New Britain herald., 1930-05-17
GUIDANCE OF SOULS IN SPECIAL FIELD
pr. Howell Stresses Importance
 Of Training for Teachers

A large company of workers in re- llsious education in the Sunday and weekday church schools Of New Britain and vicinity gathered in the parish house Of St. Marks church last evening for the May rally Of the New Britain Council of Religious Ed ucation. During the social hour which preceded the supper, the guests were given slips Of various colors each bearing an emblem, the seating at tables being arranged ac- cording to the color scheme. and the entire company being divided into four discussion groups later in the evening according to the emblems which had been distributed. A de- licious supper was served by the la dies of St. Marks church. with Miss Carolyn Jackson in general charge.
 The Religious Teacher and His Task was the subject of the main address Of the evening given by Dr. Walter D. Howell of Philadelphia. the director of field work Of the h. ternational Council of Religious Ed ucation. The address was planned to prepare the audience to participate in the discussion groups which fol- lowed, so the speaker raised ques- tions regarding the qualifications which should be sought in the relig- lous teacher. the obligations such teacher assumes. the special prepara- ton necessary for one who would successfully discharge the supreme task of molding human life by means of the religious motives and the dy- manic of vital religious living. Tt is a wonderful thing to be able to work with machinery and accom- pllsh results in the production of commodities the speaker said. Tt
 IS wonderful also to be able to deal with plant life in such a way as to develop new forms and new varieties Of pants and flowers and vegetables; it is of great importance also for one to be trained to deal with animals in the comparatively new profession Of scientific animal husbandry and 10 produce special strains of live stock which are now being developed; but it is vastly more significant. my friends. to be qualified 10 deal with human life and to guide immortal souls in their development into gen. timely Christian character. Where can we find a task as challenging and at the same time as rewarding as this? And for what tasks is it essential that there be such careful consideration of the qualifications Of the one engaging in the work. as in this supremely significant task ?"
 High Standards Adopted
 Dr. Howell told Of progress that
 has been made m recent years in the careful attention 10 the qualifications Of religious teachers for their tasks.
 Tt may sound 10 you like a fairy tale" continued the speaker, but l
 can tell you of churches throughout this country where the qualifications for the task Of the religious teacher are explicitly defined and standards are maintained which even 10 years ago we would not have dared to ex- peCt would be maintained within our lifetime. This whole matter of the religious teacher and his qualifica- tions for his task is being taken far more seriously than ever before. and
 I can bring you word Of very great encouragement because of the pro- { gross which is being made along this line. Emphasis is being laid on the rF tcgchinc an5 ren111p ar responding where definite standards and requirements are being main- tained and raised from time to time, so that in some places there are actu- ally waiting lists of those who desire 10 qualify and 10 become teachers or religion, even on wholly volunteer 1 basis"
 Spirituals Enjoyed
 | Al the beginning Of the program ! several negro spirituals were sung in an effective manner by quartet 1 from the A. M. F. Zion church, com posed of Miss Evelyn Baker, Mrs. l Estelle Russln, John (. Baker, and Howell Singleton.
 Report was made by Rev Alfred | D. Heininger of the second semester | of the community leadership traln- ing school in which S7 students were 1 enrolled from 12 churches Of SIX de- nominations, with 4 credits awarded toward the diploma of the lnterna-
 tonal Council of Religious Educa-