A critical evaluation of weekday religious education in selected Los Angeles school areas

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A CRITICAL EVALUATION OP W EEKDAY RELIGIOUS EDUCATION IN SELECTED LOS ANGELES SCHOOL AREAS

A Thesis Presented to the Faculty of the Graduate School of Religion The University of Southern California

In P a rtia l Fulfillment of the Requirements fo r the Degree Master of Theology

by George Robert Elder January 195>0

UMI Number: EP65192

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This thesis, written by G E O E ® . . R p ^ R T :. . ] ^ E R ........................

u n d e r the d ir e c t io n of

_

Faculty C om m ittee,

a n d a p p r o v e d b y a l l it s m e m b e r s , ha s b e e n p r e s e n t e d to a n d a c c e p t e d b y the F a c u l t y o f the S c h o o l o f R e l i g i o n in p a r t i a l f u l f i l l m e n t o f the r e q u i r e m e n t s f o r the d e g r e e of

MASTER OF THEOLOGY

Dean

D ate

January 19gO

Faculty Committee

Chairman

TABLE OF CONTENTS CHAPTER

PAGE

I . THE PROBLEM AND DEFINITIONS OFTERMS USED . . . . The problem ....

1

. . ♦ ..............................

Statement of the problem

. . . ............................

Importance of the problem . . . .

1

..............................

2

Definitions of terms u s e d .......................................................

5

Weekday relig io u s education

.

5

Weekday church school . .......................................................

5

Released time . . ....................................... . . .

6

Organization of remainder II.

ofthe th esis

. . . .

7

HISTORY AND PRESENT STATUS OF W EEKDAY RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

.

In the N a tio n .....................................................................

III.

9 9

In the State ofC a l i f o r n i a ...................................

16

In the City of LosA n g e l e s .....................................................

21

SOM E BASIC PHILOSOPHIC ASSUMPTIONS FOR RELIGIOUS EDUCATION............................................................................................ . #

IV.

1

30

PROCEDURES AND THE FINDINGS OF REACTIONS TO THE LOS ANGELES PROGRAM . . Questionnaires Teachers Findings

. . .

. . . . . . . .

....................................................................... • • • • • • •

ItA

44 44 ri

......................................................................

4^

P u p i l s .....................................................................................

5>8

F i n d i n g s ...........................................................................

59

iii CHAPTER

V.

PAGE Field Observations and the findings . . . . . .

62

Interviews and the findings . .

71

. . . . . . . .

EVALUATION OF THE W EEKDAY PROGRAM IN LOS ANGELES................................................................................................

.

lk

The teaching situation T i m e .......................................................................................................

Ik

Schedule

76

• • • • . . • • • • • • • • • • • •

S i z e ................................................................

77

P l a c e ................................................

78

Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

79

Pupil-teacher relationships . . . . . . . . . .

80

Curriculum

83

. . . . . . . . . .

Areas of experience Objectives

...................................... .....................................

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Methods

Fulfillment of needs

86 90 911-

Materials

.......................... . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Attitudes developed VI.

lk

................................................

SUMMARY, CONCLUSIONS, AND RECOMMENDATIONS . . . . Summary

.....................................

98 99 lOfJ 110 110

Conclusions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

116

The Los Angeles program . . . . . . . . . . .

117

The program as a whole

. . . . . . . . . . .

122

Recommendations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

127

CHAPTER

PAGE

BIBLIOGRAPHY...................................................................... APPENDIX

. .

130

..........................................■................................................................135

LIST OF'TABLES TABLE I.

PAGE Summary of Enrollment in Weekday Religious Education Glasses of the Fourth, F ifth , and Sixth Grades in 102 Elementary Schools of Los Angeles, 19l|lj--lj-5

II.

•

^2

Summary of Enrollment in Weekday Religious Education Glasses of 130 Elementary Schools and

1 3 Junior High Schools in Los Angeles, 19lj-5-14.6 . III.

2Ij.

Summary of Enrollment in Weekday Religious Education Glasses of llj.8 Elementary Schools, Ij. Developmental Schools, and 9 Junior High Schools in Los Angeles, I 9 I4.7 -I48 . . . . . . . . . . . .

25

✓

IV.

Summary and Comparison of Enrollment of the Religious Groups in Los Angeles, 19^4*— ^1-5*

and X9I4.7—I j . 8 ......................................................... V.

27

Conditions of Physical Equipment, with the Number of Teachers Who Checked Them as S atisfactory, Church Federation Group, 19i|-7 .

VI.

•

l|-7

as Satisfactory, Church Federation Group, 19147.

lj-8

Conditions of Organization and Administration, with the Number of Teachers Who Checked Them

VII.

Reasons for Pupils Withdrawing from the Released Time Program and Frequency Given, Church Federation Group, !9l}-7

I49

vi PAGE

TABLE

V III#

Frequency of the Methods of Teaching Used "by the Teachers, Ghurch Federation Group, 19i{-7. •

XX.

5b

Relationship of Weekday Teachers to Public School Teachers, Parents, Ministers, and

5&

Supervisors X.

Reasons Checked by Pupils for Attending Weekday Glasses, Church Federation Group, I 9 I4 .7 .............................................................................................................

XI.

Preferred A ctiv ities of 9lj-6 Weekday Pupils, Church Federation

XII.

60

6l

Group, 19l|7

Evaluation of the Approach of the Teachers and the Response of the Pupils in Twelve Weekday Church School Classes, Church Federation Group,

1 9 4 7 ........................................................................................ XIII.

Methods and Procedures Observed in Twelve Weekday Church School Classes,

Church Federation

Group, I 9 I4.7 XIV.

65

66

In te re s t Indicated by Groups of Pupils in Twelve Weekday Church School Classes, Church Federation Group,

XV.

19lj.7. . . . . . . . . . . .

68

Rating of A ttitudes Shown in Twelve Weekday Church School Classes, Church Federation Group,

191+7...............................................................................................

69

v ii TABLE XVI,

PAGE Curriculum. Suggested for 4th., 5>th, 6 th Grades and Junior High School Weekday Classes, Church Federation Group, 1946-47

88

CHAPTER I THE PROBLEM AND DEFINITIONS OF TERMS USED Since i t s beginning in the f a l l of 19^3# a movement of weekday relig io u s education, known largely as the wre ­ leased time" plan, has spread throughout America^ taking huge strid e s in the l a s t few years.

The l a s t World War and

the th reat of atomic warfare has no doubt played a large part in causing church and public school leaders and parents a l l over the country to look to the relig io u s training of th e ir children.

However, these events have only accentuated a

problem that has long been with us.

I t i s sig nificant th at

leaders in many fie ld s have come to recognize the need for such a program* as th is one.

But, although weekday relig io u s

education has recently grown in high proportions and has gained many supporters and followers, believe that i t

there are some who

is not the best solution to our problem* I* . THE PROBLEM

Statement of the problem.

The purpose of th is study

was to evaluate c r i t i c a l ly weekday religio us education in selected Los Angeles school areas. on the basis of.

An evaluation was made

(1 ) the teaching situatio n,

teacher relationships,

(3 ) the curriculum,

(2 ) pupil-

(Ij.) the fu lfillm en t

2 of pupils* needs, and (£) the a ttitu d e s developed.

This

evaluation was made in the lig h t of certain philosophic assumptions of relig io u s education and was based almost e n tire ly upon the Program of the Church Federation Group of Los Angeles.

The purpose of the study also was to reach

some conclusions concerning weekday relig io u s education as a whole, and to offer some recommendations. Importance of the problem.

When many of the outstand­

ing leaders of the world begin emphasizing the need for a more v it a l re lig io u s education, that would be ample j u s t i f i ­ cation fo r conducting a study of th is problem.

Not long ago

J. Edgar Hoover, of the Federal Bureau of Investigation,

said

th at irre lig io n i s our g re atest menace, and th at rtwhat we need in th is country is a return to God, more sp ecifically , a return to the practice of relig io n .

That i s without a doubt

the greatest need in America today.!l^

And i f America’ s great­

e s t need today is the return to then the

the practice of religio n,

following statement of the intern ation al council of

Religious Education has great significance * Although the public schools undertake to equip the younger generation to cope with every kind of l i f e prob­ lem through an education *as broad as lif e ,* they usually omit a l l reference to relig io n . Certainly th is omission tends to put relig io n among the children* s marginal

^ Eteleased Time Classes in Religious Instruction (Los Angeless The I n te r f a ith Gommittee on Released Time Schools of Religion, I 9 I4.5 ), p. Ij..

3 in te r e s ts . The weekday church school is a t present the only organized e f f o r t to integrate religion with the child*s to ta l educational experience . 2 In 1939-1(1, the White House Conferences on Children in a Democracy made an attempt, fo r the f i r s t time in i t s history,

to deal with the problem of relig io n in the education

of children.

The Conferences expressed an awareness of the

importance of the problem and the necessity fo r taking action. A report of the proceedings shows th a t some action was begunP ractical steps should be taken to make available to children and youth through education the resources of relig io n as an important facto r in the democratic way of l i f e and in the development of personal and social in te g rity . To th is end the Conference recommends th at a c r i t i c a l and comprehensive study be made of the various experiences both of the churches and of the schools in dealing with the problem of relig io n in re la tio n to public education.3 Another reason which makes th is study important i s the centering of the public* s atten tio n upon i t through the pub­ l i c i t y received by recent court

tria ls .

L.

is now in a period of legal

Shaver,^- the weekday program

fighting fo r existence.

According to Erwin

He points out that-

The Weekday Church School (New Educational B u lletin No. 601. Chicago* International Council of Religious Educa­ tion, 1 9 l|2 ), p. 5 . 3

Proceedings of the White House Conference on Children in a Democracy (Washington. D'.C. * U. S. department of Labor, 1 9 ^0 ), p. 3 1 . ^ Erwin L. Shaver, **The Movement For Weekday Religious Education,” Religious Education. Ip-:7, January-February, I 9 I4.6 .

