The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1920-12-24
ADDRESSES ON THE BIBLE TEACHING
MADE BEFORE KATO MINISTERS'CLUB
What Has Been Accomplished in Other Cities Was
Interestingly Discussed BY College
Professors

and English Lutheran all CO operate
in securing suitable school rooms
and a suitable faculty, Miss Mary e.
Abernethy superintendent of this
school is trained and experienced
der her who give full time. and sew
eral others who give part time. These
teachers must all have at least a
Normal school training and special
training in the Bible and Bible peda-
gogy and child psychology. These
schools Of religion are bringing good
results in Gary. Superintendent
william A. Writ of the public school
reports a decrease in lying and thiev-
ing and that the superior moral A.
Der of pupils attending the week
day religious schools Is very notice
, able. Van Vert, Ohio. city of the
lie of Mankato. has operated on the
Gary plan successfully for three
years. The superintendent of pub
| Tic schools in Indiana where credit
is given for work done in religious
or church schools says, I'VE have had
| no opposition whatever, and / can
see no reason for opposition. 1T seems
| to me to be what we have been want
| ing for years." 1t is interesting to
read in the catalogue of State Teach
ers College, Colorado, the following
announcement:
Unusual opportunities for Bible
study are offered to students through
| system of co operation between the
churches of Greedy and Teachers
college. Bible courses of college
grade are maintained in all the large
churches. Under specific conditions
students may receive college credit
for work done in these classes"
The matter of week day religious
schools was agitated in. Greedy as
early as 1910. In 1914 such schools
EGreely, Morgan, Grand Junction,
Montrose, Boulder, Lo, ,gmont, Pueb
| To-, and other Colorado towns.
Thirty high schools in the state OF
Washington give credit for work
done in schools that receive their
syllabi from ministers associations
or other responsible organizations
Forty states have expressed anvil
ingness to give credit work that
meets the academic standards. One
hundred and fifty colleges and uni
versities including such universities
as Columbia, Princeton, Smith and
other of like standing, have express
ed their approval of courses OF Bible
| SIuuy thCy Will iCSOohiAC oI
units in college entrance. State
boards of education have been prompt
! to recognize the need and merit OF
1 the, plan. Educators are demanding
better religious training as a part OF
our educational equipment. Religious
men of all faiths long for an oppor-
| tunity to bring to the young a knowl-
edge of the vital truths of religion
that men must live by. And now, as
never before, men regardless OF creed
are demanding of the church a more
| thorough religious training OF the
young, as the only hope of saving oui
| fly cannot be separated from reli-
gion. The church has long known
that the training of the Sunday
school, valuable as it has been, is
INADEQUATE Sunday school work is
not supplanted but supplemented and
/ greatly strengthened where week day
church schools have been fairly tried
Neither do we underrate or discharge
the moral instruction given in oul
public schols today. A conscientious
and reverent teacher whatever they
are teaching, will impart their owr
spirit and attitude to those whom the
teach. However. none realize more
clearly the need of Distinctly religious
instruction. The week day religious
schools in New York City are main
ly supported by the Teachers associa
ION of the city An arganiza
ton of thirty FIVE hundred teachers
with the Superintendent of Schools
of Manhattan as President Of the or
ganization, are establishing week. day
classes taught by trained teacher:
and in hearty cooperation with thu
churches of all denominations within
the city.
| Precipitant action is not desirable
The important matter is to reach al
agreement on plan in which all car
heartily and conscientiously cooperate
and which will place religious educa
ton in Mankato on permanent ba
sis.