Evening star., 1922-10-18
lack Of RELIGIOUS
TEACHING ASSA|LED
Sunday School ParIey Given
Alarming Statistics by
Philadelphia Rector.

Alarming statistics regarding IL
literacy in the United States and the
vast majority of the children of all
denominations who are not receiv-
ing any religious instruction in
T. Philips, rector OF the Church of
Our Saviour. Philadelphia. at the
first public meeting of the twenty
sixth annual convention of the Sun
day School Institute of the Diocese
OF Washington. which Is being held
today in the Church Of the Epiphany,
1917 G street northwest
DR.. Phillips advocated not only
sp"cial teacher-training to remedy
this appalling situation. but also
emphasized the necessity for regular.
dehnite curriculum. which will make
States but also Of the Kingdom Of
God he said.
Ihe convention started with COM
munion service. Bishop Harding was
u 1ne GsIebrant, assisted by Rev. James
r. Chrrot, r.eefnan' rector of Epipnany
Of the board of religious education.
Slshop Harling also delivered an ad-
dress or welcome and introduced DR..
Phliiips. who is a member Of the
national department Of religious
education, to speak on rs the Sum
day School of Present Importance?
II 80, How Can 1t BE Improved?"
Jewish Children Neglected.
In a statement showing the lack Of
religious training of the youth of to-
day Or. Phillips recited statistics that
nineteen out of every twenty OF the
Jews IN this country are not receiving
reiislous instruction in schools. He
Sald that three out of every four of
the Roman Catholic children in this
country under twenty-five years of
age arc not in schools where they
receive religious instruction. He said
that two out of every three Of all the
Irotestnnt children under twenty-five
Years OF age are not enrolled in any
Sunday school. He called this situa-
lion startling"
Then the speaker pointed out that
the instruction in morals and religion
of the Jews in religious schools and
Sunday school totaled about three
hundred and thirty-tive hours year;
that of the Roman Catholic children
about two hundred hours, and that
among all Protestant children it was
about twenty-siN hours year. Then.
because of the fact that we have only
about 80 per cent enrolment among
the Protestant children. we actually
nave them under instruction only
about thirteen hours year. Dr. Phil
lips explained.
s,OOO.OOO nllterates in L. :.
In discussing the relation of our
democracy to religious teaching, DR.
Phillips recalled that the first draft
showed 100000 illit-rates. and that
200 600 of those were in training
camps. The war revealed. he con-
tinued, that We have in this country
more than eight million who can
neither read nor write the language
in which the Constitution of the
United States is written.
The ideal democracy he explain
ed. lis one in which eduCs ton is
universal The public schools dis
seminate not only learning beg Mt the
youth for living side by side with
common ideals and aspirations. This
country has enormously and rightly
emphasized the Importance of the
teaching function. The great contrast
between our religious instruction, the
instruction in morals and religious
ideals in the large. is absolutely ap-
palling"
AT the business session. at 1910.