W e must prove the rig h t of th is plan to a place in the educational structure of American l i f e on the basis of existing laws or, f a ilin g th is, see th a t specific le g is la tio n i s passed to insure i t s l e g a li t y .5 S t i l l another important reason fo r making th is study was, as pointed out in the introduction of th is chapter,

the

rapid growth th a t th is movement has so recently enjoyed. Any program of education, which involves moi*e than two m illion of the children of the nation and which has spread to a l l but two of the sta te s,

deserves a c r itic a l evaluation of i t s

e ffe c t on a t le a s t a representative sampling of a large sys­ tem, such as I*os Angeles. Finally^ Hth is study was made important by the hope th a t much of the findings would be of a help and value to the Church Federation of Los Angeles, whose assistance and service was invaluable throughout the investigation*

I t was hoped

th a t the re s u lts of th is study would bring out many of the problems and the points of strength and weakness in the present weekday program in Los Angeles.

Thus, i f the re su lts

of th is study proved to be of some help to the Los Angeles Weekday Program, i t has surely been ju s tif ie d .

Shaver, lo c . c l t .

5 IX.

DEFINITIONS OF TERMS USED

Weekday relig io u s education.

Because th is term has

both a broad, general meaning and one th at i s more lim ited, i t would seem necessary to clear up any confusion th at might arise from i t s use.

The term has been defined in both senses

in th is way. Weekday relig io u s education may be broadly defined as any program fo r teaching relig io n which is carried out on some other day than Sunday, such as midweek sessions of Sunday church school classes, classes to teach relig io n meeting a f te r public school hours, club a c t i v i t i e s r e ­ la te d to the chureh, religio us teaching in the home or a vacation church school. Frequently, however, the term weekday relig io u s education i s used in-a more lim ited sense to describe the plan for a weekday church school in cooperation with the public school.6 Unless otherwise indicated, the l a t t e r treatment of the term shall be in use throughout th is th e s is . Weekday church school.

Although th is term may seem

obviously clear to many, there are some who would in te rp re t i t a t le a s t slig h tly d iffe re n t than others.

To avoid any

possible confusion, the term has been defined as follows: A weekday church school i s a school set up by the churches singly or in cooperation, in which the attend­ ing pupils are 1released1 or ’dismissed* from th e ir usual public school program, at the w ritten request of parents, to go to the church or other building (or in

L Erwin L. Shaver, Remember The Weekday - To Teach Religion Thereon (Chicago. International Council of Religious Education), p. 3.

6 some cases to remain in the public school building) to receive religio us education.? Released time.

Although there are other plans,

as 11dismissed time1 * and "free tim e,”

such

the plan known as "re­

leased time” has become more popular and widely used than any other.

"Released time" is usually considered to be time th a t

is taken from ariy period of the public school day.^

Qn a

p articu lar day of the week, a publie school w ill ro tate the various grades used in the religio us education program.

In

th is way, there is no great problem of a heavy teaching load as is the case with the "dismissed time” plan. to th is ,

In addition

"released time” has come to be accepted as the most

valuable fo r relig io u s education for the following reasons* 1. I t i s regular and not subject to competing activ ­ i t i e s , as i s any other time. Even Sunday, tra d itio n a lly known as 1 church day, 1 i s used for vacations and outings, for school and social a c t i v i t i e s .

2 . I t makes regular religio us trainin g a part of the ch ild 1 s weekday l i f e . 3 . Many unchurched children thereby receive religious trainin g. They want to go to the church with th e ir schoolmates and ask th e ir parents to sign release c a r d s . . . . 9

7 1 Shaver, loc. c i t .

8 Ib id . . P. 5. 9 The Weekday Church School, op. c i t . . p. 1£.

7 III.

ORGANIZATION OF REMAINDER OF THE THESIS

In the following chapter, the h istory and present statu s of weekday religio us education i s b rie fly reviewed and characterized, f i r s t on a national scale. program fo r a city ,

Because a

town, or village largely depends upon the

p o licies of a p a rticu lar s ta te , for the State of California.

the same is then presented

Then, the short histo ry and

present statu s of the program in the City of Los Angeles i s f in a lly presented. Chapter Three i s an attempt on the p art of the in v e s ti­ gator to formulate some basie philosophic assumptions for a theory of religio us education.

These assumptions were neces­

sary in order th a t an evaluation would have some basis upon which the judgments could be made.

In these assumptions,

tra d itio n a l concepts of re lig io n and education were abandoned for the more modem concepts. The procedures used to gather findings concerning the Weekday Program in Los Angeles i s presented in Chapter Four. F ir s t i s the findings of questionnaires which were used for the teachers in the Church Federation Group and fo r pupils in selected school areas connected with that group.

Next is the

findings of the observation schedules which were based upon the f ie ld v is it s to twelve classes in the Church Federation Program.

Finally,

there is a lim ited amount of findings pre­

sented from interviews with some of the leaders in the City Program.

..

8 With some basic philosophic assumptions of religious education as a basis upon which to judge, and with the find­ ings of the questionnaires,

observation schedules, and in te r ­

views as evidence, an evaluation was made of the Church Federation Program. terms o fs

The evaluations in Chapter Five are in

(1) the teaching s itu a tio n ,

relation ship s,

(3) curriculum,

(2) pupil-teacher

(Ij.) fu lfillm en t of needs, and

(£) a ttitu d e s developed. The fin a l chapter includes a summary of the preceding chapters,

conclusions on the hos ^ngeles Program, conclusions

on the Weekday Program as a whole, and some recommendations or suggestions for possible improvements.

There is no claim

made th a t any of the conclusions reached in th is investiga­ tion are complete and fin a l.

However, an attempt was made

to remain as s c ie n tific and objective as possible throughout the en tire investigation.

CHAPTER I I HISTORY AND PRESENT STATUS OP W EEKDAY RELIGIOUS EDUCATION Because weekday religio us education is s t i l l in i t s infancy in the City of Dos Angeles, no previous study.of th is type has been made.

But before a b rie f h isto ry and the

present statu s of the lo cal weekday program are presented, i t would be well to begin with the national and the State of California situ a tio n s. I.

IN THE NATION

The f i r s t weekday church school in America was origin­ ated in Gary, Indiana.

During the school year of 19li|--l5>,

six hundred nineteen pupils were enrolled.^

Just ten years

l a te r , the movement had spread to one-half of the s ta te s . According to Shaver^ and

L o tz ,3

fo rty thousand pupils in two

hundred communities were being reached.

By 1935, four hundred

communities in th ir ty sta te s were enrolling two hundred f i f t y mm m m mm t m am am wm ^

^ Weekday Church Schools on the March* (Chicago. International Council of Religious Education, 1 9 lj_5 ). ^ Erwin L. Shaver, Survey Made fo r the Religious Education Association in 1922. ^ Philip Henry Dotz Current Week-Day Religious Education (New York. The Abingdon Press, 1925), Ip-2 pp.

thousand pupils.

These estimates were based on the Davis

Survey of 1932 for the United States Office of Education and the Gorham Survey of 193lt-»^ become p ra c tic a lly nation wide.

19k$> "^e movement had In th is ten-year period,

the movement had grown so rapidly th at eighteen hundred communities in pupils.

l±6 sta te s were drawing a m illion and a h alf

These estimates were based on reports to the Depart­

ment of Weekday Religious Education of the International Council of Religious Education and the f ie ld v is it s of i t s director*^

According to a report from Shaver, in February

1 9 ^.7 , there were over two m illion pupils enrolled in twentytwo hundred communities.

This report claims th a t the e n ro ll­

ment of weekday church school pupils has more than doubled ju s t since 1 9 U -3 •^

0l*e year l a t e r , h is report showed that

about eight hundred communities had joined the movement, bring­ ing the to ta l to some three thousand communities.7

^ flfeekday Church Schools on the March! op. c i t . ^ koc. c i t .

0 A rticle from the page called "Religion - Today and Tomorrow,” Pasadena S tar-News. February 22, 191^7.

7

A rticle from the page called "Religion - Today and Tomorrow,” Pasadena Star- News. February 2 8 , 19lj.8.

11 The scope of the weekday movement in the United States is more clearly indicated by the survey made by Davis in 19ij.0. 8

The extensiveness of th is survey is valuable even

though the to ta l enrollment of pupils was le ss than h alf of the present number. th is survey,

Although a l l of the sta te s rep lied to

there were only th irty -e ig h t which reported one

or more ru ra l, town, or c ity school systems releasing pupils for classes in relig io n .

but in four additional s ta te s,

plans

were being made fo r s ta rtin g in one or more school systems. The laws in some s ta te s appear to be s ile n t concerning the releasing of pupils during school hours, and thus a policy i s usually determined by school o ff ic ia ls .

However, these

various situatio ns among some of the s ta te s were reported as follows*

(1) special le g is la tio n in eight s t a t e s ,9 Hawaii,

and the Philippine Islands authorizes release during school hours.

(2 ) state attorney generals in four sta te s rule the

release.

(3 ) state attorney generals in three sta te s ruled

a d v e rs e ly .^

(if.) court decisions in four state s permit the

release or place certain prescriptions upon the program, and (£) seven states leave the decision to the local school o f f ic ia ls .

But since th is report of the leg al situ a tio n made

® Mary Dabney Davis, Weekday Classes in Religious Education ( B ulletin 19ip-, No] 3 ^ Washington, D.C.j United States Government P rinting Office, 19l|I-), 66 pp. o Recent figures have raised th is number of sta te s to twelve. ^*0 One of the three sta te s was C alifornia.

