Evening star., 1945-11-22
Letters to The Star
The Schwenckfelder Schools
Held to Be First
70 the Editor az rhe Star.

To the Editor Of The Star:
In the Star of October %, under the
caption ID. G. Teacher Is kin Of
Founder Of First Sunday School in the
United States" It is claimed that "the
first continuous Sunday school in the
United States" was originated In Octo-
Der, 1785, at Quinby on the Virginia
Eastern Shore by the Rev. william
Elliot, first American-born Methodist
minister in the United States.
1t may be Of interest to the readers
OF that article to learn that Sunday
schools have been conducted in South
eastern Pennsylvania by the Schwenck-
felders since 1884. They were q group
of 200 religious refugees from the perse-
cutions Of the established churches Of
continental Europe, landing in the woods
of william Penn in 1874. In religious
thought and practice they were most
closely akin to the Quakers. Ever since
the fathers landed, their children have
been accustomed to attend classes for
religious instruction on Sundays and
holidays. Their teachers prepared Ques-
ton books on the Gospel lessons cover
ing the year, for use in their Sunday
schools. On Sunday mornings the par
ents gathered for worship services. The
Sunday afternoons were devoted to the
Sunday school sessions. The children.
sometimes numbering so, were divided
into classes.
During the period 1763-1797. over 1000
sessions were held. The subject matter
for study was the Gospel lessons and
Epistle texts, the Gospel Of st. John
in particular, the Acts Of the Apostles
and Christian hymns, as well as a cate
chism of Christian doctrine prepared
by one Of their ministers, the Rev.
Christopher Schultz. printed in Phila-
delphia in 1853. The private studies of
another Of their ministers, the Rev.
Christopher Kriebel, in preparation for
his duties in these Sunday schools, were
recorded by him in four neatly written
volumes jointly comprising 1887 pages.
Out of these early Sunday schools grad
ually evolved their modern Sunday
schools.
Hitherto, the credit Of having founded
the first Sunday school has been accord
ed to Robert Raikes of England in 1780.
In 1854 the Schwenckfelders also
established the first public school sys-
tenn in the United States Research
has not proved the existence of an
earlier one. There were many parochial
schools in the Colonies at that time,
but no free public schools. The
Schwenckfelder house fathers in 1764
subscribed a fund of 800 pounds for the
support of this school system. Children
of all ages and creeds were welcomed
and enrolled. No religious indoctrina-
ton Of any sort was permitted. Most
Of the teachers were engaged outside
Of the Schwenckfelder group. This
school system functioned successfully
for so years. In 1925 they united with
their neighbors in conducting subscrip-
ton schools, but the income of their
school fund continued to be devoted to
the payment Of tuition for poor children.
In 1884 the free public school system of
the Commonwealth of Pennsvlania was
adopted.
The extensive records of these Sunday
schools and Of the public school system
Of the Schwenckfelders are preserved in
the Schwenckfelder Historical Library
at Pennsburg. Montgomery County. Pa.
SELMA GERHARD SCHULTZ,
Associate and Managing Editor of the
Corpus Schwenckfeldianorn.