Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-05-26
As Elsewhere, IS Per Cent
Drop Out of Sunday Schools.
TO HOLD THEM A PROBLEM
Colorado Lay Worker Discusses
Subject at Conference.
STATESMEN NOT DRUNKARDS
Erroneous Impression Is Eradicated
by a Michigan Member of
the House.

mat the NdSnlnStOn SUNDAY ScnOOlS
are as much TO blame the sunday
schools Of every other part Of the
country in failing to hold per cent
Of the boys in their teens attending
them was the statement made by
William c. Johnston of Colorado
Springs. Col, prominent lay worker,
AT general workers conference held
this morning in the Mount Vernon
Methodist Episcopal Church South.
The great problem OF Sunday school
work is holding the boys" said Mr..
Johnston That fact was emphasized
yesterday AT our advanced work con-
ference. when the startling statement
was made that 80 per cent of these
boys, or three out OF every four, never
AFFILIATED with the church and drift
away from religious influences.
Question a Vital One.
This Is vital question. We must
keep it ever foremost in our minds Con-
ditions here in Washington are exactly
the same as IN every other section of the
country. I've been conducting a little in
formal investiga ton during the last few
DAYS It's q sort of Il hobby of mine.
rave made it point to talk to twenty
two young men on street cars in the last
Tour days.
Il discovered that none of the twenty
two was connected with Sunday school
work in any form whatever, though most
of them had attended Sunday school as
boys. l asked those who had attended
Sunday school when they left. They all
sad that they left between the ages OF
thirteen and fifteen. 1 asked them why
they left, and the reply was invariably
this: Nobody seemed to care especially
much whether We stayed or not. NOBODY
seemed to bother much about US. Some
of the teachers treated us as II we had
horns. There was a lack of sympathy.
There you have one of the vital de-
fects--a lack OF sympathy, lack OF in
terest on the part Of teachers III the wei
fare Of boys at the most impresslonable
OF all ages. This question has got to be
considered from every angle before we
can hope to solve it. 1t is the greatest
of all Sunday school problems"
Reports From Conferences.
The general topic discussed at this
mornings conference was Ideals of this
Department and the Policy Through
Which They Are Realized The speakers
were those who conducted the various
conferences held Wednesday and their
talks were largely reports Of the senti-
ments expressed and the decisions reached
at those meetings. Marion Lawrance, the
newly elected worlds secretary, presided.
Rev William A. brown brought a re-
port Of the missionary conference and in
his talk referred to the permanent mis-
sio1iary impulses which can be planted in
the lives Of the younger children.
1.-The most vivid OF all the missionary
Impressions which people my mind to-
day said he, lis the impression which
received when a boy of eight. when l
heard my sister telling Of the work IN
China and Of the little Chinest children.
Ny interest in mission work was aroused
at that moment and it has remained to be
a blessing and comfort through all my
years Of Christian activity
Prof F. g. Goodrich of Michigan gave
report of the temperance conference
and read the resolutions which were
adopted at that meeting.
We have had some impressions of
congressman methods of life which,
am happy to say, were eradicated by
Representative Washington Gardner at
Yesterdays meeting, said he Mr..
Gardner declared that after serv-
ice of twelve years in the House he had
only known eight members OF Congress
who were addicted to the excessive use
OF intoxicating liquors.
Training of Teachers.
Rev. Dr.. Franklin McElfrish and Rev.
g. NJ Johnson Of New York presented
epitones of the discussions on teacher
training which took place Wednesday
and j. Shreve Durham told of the con-
ference on home visitation work. W. C.
Pearce brought a report of the adult di-
vision conference and Mrs. Mary Foster
Bryner spoke of the elementary division
conference.
The conference is being continued this
afternoon The special feature OF the
session will De an executive committee
meeting by the central committee of the
Ontario Sunday School Association. This
will be offered as an object lesson for
the delegates. The conference will be
brought to close tonight in the Mount
Vernon Church with a meeting under the
direction of the field workers commit
| tee.
There was an informal reception and
supper for workers in the elementary di-
visions Of the Sundev school and for their
| friends at a conference in the Mount YER
non Church last evening. A. II. Mills
presided over the program which fol-
/ lowed and which included several adj
dresses covering the subjects which. diff
| ferent leaders believe. should he brought
| before the children of the Sunday school.
Mrs Herbert Hill of New York discussed
| the Junior Opening Service" Mrs. J.
| W. Barnes made an analysis of the val
ues attached to graded lessons and
Richard T. Wyche of New York. presi-
dent Of the National Story Tellers'
League spoke of THE Art Of Story Tell
ing and a Story Told" Other speakers
were W. \. HartshOrn and Marion Law
| renee.