12 by Davis,

there have been several cases trie d and appealed

in courts throughout the Nation in an attempt to fin d weekday relig io u s education, unconstitutional. his personal views,

or relig io u s in stru ctio n of any kind,

Lotz has given a good summary, along with of the leg al aspects in the following

statement* Week-Day Religious Education in the studied opinion of the w riter is in harmony with the B ill of Rights- is in accord witn the United States Supreme Court Decision in the Oregon Case, does not v io late the American p rin ­ ciple of the separation of Church and State- does not vio late the School Law of Illin o is^ i s not in c o n flic t with the opinion rendered by the State Attorney Generali s in no wise affected by the I l l i n o i s Supreme Court Decision in The Bible or Ring Case, was upheld by the C ircuit Court in the Champaign Case, the Cook County Superior Court in the Chicago Case, and the States Supreme Court in the Chicago and Champaign Cases- and i f properly planned and administered v io lates no legal provision of any kind. I t would c la rify the confused legal situatio n throughout the country i f the United States Supreme Court would render a decision dealing sp ecifically with Week-Day Religious Education in connec­ tion with the public school. On March 8 , 19fy$,

United States Supreme Court did

come to a decision on the much-publicized Champaign, Illin o is , Case.

By an eight to one vote,

the State of I l l i n o i s '

the high tribunal reversed

Supreme Court decision.

The United

States Court held th a t religious education in the public schools v io lates the tra d itio n a l separation of church and sta te .

Under the Champaign plan,

the school board permitted

a local council on religio us education to conduct classes in 11

P hilip Henry Lotz, Some Legal Aspects of Week-Day Religious Education (St. Louiss The Bethany Pres*s 1 91^7) P. 3o.

13 the school building once a week on school time.

Thus, the

Supreme Court decision has made i t ille g a l to hold weekday classes within a school building, but the practice of holding them in a nearby church or building continues.

In California,

for example, Attorney General Frederick N. Houser declared th at students, with parental consent, are permitted to attend religio us classes in churches rath er than on school premises, bringing the practice within the federal co n stitu tio n ,12 According to Davis,

seven out of every te n of town

and city school systems and nearly h a lf of the country schools in a l l the States contributed information to the survey.

The

c i t i e s having a population of twenty-five hundred or more "indicate the probability that children in 1 of every 8 town and c ity school systems are released upon th e ir parents* re q u est,fl^3

«phe following are the estimated percentages of

the status of the school systems of those c i t i e s having a population of twenty-five hundred or more reportingper cent had never released th e ir pupils, now releasing them,

(1) 7^

(2) 1 3 per cent are

(3 ) Ij. per cent discontinued th e ir program,

and (Ij.) 5 Per cent now have plans under way to begin programs. In making a comparison of the Survey of

with her

previous Survey of 1932, Davis estimated th at there was a

^ International News Service report, Pasadena StarNews. March 8, 1 9 l|Q, 3 Davis,

0 2 . c i t . . p. llj..

14 1 9 per cent increase fo r 1 9 ^4-0 over 1932*

There is another

sig n ifican t item in the comparison of the two surveys.

During

the eight years, from 1 9 3 2 to 1 9 lj.O, more than h a lf of the school systems releasing pupils in 1 9 3 2 have e ith e r discon­ tinued the program or merely fa ile d to reply.

She estim ated

that about 2 7 per cent discontinued th e ir programs and th at

32 per cent gave no reply. The 78 per cent, mentioned above, who had never released th e ir pupils,

involved 1,722 school systems.

Out

of th is number, the Davis Survey reported that four hundred systems commented e ith e r by explaining school policies or by expressing opinions about the program.

One of the most

sig n ifican t findings of the Survey indicated that approxi­ mately one-fourth of the systems expressed a willingness to cooperate with the churches i f a request were made. From a report of 322 school systems, Davis pointed out that the following were the major emphases of the weekday programs:

(1) Bible study,

(2) character development,

vidual church doctrine, and (Ip) good citizenship.

( 3 ) in d i­

The major

techniques employed in 2 9 7 school systems and given in the order of th e ir most frequent use were8 (2) workbooks, and (3 ) textbooks.

(1) discussion,

Other major techniques

frequently used were handwork, reading,

dramatization, and

units of work. Since there were some of the systems who reported as discontinuing th e ir weekday programs, which was apparently a

15 large number of those who reported in 1 9 3 2 but not in 191 ^0 , it

should prove sig n ifican t to find out the reasons fo r d is­

continuation.

There appeared t o be two major reasons.

(1 ) decision of sponsoring agencies to discontinue, due mainly to the lack of time and money, and (2 ) d issa tisfa c tio n due to inadequately prepared teachers,

inadequately planned

programs, and unsatisfactory re s u lts .

There were other

d if f ic u ltie s encountered which merit some mention. these d if f ic u ltie s were*

(1 ) lack of curriculum.

great a distance for the pupil to walk or tra v e l; heating.

(Ij.) inadequate attendance records.

Some of (2 ) too (3 ) inadequate

(jj) small numbers

of children released in many instances, and (6 ) a need for general church supervision. While she does mention many of the problems and d i f f i ­ c u ltie s of the weekday program, Davis also l i s t s

some instances

of cooperation between State education departments and councils of churches or other groups.

She enumerates these as*

1. Representation on State councils or associations in terested in relig io u s education. 2. Appointment of State commissions fo r special services in re la tio n to classes fo r relig io u s education. 3.

The establishment of standards and regulations.

Thus, weekday relig io u s education throughout the Nation had gained sig n ifican tly in enrollment of pupils in recent years.

Most of the la rg e r communities now have a program of

113ld . , P. 6.

16 some type in progress.

Many of the smaller communities and

sparsely populated areas have not attempted, such a program because of the problems connected with small numbers.

The

recent United States Supreme Court decision apparently has not cleared up many of the problems and issues involved in th is weekday program.

In fa c t, many programs are being held,

but with some hesitancy while s t i l l awaiting fu rth er decisions and developments. II.

IN THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA

Weekday relig io u s education in the State of California has been in existence fo r a period of six years.

I t was not

u n til September 1, 19^3, th a t the weekday movement was per­ mitted in th is

sta te .

P rior to th a t time, a l l "released

time" relig io u s education was ruled out by the State Attorney General, according to the findings of the Davis Survey of 19lf0.

Winters has a ttrib u te d th is la te

s t a r t in California

to the fa c t that* California schools have long been noted for th e ir extreme secu larity . Many of the early s e ttle r s were adventurers who came to seek fortunes ra th e r than to esta b lish homes and communities. Along with the typical individualism of the "Gold Rush” days was a religious in e r tia . When the educational policies of the State were formulated, the system was based on non-religious lines.lf?

^ Marguerite Winters, "The Weekday Church School in C alifornia," Religious Education. I4.0 *I4.3 , Uanuary-February,

17 The b i l l th a t became a law in September, 19^3* and which began the weekday movement in C alifornia,

11pem issive” nature only.

is of a

In th is way, the State is not

forcing the program upon any city or community, but rath er, i t is leaving the re sp o n sib ility for in itia tin g such a program to the churches.

However, the decision of releasing the

children l i e s in the hands of the d i s t r i c t public school boards. The present b i l l

seems to have been largely the r e s u lt

of the combined e ffo rts of the P rotestants, Catholics.

Winters says th a t:

Jews, and the

“Work was begun on the present

b i l l early in the f a l l of 19^2 by the In ter-F aith Committees of Northern and Southern California with the aid of an atto rn ey . 111^

According to her study,

th is i n te r - f a ith coop­

eration was not only unique, but a necessity, as a means of beginning weekday religio us education in California.

Winters

comments upon th is cooperation in the following manner* California has had to develop the weekday movement along d is tin c tiv e lin e s . I t i s the only State which attempts in te r - f a ith work. Both the Southern and the Northern California areas have In ter-F aith Committees in operation. The basis of th is committee is a membership of two Catholics, two Jews, and two P rotestants. This new pattern of procedure needed to be developed in California because of the large non-Protestant population. I t is the function of the Committee to estab lish the policy fo r developing weekday schools, to reach agreements, and to approach the school board with a unified request.

^

Winters, lo c . c i t .

18 Unless suck cooperation e x is ts, i t is more than probable th at some school boards would be bold enough to refuse released tim e.^7 To show how closely divided the number of Catholic and Protestant children was who were attending weekday programs, Northern California reported th at twenty-three thousand P rotestants and twenty-four thousand Catholics attended classes in the school year of 1 9 ^5-Ml California is faced with some d is tin c t problems and many of the common problems faced by the weekday program everywhere.

Like most new movements, there soon developed

some r a t h e r str o n g o p p o s it io n t o t h e b i l l .

As p o in te d o u t

by Winters* The California Teachers' Association, Northern Division, the State Parent Teachers' Association, the American Civil L iberties Union, and the San Francisco Council of Scottish Rite Masons have not yet given up th e ir e ffo rts to prevent the operation of weekday schools through legal means."IS However, according to a Superior Court ruling, weekday relig io u s education was held to be within the California State Constitu­ tion as well as the United States Constitution.

Even an

appeal to the D is tr ic t Court of Appeal was to no a v a il.

On

March 12, 19^4-7, bhe higher court of California upheld the c o n stitu tio n a lity of the State-wide program.

The opinion of

Justice Pro-Tern Louis C. Draypeau on th is decision was that* Ibid. . p. 1+7. 18 Xbld., p. 1+3.

-

19

No one who keeps pace with the trends of modern society can deny that indoctrination of the youth of the state in f a i t h and morality i s of utmost necessity and importance. The framers of the California Constitution in 1 8 7 9 believed one of the great p i l l a r s of our national strength to he the general acceptance of re lig io n by our people.19 In her study, Winters claimed that California was faced with d is tin c t problems because of i t s background and h isto ry . One of these problems r is e s from the co n flict between Catholics and P rotestants from e a r lie r days.

