SUNDAY SCHOOL UNIONS.

Franklin Times, Volume 9, Issue 647, 5 July 1921, Page 7

SUNDAY SCHOOL UNIONS.

NEW ZEALAND ASSOCIATION FORCED.

deputation to the south

FINE RECEPTIONS ACCORDED

With a view to promoting ,the greater unity and efficiency of Sunday school enterprises'throughout the Dominion there has been formed an association known as the New Zealand Association of Sunday Schools Unions. This association has come into being as a result of the joint action of the Auckland' and Wellington Sunday School Unions. The Rev. L. B. Busfield, secretary of the Auckland Sunday School Union, interviewed on Friday, said it was hoped 'and confidently expected that a Dominion Council, consisting of all Sunday school workers, would be the ultimate result ol vtiris forward movement. Such a Dominion Council would include representatives of the various provincial Sunday School Unions and representatives of the young people’s departments of the various churches.

A deputation consisting of Mr H. Dearlsey (President of the K.Z. -Association), Mr F. Rowe (President of the Auckland Sunday School Union), and the Rev. L. B. Busfield (secretary of the Association), have lately visited Wellington, Christchurcn and Dunedin, iii Wellington a large >and representative gathering was held, and arrangements made for the extension of the association s activities in the Wellington province. In Christchurch the deputation met the official boards of the/ Methodist Church of New Zealand and the Presbyterian Church of New Zealand, also the united gathering Of Sunday School workers.

In Dunedin representatives of the Presbyterian, Methodist, Congregational, Baptist, and Salvation Army Churches, Church of Christ, and delegates from Sunday 'Schools, met the Auckland deputation and expressed hearty approval of the scheme, and appointed a committee to take action.

Dominion-wide Body.

Thle New Zealand Association; "being an inter-denominational bddy ' and Dominion-wide yfill be able to do the work, which of’’necessity would be beyond the power and ability of individual churches or j unions. What the association proposes woujd not interfere in any way with the denominational organisations,, The United Council of Sunday \ School workers has already been ■ established, and the members of it are doing most effective ) work in Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria, the provinces of Canada, South Africa, in the United States of America,, in India, and in England. The association believes that the time has come in New Zealand for the establishment of a national council, representative of those interested in the religious education of the young.

It is proposed to establish a pub l lishing department, with a printing press, to produce more economically, efficiently and rapidly the .many booklets and notices of various kinds required by the modren Sunday School. This would, to sqme extent, counteract the isolation of the Dominion and save the schools from being absolutely dependent upon other countries. It is also proposed to issue a monthly teachers' magazine in the interests of New Zealand Sunday Schools, and it is to be opened to the activities of the young people's departments of the various churches and Sunday School Unions of the Association.

Articles on Sunday School wo:k in its various departments, questions and answers, accounts of conventions and meetings, correspondence courses, and the like .would supply a very real need. |

Raising the Standard.

The association also believes that it would be a good thing to control the Dominion Scripture examination. Permanent paid experts and demonstrators who would help to raise the standard of Sunday School work are also part of the scheme. The association hope, further, to organise a teachers’ training college. Some understanding of child life and elementary child psychology was also eminently desirable for Sunday School teachers, and to those who are willing to learn the opportunity should be provided. Teachers who can spend even three months on a course of training will, of necessity, be better equipped and better able to lead a training class in their own schools. It is hoped to bold, in Auckland, in October, the first annual conference of the association, when representatives from all parts of the Dominion are expected to be present.