The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1922-09-21
RELIGIOUS
EDUCATION
RESULTS

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The religious education program
which has been conducting week day
classes for two years and which last
year taught 2.7o0 boys and girls in
Hammond. Whiting. East Chicago
and Indiana Harbor has been max
Ing an important contribution to
the religious and social ife OF these
communities. All children whose
parents requested II in writing have
been able 90 attend without cost
They have been taught the funda-
mental truths OF the Bible and the
great hymns which the race has
produced. The religious heroes who
have dared to do right even when
they Were tempted to do wrong for
personal gain, have been made to
live in the lives OF these boys and
girls. The aim has been to develop
ideals which would Immediately
modify behavior.
There are several conclusions be-
coming increasingly evident
l. The program is significant be-
cause IL teaches children religion
who otherwise would receive no for
rnal religious instruction. In Ham
mond 40 per cent OF the public school
children attend week day religious
classes. Only half Of those attend
any church school.
2. 1t supplements the work OF the
church school. Teachers in the
church school report that they can
tell which children take week day
4s-fr frxs -
intelligence on religious matters
3. The children enjoy the work.
One ten year old boy said the other
day that he used to like geography
best bpt that now he liked religion
best. One canot visit the classes
without being convinced that the
boys and girls like 1t.
4. The teachers enjoy thfer work
The program Is very fortunate in
having secured such an efficient
group Of well trained teachers. who
in their living practice what they
preach. They are working conscin-
tiousy and enthusiastically to teach
religion so that shall become a part
OF the lives Of these 2.400 children.
The teachers enjoy the work for
they see 1t gives point to all the
rest OF the education of the child
s. The instruction Is already
bearing fruit. Children who are TAX
ing the work are getting grasp on
the greatest Book in the world In
addition to learning Bible stories.
and lessons which deal with re-
ligious heroes, more than half the
pupils in many Of the classes have
on their own iniative bought Bibles
and are learning how to use them.
Part of the class period is used in
worship. The children are given q
background watch will make them
at home in churches. Singing ana
prayer have their rightful place in
the worship. The smaller children
pray without self consciou sness and
without prompting. Every day T.
q new day with new blessings: and
there are the blessings of the pre-
ceding night, rest. and Gods care
then God has given oh so many
things. Why shouldn't prayer be
naturall Why not talk with ones
Heavenly Faherl In a class Of sec
ond grade children Tommy was sick
One little girl said: "Tea cher. why
0~~ $50 n 11~A ~ tAEAP 4OII1IIly w n n
the prayer period came, mingled
with the other prayers was this
ono Dear Col. please make Tom
my Well?"s The next day Tommy
was better and the little girl said
10 her teacher. There. God did
hear me, didn't Her
group Of ten year pupils had as
their lesson the story OF Dorcas
That noon 1t was cold and one lit
tie girl saw small boy whose coat
was unbuttoned. Later she told
her teacher. u saw a boy who was
cold, and his coat wasn't buttoned
so ! said to myself Dorcas would
button his coat so / went over and
buttoned it for him
one boy was accustomed tc
swearing. Before Thanksgiving the
lessons conferred around the theme
Of the many things which God has
blessed us, and for which we shoule
be thankful. One day the boy whC
swore regularly was with another
boy who happened to swear. Turn.
ing on him the former said-.sGoc
has given US everything we have
and He wouldn't like to have yor
say that such incidents as thes.
culled from may indicate that ali
ready the program is beginning K
bear fruit
Ones Imagination is gripped will
the possibilities of such a program
A generation Of people whose con
duct IS determined by ideals q
clean living and fair play, backe,
-
an idle dream. If 1t is true tina
what Is needed in the life or tn
nation and the church must first b
put into Its schools" then develop
Ing such backgrounds OF ideals il
conside cradle percentage of tn
whole group OF children in the com
munIty has real Significance.