# LCMS Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1947_S274
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

274 PARISH EDUCATION

voiced their opinions as to the needs in this field. This confer-
ence proved helpful in planning materials for this agency. Fol-
lowing this conference, a course was tried experimentally for
one year, .

The Board for Home Missions, recognizing the possibilities of
child mission work through the vacation Bible school, conducted
an experiment at Detroit in the summer of 1945. For that year
three special vacation Bible school workbooks were produced in
co-operation with our Board. The success of the experiment led
the Board for Home Missions to enlist our co-operation on a
Synod-wide vacation Bible school project for the Centennial
year. Through promotion at the Epiphany Conference, through
meetings of District officials, and through conferences of pastors
and teachers, this project has been vigorously promoted jointly
by the Board for Home Missions and the Board for Parish Edu-
cation.

Saturday Schools. Saturday schools have been conducted by
Some congregations for many years, however chiefly for confirma-
tion instruction. As an educational agency, the Saturday school
is superior to the Sunday school, with its one hour per week
program, and superior also to the vacation Bible school in time
available, for it can make available three hours per week through-
out the year. Statistics on this agency for the past triennium
show the following:

Schools Puptls Noreen of
19438 653 12,054 1,065
1944 828 15,352 1,378
1945 840 15,428 1,392

In view of the large number of congregations that do not
have parochial schools, Saturday schools merit much wider use
than they thus far enjoy.

Released-Time Classes, Weekday released-time classes are
held by arrangement with public schools in various communities,
The children are dismissed from the public schools for one hour
. Or more per week to go to the church of their parents’ choice for

religious instruction. The Research Bulletin of the National Edu-
cation Association (February, 1946) reports that thirty-five States
have this institution. This report states further that, without
statutory authorization in most instances and unchallenged by an
objecting taxpayer, the matter is left to local discretion.

Statistics for the past triennium show the following use of
Released-Time Classes:

Congregations Children of

Participating Pupils Non-Members Teachers
1943 324 11,455 3,294 (Not listed)
1944 434 13,328 3,688 580

1945 ag 15,288 5,229 801