Because of th is c o n flict,

i

it

seems u n lik e ly th a t school buildings w ill ever be available

for weekday classes in the S tate.

Another problem raised,

which becomes quite a serious one, i s that of the finan cial support of the weekday church schools.

Although California

is probably one of the most wealthy States in the nation, the fin an cial problem becomes re a l because of the large unchurch­ ed population. fo r i t s

support.

The weekday program depends upon the churches Aside from fin an cial support, another th re a t

caused by the large unchurched population in the State i s the assumption that parents are in d iffe re n t to the moral and religio us trainin g of t h e i r children.

Since no survey has

as yet been made to discover the extent of parent in te re s t, th is s t i l l remains only an assumption. There are several in te re s tin g and sig n ifican t features of the weekday movement in California as seen in Winters1 study.

Aside from the i n te r - f a ith cooperation which has already

^*9 A rticle in the Pasadena S tar-News. March 12, I 9 I4.7 .

20 been mentioned, there arose the necessity fo r a l l the denom­ inations to work together within the P rotestant Committees. For the f i r s t time, many churches had to decide on whether or not to cooperate with the r e s t of them. Another in te re stin g feature i s th a t i t has brought laymen and churchmen into a cooperative relatio n sh ip which was probably never experienced before.

This movement has not

been conducted solely by the clergy, as many people believe, but i t has required the united e ffo rt of interested laymen along with the clergy. Winters concluded her study with the following sig n if­ icant statements The problems which need to be faced by the weekday movement in California are many, but the program has been developing rapidly under capable leadership and i t has progressed along unique l i n e s .^0 The State of California,

then, w ill probably continue

to permit programs of weekday religio us education as long as national laws, or in terp retatio n s of laws, do not co nflict with the functioning of them.

Although the programs might

not continue to depend e n tire ly upon in te r - f a ith cooperation within th is State,

th is cooperation was certain ly necessary

in order to make a beginning.

In spite of the large unchurched

population and the opposition which has developed within i t s borders,

California has proceeded with a program that involves

thousands of her children each year.

20 Ib id . . p. 47.

III.

IN THE CITY OF LOS ANGELES

The Board of Education of the City of Los Angeles, in April I 9 I44 , made i t possible to begin weekday relig io u s education there.

By adopting an enabling act,

i t permitted

public school pupils to be released during school time for one school period each week.

This action allowed the r e lig ­

ious bodies of the City, through an In ter-F aith Committee, to make plans to begin th e ir programs in the F all of 1*9 Although th is Committee, along with the one in Northern California^ was largely responsible for the “released time*1 b ill,

i t was necessary!to secure the approval of the Board

of Education before they- could actually begin the Program. •

The Inter-Faith-Committee had apparently done i t s

work well, as the. Weekday Program, in Los Angeles got off to a good s ta r t.

As shown in Table I,

one hundred two elemen­

tary schools reported 1 0 , 7 2 2 pupils enrolled for the school year of 19iflj.-45*

This same table shows the to ta l enrollment

by grades of pupils attending weekday relig io u s in stru ctio n , and a comparison between them and the to ta l enrollment of pupils in the same grades of the public schools concerned. As iS' usually the case, ..the Los Angeles Weekday Program started the f i r s t year with only the fourth, grades.

f i f th ,

and sixth

Table I also gives a comparison between the e n ro ll­

ment of the f i r s t and second semesters, which indicates a trend upwards in attendance.

22

TABLE X SUM M ARY OF ENROLLMENT IN W EEKDAY RELIGIOUS EDUCATION ' CLASSES OF THE FOURTH, FIFTH, AND SIXTH GRADES IN 102 ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS OF LOS ANGELES,

SECOND SEMESTER, 19

Grade

l|.th

5 th 6 th

.

Boys

G irls

Total

Total Enrollment of If-th, $ t h 9 & 6th Grades of Schools Concerned

1,730

1,807

3,537

8 ,6 7 0

1+0 . 8

1 ,8 2 5

1,957

3,782

7 ,980

1+7 . 5

1 ,6 0 5

1 ,798

3 , 1+03

8 ,0 2 5

1+2 . 1+

5 ,5 6 2 1 0 ,7 2 2

21+, 6 5 5

(Average 31+3.5

Totals 5 , 1 6 0

Percentage of E lig ible Pupils Enrolled

COMPARED WITH FIRST SEMESTER

Second Semester, 19 i4i4_ — £ 4^5 F ir s t Semester, 19 I4.I4.— Increase

Total Enrollment in W DRE Classes

Percentage of E ligible Pupils

10,722 8,5lj-3

^3.5 35.3

2,179

8.2

23 In order to gather some idea of the numerical growth th at took place in the Los Angeles Program d uring the second year,

the figures as shown in Table I I , page 2ij., w ill offer

a good indication.

The Weekday Program had expanded to where

i t included 1 3 0 elementary schools and 1 3 junior high schools. This was an increase of 2 8 schools and 2 , 5 6 7 pupils fo r the elementary lev e l.

But,

since there was also an increase in

the to ta l enrollment of pupils e lig ib le ,

the average percent­

age increase was only three-tenths of one per cent. Since i t was the f i r s t year and very much in the experimental process,

the number of pupils released from the

junior high schools was quite small.

In addition to these

factors, there were problems peculiar to the junior high schools whieh also made i t d if f i c u lt to gain a sa tisfa c to ry foothold.

In fact,

the comparison between the f i r s t and

second semesters indicates a decline in the number of pupils attending.

The problems facing the Weekday Program in the

junior high schools w ill be discussed fu rth er on in the inv estigation. By the school year of 191+7-^8, the Weekday Program in Los Angeles included lij.8 elementary schools, ij. develop­ mental schools, and 9 junior high schools as indicated in Table I I I , page 2£.

This represented an increase of 1 8

elementary schools over the year of I 9 i|5 -lj.6 , but a decrease of ij. junior high schools.

According to Table I I I ,

a

Zlf. TABLE I I SUM M ARY OP ENROLLMENT IN W EEKDAY RELIGIOUS EDUCATION CLASSES OP 130 ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS AND 13 JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOLS IN LOS ANGELES, 1945-46

SECOND SEMESTER, 1945-46

Boys

G irls

Total

th

2 ,260

2 ,269

4 ,5 2 9

£th

2 ,3 9 6

6 th

1,810

2 .3 6 4 2 ,152

Totals

6 , 5014.

Grad©

Total Enrollment of Corresponding Grades of Schools Concerned

Percentage of E ligible Pupils Enrolled

4 2.7

4 ,7 6 0

1 0 ,5 9 5 1 0 ,096

4 ?.i

4,0 00

9,602

4 1 .6

6 ,7 8 5 1 3 ,289

30,293

(Ave rage) 43. 8

7 th

343

374

717

7,242

' 9.9

8 th

296

399

695

6.451

1 0.7

9 th

199

244

443

5,730

7.7

Totals

838

1 , 017

19, i|23

(Average) 9.5

1 ,8 5 5

COMPARED WITH FIRST SEMESTER Total Enrollment in W DRE Classes, Elementary

Total Enrollment in W DRE Classes, Junior High

Total

Second Semester, 1945-46

1 3 ,2 8 9

1 ,8 5 5

15,144

F ir s t Semester, 1 9 4 5 .4 6

12,605

2 ,171

14,776

684 (Increase)

216 (Decrease)

468 (Increase)

Differences

25 TABLE I I I

SUMMARY OP ENROLLMENT IN WEEKDAY RELIGIOUS EDUCATION CLASSES OF II4.8 ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS, 1) DEVELOPMENTAL SCHOOLS, and 9 JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOLS IN LOS ANGELES, 19lj.7_I).8

Grade

Total

lj_th £th 6 th

4,711 4 ,978

Totals Development Schools Totals

41.2

4,387

43.9 1^.5

14,076

33,339

42.2

350

765

45.8

14,426

34,104

42.3

796

4 ,904 4,344 4,135

16.2

13,383

12.4

493

9th

375 l, 661).

COMPARISON OP AVERAGE PERCENTAGES OP Percentage of Eligible Pupils Enrolled

Level

Year

Elementary-

1 945-46 1947-48

43.8 1)2 .2

1945-46 1947-48

12.4

Junior H ig h

Percentage of Eligible Pupils Enrolled

11,437 11,339 10,563

7th 8 th

Totals

Total Enrollment of Relevant Grades of Schools Concerned

9-5

11.3 9.1

AND

19ij.7_l).8

Differences

1 .6 (decrease) 2 .9 (increase)

26 comparison of average percentages of pupils enrolled shows a decline of 1 * 6 per cent in

from I 9 I4.5 -IJ-6 in the case

of the elementary schools, hut an increase of 2 * 9 per cent in the case of the junior high schools* Weekday relig io u s education in Los Angeles is carried on by five major relig io u s groups*

A card is

sent home to the

parents requesting them to send th e ir child to one of the following groups for relig io u s in s tru c tio n t Science.

(2) Church Federation.

Time Education,

Inc*.

(1) Christian

(3 ) Evangelical Released-

(I4.) Jewish, and («J) Homan Catholic.

A comparison of the growth between the f i r s t and second years and between the second and fourth years of these various relig io u s groups is shown on Table IV.

It

should be noted th a t

the only decrease In enrollment of pupils to these classes came under the c la ss ific a tio n of ”other groups11 and to the Church Federation in the fourth year. The need fo r a program such as Weekday Religious Education was greatly f e l t in Los Angeles by the In ter-F aith Committee,

since recent estimates showed th a t about three out

of every four persons in Southern California were unrelated to any church.

