Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1909-10-01
Report Of the 14th Annual Con-
vention Of the Essex County
Sunday School assoeis-

ZION.
This convention was held at Island
Pond, September 1924, 1909, aud
opened at 200 P. M, the President, H.
W. Blake, in the chair.
The first sea the programme was
song service, conducted by Prof j. d.
Lowe. Of Philade lphia, Pa. Zone OF DT.
Chapman's assistaut), aud after singing
three songs from Alexanders Gospel
Songs, Prof. Lowe gave an address on
the necessity OF the Bible IN our homes
and in the Sunday School, saying IN
part that it was the most essential part
of our life work. After which prayer
was offered, followed by an address OF
welcome by Rev. Thos. Hall, who in a
very fitting manner pictured out the
pleasant side of life in Island Pond,
with our picture galleries of beautiful
scenery, which received hearty applause.
In the absence of the Secretary, Mrs.
Henry Fuller, of Bloomfield, f. c. Pot
ter of island Pond was elected Secre-
tary pro tenn.
After singing another hymn, general
discussion took place in which the fol-
lowing took part and gave very interest
ing and instructive suggestions on the
different subjects, viz Mrs. John Guest,
of Island Pond, on The Cradle Roll !;
Miss Sadie NJ. King, of Island Pond, on
"The Beginners aud Primary Depart
ments'; Mrs. Malcolm Sadlelr, Of Island
Pond, on Intermediates" Mr.. II. W.
Blake, of Island Pond, on Teaching In
termediates", all bringing out in clear
light the training we should receive from
childhood TO maturity.
President Blake suggested changing
teachers occasionally as necessity out
of lack of interest or influence which
usually comes about after teacher has
class from SIX months to TWO years I;
also that the younger grades should have
class room by them selves separated
from the rest by curtain, if by no
other means, and cited East Concord
Church as an example.
Rev. H. A. Durfee, General Secretary
of the State Sunday School Association,
suggested that if there were teachers
enough and the Sunday Schools were
well graded, grade promotion should do
away with the necessity of changing
teachers. If the classes were so ar
ranged that the scholars are promoted
from class to class each year as mark
of advancement on the grand rally day
it would be an incentive to good work
on the part of the scholars They
should be taught to look forward to
their promotion and urged to give their
new teaoher support.
Rev. A. B. Enright of Lunenburg
and E. Concord, made few remarks in
reply to Mr.. Blake, stating that the
East Concord Church was now in a po-
sition to give the scholars a curtained
class or at least separate room.
In regard to the problem, "How to
keep the boys and girls above the age
of thirteen in the Sunday SCHOOL,, Mr..
Durfee suggested that proper system of
grade promotion would in large mea-
sure prevent the feeling that they have
outgrown their class aud the Sunday
School. AS to the size of classes, he
recommended that they be as large as
could hear and be heard by the teacher
without disturbing the other classes.
Mrs. NJ. II. Smith advised by letter
that Rev. M. H. Smith was ill and I'M
able to attend, and the subject of "The
Outlook for our County was omitted.
On the subject of "Organized Work
and our Small Schools, owing to Miss
Balch being unable to attend, Rev. H.
A. Durfee gave very interesting talk
on "Training the Teachers" He said
that Ohio predicts that by 1914 all their
teachers will be teachers with diplomas,
having passed an examination from the
class of teachers. He thought Ohio
good example for other states.
Rev. A. b. Enright on "Class Organi-
cation, believed that classes should be
organized for young men and ladies' and
older folks as well, so as to form class
partnership or cooperation in such
way as to put the responsibility on the
members for the success of the class, so
as to make wide awake members of the
Sunday School who will work for the in
terest of their class and the school. As
special feature it would be we'll to go
out and read or sing to those who were
shut in and could not get out. Each
class should be organized, with a presi-
dent and other officers as well as teacher,
ard the president should assist the
teacher in organization by looking after
the members and seeing that they at
tend the class; also few side issues
would be good thing, such as garden
ing, pictorial work, having an outing,
studying botany, studying birds, having
a debating club, etc.
Mrs. Jennie Edmands, Oh the subject
"Looking for Results, made few very
interesting remarks showing that il was