The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1922-02-02
SUNDAY SCHOOL
OFFICERS CONFER
Weekday Religious Education Stressed
at State Meeting-NacatiOn Bible
Schools Emphasized.

The third annual conference of state
and county officers of the Vermont Sun
day School association was in session at
AIiddlCbury Monday and Tuesday of this
week and was attended by GO officers.
The sessions were devoted to q considera-
ton Of the work. possibilities and needs
of the state association and of depart
mental conferences. Through all the seS-
Sions there stood out the great possibil-
tiles of the work Of the association, es-
pecially in view of the fact that it is the
only interdcnominational religious agency
i'm the state which works for and among
.all ages of people in any community.
Special emphasis was placed upon the
matter of weekday religious education
which has been succesSf fully inaugurated
in PawIct. Starksboro, Monkton and one
or two other places. The attorney gen
cral Of the state has declared the present
laws of the state to be pcrmiSsivc for
such cooperation between the schools
and the churches. The local school boards
have the right to arrange, ut the request
of parents. with the superintendent of
schools to excuse pupils 10 go to the
churches for religious instruction.
Another feature of the state work
which was emphasized was the Daily
Vacation Bible schools which last sum
mcr were held in 10 places. The out
standing school i'm this region was held
for five weeks at SaNtonS River. All
these schools were eminently successful.
and the coming summer probably will see
q substantial increase in the number Of
these schools. which call for only small
outlay of money The work usually Is
done hv volunteers who are willing 10
make the sacrifice of time and energy.
The school is usually in session FIVE
mornings n week for FIVE weeks. Experts
say that aS much religious training can
be given in this length Of time as is often
given in year in the Sunday school Sos
sion.
The budget Of the state association
was thoroughly discussed and it was felt
that the amount, S6.9oe, was far too mod
est for tho work wbscl = and should -
carried on by the association. If be-
levers i'm religious education will rally
10 its support the amount not met by the
county apportiouments will be over-sub-
.crbGd. The amount can bC raised 10y
the schools by the payment of - cents
a member.
The county standard was raised. tire
changes to apply on the reports for the
year 1922 The revised standard viii be
sent To county officers in the near future.
1t has been found that Windham county $
report went astray and the county ban
ner therefore was not awarded at the
state convention at Bennington last fall
The report has heen duplicated and
Windham win receive the banner being
one Of five standard counties.
Several leaders from outside the state
were present and gave very helpful adj
dresses. Among these were Rev. IT,.
Morris Ferguson. president of the Mas
sachusettS State Sunday School aSsocia-
tiOn. and Rev. 7. Basil Young of Boston,
secretary Of the Methodist Board of Sun
day Schools
Mr.. Fergusson's address the first even
ing. preached from the text Whatsoever
a man soweth. that shall he also reap.
which he termed the farmers text. lik-
ened Sunday school work to farming and
was especially suggestive. He empha-
sized five points-fences, machines, fertil-
izcrs, buGs. crops
An invitation was accepted from Mont
pelicr to hold the State convention in
that city Oct. >, .. 4.
Arrangements are being made for Il
Vermont School of Religious Education
to be held at Vermont academy, Saxtons
River. the latter part of June