And good re s u lts were claimed the f i r s t year

by the Church federation group when they estimated th a t approximately 2 5 per cent of the pupils in th e ir classes did not go anywhere to Sunday school or church before sta rtin g to the weekday class in re lig io n .

The Catholic group claimed

27

TABLE IV SUMMARY AID COMPARISON OF ENROLLMENT OF THE RELIGIOUS GROUPS IN LOS ANGELES, 1944--45, 1945-46, and 1947-48

Religious Groups

Enrollment 1944-45

Enrollment 1945-46

Increase

Enrollment 1947-48

Increase

Christian Science

498

944

446

1,016

Church Federation

3,912

4,962

1,050

4,467

495 (decrease)

Evangelical ReleasedTime Education, Inc •

962

1,182

220

1,443

261

Jewish

375

670

295

694

24

4,839

7,307

2,468

8,457

1,150

136

79

10,722

15,144

Roman Catholic Other Groups

Totals

57(decrease)

4,422

13

16,090

72

66 (decrease)

‘ 946

f\>

ev en b e t t e r r e s u l t s when th e y e s tim a t e d t h a t a b ou t £ 0 p er c e n t o f th e p u p ils e n r o l le d i n t h e i r r e le a s e d tim e program were u nchu rched. The p u rp ose o f th e I n t e r - F a it h Committee h a s b e e n t o h a n d le a l l th e ite m s o f a g e n e r a l n a tu re in th e Weekday P ro­ gram.

F or ex a m p le t i t i s t h i s group w h ich n e g o t i a t e s w ith

th e p u b lic s c h o o l le a d e r s in m a tte r s c o n c e r n in g th e r e g u la ­ t i o n s g o v e r n in g r e l e a s e and th e s c h e d u le w hich a p a r t ic u la r s c h o o l f o l l o w s in r e l e a s i n g i t s p u p i l s .

To be more s p e c i f i c ,

one o f th e p o in t s o f agreem ent i s found in th e f o llo w in g s ta te m e n t o f th e Com m itteeI t i s u n d er sto o d t h a t when two or more r e l i g i o u s b o d ie s d e s ir e t o o p e r a te a t th e same P u b lic S c h o o l, th e I n t e r F a it h C om m ittee, th rou gh i t s d e s ig n a t e d r e p r e s e n t a t i v e s , s h a l l b e th e a g e n t f o r d e v e lo p in g s c h e d u le s o f c l a s s r e ­ l e a s e and su ch o th e r r e g u l a t io n s and r o u t in e s a s may b e n e c e s s a r y t o harm onious and e f f e c t i v e p r o c e d u r e . 2 1 Thus, th e f u n c t io n o f th e I n t e r - F a it h Committee in L os A n g e le s h a s b een t o a c t a s a p rom oter and s u p e r v is o r o f th e Weekday R e lig io u s E d u c a tio n Program . So w h ile th e g e n e r a l management o f th e program h a s b een h a n d led by th e I n t e r - F a it h C om m ittee, th e more d e t a i l e d o r g a n iz a t io n and a d m in is t r a t io n o f e a c h group h a s b een l e f t up t o th e v a r io u s r e l i g i o u s b o d ie s .

Each group i s p r e t t y

much on t h e i r own in su ch m a tte r s a s c u rr icu lu m and t e a c h in g 21

Weekday C h r is t ia n E d u c a tio n Manual (Los A n g e le s D epartm ent o f C h r is t ia n E d u c a tio n , S o u th ern C a lif o r n ia C o u n cil o f P r o t e s t a n t C h u rch es), p . lij..

procedure.

There is also a difference of procedure in the

use of teachers,

some groups using volunteers while others

pay th e ir teachers.

A great variance prevails in the teaching

load of teachers, which ranges a l l the way from one period a week to five f u ll days a week.

Therefore, because each

religio us group has been able to carry out much of i t s policy and procedure,

own

the In ter-F aith Committee has progressed

in close harmony. A weekday relig io u s education program, in order to be a success, must have made long and careful plans.

There have

been many cases throughout the nation where hasty and careless planning has lead to f a ilu r e . must have been well planned, anything but a f a ilu r e .

The Los Angeles Weekday Program then, as i t has proven to be

V. Kersey, former Superintendent

of Los Angeles City Schools, made th is statement a t the end of the f i r s t year of weekday religio us education. The past year has been a time of splendid growth for a constructive and positive program of moral and sp iritu a l development in released time classes, and also within the regular school program of the Los Angeles City Schools. The continuing in te r e s t and p articip atio n in th is f ie ld £ave been excellent. Keeping s p iritu a l culture growing gives a great u p lif t for democracy. . . . 2 2

op

Released Time Classes in Religious Instru ction (Los Angeles. The I n te r f a ith Committee on Released Time Schools of Religion, 19k $ ) , P. 1*

CHAPTER III SOM E BASIC PHILOSOPHIC,ASSUMPTIONS FOR RELIGIOUS EDUCATION Before an evaluation of any type of relig io u s educa­ tion program can toe accomplished,

I t toecomes necessary to

formulate some toasic philosophic assumptions.

There must

toe an underlying philosophy for re lig io n and education in order to have a standard or guide toy which to judge.

The

scope and magnitude of these two primary and essen tial fac­ tors in l i f e would ordinarily consume much more space than was allowed here.

Therefore, the following w ill toe offered as a

concise statement of the in v estig a to r’ s philosophy of r e li g ­ ious education.

th a t:

I t should toe pointed out f i r s t ,

as E l l i o t t indicates,

!,The term ’religio us education*

cannot toe id en tifie d

with education in any p artic u la r re lig io n , Mohammedan, Jewish,

or C h ristian .1 1^

’’Religious education . .

.is

such as the

However, he says*

carried on a t a p a rtic u la r

time and place, and is influenced tooth toy contemporaneous cu ltu ral conditions and toy current relig io u s a ttitu d e s and p ra c tic e s ,”2

i t also should toe noted th at there are

Harrison S. E l l i o t t , Can Religious Education Be C hristian? (New Yorks The Macmillan Company, 19^7), P. 307. ^ Loc. c i t

31 d i f f e r e n c e s in ap p roach b etw een a s e c t a r ia n program o f r e l i g ­ io u s e d u c a tio n and t h a t o f a n o r i- s e c ta r ia n program .

The

p o s i t i o n o f th e s e c t a r ia n i s so f a m il ia r t h a t i t h a r d ly n eed s f u r t h e r e l a b o r a t io n .

In f a c t ,

i t h a s b een s a id *

The p u b lic i n g e n e r a l h a s no c o n c e p t o f r e l i g i o n e x c e p t in term s o f s e c t a r ia n is m . When you sa y " r e l i g i o n , 11 th e y th in k o f a p a r t i c u l a r i n s t i t u t i o n or s e t o f b e l i e f s . n3 The p o s i t i o n o f th e s e c t a r ia n s i s f r a n k ly t h a t o f w a n tin g r e l i g i o u s e d u c a tio n in w h ich ea ch c h ild w i l l be ta u g h t o n ly some p a r t ic u la r r e l i g i o u s creed, or a c e r t a in f a i t h .

T h is

p o s i t i o n i s a u t h o r it a r ia n and i t p r a c t i c e s in d o c t r in a t io n . Exam ples o f such program s can be found w it h in th e scope o f th e church and th e v a r io u s form s o f weekday r e l i g i o u s ed u ca­ tio n . The n o n - s e c t a r ia n ap p ro a ch , by c o n t r a s t , w h ile con ­ cern ed w ith p a r t ic u la r c u lt u r a l and h i s t o r i c a l a ssu m p tio n s, t r e a t s th e s e c r i t i c a l l y and f u n c t i o n a l l y so t h a t r e l i g i o u s e d u c a tio n tr a n s c e n d s th e d o c t r in n a ir e .

R ath er than p la c in g

th e em phasis on in d o c t r in a t in g c e r t a in a u t h o r it a r ia n c r e e d s , t h i s p o s i t i o n p la c e s i t s em p h asis on the p r e s e n t and i t s e x p e r i e n t i a l v a lu e s . is fr e e ,

In th e e d u c a t io n a l p r o c e s s , th e le a r n e r

though under g u id a n c e ,

to c r i t i c a l l y e v a lu a t e , d i s ­

c r im in a t e , and s e l e c t from r a c i a l e x p e r ie n c e arid th e r e l i g i o u s 3 Thomas W est, R e li g io u s E d u c a tio n . it3: 2 l 6 . July, A u g u st, I 9 I4.8 .

32

heritage in particular.

Thus, this position becomes a resource

for religious, wholistic self-realization and group growth. A non-sectarian type of program can appear in a church or weekday situation, or it may even appear within the curri­ culum of the public schools, as many of its advocates claim. It is the non-sectarian type of program which best adopts a functional approach to religious education. The functional approach has given new meaning and in­ sight into the nature of religion and the educational process. As to the particular contribution of the approach, Bower says* f,The idea of function, like that of process, has proved to be one of the most fruitful approaches of the modern mind to the understanding of reality.tf^- Much of the significance of religion and education in the functional approach, as interpreted here, lies in their relatedness and in their relationship to life itself.

The following assumptions represent the investi­

gator1s interpretation of the functional approach to religious education.

1.

The functional approach to religious education

makes an assumption about the nature and role of religion in the educational process.

Religion, first of all, is inherent

in the whole of experience.

That is, says Bower,

^ W illia m C. Bower, C h r is t and C h r is t ia n E d u ca tio n (New York; A bingdon-C okesbury P r e s s , I 9 L.3 ) , p.' Ipip.

33 **. * . r e l i g i o n i s a q u a l i t y o f a l l e x p e r ie n c e ”!? from th e s ta n d p o in t o f th e i n t e g r a t i o n o f e x p e r ie n c e .

