The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1922-05-18
WEEK DAY RELIGIOUS
INSTRUCTION


To all thinking people has come
the realization that in order to build
the best citizenship possible, the
children of today must be gwen a
four fold development, viz: physical
ly, mentally, spiritually and socially
The spiritual side lis one that has
been sadly neglected, and unless a
remedy is found, our nation faces dis
aster.
Mrs. Katherine Crawford of Su-
perior who spoke in the Norwegian
Lutheran church in this city on May
10th, made the following interesting
statements.
cit is said that we spend the great
er part of a child's life in teaching
it how to make living, and a very
small part in teaching it how to love. "
George Washington, said "A
democracy can not endure unless sup
ported by religious an dmoral peo-
pie" That we are not religious
people is proven by the fact that
$500 of the adult population never at
tends a church, and that 500 of the
children receive no religious in
struction of any kind. That we
are not a moral people is proven to
us all, almost every day in some way
or other.
DIR. Wilbur Crafts, Supt. of the Ma
tional Reform Bureau, Washington,
D. c., is the authority for the follow
ing facts, showing what lack of re-
hgious training is doing to the youth
of this country.
"Seven minors to one adult is the
ratio Of criminals in. the courts OF
our country,
"For every boy arrested for a
crime, ten girls are hailed into court
for immoral acts"
''The average age of fallen women
has dropped from % years to 10
years land in some cases to IA years"
What religious training will do
for our children is told by the follow
ing prominent Judges: Judge Boyd,
Children's Court, New York City;
Judge John Newcomer, Municipal
Court, Chicago; and Judge Fawcett
Of New York City have gone on re-
cord as saying that of the thousands
of criminal cases that have passed
through their courts, a very small
percent of crimes have been commit
ed gy persons who have attended Sum
day School regularly during their
formative years.
II the fact of these facts. every
good American citizens, irrespective
of his creed, should wake up to his
responsibility in this matter. That
there. is the beginning of an aWak-
ening is shown by the fact that 200
cities in the, United States have pro-
vided for week day religious instruc-
ton, outside Of the Sunday School.
Mrs. Crawford presented the "Ba-
tavia" plan for. this kind. OF instruc-
ton, which has been tried out very
successfully. Under this plan, one
day of each week is set aside for re-
ligious Instructions which in the
churches, in charge of the pastors.
Each parent chooses the church
where he, wishes his child to go. The
1st and End grades are sent from y
O'Clock until recess, the 3rd and 4th
from recess until noon, the 9Th and
9th from noon until recess and the
7th and 9Th from recess until 4 P. M.
In this way it becomes part OF the
general education and the Importance
of religious instruction as we'll as Sc
cular instruction, becomes instilled
into the minds of the children.
It may be interesting to know that
this plan will be put into operation
in the city of Eau Claire, at the be-
ginning Of the next school year.
Let all the people OF our own city
think seriously along these lines, and
work out some plan whereby we may