Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1900-06-16
By Courtesy offs. S. UulonJ

solldify and unity the work OF the
schools. In November, 1898. the fret
convention OF the Sunday schools OF
the Church was held. II was a marked
success. The attendance was remark
ably large, the enthusiasm unexpected.
The good that was done cannot be estl-
mated Another, the second, conyen-
ton will be held IN Salt Lake City
next November, when everything posi-
BILE will be done TO keep II abreast OF lie
predecessor IN excellence, harmony
and effectiveness
During the period Of tie existence the
union has published numerous works
books. music. charts, leaflets, etc, that
have greatly aided and strengthened
the work OF religious education. A
special committee Is now engaged in
preparing an exhaustive illustrated his
tory OF the Church Sunday schools from
the inception OF the work to the pres
ent time. and anyone who Is acquainted
with what writing original history
means. knows what labor such an en-
terprlse entails
Our first Sunday school OSi9) num-
bered, all told. about fifty souls. In
1872 the number-oflicers, teachers and
scholars-was not less than 5000 Jour
statistics are incOmplete) divided
amongst about $50 schools. Today there
are az least $4,000 enrolled and the
number Of schools. at home and In the
foreign missions OF the Church, may be
roughly estimated al LOO.
OF late years the establishment Of
missionary schools abroad has been
found 10 be one OF the best ways Of
spreading a knowledge OF the Gospel
and many such schools have been
opened. II Is somewhat remarkable as
showing the spread Of the work Of God,
where some az the largest OF the schools
are 10 be found one for Instance, ls
IN far on Australia, another In the
Sandwich Islands. while the largest OF
all. outside this intermountain region,
IL at Stockholm In Sweden, the next at
Christianla, an Norway. OF the LOO
Sunday schools of the Church al the
present time nearly, n not quite, four
hundred are in our foreign missions.
The largest Of an the schools Is that at
LehL Utah Stake, its enrolment ex-
ceeds 1870: next comes 81. George, with
SIS officers and scholars while East
Bounuful stands third with 10l. The
average enrolment In the Stakes OF
Zion Is 1866
one OF the most remarkable thinss
School Union has been It's financial
policy. Until 1891 70 wholly depended
on the profits arising from concerts,
celebrations and the like for lis income.
In that year the Nickel Fund was o.
tablished-that IS, on one Sunday In
the year ln0w the last Sunday In Octo-
ber) each teacher. officer and scholar II
asked 90 give FIVE cents 20 the general
fund. one nth Of this donation goes
10 help defray legitimate Stake Sunday
school expenses and the remaining four
nfths ~ RENTED 10 the treasurer o.
the Union. II Is n noteworthy fact that
year after year the union board has re-
turned 20 the schools IN books. charts
leaflets. and other publications. nearly
/ II not quite as much as the total
l amount Of rs portion n the nickel fund.
/ The missionary schools beyond the bOr-
| ders OF the Stakes OF Zion, have been
| the special objects OF ne care as have
also email struggling schools IN the re-
mote and newly formed settlements
The present officers ~ the Union are:
/ President George @ Cannon, general
/ superintendent: Elder Karl @. Maeser,
I his assistant: rider Horace s. Ensign,
secretary: Elder George Reynolds.
I treasurer: Elder Thos G. GrlgEs busi-
ness manager Elder Loo Hunsaker. re-
porter. Elder Joseph W. Summerhays.
chairman Of the executive committee.
and Elder George Reynolds chairman
n the publication committee. The
board with its aids. consists ~ twenty
two members. among whom 0re eight ~
the general authorities ~ the church
Its officers are situated ir the Temple
ton building. opposite the DasHrot News
office where rooms are fitted 10 toI
tho accommodation NJ visiting super
lntenients. with a library writing ma.
terlals. etc These rooms are also used
for the weekly meetings ~ the board
Thursday afternoon md for specla
meetings NJ Stake officers with th'
union board AZ the times NJ me Genera
conferences. for the consideration nj
such business 40 cannot advantageous
" be brought before the large semi
annual meetings ~ the union. which ar,
held IN the Tabernacle. rs n rule on M
Sunday evenings during the conference,
sessions