In sp ea k in g

e lse w h e r e o f th e f u n c t io n a l r e l a t i o n o f r e l i g i o n t o man’ s e x p e r ie n c e , Bower s a y s : e s s e n t i a l n a tu r e .

f,I t i s d e e p ly r o o t e d i n man’ s

I t . . . a r i s e s o u t o f man’ s i n t e r a c t i o n

w it h h i s w o rld o f r e a l i t y .

I t i s an in s e p a r a b le p h a se o f

h is t o ta l c u l t u r e . M o r e o v e r ,

he adds*

I t ( r e l i g i o n ) i s n o t a u nique e x p e r ie n c e in t h a t i t i s s e t o f f from th e rem ain d er o f e x p e r ie n c e w ith i t s own s p e c i a l i z e d s e t o f v a lu e s . I t i s a q u a lity th a t a t t a c h e s , when i t i s p r e s e n t a t a l l , t o e v e r y a s p e c t and a r e a o f e x p e r ie n c e . I t i s th e i n t e g r a t i n g , compre­ h en d in g a s p e c t o f e x p e r ie n c e in teimis o f i t s r e l a t i o n t o th e u lt im a t e r e a l i t y and w orth o f l i f e . 7 One o f th e b a s i c c o n t e n t io n s o f th e f u n c t io n a l ap proach i s t h a t r e l i g i o n i s co n cern ed w ith th e q u a l i t y o f life

o f e v e r y in d i v i d u a l , a s i t i s r e l a t e d t o h i s p r e s e n t ,

e v e ry d a y e x p e r ie n c e s .

That t h i s c e r t a in q u a l i t y o f l i f e

can

be p r e s e n t in e v e r y a r e a o f l i f e h a s a lr e a d y b e e n i n d i c a t e d . T u rn in g t o Bower once m ore, he s a y s . W herever any e x p e r ie n c e o f any s o r t w h a tso e v e r i s se e n and judged In i t s r e l a t i o n t o th e t o t a l m eaning and w orth o f l i f e in term s o f i t s r e s p o n s ib le r e l a t i o n t o God, be i t in th e fa m ily , In in d u s t r y , in v o c a t io n , in r e c r e a t io n , in i n t e l l e c t u a l p u r s u i t s , in a e s t h e t i c en joym en t, or In m oral c o n d u c t, th e r e e x p e r ie n c e ta k e s on th e r e l i g i o u s q u a l i t y .^

ie n c e

5> W illia m C. Bower, C h a ra cter Through C r e a tiv e E xper­ (C h ic a g o . The U n i v e r s it y o f C hicago P r e s s , 1 9 3 0 ) , p . 2 i|.8 . ^ B o w e r , C h r i s t a n d C h r i s t i a n E d u c a t i o n , p. Ip6. 7 B ow er, 8

C h a r a c te r T hrough C r e a tiv e E x p e r ie n c e , p .

■ P. 2^9.

2 lj.8 .

3k The functional approach explains the relationship of God. and man as one in which God is essentially immanent in the world..

This relationship can develop best through

the educational process.

In fact, Elliott goes so far as

to say. An educational process seems fundamental in God* s relation to human life. It may he said that God is an educator, for it is in and through an educational process that religion has developed in the race. It is only through such a process that God becomes known or that an experience of God is achieved. 9 Man1s highest response to God comes through his interaction with his fellow men which is motivated by the best expression of ethical love that he knows.

2.

The functional approach to religious education

makes an assumption about the motivation, of human behavior and personality development.

This approach assumes that the

underlying motivation of human behavior is self-realization. According to his theory of personality and behavior, Rogers has indicated the importance of interaction between man and his fellow men in the development of a concept of self.

In

one of his propositions, he points out that, tfAs a result of interaction with others, particularly evaluational inter­ action, a concept of self is formed.,l-^G The type of concept

9 Elliott, op. cit.. p. 312 . ^ Carl R. Rogers, A Comprehensive Theory of Persona]_ ity and Behavior (Tentative Draft), Prop os it i on Ro. 8^

35 o f s e l f which, i s form ed i s im p o rta n t b e c a u se T!m ost o f th e ways o f b e h a v in g w hich a re a d o p ted b y th e organ ism are th o s e w h ich a re c o n s i s t e n t w ith th e c o n c e p t o f s e l f . ,!H A noth er m ethod o f e x p la in in g th e d evelopm en t o f th e c o n c e p t o f s e l f i s in th e b i p o l a r i t y th e o r y o f p e r s o n a l i t y d ev elo p m en t. . In t h i s th e o r y , i n t e r a c t i o n i s cau sed from the p u l l o f two f o r c e s .

At one end, th e p u l l i s toward autonom y,

or s e lf-g o v e r n m e n t o f th e in d i v id u a l, w h ile th e o p p o sin g p u ll comes from th e s u p e r in d iv id u a l u n i t s such a s th e fa m ily , s c h o o l, and ch u rch .

A lth o u g h th e in d iv id u a l m ust d e v e lo p

h i s autonomy in ord er t o make wholesom e a d ju stm e n ts t o th e s u p e r in d iv id u a l u n i t s ,

the danger l i e s in h i s a llo w in g the

p u ll o f autonomy t o rem ain p erm a n en tly a t an ex trem e.

Thus,

th e t a s k o f r e l i g i o u s e d u c a tio n becom es t h a t o f h e lp in g the in d iv id u a l to f in d h i s own c r e a t iv e b a la n c e . I n v o lv e d in any t h e o r y o f p e r s o n a l i t y d evelop m en t i s on e*s th e o r y o f th e n a tu r e o f human n a tu r e .

A cco rd in g t o

th e f u n c t io n a l ap p ro a ch , i t i s r e c o g n iz e d t h a t th e c h i l d i s b orn n e it h e r good nor b a d , b u t a s a grow ing p erso n , he i s reg a rd ed as d e v e lo p in g p o t e n t i a l i t i e s f o r good or e v i l . a ssu m p tio n i s

The

t h a t th e in d iv id u a l h a s th e c a p a c it y f o r making

c h o ic e s and t h a t grow th ta k e s p la c e through them.

Growth

a l s o ta k e s p la c e th ro u g h a c t in g upon t h e s e d e c i s i o n s , and th rou gh e v a lu a t in g th e co n se q u en ce s o f th e a c t i o n .

Thus, th e

d i r e c t i o n o f th e in d iv id u a l i s l a r g e l y d eterm in ed b y the

11 I b i d . , P r o p o s i t i o n No. 1 1 .

36 continuous choices lie is faced with as he meets the conditions and situations of life. Self-realization and personality fulfillment can be at least partially achieved, as Rogers has phrased the process, in this manner* When the individual accepts into one consistent and integrated system all of his perceptions, then he is necessarily more understanding of others and is more accepting of others as separate individual s. Or, it may come about as the individual is able to make whole­ some adjustments between the pull of his own self-government and the pull of the superindividual units. The achievement of self-realization, however, takes place on its highest level only if there is awareness and action in terms of a cosmic aspect in life.

This statement

means that the self is perceived and at least partly under­ stood in terms of a cosmic, or total world view.

In other words,

the individual who is seeking the fullest self-realization is able to see himself in relation to a larger, more inclusive whole.

Thus, as the child develops, his larger world view

progresses from the family, to community, to nation, to one world, and to that which is ultimate in the universe.

3.

The functional approach to religious education

makes an assumption about the nature of learning.

It a s s u m e s

that learning takes place in making adjustments to life situa­ tions in the various areas of experience. IP

I b i d . , P r o p o s i t i o n No. 1 7 .

Drawing upon

37 empirical evidence, Woodruff has summarized the sequential nature of the learning process.

The steps are as follows-

(1 ) Motivation within the learner makes him receptive to stimulation- (2 ) a goal becomes related to the motivation, and harriers develop^ (3 ) tension arises-

(ij.) the learner

seeks an appropriate line of action to reach his goal(£) the learner fixes the appropriate line of action by acquiring skills, developing concepts, and practicing critical thinking- and (6 ) inappropriate behaviors are dropped. 13 Each individual has to do his own learning which takes place through his own experience.

The importance of this assumption

about the nature of learning is stated in the following section on the procedure of the educational process. Ij.. The functional approach to religious education makes an assumption about the procedure used in the educational process.

This procedure incorporates the following necessary

elements. Democratic organization.

An atmosphere of freedom

is an important requisite to the proper functioning of the educational process.

As Schorling puts it-

The first essential when setting up problem-solving situations is to establish a free and easy setting.

(New York;

Asahel D # Woodruff,The Psychology of Teaching Longmans, Green & Co., Inc., 1 9I4.6T7 PP. H&-5'

38 This involves proper physical conditions and an informality of procedure and mutual respect for personality. 3*4Accordingly, this atmosphere makes it possible for every individual to cooperate, share, plan, and act with others* The organization is flexible and functional, adapting itself to the developing purpose.

There is freedom even to make

wrong choices and disagree with the teacher or leader— no one has the final answers.

This does not mean, however,

that there is little or no control in a classroom situation. The leader is also a learner, but further advanced in know­ ledge and experience.

He is considered as TIguide,” rather

than an autocratic leader who dictates all the functions and activities of the individual and the group.

In addition, a

democratic organization considers that the worth of every human personality is of paramount importance.

There is a

recognition of the importance of individual differences. Curriculum as experiences in life situations.

The

curriculum is the experiences of the learner in terms of the life situations and the inherent needs and interests which he is facing.

Experiences, in order to be effective, are con­

crete and specific as well as active and dynamic.

The

curriculum changes and keeps pace with the increased maturity Raleigh Schorling, Student Teaching (New York* McGraw-Hill Book Company, Inc~ 1914.9)" p. I70.

39 of the learner, on one hand, and the new reconstructed needs and interests and life situations on the other.

