The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1915-09-04
Course in Scripture to Be Es-
tablished in High School.
Pupils Can Earn Credits as in
Other Studies.
MRS. MENNINGER IN CHARGE
Articles Will Be Printed Satur-
days i'm State Journal.
Students Required to Keep
Scrap Book of Clippings.

| The latest movement in religious
education is Bible study for high
school credit. 1t is wonderfully simple
and its increasing popularity proves its
practicability. 1t means just what it
says-credit in the high school for
study of the Bible. The time is here
for a few states, and is fast coming
| for others, when any father or mother
who wishes his child to know his
Bible can have it SO, and any high
school boy or girl who studies the
Bible will receive proportionally the
same credit that he can get for any
other study in his high school course.
| 1t is just five years this month since
the State Teachers college of Greeley,
| Colo, ventured on the plan. Many
fears were entertained that it might
not be feasible and that there would
| be much friction on account of sec
| However, a good leader popularized
the study to such an extent, that
year later $50 students chose this
elective study and so were of the Ro-
man Catholic church. Each succeed
ing year has enlisted hundreds in
Bible study classes
The Colorado Sunday School asso-
citation has hand book which tells all
| about the plan for that state. 1t was
first taken up by a ministerial union
then by high school faculty, then the
State Teachers association, which pro-
posed to cooperate with the State
Sunday School association. A COM
mittee was appointed from each body.
The joint committee set to work in
great earnestness and in 1913 present.
ed resolutions which were unanimous
ly adopted by both bodies. The report
says that while the committee was at
work on the task, they received word
that a similar program had been in
augurated in North Dakto. The CO.
incidence indicates that all uncon-
sclously representative educators and
churchmen in different states had set
themselves to the task of supplying a
long missing element in our educa-
tlonal system, namely, Bible study in
connection with the colleges and high
schools of the country.
The Colorado Plan.
The Colorado plan provides a four
years elective course for high school
students. These courses are to he Civ
en- by the respective schools, He
brew, Catholic and Protestant alike,
at the Sunday school hour, under the
instruction of qualified teachers. Pu-
pills successfully completing the course
of study receive credit for the work
done. The requirements are forty
recftationS of forty-fiye minutes each
for period of four years. One hour
Of study is to be given to the lesson.
In estima ting the work, the Rotations
and notebook work count half and the
examinations which are to be given at
the high school, count half.
At special conference called
through the International Sunday
School association, held at Chicago in
February of this year, John L. Alex
ander gave a most interesting account
of the birth and growth of the move
ment to the present time. The inter-
est is general throughout the country.
Out of a total Of fifty-seven states and
provinces, thirty-SiX reported, and in
twenty-one of them something is being
done along this line. Iowa, Washing
ton, Ontario, Quebec, Indiana, Illinois
and Michigan are all doing more or
less active work. In Wyoming, Missis-
sippi, Maine, Nebraska. Oregon, Ala
bama, Alaska, South Dakota, South
Carolina, Connecticut, Ohio and Kan
SaS at the present time there exists a
committee appointed by the Sunday
school association, or a preliminary
exchange of views is going on between
the state teachers association and the
Syllabus of Bible Study.
Through the efforts of the dean of
the University of North Dakota a
syllabus of Bible study was adopted
by the high school board for that
state. The syllabus covers ninety
recitation a day for five days "a week
for half a year. The credit given is
the same as that given to regular
public school course or the same
length.
The North Dakota plan was ap-
proved by the State Education asso-
citation in November, 1911. 1t was
adopted by the board of education in
ton in September, 1912. In June,
1914, TT students took examination,
1873 passing successfully.
Colorado followed North Dakota in
adopting the plan in November, 1913, !
and at present is getting fine results. |
In some cities SO per cent of the high |
school pupils are taking the work, and
it is being pushed in many places
o4 t.
after conference in connection with
the state Sunday School convention, |
a commission was appointed, and the |
work was approved by the state super |
course of study is in the making for !
Texas.
Plan Is Simple.
The plan is so simple and sensible |
it seems strange it has not been put |
out before.
lege of Colorado, February, 1912, puts |
the rules governing the plan as fol-
lows:
credits, are elective.
Each student chooses his own
teacher and each class may select its
own text book
In these courses no teaching is done
within the bounds of state property.
No teacher is paid state money for
in Bible study credit.
If the amount and quality of work
are worthy, the college, as to nom
residents, gives credit due.
After four years in the laboratory,
the Greeley Plan is subjected to crit
icaI study in it's habitat. 1t thrives
where it was born.
What Colorado and North Dakota
have done, Kansas can do and ought
to do, and do it right away. Kan
sas has led the country in some good
things before and this should be
added. A step has been taken toward
The right ending and We have in our |