The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1919-09-15
VEE DAY SCHOOL
IlHTEACH RELIGION
Episcopal Church Coopcra.
ting With School Author
tiles at Grand Rapids.

Believing that good citizenship i'm
fiies loyalty to some form Of organ
YEA religion and that, to this end,
weekday religious instruction should
form part Of the education OF every
Child, the Episcopal church in Amer'-
"a has forged new link in its pro-
posed chain of weekday religious
schools to be conducted In co-opera-
ton with the public school systems OF
the country and which is part Of that
program Of the Episcopal Nation
Wide campaign now in progress.
The new link has been created in
Grand Rapids, Michigan. With the ap-
proyal and CO. operation Of w. A. Gree
son, superintendent Of the public
schools Of Grand Rapids, an Episcopal
weekday school of religious education
Is 70 be opened at the beginning Of
the fall term in the parish Of Grace
church, Of which the Rev, G. p. T. Sar-
gent is rector.
The church school will give religi-
Gus instruction to public school pupils
who are children of Episcopaltau
families. According to the plan pro-
posed, the public school authorit ,es
will issue parents excure cards. TO
be distributed by the rector of Grace
church 10 those OF his parishioners
who have children attending public
school
II these cards are signed and return
ed to the public school authorities the
children will be excused from their
regular studies for certain periods
each week during which they will de-
vote themselves to religious studies in
1.-the church school.
nj The church school will be conduct
ed in Grace church, under the per-
sonal superintendent OF the rector,
With trained public school and re.
iIgious teacher in charge Of the class
as. A course of study has been ar
ranged 10 complement in all grades,
the course of study prescribed by the
/ public schools. Bible study will not
be an end, but means to train thg
child for an efficient religious life
The course will include notebook
work and map making AID the study
\ Of acts Of worship and Of service both
TO the church and to the community
In pledg'ng his cooperation with
1.-THE proposed new weekday school Of
religious education, Superintendent
Greeson, OF the Grand Rapids public
schools wrote:
1T is not right to neglect the re-
ligious instruction OF The children.
j. THE public schools cannot give this
instruction at public expense 1t is
therefore the duty Of the church TO
give religious instruction to the chill
dren, each denomination taking care
of the families belonging to that de-
domination. If all the churches in
Grand Rapids would do as you have
done and arc plann 'ng to do, the whole
question Of religious instruction Oh,
sthe children OF Grand Rapids would be
Asolyed.'
The school at Grand Rapids is the
third to be organized by the Episcopal
church, in prepare iol for the nation
wide system ultimately to be establish
ed, The first was opened three years
aec by Christ church parish in Gary,
Ind in connection with the Jefferson
public school Of Gary The second is
70 open next fall in Toledo. Ohio, in
connection with st. Marks church.
1t is upon the successful results OF
the Gary experiment that the entire
chain OF weekday religious schools is
being planned. The carrying out OF
this plan Is being made possible by tho
Nationwide campaign of the Eplsco-
pal church which is now in progress.
This campaign has for its purpose the
mobilization of the membership and re.
sources Of the church 10 meet post
war conditions by expanding the ac-
6yities Of the church in this country
and abroad. In the domestic program
OF the Nation-W Wide campaign the or.
gantzation Of many weekday schools
3of religious education is major aim.