SUNDAY SCHOOL WORK

Hokitika Guardian, 7 May 1926, Page 1

SUNDAY SCHOOL WORK

EY CORRESPONDENCE. A SUCCESSFUL SCHEME. AUCKLAND, May u. Most encouraging results arc being obtained from a scheme inaugurated by the Sunday School Board of the Auckland Anglican, diocese, for the purpose of supplying instruction by correspondence to children in the backbloeks, and already over 300 children are obtaining the benefit of this guidance and tuition. The scheme was first generally made known last June, it was realised that there were many children in the conn, try districts wbo could not ho reached by Sunday Schools, and who wore nowdoing their day school work hy correspondence. 'fhe proposal was that the hoard should issue weekly papers of lesson notes, chiefly questions on Bible passages, which could be answered by a little attention to the text of the Bible, and with a few details to make things clear. Thus, it was hoped that many children would bo brought into better knowledge of what’ concerned their souls’ health, and also fool that they were one in fellowship with the church to which they belonged. The organisation of the scheme has

been in the hands of Canon F. AV. Young, and, after ten months, he reports very hopefully on the subject. In discussing tho scheme yesterday, ho said newspaper .publicity had brought information of eases in isolated portions of the province, and as far south as Canterbury. In each case the parents asked to be supplied with details of the work. .Most of the vicars who had been circularised supplied details of parents in isolated portions of their areas, who were willing to have their children taught- in this way. The latest large addition to the roll had been obtained through the Education Department. The method adopted for getting into direct touch with the children themselves was simply the Big Brother or Big Sister movement applied to tho spreading of the Gospel. It was necessary to have a number of helpers in the city, anil these were selected from university students, senior pupils of grammar schools, and others who each undertook to correspond with a boy or girl in the country. Canon Young said they had already over 3o() names on tho roll, and the number was increasing all the time. The position was very encouraging, particularly when it was noted that the Education Department, with all its resources. was teaching only 500 for the whole Dominion. There is ample evi-

dence that the lessons are being welcomed hy isolated families, and that ill many eases the parents are taking an interest in the children’s studies. So far only one grade of lessons has been compiled, and this has to serve for children of nil ages, as the movement has not reached the stage where lessons can he graded In suit varying ages ol pupils. Tho interest taken in the movement by the parents and older rien.hers of the backbloeks families is regarded hy the elm roll' authorities •is d< ulily encouraging, for it indicates ■in extension of work not at first hoped for I'hCrc was a certain amount of hesi* it ion mi the part, of some fnniilia bon I encouraging the eorresoondenee. owing mainly to Hie cost they might be pur to in the matter of postage, but by sending the lessons foi l nightly arid receiving replies over the same periods, the cost, to pupils was only one farthing a week. Not only had parents welcomed the scheme, hut also in some cases, additional financial assistance was being given to the hoard. As an instance of this it was stated that nine girls of a family in the blaekbloeks bail announced that they proposed to contribute one-tenth of their egg money to (he movement. One of the features >f the scheme was that it brought into he lives of the children an influence, welcomed hy all Christian mothers that would otherwise he difficult, to oldain. )ne family receiving lessons lived wmty-fivo miles from the nearest flare of worship.