The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-09-14
SUNDAY SCHOOL WORK
Pavilion at Kansas Free Fair
Showed New Methods Being Used.

A place of interest, not only to
church workers, but to the general
public also, as an example as to how
methods of doing things change. was
the Sunday school pavilion at the Kan
sas Free fair.
Even those who have long since
strayed from grace, remember the
Sunday school of our boyhood days.
How unwilling little boys, urged on
by sundry parental threats, followed
prim little sisters to the old meeting
house every Sabbath morning. Then,
after Deacon Bascomb had led in the
singing of "Beulah Land" to the ac-
compartment of a wheezy cabinet or
gan, we lined up in front of some
sanity, but severe old lady, who Ques-
toned us about Noah and Samson,
or predestination and REORGANIZATION,
while we slyly stuck pins in the backs
of the children in the front seat.
Now every thing is different. The
Sunday school pill has been given a
sugar coat and wrapped in such gay
paper that a child now grabs at lai,
and eagerly swallows it.
Grades Established Now.
The modern Sunday school is divided
into grades just like a secular school
Each grade is under a specially in
structed teacher, and the pupils are
promoted from lower grades to higher
as they advance in knowledge. Prizes
are OIIeTeQ TO the DeSL SCilOldT III d
class, to the best class in a school.
and to the best school in group of
schools.
Boys and girls are not merely told
today that the heather are cannibals
that they wear no clothes and worship
| wooden idols, and that unless we send
missionaries to tell them how wicked
they are they will be burned up. In
stead, study of each of the heather
peoples is taken up in the most at
tractive manner possible, the geogfa-
ply and history of each country is
studied. the manners and customs OF
| the people are discussed. and scholars
are encouraged to collect and bring to
class anything and everything thai
| could stimulate interest in the study
| of missions. Prizes are offered fol
| this work.
| Make Schools Attractive.
I For very young scholars, kinder
gartens are conducted, and even small
| toys are given to stimulate interest il
attendance. The modern idea is
| to first make the child want to come
to Sunday school, and then hold it By
| giving it an active and interesting
! share in the work.
| Besides the purely religious work il
| all the grades, there is what is-knowI
as honor work. Honor work consists
| in the making and decorating of Sun
| ing of lesson books, the making o
| cards and the drawing and painting o
| religious pictures, etc.
The new Sunday school movemen
| is not confined to one sect or demon
| nation nor is the work carried on b.
the different denominations separate
ly. County and state Sunday schoo
associations have been formed il
which practically all of the Protestan
bodies are represented. These asso
Citations have meetings yearly or NOR
often, at which notes are compared
| reports made and suggestions for tn
future offered. The work of these as
sociations is influencing even thos
conservative bodies who do not belon
to the association.
At the fair pavilion, there were ex
hibits of work from the Sunday school
of the majority of the Topeka
churches, from many Shawnee count
Sunday schools, and from som
schools in more distant parts of tn
state. H. w. Bomgardner. presiden
of the Shawnee County Sunday Schoe
association is in charge of the exhibi
ton. Prizes were awarded for tn
best exhibits from city schools, tn
best exhibits from county schools. an
also for the best work of classes or in
| djvidlYalS