The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1907-11-01

The semi-annual meeting of the
Mankato Sunday School Institute was
held at the Congregational church yes
terday afternoon and evening. The
afternoon session opened at about four
O'Clock, with a good attendance. Rev.
Peter Clare led devotional exercises,
and the most of the remainder of the
afternoon was taken up with a dis,
cussion of Joshua. His equipment and
preparation, as suggested in the Bible,
was discussed by Miss Lenore Roblee,
and as inferred from ancient history
by L. S. Headley. Joshua in command
was considered by Mrs. w. J. Pell, and
Joshuas latter influence by Mrs. G. NJ.
Palmer The discussions were all in.
teresting and instructive.
Miss Mabel Wood presented pictures
from the life of Joshua.
Election of Officers.
A business session was held late
in the afternoon, and the former
general officers were reelected, as fol-
lows: President, C. H. Cooper; vice
president, DIR. J. S. Young; secretary
and treasurer, Miss Emma Firestone.
The following new executive commit
tee was elected: DIR. j. A. Hancock,
chairman, George f. Nettleton, Miss
Alice " Robbins, Mrs. f. H. Willis
ford and Miss Myrtle Holmes.
A banquet was served by the ladies
of the Congregational church in the
basement, that was delicious and
greatly enjoyed.
A series of toasts followed, with
w. d. Willard as POSTMASTER. Miss
Alice Farr had the subject, ''The Sun
day School Teacher" and Rev. r. H.
Willisford "The Reward of Sunday
School Work"
Mrs. Roy Holmes sang solo, and
the HYMN, 'Blest Be the Tie That
Binds"
The following is Miss Fairs, paper:
" do not claim to be able to say
anything new or original on this sub
ject. All L caA hope to do is to offer
SOIlt Nolu VI VI 'oiiS
reminder of the ideals and oppOrtuni-
ties that present themselves to the
Sunday school teacher.
Because of the conditions that make
it impossible to introduce Biblical in
struction into the public schools and
because of the failure of the majority
of American homes to impart such
instruction. much of the religious
training of our children and young
people devolves upon the Sunday
school.
have sometimes felt that we fail
to realize that full significance of
this fact, that we do not take the
Sunday school seriously enough, and
that much of our Sunday school teach
ing is not teaching at ALL | do not
say this i'll spirit of criticism but
simply because L have found it to be
true i'll my own experience as Sun
preciative of the great work that has
been done in the Sunday school. As we
look back upon our childhood most
of us recall with grateful memories
some teacher to whose instruction or
helpful influence we owe much. But
with all honor to these workers of the
past and with gratitude for present
faithful service we must still admit
that as an educational institution the
Sunday school has not kept pace with
the progress of educational methods as
developed in the public schools. This
lis perhaps not to be wondered at,
when we consider the difference in the
conditions under which the two sys
TENS must work, but it is neverthe
less to be depleted.
When child spends five days of
the week in well regulated school
under the instruction of trained teach
ers and on the seventh day comes
into a school loosely organized, lax
in discipline, often with teachers ir-
regular in attendance and without