El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1911-06-20
EOR the past six months the Sunday
schools all over America have been

= schools all over America have been
= forming their plans for the assem-
blage of a mighty gathering in San
Francisco for the week beginning to-
day. An army of at least 10000 Sun
day school workers is expected TO at
tend this 18th annual convention OF Jne
American Sunday School association
which includes both Canada and the
United States. Preceding the conven
ton by 10 days there has been an adult
class tour OF $50 Sunday school work
ers divided into eight different parties.
These have stopped in various towns
along their way and helped thousands
of other Sunday school workers who
have been denied the privilege Of at
tending the big convention. They have
held meetings of various kinds, as
time permitted, at which the latest sub
jects of Sunday school work were
brought forward. These parties nave
covered points extending from the Mis-
sissippi valley to the Pacific coast.
Three of them started from Chicago
and one each from Winnipeg. st. Paul,
Memphis and new Orleans, and their
work will greatly augment that of the
convention in creating renewed enthus-
iasm for Sunday school advancement.
Represents $4,000, 900 Children.
There are now about 100000 Sunday
schools in the United States Their
the number of teachers and officers is
az least 1900, 000 While it is gener-
ally understood that each Sunday
school represents some particular
church, and that every Protestant
church has its own Sunday school, the
latest statistics show that Fl percent
of the churches in America, mostly
rural. have no Sunday school and do no
Sunday school work. In one state in
the union there are sos churches which
have no Sunday school in connection.
However. there are quite number OF
union or undenominational Sunday
schools which include a scholarship
reaching at least to 100000.
Is Nonsectarian.
The Sunday School association is non
sectarian and the adoption of the uni
form graded lesson system has done
more than anything else to break down
UNCONVENTIONAL barriers between the
Sunday schools Of all the Protestant
churches. While the first uniform les
sons were put forth by the Sunday
School association IS years ago, their
general adoption by all the churches is
comparatively recent and the new sys-
tenn is a great Improvement over the
earlier issues.
The Graded Lessons.
The graded lessons proved an ad'
vance step in several ways. 1t already
has done much towards retaining the
interest of the older scholars. There
are four courses. namely: beginners,
for children under years; primary,
for children from to 8; general, for
pupils from to IA: and the advanced
or adult for those older than IA. Pro-
motion systems are now being planned
in the Sunday schools modelled after
the methods obtaining in the public
schools and these will add still more to
the efficiency of the graded lesson
system The advantages o. uniform
system of Sunday school instruction
are obvious and there are few schools
In the United States which are not
using the same lessons. The different
church denominations issue Sunday
school periodicals of their own, but al
most without exception they puDhsn
the Bible lesson as scheduled and ar
ranged by the Sunday School associa-
ton.
With uniformity Of lessons and
regular system of promotion, comes the
need of uniformity in the qualhica-
lions of teachers, which is one OF the
matters TO which the convention VIII
give special attention. The time is COM
ing when Sunday school teacher VIII
need to have a knowledge OF pedaso-
gical methods similar to that required
by the public school teacher in addi-
edge Of all scriptural subjects
Training schools for Sunday school
workers are already in existence and
their number is multiplying Special
summer courses In this work will be
held in various parts OF the country.
A large number Of these will De To-
Gated in the mountains or at resorts
so that the students find their sur
roundings as pleasant as those OF an
ordinary vacation. Correspondence
schools through which advanced Sun
day school work may be studied a.
home are also being arranged for.
Pay for Sunday School Teachers.
With the demand for trained work.
ers comes the question of paid Sunday
school teachers which has already been
met in some schools with good success
The volunteer teacher cannot of ne
cessity give the time and effort TO his
work that would be possible IL 1t were
remunerative. The fact that all Sun
day school work has been volunteer up
to this time has had its drawbacks as
well as its advantages. Many class
of bright, intelligent. young people
has disbanded because 1t was inflicted
with a teacher who, however sincere
and honest in intentions, lacked the IN
tel1igence and personality to hold the
attention of the class. If test OF
qualifications obtains, the incompetent
teacher Will no longer be the DugDear
OF the progressive superintendent
One Of the latest developments IN
Sunday school work is the establish
ment of a supervision who looks per-
sonally after all the details of Sunday
school work many of which will es-
cape the notice Of the ordinary su
perintendent. The supervisor will note
the condition OF the school library and
the books most In demand. The music,
the equipment of materials for the
work of the different classes. no less
than the course of the Sunday schooi
lesson will receive his attention. From
Berkeley, Cal, comes suggestion
likely to be brought prominently for
ward during the present convention
This is that the Protestant churches
of a town shall unite in paying for
the services of a Sunday school SUI
pervisor, who shall divide his time
among the Sunday schools of the diff
ferent churches. This experiment has
been tried during the year in several
churches with good results. In the
opinion of the most progressive lead
ers. the work OF Sunday school SUI