The emphasis

is upon present experience and its critical evaluation in the interest of qualitative, meaningful adjustments. past personal experience.

Recent studies of human

behavior have pointed to the effect which oners past exper­ iences can have upon his present behavior.

Depending upon

one1 s handling of them, past personal experiences can become either a liability or a helpful resource.

The latter con4

dition will develop as one is able to employ discrimination, critical evaluation, and selection in the use of his past experiences. Racial experience.

It is recognized that racial

experiences provide a rich resource for dealing with the present moment in experience.

As Bower so aptly puts it.

tfThe past cannot be ignored, because it lives on in the present. . . . Apart from it present Christian experience has no mean­ ing or direction, 11^5

Past experiences form standards by which

it is possible to weigh and judge present experience.

In

spite of the extreme importance of all past experiences, the functional approach begins and ends with the present exper­ ience of the learner faced with a life situation. ***£ Bower, Christ and Christian Education, p. 68 .

Problem-,solving method.

In a democratic setting,

the educational process functions as the pupil strives to resolve the difficulties in a situation.. Following the natural learning process, as Indicated above, the steps in the problem-solving method are as follows* the problems or situations,

(1 ) Selection of

(2 ) clarification of the issue

or issues involved in a situation,

(3) analysis of the

situation, (I4.) gathering of data, '(£) weighing of the evidence and making a choice, (6 ) application of the decision, and (7 ) evaluation and integration of the outcomes.

For religious

education, these steps take place within a value frame of reference.

It is particularly at the point of gathering

data and the making of choices that the values from the past, one1s religious heritage, are critically introduced and utilized. The functional approach to religious education makes an assumption about the need for community collabora­ tion in the program.

There is an attempted correlation of

major conflicting groups in the life of the individual. Because of the many groups in an individual1s life which present different approaches and points of view, he responds differently in those groups. conflicting groups are;

Examples of some of the major

(1 ) The family, where even his mother

and father often see life differently*

(2 ) the play group,

Ip-

where there is an attempt to conform; (3 ) the school, which is usually at opposites with the home, and (IjJ the church, where still'another approach may be used.

Therefore, an

effective program of religious education calls f or coopera­ tion of the many institutions and groups and, insofar as is possible, the use of a common educational approach. What, then, are the conclusions of functional religious education as concisely stated above?

Briefly, functional

religious education (1 ) Takes place within a particular cultural frame­ work; (2 ) Is non-sectarian in scope and purpose. (3 ) Recognizes the significance and relationship of religion and education for each other and to life itself; (ij.) Assumes that religion is inherent in the whole of experience; that it is concerned with the quality of life of every individual. (5 ) Explains the relationship of ^od and man as one in which God is essentially immanent in the world, this relationship develops best through the educational process; ( 6 ) A ssumes t h a t the underlying motivation of ’human behavior is self-realization. (7 ) Recognizes that the child is born neither good nor bad. that his direction is determined by the choices he makes to the conditions and situations of life;

1*2

(8 ) Assumes that self-realization and personality fulfillment progresses to its highest level only-if there is an awareness and action in terms of a cosmic aspect in life* that is, the child’s wholistic view progresses from the family to that which is ultimate in. the universe. ( 9 ) Assum es t h a t le a r n in g ta k e s p la c e in making a d j u s t ­ m en ts t o l i f e

s i t u a t i o n s i n th e v a r io u s a r e a s o f e x p e r ie n c e .

(1 0 ) A ssum es th a t th e p ro ced u re in th e e d u c a t io n a l p r o c e s s in c o r p o r a te s th e f o llo w in g n e c e s s a r y e le m e n ts(a) d em o cra tic o r g a n iz a t io n , w h ich in v o lv e s a r e c o g n it io n of the worth of every human personality, of individual differ­ ences, and of the teacher or leader as a guide, (b) curriculum as experiences in life situations; (c) past personal exper­ ience;

(d) racial experiences which provide a rich resource

for dealing with the present moment in experience; and (e) the problem solving method. ( 1 1 ) Assum es th e n eed f o r c o r r e la t i o n i n program o f th e m ajor c o n f l i c t i n g grou p s in a community. In the light of these conclusions, what is the ulti­ mate aim or objective of functional religious education? The aim is this.

to promote the growth and development of

each indificual and every group of individuals in terms of wholistic self-realization, that is, self-realized through life adjustments measured in terms of the most inclusive system of ethical_religious values.

Such wholistic

i+3 s e lf-r e a liz a tio n ,

in th e t r a d i t i o n a l id io m , i s t o know God

f u n c t i o n a l l y and c r e a t i v e l y .

Thus, th e f u n c t io n a l ap proach

t o r e l i g i o u s e d u c a tio n i s p r im a r ily co n cern ed w it h e n r ic h in g and g u id in g th e p r e s e n t e x p e r ie n c e s o f ea c h and e v e r y i n d i ­ v id u a l .

S in c e th e r e i s a p o t e n t i a l f o r r e l i g i o n i n e v e r y

e x p e r ie n c e , th e m ain t a s k o f th e r e l i g i o u s e d u c a to r becom es t h a t o f h e lp in g ea ch in d iv id u a l t o become more and more aware o f h i s n eed t o e x p e r ie n c e a h ig h e r q u a l i t y o f l i f e he i s now l i v i n g .

th an

T h is aim can be r e a l i z e d to i t s g r e a t e s t

e x t e n t th ro u g h th e e d u c a t io n a l p r o c e s s .

A lth o u g h t h i s g o a l

i s one w h ich no man can c o m p le te ly a c h ie v e , i t p o i n t s i n th e d i r e c t i o n t o w h ich a l l men sh o u ld s t r i v e .

CHAPTER IV PROCEDURES AND THE F IN D IN G S OF REACTIONS TO THE LOS ANGELES PROGRAM I n a p p r o a c h in g u sed

su b jec t

o f th is

t h r e e m e th o d s o f p r o c e d u r e *

n a ir e s , it

th e

(2 )

fie ld

o b s e r v a tio n s ,

w o u ld h a v e b e e n d e s i r a b l e

of a ll

th e

p e r m it.

r e lig io u s

groups in

d e n o m in a tio n s i n

r e lig io u s

group

s e le c te d I.

T hrough th e u se

th e to

q u e s tio n ­

tim e

th e

A lth o u g h program s

d id n o t

w h ic h i n c l u d e s m any o f

P r o te sta n t fa it h , fu lfill

th e

w as th e

th e p u rp o se

of th is

stu d y .

QUESTIONNAIRES

o f th e

q u e s tio n n a ir e ,

G hu rch F e d e r a t io n P rogram w ere

th e

te a c h e r s and th e

p u p ils ,

are

te ste d .

th e

tw o g r o u p s i n T h ese g r o u p s ,

v e r y h e a r t a n d w o r k in g

th e w eek day p rogram .

T each ers« e m p lo y e d i n

th e

O ut o f t h e

sev e n teen

C hu rch F e d e r a t io n

o f 1914.7 ,

a to ta l

n a ir e s .

S in c e

fa ir ly

(1 )

and o b serv e

L os A n g e le s ,

th e

order o f

th e w r ite r

(3 ) in te r v ie w s .

te st

The C h u rch F e d e r a t io n ,

v a r io u s

T hey w ere* and

to

stu d y ,

of

th e

s ix te e n

fille d

num ber i n

th is

lo n g an d q u ite

P rogram

w h ic h w e r e

d u r in g th e

o u t and r e tu r n e d g r o u p w o u ld b e

c o m p r e h e n s iv e

•** S e e A p p e n d i x A .

te a c h e r s,

S p r in g q u e s tio n ­

s m a ll,

a

q u e s t i o n n a i r e w a s u se d .-* -

The q u e s t io n n a ir e w as d iv id e d ( 1 ) p h y s i c a l e q u ip m e n t,

in to

fo u r

w ith t h e In th e

te a c h e r * s

s e c tio n

s a tis fa c to r y . lig h tin g ,

handw ork

a n d e q u ip m e n t. fa c to r s

of

c la s s

p e r io d s , th e

s e c tio n

a c tio n s , flic ts

est

in v o lv e d

th e

th e

s iz e

of a c tiv itie s

d e a lin g w ith

about

o f p u p ils fa v o r a b ly

th e

room s, h e a t in g ,

and o th e r

sou gh t to

s e c tio n ,

w ere a sk e d .

