THE CHURCH-SCHOOL WORK IN THE NORTHWESTERN AND SOUTHWESTERN UNION CONFERENCES.
By C. C. Lewis
I was appointed educational secretary of the Northwestern and Southwestern Union Conferences in May, but was not able to enter upon the duties of the office till June 18. Since that time, I have attended camp-meetings in South Dakota, Manitoba, Arkansas, Kansas, Texas, and Oklahoma. I also attended the Educational Council at Berrien Springs, Mich. Everywhere I find a deep interest in the church-school work, and a willingness to co-operate in the establishment of schools. Minnesota and Dakota seem to have taken the lead in the work. Both Conferences have had church-school superintendents for two years, and both held institutes for their teachers last year. One superintendent said he did not know how to hold an institute; but it did not seem right to let the teachers enter upon their work without any special preparation, and so he called them together, and they spent a week in praying, studying the Testimonies, and counseling together in regard to the work. The result was that they went to their schools full of faith and courage, and were generally successful. Minnesota had about twenty-five schools, and Dakota six or eight. The other Conferences whose camp-meetings I have attended have formed educational departments, consisting of the church school, Sabbath-school, and Young People’s Work, and have selected superintendents. This is in harmony with the recommendation of the last General Conference, and it seems as though it would be wise for all to conform to this plan. The Conference president cannot do everything. He will, of course, advance the educational interests wherever he goes, but there is a clear gain in setting another mind to work upon these questions. Such a man should, generally, be a member of the Conference Committee; and while he need not, in small Conferences, spend all his time in visiting schools and churches, he can do much by correspondence, and can give instruction and information at general meetings. It may be of interest to mention the names and the addresses of the superintendents already chosen: Minnesota, E. C. Catlin, of Kenyon; formerly a railroad agent, two years at Union College, three years in public-school work. South Dakota, J. W. Beach, of Willow Lake; an old teacher, later a successful farmer; now gives up his farming operations for love of the church-school work. Arkansas, D. E. Huffman, of Springdale; school-teacher, year or two at Union College; some experience in ministry in Kansas and Arkansas; principal of Springdale school; in ministry half the year. Kansas, B. E. Huffman, 118 E. 5th St., Topeka; brother of D. E. Huffman; school-teacher; licentiate of Kansas Conference. Oklahoma, C. Sorenson, Box 202, Oklahoma City; ordained minister, graduate of Keene Academy, several years president of Sabbath-school Association. These are all young men,—from twenty-five to thirty-five years of age, perhaps,—full of courage and zeal for the cause of God, and having had experience in school work and in the ministry. Under the blessing of God, how can the church schools fail to be greatly helped by their labors? The other Conferences I have not heard from; but will they not receive a hint from the character of the superintendents already chosen? And shall not the next few weeks witness the appointment of able superintendents in all the Conferences as the preliminary step toward a vigorous campaign this fall and winter? And right here the greatest need is felt by all our people,—the need of some definite plan of organization. Each Conference—each school, it might almost be said—is going its own way, if going at all. Some fear to move because of the lack of organization. They are not satisfied merely to keep moving; they want to know where they are going. All are willing to co-operate if they can only see what to operate and how to operate. After receiving the invitation to take the oversight of the church-school work in these two great Union Conferences, one of the first thoughts that came to my mind was, How can the work be so unified that all will labor, at least in a general way, along the same lines, to the same end? And almost immediately the answer came, Prepare a manual for parents and teachers that will give practical instruction concerning courses of study, text-books, and methods of teaching. And this is what I have been doing while attending camp-meetings, and studying the situation. Such a manual is nearly ready. In a few days it will be in the printer’s hands. I have tried to make something which is practical and usable. Untried theories have been omitted. The assistance and counsel of experienced teachers have been obtained. The manual is arranged in four parts. The first part sets forth the principles of Christian education and the object of such an education; the second part shows how to apply these principles in the home training of children until they are old enough to enter the church school; the third part gives a course of study and text-books for church schools, and tells how to teach each subject in every grade; and the fourth part answers practical questions concerning discipline, support of schools, selection of teachers, etc., etc. The price of this manual is twenty-five cents, and those living in the Northwestern or Southwestern Union Conferences may order from their respective tract societies; those outside of these Conferences may order direct from the writer, at College View, Neb. C. C. LEWIS,
Educational Sec. N. W. and S. W. U. C.