New-York tribune., 1903-03-28
SUNDAY SCHOOL AND THE CHILD.
Interest Parents Should Take in the Former
Discussed.

The New-York Unitarian Sunday School Union
met yesterday afternoon in the parish house OF All
Souls Church. Three papers were read. the hrst
by William H. Aborn. of Orange. N j.. on How
Loyalty to the Sunday School Can Be Taught IN the
Home by Parent; the second by Mrs. c. H. Bur
dette. of Brooklyn. How Parents Can Be In
terested in the Sunday School by a Superntend-
ent' and the third by Miss Emma c. Low, presi-
dent of the National Alliance. How the Teacher
Can Be Helped by the Parent" Vigorous discussion
provoked by these papers particularly the first
and third In reference the first topic Mr. Aborn
spoke of physical parents-parents who saw simply
to their childrens bodily welfare and comforts and
ignored this eternal outlook.
This class OF parents is too common. said the
speaker Not only should the child be sent to
Sunday school, but the parents themselves should
occasionally visit and show interest in this most
vital part Of their children's training, The childs
attitude to the Sunday school is precisely what the
parent makes it. I never knew a loyal. attentive
child, regular at Sunday school, but CON
scfentious and anxious parent was behind II. The
child should be taught Of responsibility with
regard to Sunday school; he should feel that he Is
unit in it and that each unit is factor for good or
fla chain is only strong its weakest link In
my opinion the Sunday school stands next to the
home as a place for good influence the child.
Several speakers referred to the peculiar manner
IN which parents regarded the Sunday school;
sa ying that a parent he knew commended 1t as
useful institution in that it kept children out of
| mischief away from home Sunday and out OF
their parents way and they also made creditable
friends there
in tie audience thought that the teach
| ers and parents should get to know one another.
and suggested that it might be practicable to give
! receptions to make them mutually acquainted.
The chairman said that In the event Of dissatis-
faction being felt with the teaching obtained in the
Sunday school the pastor should be interviewed on
| the subject IT the case Of music or French
teacher the parents would not on being inactive
in ne face e Of ssG that she had taught for
many years in public school. and she REGARDED gi
:he Sunday school as no less impoTtanI IaSoot
! in child's he than the day school; Herbert
! epencer says tAat when intellectual deveopment
! oUtstrlps moral development mischief ensues said
Mrs. Burdette. The child of to-day Is not sys.
| duty we owe another. The I ought should be
developed and the child trained to forgive injuries
to control his passions to choose his friends tor
| moral worth not for outside show. The Sunday
school should fit him for the application OF moral
truths The superintendent is the keystone+ OF fne
power at the head must be a failure; WILING ana
conscientious corps Of assistants acting in harmony
In the discussion Of Mrs. Burdettes paper MT
Davidson said that parents occasionally oo)ected 10
school and preferred to teach their children them
| selves. . . . 100 -
| often successfully interested in Sunday school
| work and drawn into feeling lively interest IN
1t by their children being given little pieces TO say
little manner OF distinguishing themselves
| at gatherings connected with the Sunday school
1t was the opinion of Miss Emma c. Low thaT IN
this way parents could essentially hep tne teathet
| by enforcing regular attendance, by seeing tnaC
| the lessons are learned and by loyalty 10 the
The Rev Mr. Hunt. of Orange. said that several
! com pa risons had been drawn between the Sunday
school and the day school But very impGr or tahe aL
case of lay teaching the State steps in and by
drastic means compes the parent to see that ms
| to religion there is no power to induce the lax
parent to see that his child is trained In its ways