruct eacl, other in the Scriptures;
and, fourth, devotional exercises aud social ill.,
tercourse. The reason they could not lind 4 hall
in Illinois large enough for the State Conren-
tion was BECAUSE they had done much with the
open Bible. Aud yet he had seen III Illinois
Sunday schools which were praycrlcss. III coll
clusion, be called the attention of the Conyen-
ton to Il digest Of tile proceedings of the Plain
field Congress, which he had prepared. He
trusted that by the blessing Of God the work
nisht go on in prosperity:
The subject OF = sSchoolWOfk Was then called
up, and Mr. ~. F. JacoDs Superintendent Of the
Of tl,e work. There tlcy had average IL
tendance Of 80 in the adult and 100 in the
primary department. The children had become
greatly interested i'll the school, and had pushed
their parents to the chureht aud On New lear's
Day ejghty-two were uddcd. He believed that
ono OF the rcasous for the interest felt by
the children was that the Superintendent and
teachers took pains to acqlaint themselves with
the names Ut their scholars and to identify them
selves with the school. HI did not vary the
work much, fur be believed children liked what
they were used to. Tic school had increased
one-third during the past year, aud the
average Attendance was yearly up to tho total
enrolled. The services lasted all hour and 4
hall, the lesson taking up thirfy-fiye minutes.
They had thought Of dropping out the singing
altogether, as they had 1o one con:,etcnt to
lead 1t properly. The weekly n,ectin. OF teach
ers for examination Of the lesson hai. recently
been resumed.
Mr.: j. II. Hitchcock, of the Chicaso-Avcn1c
$unduy-Scl1ool (Moodys}, said he wished he
could give them accurate photograph of the
school. Most schools we're of1shovts Of sume
preceded ti,e caursI, several years. They
having started DIS ragged school. but now iu-
clude1 large number OF scholars of Il better
class. Three weeks ago last Sunday they
s75. Or this total, IS per cent were adults. p
per cent i'll tue primary, aud 10 per cent in tie
class. the proportion OF adults
was considered larger than The average. In the
summer they would take Out the children 10
Lincoln Park Ar somewhere in the Ensxr6s Tor
L holiday. Then they gave nig!le1 rouccrts,':
lu which tho infants took great interest. and
from which much god had been derived. Some
Of the adult. .sasses We're very larrc, almost TOO
large. =
I,replv to question, afr. Hitchcock said that
scnc Of the classes were for young men, some
or women exclusively. and some were mixed.
here had been no evil results from the system
mixed classes; on the contrary, great additions
nd been made to tho classes by th.s means a
elegate said that one prominent characteristic |
{ the school Tas the good order preserved.
be Superintendent said he was very glad to |
ear it.: he didn't know it before. Another
elegate thought the great trouble in obtaining
rder was not with the scholars, but with the
:achers. Mr.. Hitchcock replied that this was
,; il be could get something to throw the
,eclers into spas1ns he could get order much
uic.ter.
At this point an adjournment was taken to !
&c larger hall, where Sir. B. F. jacobs pro-
.eded to question the Normal class Oh the sub
ct of the dar. This was taken from what is
novn as the chautauqua series, aad formed one
the regular course Of lessons. Mr.. Jacobs
rawn from the subject giyen, which was .sTbe
ible-" This Was divided up into sections, ard
le teachers explained what they had learned
bout it during the week.
AT p IN. ti1e cuu1tf -ccu0Ol kOI0tF tOnFen- |
on reasse1nbed in Farweil Hall, but the at ,
endaucc was extremely limited. After season |
dcyoiional exercises, DR.. Blaclall read the |
irst Psalm. He then stated that this was sup
osed to be Suuday-scloof officers conIcre uct, |
nd suggested that the next threc-Quarters OF
n hour BIZ spent III social converse.
A delegate asked for information as to the |
est method of conducting infant classes.
The Chair called for representative OF the |
bird Presbyterian Church school 10 answer this
uestton, but met with no response.
MIR. for1cr said that he had found it of serr-
C, while conducting mission school, to di-
itle thu infants into three classes. One OF
lrse was = reception ciass, in which new schol-
rs were put until they showed that they were
kelly to become permanent attendants In the |
whicb followed several delegates par
cipated. and narrated their experience IN ill.,
1nt-srflool management.
The Treasurer, Mr. C. t. Richardson, present.
his annual REPORT which showed that during +
he year 3.o3 had been received and Sl5o95
Spen1ed, leaving the Sunl!ay-Schoel Assoviu-
ou Sl6s. II behind the world. The report WAS |
ceepted-
The Statistical Secretary presented report of
ne growth and present standing OF the schools |
the county towns lis follows:
ais q 5 Is