Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1901-11-08
THE THEMES DISCUSSED
CLOSING SESSION Of EPISCOPAL
SUNDAY SCHOOL INSTITUTE.
Efforts for Interesting the Children
and Making Church-GOers
of Them.

Rev. Floyd w. Tomkins of Trinity
Church, Philadelphia, conducted the serv-
ices held at the Church of the Epiphany
last night, which terminated the session of
the fifth annual convention of the Sunday
School Institute Of the Episcopal churches
of the diocese of Washington and which
opened at II o'clock yesterday morning
Miss Rosa M. Duff1eld presented at the
afternoon session yesterday a paper On
How Far May kindergarten Methods and
Materials be Made Available in Church
Sunday Schools Miss Duffield spoke ad-
versely to the bringing of kindergarten ma
terial into Sunday school work. contendins
that the object of greatest Importance was
to insure interest, and to do this, she said,
it was necessary to attract and hold the
child's attention. This could be accom-
plished, continued Miss Duffield with tn"
aid of simple and short Bible stories. the
greatest care being taken not to talk too
long. In this respect, pictures and tho
blackboard are very important accessories,
an excellent plan being to illustrate Bible
stories.
The second paper on this subject was
read by Miss Leila Mecklin. Miss Meckin
advocated the idea of giving the children
instruction in the most natural way pos
sible. They should, she said be discoveries
themselves, and this idea is applicable
to Sunday schools as to day schools. First
be taught the Fatherhood of God. Miss
Mecklin favored the introduction of GER
tain features of the kindergarten system in
the Sunday school, eliminating the system
of games, but rather adopting plan by
means of which the work of the school
could be presented in an entertaining man
ner.
After short discussion of these papers
considerable time was consumed in answer
ing large number of questions concerning
Sunday schools by Rev. Dr. W. l.. Devries.
Ihe queries had been written by different
delegates and deposited in the question
box"
Normal Glass Teaching.
The subject of Normal Class Teaching
was next taken up. Miss Mary E. Graves
read a paper on the Needs and strongly
advocated the establishment of normal
classes in the churches. Mr.. S. E. Krae-
mer read the second paper on this subject,
and described ore method to be pursued.
Mr.. Kraemer favored a plan by which the
scholar should be advanced successfully
from the lowest class, finally to the posi-
ton of teacher his or her place being
taken up by new scholars. Mr.. Kraemer
strongly recommended that class be Or
ganiZed in Washington.
Sunday School and Church Attendance"
was the topic next discussed. A paper en-
titled Does the Prevailing System Tend to
Diminish Church Attendance?" was read
by Rev. r. P. Williams. In this paper it
was shown that as most schools have only
morning session. the children We're al
most certain to leave the Sunday school
without attending church The Sunday
school. continued Rev. Mr.. Williams was
by the children as separate or
ganization, and only remotely connected
with the church.
Do Not Accomplish Object
The speaker then pointed out that the
school did not accomplish the object Of
making church-goers Of the children. More
time should be devoted to the schools, said
DIR. Williams, by the rectors. The object
to be striven for said DR.. Williams, was
to have the old Sunday school working
with new methods, and when this feat Is
accomplished he said, then will the Sun
day school prove the mos4 valuable hand
maid the church has.
How Can the Sunday School Best Pro-
mote Attendance of Children at the Serv-
ices of the Church, was the theme Of
Rev. Floyd W. TomkinS Of Trinity Church,
The most effective way, he said is to
have a special service and children's
church, where everything is the same as
the regular service, except that 1t is short
er. The children learn to love the service
and in later years become regular COM
Rev. Mr.. Tomkins said that the Sunday
school is the most important work, and
that every rector should be superintendent
of his own Sunday school. He said ne
doubted the wisdom of bringing a lot of
children into church dursing the regular