Free trader-journal and Ottawa fair dealer., 1922-03-11
PR0TESTANTS PLAN
INSTALLATION Of
RELIGIOUS SCHOOL.
CHURCH FEDERATION DISCUSSES
PLAN FOR WEEKDAY EoUcA.
TON IN BlBLE-B. o. BERGE DE.
LIVERs ADDRESS FAvoRlNG
SUCH A MOVE.


A project for starting religious
school was started N a meeting of the
church federation advisory council,
which was held last night in the Con
gregationa church Fifteen Otawans,
the members of the council and the
ministers cf the city were in attend.
anGe.
\ resolution was passed by the
members of the council asking that
tile institution of q week day educa
tional school be taken up BY the 10.
cal ministers. The matter was brought
before the meeting Of Attorney u. O.
Berge. 1t was new to most of TIE mem.
berS OF the assemblago.
Mr. Bergc explained that such
schools had been formed within the
past two wears in Gary, Ind. Oak
Park. HYDE Park, Batavia Rochelle
aud Rockford, and were proving a
great help to the committee where
they have been established
The schools are held by peOplc of
all religious Crecds. In churches
where il Is desired the children are
taught the creed Of their own faith.
but all the classes met at one time.
They are conducted by different set
of teachers than the publ" SCHOOLS.
and the kiddics are excused from their
daily study for an hour G." 'wo week
TO attend their week day religious
SCHOOL,
The ministers agreed to familiarzc
themselves with the plan and TO start
an educational CamDaign in the local
churches to let the Ottawa people
know of the project
Mr. Bcrge spoke on the project say.
ing in part:
THE weekday school of religion is
DESIGNED to give overy child several
hours or periods Of instruction in re.
ligion every week 1t means to set
instruction in religion on the same
plane of educational efficiency as chill
dren find in the public school It's
aim is to make the subject and the
fact of religion an integral part of the
total educational experience of child
hood. coordinate with all other parts
of that experience. II is TO carry on
for the children, that part of their edu
cation which lies beyond the province
and the power of the public school
1t is the deliberate and co operative
atteTr' of churches TO m9ko IN for
that short measure character of cdu.
cation inevitable in, a definitely secu
lar system.
The system Of weekday schools is
designed to secure adequate facilities
and evDert services, on basis of grea-
ter efficiency and CC0u0mv. by arrang-
ing time.programs which spread their
use and their work thrOueh all the
week. That system is designed to Sc
cure community cO-oOeratiou in the
provision aud use Of designed build.
ings and facilities, and specially train.
ed workers
Tho ultimate purpose of this school
fs to train the young for the life of
religious society Of the Christian ilc1,
or to prepare the next generation with
those natives md ideals end hibits
winch will help that generation to will
and effect better world. Cne more con.
f0rmablc to thrisl's ideal societ, ut
lcvin9, cooperating 'uGd will
"ThouRhtful persons in large num-
bers have cone to realize that certain
dufoS which .orce were commonly rec
ognized in a Christian society have
been, in the rapidlv developing pres
sure of our total social life, crowded
70 one side and almost forgotten
Teaching religion to children once
was the duty of every family. the task
of every school and of every church.
To-day the family has lost conscious
neSs of responsibility for these duties;
the church has nearly forgotten them;
the public school has relinquished
them. Duties, essential to social we'll
living, now have little or no place in
our social programs. The teaching of
religion has been lost in the process
of social development, and especially
in the development Of a civilization of
matelialisln
Religious knowledge is a part of
every child's rightfu heritage. Each
child has as clear right to knowl-
edge of religion as he has to any other
part OF his intellectual or spiritual
heritage. 1t Is the recognized duty of
society TO insure to every incoming
member opportunity to enter into his
full heritage Of the world of though
and knowledge. Each new generation
receives from the past. adds to that
{ wealth and should pass it on to the
future. Schools Of all kinds are the
principal form OF social machinery de-
signed to accomplish this. 1t is there
fore the duty of society to provide that
in it's completeness all that is of per
manent value of this heritage of the,
past should como into tho possession
of the new Generation. Certainly re.
Hgious knowledge is included in this
responsibility.