The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1922-06-10
Success of School Attributed
to Billy Sunday, World
War and Hard Work

In a level plot of ground in Bell
view stands the Highland Avenue
! Methodist Episcopal Church, where
on a Sunday morning the little
community gathers for worship
| Against the green grass. the white
| franc building produces a pastor
al and genre atmosphere. The sun
streams through the church Win
/ dows and the fragrance of apple
blossoms is evident. Nearby in a
maple tree a song sparrow carols
it's morning praise.
Promptly at $3.50 O'Clock, in
clear ringing tones, the tell in the
church belfry calls the citizens to
| Sunday school. They come s;ngly,
! in groups of two and three and by
| families until the church is filled
! to Overlooking, for the attendance,
1 which in 1920 averaged 152, now
averages 500.
J. C. Hupp, superintendent of the
| Sunday school, attributes this
! phenomenal growth in attendance
to three main factors-Billy Sun
day, the World War and hard work.
The average attendance OF the
Sunday school for the year 1920
was 152. In January of 1921, Billy
I Sunday came, and during his meet
! ings the attendance was lower than
| in the corresponding weeks CT 1920
but as soon as the meetings closed
the attendance Immediately went
to 237, and has been steadily main
/ tanned and increased, barring sea
sonal fluctua tons caused by wealth
er conditions, sickness, ETC., which
do not seriously effect the general
average Special days increase the
attendance for the day but 1t does
/ not remain up. The class work
and general interest furnish the
| greatest incentive. while the high
! est attendance is in the winter and
spring and the lowest during the
summer months.
Credits Billy Sunday
Mr.. Hupp says, Discussion rel
ative to the value of Billy Sundays
work in various cities of the coun-
try is frequently heard. By a study
of our Sunday school it is easily
seen that he gave us a starting
point We took advantage of his
work. Without his visit to Fair
mont it is my belief that we would
not row have the present num-
Ebers. We may carry this thought
to all evangelistic work. Unless 1t
| is properly followed up we lose
= the greatest opportunities to take
a religious interest at its flood tide
and make it a starting point for
even greater gains.
Most of the Sunday schools In
the country have grown rapidly
lsince the war. A new and deeper
interest in things educational and
religious seems to keep pace with
and contradict the crime wave now
J H. yNr1H M
people everywhere go to Sunday
school than ever before. An anaiy,
sis of this increased attendance
would be interesting and would in
clude such factory as greater Ell
fort put forth on the part of church
people and deeper religious
thought.
"The third factor has been hard
work and a great deal of attention
to organization," says Mr.. Hupp,
who continues. mo Sunday school
will succeed that is not thoroughly
; organized, and in which the teach
| ers do not occasionally get together
l to talk over and plan their work
1t is only by making a close study
: of our Sunday schools and by CIV
l ing them the same intelligent at
} ttention that we give to our pubic
$ schools and to our business tha'
3 we can hope to obtain results. WheL
l we have discovered tendencies anc
causes we are in position to I'M
e prove. While attendance is not the
biggest aim Of the Sunday schoo
s the fact that people are presen'
$ shows their interest AID Where
t 1 there is interest there is a gooc
S reason to believe they. aCe gett1nf
i something worth while. WheE meI
t and women attend Sunday schoo
e in considerable numbers the attena
ance goes UP rapidly for j IS easier
to take children to Sunday schoo
than to send them.
Youngsters Interesting
: In the primary department of thu
:. Highland Avenue Methodist Epls
: copal Sunday School, there are 10l
little ones of all ages and sizes
= is interesting to visit this depart
when. the classes are in SEES
$ sion One is impressed by th'
e earnest attention paid and the rap
E razes which follow the words or TIM
: instructors Surely Bellview mas
S more glowing future ahead OF
{. than communities which are pay
l ing less attention to this .mportan
S phase of child training.
0 Owing to the growth OF the sun
$ daV school. $500 was raised las
} summer and the men of the church
gave their services for the erection
8 Of an addition to house the pr1m
; ary department. A long marrow
e room with many windows for fresi
t air and sunshine was nullt ont
$ the rear of the church, and 1t i
e here that the little ones study tn
: teachings of. Him who will max
: them better boys and girls. an
-ilater better citizens.
In this department, Mrs Fran
lis. White is the superintendent an,
e the other teachers are Mrs. Fran
8 Hamilton, Mrs. Claude Richmond
/ Mrs. Mona Higginbotham, Mrs
t Florence Chapman, Mrs. Georg
e stevens and Mrs. Henry Fast. q
e Another interesting department
lis the Teacher Training CLASS