The Monitor-register., 1896-08-21
The FRIENDS In Confereuce.

The twentieth session of the First Day
School General Conference of the Relig-
ious Society of Friends Association, held
10 conjunction with the Biennial General
Conference of the Young Friends, ssem-
bled on the college campus at tSwathmOre,
on Wednesday morning. This is the first
! OF "a series of conferences which will
continue for week.
At the opening of the meeting the
auditorium tent contained about 1000
people. The meeting began with few
minutes of silence, after the Friendly
custom in all meetings. Robert d..
Janney, clerk of the day, then made a
brief address of welcome to visiting
Friends. He referred with feeling to the
recent death of Joseph A. Bogardus, of
New York, who was for many years clerk
OF the conference. Delegates were present
from the First Day School Associations
of the seven yearly meetings of New
York, Baltimore, Onio, Indiana, Illinois,
Genesee and Philadelphia. The Executive
Committee, of the General Conference,
made report in which it suggested the
need of more earnest work on the part of
First Day school teachers and mentioned
teachers meetings and conference classes
for adults as valuable aids. The report
of the committee closed with loving
tribute to the late Joseph A. Bogardus.
The Literature Committee reported at
tention 10 the matter of First-Day school
lesson leaves, and suggested that the
lessons OF 1895 on the consolidated Cos
pels be edited and published in hand
| book FORM The lessons for 1896 are on
| the book of Acts and ON Romans. A sub
committee has been appointed to prepare
| a course of Old Testament lessons. The
proposition to cover in intermediate and
primary lesson leaves some other sub
jects than those prepared for adult study
as united with by the conference. 1t
| was decided not to return to the course
of the International Lesson Leaves,
which was abandoned few years ago.
The invitation of Indiana Yearly Meet
| ing Association to hold the next confer
ence at Richmond, Ind, was received
and referred to the Executive Committee.
The first paper of the con ference was
presented by Cornelia j. Shoemaker, of
LINCOLN, Va. on FIRST Day School Ex
tension" Discussion of the subject was
opened by Thomas W. Sidwell, of Wash
ingtou, d c., aud Arletta Cutler, of
Canada In his remarks Friend Sidwell
favored the Introduction of music into
the First Day schools, and this provoked
a good deal of feeling Walter Laing, of
Woodsto aud Daniel Gibbons, of
Spruce Street Monthly Meeting, warmly
opposed the innovation and Thomas Fl.
Speakman, of Race Street, spoke in its
favar. Others partaking in the discussion
were John W. Hutchinson, Jesse Holmes,
Alice Robinson and Mary r Livezey aud
others.
The afternoon session assembled at
2.3O. The delegates reported that they
had met during the recess, and proposed
for clerk of the conference Robert M
Janney, of Philadelphia, and for assist
ait clerk Florence Hall, of Swarthmore,
The propositions were united with and
tie Friends were appointed.
The report of William j. Hall, treas
urer, showed since last conference receipts
of $2793 55, expenditures of $2316.5S and
a balance of ATS 81. -..:
Herbert P. Worth, of West Chester,
read paper on the question, How Can
we Improve Oar Methods aud Strengthen
Our Schools?" First Day school teach
ing, he said, must be sectarian 10 the
broad and charitable seuse. 1t must be
made attractive by faithful preparation
on the part of teachers. Fields of phil
ldutuEOpIO WUIh Suoulu u6 Op0u6u iOF
pupils and an especial effort made to
interest those on the verge of manhood
ard womanhood. Discussion was opened
by Richard E. Roberts, of OHIO Yearly
Meeting, and continued by Thomas II.
Speakman. DR.. Sarah T. r, Eavensou,
William NJ Jackson, Joseph Powell, Ma
than Maule, Jane Rushmore, J. Russell
Smith. Clement NJ Biddle and others.
several of whom dwelt upon the need of
greater energy and faithfulness.
At the evening session, the conference
listened to the reports from the associs-
tions of the Yearly Meetings of Ohio
Genesee IL, and Philadelphia. All of
them show encouraging progress. Within
the limits of Philadelphia Yearly Meet
ing there are seventy seven First Day
schools, two of which are mission schools.
In these are 6S3 officers and teachers, 59S7
pupils and 90, 469 books in libraries.