Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1926-07-15
REPORT OF WORK
OF Bible CREDIT
BOARD OF CONTROL.


Professor H. r. Purinton of Bates
College, secretary of the board Of
control Of the Maine Bible Credit
Course, were adopted by that board
at its annual meeting recently held
at the State department of educa-
ton. These recommendations were
as follows:
That the new textbook on the
Achievement of the Master. written
for this course, to be published by
Scribner's in September, be refer
red to q committee with power to
approve or disapprove.
That teachers desiring to use
other textbooks than those specially
prepared for this course, be allowed
to do so provided that the topics for
study and examination (See Bulletin
A. be accepted as the basis Of class
work.
That the secretary arrange, If
possible, for the printing of Bulletin
4 which is appended to his report
That the following persons be
asked to serve as promoters of this
method of study and instructors of
teachers who desire to help in start
ing new classes in these courses:
Mrs. L. B. Costello, Lewiston, Mrs.
Milo G. Folsom, Gardiner: Pro-
fessor Edwin B. Goldsworthy of
Bates College; L. b. Costello of
Lewiston and Miss Adele Gill
patrick of Hallowell. 1t is under
stood that no salary can be paid, but
that the expenses Should be paid in
each case by the churches who get
the benefit of their services.
That we no longer ask the State
Council of PnlipDnS E61p1 finn
Portland, to serve as treasurer of
this organization, but appoint some
person closely related to our work
who may be able to give special at
| tention to our financial needs.
That the general secretary of the
Maine Council of Religious Educa-
! ton, Rev. Fred w. French, be asked
! to do what he can through the coun-
| ty associations and the annual state
convention of his organization to
promote this plan of Bible study.
Report of Secretary Purinton
The report of Secretary II. R
| Purinton for 1925-26 which was ac-
| eepted at the meeting of the board
| of control, shows that the seventh
year of the work has now been COM
| pleted. Twenty-four classes have
| been conducted in II towns and
| cities and PSI students have beer
I reported to the secretary. Several
| secondary schools, notably e Maine
| Central Institute, Coburn Classical
| Institute. KentS Hill Seminary,
| Colby Academy, New Hampshire,
| have been using our textbooks and
| approximately 200 students have
! used them. Summer schools and
! community schools have made use of
| our textbooks. one summer school
| at Ocean Park having 260 students
| in Old and New Testament Litera-
! ture.
| A much wider influence of our
| method of study than is indicated is
! suggested by the fact that during the
| six months preceding Feb. Is, 1926
! 1884 copies of the Literature of the
| Old Testament and the Literature
| of the New Testament were sold by
| the publishers.
| Examinations were given In
| February and June as follows:
Literature of the Old Testament
The Achievement of Israel. Litera-
ture of the New Testament, and The
! Achievement of the Master. Seven
! ty-six took the examinations in
February. ten failed. Fifty-six took
| the examinations in June and three
/ failed.
A comparison of the numbers TAX
| ing the examinations in the past
seven years is as follows: 1920
| So; 1921, 80; 1922, Al; 1923, IA;
1924, so; 1925. 81; 926, rs. The
examinations are rather more diff
ficult than the average examinations
| in high school, but 1t has been
| thought best not to make them
! easier because in religious work
| there is always a tendency to tighten
| the mental tasks.
Since 1917 this plan of allowing
credits for Bible study has gained
very rapidly so that we now have
29 states in which such credit Is
| granted, or gain of 900 per cent
| OF these 20 states, 10 have state
| authority for granting the credit
! One advantage of this system OF
! credit is the new esteem which the
| Bible gains in the mind of students
The recognition of the Bible as an
important textbook tends to increase
| the interest in 1t as a preparation
! for good citizenship.
| The churches like the United
| Baptist of Lewiston and the Uni
versalist Of Gardiner which have
done most with the credit course
bear testimony to the fact that this
kind of course Is valuable not only
| mentally but religiously.
One Of our academies has this
year required the use of our text
books of all Freshman and Sopho-
more students and so successful
have the courses proved that the re-