Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1906-02-26
EVENING SESSION.
How to Secure Attendance Of the Chill.
dren Discussed In Strong Paper.

inc last session OF The convention
was held at Barratt Hal, ut Z p, m,
Presidents John h. Wnder and Anthem
II. Lund, Superintendent Rudger Claw
son, President Richard W. Young, Ell
dors Louis A. Kelsch, ". A. Moreton
and other members Of the general
board we're present besides the Re!ig-
ion class workers OF the four stakes.
Zion is Growing was sung by the
congregation.
Superintendent T. A. Clawson OF the
Ensign stake. offered prayer and the
congregation sang Sowing
Asst Supt. VIM. INITIAL Of the Salt
Lake stake, read n paper on the sub
Ject How to obtain attendance or
children at religion class He adYo-
Gated systematic missionary work by
teachers and the more Influential child
rem, and an intimate knowledge or the
children themselves. He laid great
stress on the necessity OF teachers haV-
ing a spirituality and earnest sincerity
that would in itself draw the children,
who naturally love goodness. The pa
per suggested that meeting places
should be made attractive by cleanu-
ness and adornment and that the child
rem should be carried In vehicles from
the schoolhouse where the distance Is
great. or where It Is not too for, they
should march in a body TO the meeting
house. The children who attend
irreguarly should be visited at their
homes or be reached by telephone or
letter. Especially Is It necessary to
visit the sick. that they may feel that
an active interest Is being taken III
them. Six parents should be invited to
attend each session fthe class TINS
method Of inviting parents has been
found to double the attendance, CLASS
socials and entertainments or literary
or musical nature though SECONDARY
to the regular regular work viii create
interest Teachers by using tact may
profit by chance meetings with tho
children to talk OF religion class Work
and its purpose.
\ general discussion followed the pa
per the most important features or
which were the following
The teacher should learn the person.
atty of the child, He should study the
lesson but should study tho child more
knowledge Is often too much empha-
sized. Mercy, truth. virtue and the
other qualities of the soul are not given
enough weight. A hunger and thirst
for righteousness should be created in
the child by learning his personality
and creating within him the appetite,
The parents should he converted. In
the Sixth ward Of Salt Lake City a
comp etc canvass Of the Latter-day
SANS has been made, and the attend
aGce has been doubled. In another ward
parents have been benefited as much as
the children by the visits OF the religion
cIass teachers.
StPT CLAWSON.
sppt. Rudger Clawson stated that
while living IN Brigham City he found
tlat his children we're leaving their
own and attending a religion class In
aNother ward, He enquired the reason.
and found that children from all parts
OF the town were attending this par
ticular class on account Of the interest
that was created by the teachers.
DISCUSSION CONTINUED.
paroEts must be converted truly but.
the c,sss must be made interesting.
Where the Bishop and his counselorS
VINO are the shepherds OF the flock are
converted and active the organizations
viii lrcEper. Not only the sheep but
the lambs must be fed. We must no.
hlfk the children are going TO hell be-
Ne~As' Nf'N| Wv lAVA dhNNilh itAi hlOli VA :.
Va should seek to see things through
The canGren's eyes and understand
things as they understand them in or
der 10 influence them effectively. Not
more tan 40 children are permitted In
any class OF the city schools. II wouli
he betler II 20 or even 10 were In each
class. The religion class departments
should b" divided into sections, II nee.
essdry, 50 that the teacher may know
the individual students. Do not be.
come encouraged. The work is hard
but its fruits are sweet The outlines
should lie followed generally, but II
some cases the teacher will find II nee
essay TO depart from them.
PRESIDENT LUND.
President Iund stated that he had en-
ioyed the meetings and listened TO III,
papers with Interest The Religio
| class teachers are called to leave theil
DAYS labor ana their homes and thes
undergo hardship often to do so. r
| thanked the teachers and workers 10
| their Efforts. a member Of the Churcl
! once toli him that he would not influ
| ence his own child to accept the Gospe
| untll he was old enough to choose 10
| himself This Is a wrong standpoint
| In the ch!ldren's hearts some wrong In
! huence viii tlnd place there. The chill
| dren are ready believers. they believ
| their parents until they and them un
! trustworthy He related an incident o
| parents who wished to go riding AM
I leave their child at home. They sen
| him up stairs on an errand, telling hin
! that he might go with them when h
| returned. AS he came down into tn
| yard he saw them driving away, an,
! cllnching his little fist, he said, "Ther
| go the biggest liars In town"
| II we have the chlldren's oonfidenc
| they viii believe us when We tell then
! OF God and His Son Jesus Christ.
would be well II II were here. as II (
! In Canada and England, that religion
| teachers might enter the public school
at certain times and teach the religion
| that the parents wish taught 20 thei
| children. The Latter-day Saints hay
tried to keep doctrinl teachings out o
| the public schools more than any othe
| people would hay done. In times pas
! the people OF the world were very re
! ligious. Five hundred years ago tn
| Danish king sent to Rome for permits
sion 10 found a university: In this In
| Stitutlon theology was almost exclusive
/ ~ taught In the holy land they teac
children little besides the Koran. TIL
! American people seem to find no plac
for religion In education. We desire I
| follow the middle way. We desire I
have good schools and we Wish also :
have thorough religious training, II
hoped that the teachings OF the da
might be taken to heart and he blesse
the teachers for their labors tn
! Parting Hymn" was sung, and tn
closing prayer was offered by Presiden
/ John r. Winder