T h ese

d i s c o v e r w h ic h

gram .

of

le n g th

t im e

c h a n g in g m e th o d s i n th e ir

th e le n g t h

recom m en d ed ,

of

p u p il r e la t io n s h ip s

and r e ­

fin d

out i f

th e r e w ere

r e la tio n s ,

p r o b le m s ,

th e

c la s s ,

in

per­ in te r ­

a tte n d a n c e .

o f a m ore p e r s o n a l n a t u r e

th e num ber o f y e a r s to

th e

con-*

and w h e th e r th e r e

or a d e c r e a se

q u e s tio n s

d e s ir in g

s a tis fa c to r y .

th e p r in t e d m a t e r ia ls

im p r e s s e d w it h

e d u c a tio n and t r a in in g h a s b e e n

com m on m e t h o d s i n

of c la s s e s ,

in te r -fa ith

in c lu d e d *

s u p p lie s

o th e r s.

to

to w a r d a n in c r e a s e

e q u ip m e n t,

and

num ber o f d i s c i p l i n e

la s t

s e c tio n

c o n d i t i o n s w h ic h w ere

r e p o r ts and r e c o r d s,

ty p e s

th r e e ,

w as a tr e n d

w ith

a

p h y s ic a l

b u ild in g s ,

s e c tio n

q u e s tio n s w ere a sk ed

show n ,

And. I n

in c lu d e d *

secon d

b e tw e e n r a c e s ,

c e n ta g e

(ip

o r g a n iz a tio n and a d m in is tr a tio n w ere

c o n d itio n s

In

th e

th e

s p a c e a n d e q u ip m e n t,

The

T h ese

p r o v id e d ,

d is c o v e r

The l i s t

and

ow n p e r s o n a l r e a c t i o n s .

c o n c e r n e d w ith

a n a t t e m p t w a s m ad e t o

a s fo llo w s *

(2 ) o r g a n iz a tio n and a d m in is tr a tio n ,

( 3 ) p u p il r e la t io n s h ip s and r e a c t io n s , d e a lin g

s e c tio n s

in

th e

pro­

r e m a in * w h e t h e r a d e q u a t e ta k e n *

r e lig io u s te a c h in g *

how t h e y w i l l k e e p u p

e d u c a tio n , th e

fu tu r e

th e

th r e e m ost

o f th e

program ^

&

th e ir

r e la t io n s h ip s w ith p u b lic

m in is te r s ,

and

im p r o v in g t h e

s u p e r v is o r s ,

V,

th e

p a g e Ij.7 ,

ow n s u g g e s t i o n s

The f in d in g s

of

th e

fo r

T ea c h e r Q u e s tio n n a ir e

p h y s i c a l e q u ip m e n t h a v e b e e n r e c o r d e d

w ith

c o n d itio n s .

and t h e ir

p a r e n ts,

p r e s e n t program .

F in d in g s , c o n c e r n in g

sch o o l te a c h e r s,

th e

e x c e p tio n

T h ese rem a rk s,

o f th e

in

in

T a b le

rem ark s o f u n s a t is f a c t o r y

an sw er t o

s e c tio n

I,

num ber 1 £ ,

are* 1.

"M ore b l a c k b o a r d

2.

" In

c o u ld u s e

ch u rch es do n o t have

" V ery l i t t l e

ch u rch es le n d !{.,

th e ir

b la c k b o a r d

s lid e s *

n o w ay t o

sp ace.

a hom e,

is

to o

d ark en room s.

" C u p b oard s,

The c o n d i t i o n s

s t o r a g e , 11

or d esk s—

are

num ber 6 i n

fo u n d in s e c tio n

u n s a tis fa c to r y

d esk s, of

num ber 7 ,

" m o v in g "

as

out

o f n in e

it

T oo l i g h t

to

and t a b le s ."

T a b le V I , II,

s m a ll.

o r g a n iz a tio n and a d m in is tr a tio n ,

page

sh ow ed t h a t

c o n d itio n s .

d r a w in g ,

S ix

N o t t i m e f o r h a n d w o r k ,"

t h e num ber o f t e a c h e r s w ho c h e c k e d

fa c to r y

ta b le s

fo r

s c r e e n s f o r v i s u a l e d u c a t io n ."

"O ne b u i l d i n g ,

5.

w ith

sp ace

t h e m ,"

3.

sh ow

som e,

sp a c e — cupboard

th e m o st f r e q u e n t . are

s a tis ­

The a n s w e r s t o

th e r e w ere no o th e r

U n d er th e

w as n o te d

num ber a n d f r e q u e n c y g i v e n

lj.8 .

th e m a s b e i n g

reason s fo r

th a t f if t e e n The l i s t fo u n d i n

p u p ils w ith ­

te a c h e r s l i s t e d

o f r e a s o n s w ith T a b le V I I ,

page

th e ij.9 .

k-7 TABLE V CONDITIONS OF PHYSICAL EQUIPMENT WITH THE NUMBER OF TEACHERS WHO CHECKED THEM A S SATISFACTORY, CHURCH FEDERATION GROUP, I 9 I4.7

C o n d itio n s B u ild in g S iz e

11

o f room s

A pp earance S u ita b le

o f room s

8 7

sea ts

H e a tin g

10

7

L ig h tin g B la c k b o a r d U se

N u m b er

sp ace

o f n e e d e d m aps

if 1

M u s ic a l in s t r u m e n t s

6

Hymn b o o k s

3

O th er s u p p l i e s

5

A u d i o - v i s u a l e q u ip m e n t

1

H a n d w o rk s p a c e & e q u i p m e n t

0

A ll

8

o th e r s

TABLE V I CONDITIONS OP ORGANIZATION AND ADMINISTRATION WITH THE NUMBER OF TEACHERS WHO CHECKED THEM A S SATISFACTORY, CHURCH FEDERATION GROUP, I 9 I4.7

C o n d itio n s S iz e

N u m b er

o f c la s s e s

L e n g th o f c l a s s

10 p e r io d s

5$

R e p o r ts and r e c o r d s

11

P r in te d m a t e r ia ls

16

T ypes A ll

p r o v id e d

of a c tiv itie s

o th e r s

recom m end ed

5 7

/

if-9

TABLE V I I REASONS FOR PU P IL S WITHDRAWING FROM THE RELEASED TIME PROGRAM AND FREQUENCY GIVEN CHURCH FEDERATION GROUP,

________ F r e q u e n c y R ea so n s

M o v in g

F ir s t

. . . . . . .

........................................

N eed

s t u d y tim e

.

L ack

o f a p p r e c ia tio n

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

and in t e r e s t

P arent d is in te r e s t

.............................

D e p a r tm e n ta liz a tio n

o f 6 th . g r a d e

S c h o o l a d m in is tr a tio n

.

.

Second

T h ir d

1 5

•

1

.

1

1

.

1

....................... .....

1

50 T he num ber o f r a c e s h e te r o g en eo u s c la s s ,

s e c tio n

w as th e m o st f r e q u e n t . q u e s tio n n a ir e s , g iv e n b y th r e e w h ile

th e

w h ile

tw o ,

w it h t h e num ber o f

N egro,

10•

Jap an ese,

th a t

in

2.

th r e e ,

sh ow ed t h a t f o u r

r a c e s w ere e a ch

Two t e a c h e r s l i s t e d to

one r a c e ,

an sw er.

The r a c e s

t im e s m e n tio n e d , w ere*

C h in e s e ,

s e c tio n

III,

1 5 /h ite ,

6 * S p a n is h ,

a n d M e x ic a n ,

O f im p o r ta n t s i g n i f i c a n c e

q u e s t i o n nu m ber 2 ,

in s ta n c e

te a c h e r ’ s m ost

on fo u r d i f f e r e n t

and f i v e

c o n f l i c t m e n tio n e d b e tw e e n a n y o f t h e one

th e

num ber 1 ,

te a c h e r f a ile d

nam ed ,

and F ilip in o ,

III,

in

I t w as in d ic a te d

te a c h e r s*

r e m a in in g

ask ed fo r

w as th e

3*

fa c t

th e r e w as o n ly

v a r io u s r a c e s .

w as a c o n f l i c t b e tw e e n a F i l i p i n o

13;

one T h is

and a w h ite

p u p il* As to a r is e

as

a ffir m a tiv e ,

itie s

query in

t o why c h ild r e n

e n t p la c e s ,

b la n k .

th e

num ber 3 a s k in g of

t h e r e w e re tw o e le v e n

in

th e

a p p r e c ia tio n

t e a c h e r s w ho a n sw e r e d i n

th e n e g a tiv e ,

C o n c e r n in g a n y o t h e r

of

ty p e s

q u e s tio n s

o th e r f a it h s m eet in

F o u r te e n an sw ered t h a t th e y fo r

If

d iffe r ­ th e

an d t h r e e w ho l e f t d id

o th e r f a it h s , of

ever

c o n flic ts

p r o v id e w h ile

it

o p p o rtu n ­

tw o d id n o t .

am ong p u p i l s ,

th e r e

w ere fo u r

t e a c h e r s w h o a n s w e r e d 11y e s , ” e i g h t w h o a n s w e r e d

” n o , 11 a n d

fo u r w ho f a i l e d

In

e s tim a tin g

seem ed f a v o r a b ly te a c h e r s

to

an sw er*

th e p e r c e n ta g e

im p r e s s e d w it h

in d ic a te d

a m a jo r ity .

th e

o f th e ir

p u p ils

c la s s e s ,

th r e e

who of

th e

T h e re w ere tw o w ho c la im e d

51 a h ig h p e r c e n ta g e ,

80 p e r c e n t* and f i v e

w ho l e f t

t h e ir p u p ils

it

r e p ly ,

in

te a c h e rs

d id n o t a n s w e r .

In crease

or lo s s

an d tw o l e f t

th e

III,

s e c tio n

c o n tin u e r e g u la r

to

" f r e q u e n t l y , 11 t e n

o f th e

f o r a p e r io d w ere

th r e e

one y e a r , and

it if

p e r io d

is

To th e

p u p ils

or ca rry

th e ir E le v e n th r e e la s t

ever

sh o w a

on a d is c u s s io n

o v er, f our te a c h e r s

a n sw ers g iv e n

Of th e

in

check ed

num ber 1 o f s e c t i o n

te a c h in g

in

th is

program

r e m a in in g t e a c h e r s ,

te a c h in g f o r

th r e e

years-

o n e f o r tw o a n d o n e - h a l f y e a r s ? o n e f o r

y ea rs p er te a c h e r .

an

" o f t e n , ” a n d t w o c h e c k e d " s e l d o m . 11

o f tw o y e a r s .

one f o r fo u r m o n th s.

and th r e e

se m e ste r .

b la n k . th e ir

te a c h e r s have b een

w ho h a v e b e e n

T here w ere

a tte n d in g

sch ool

q u e s tio n s

check ed

A c c o r d in g t o t h e seven

a s k in g

ask

c la s s

in d i­

p r e se n ted h er

one r e p o r te d a l o s s ,

q u e s tio n

IV ,

c la s s e s

th a t

T here w as

d is c ip lin e .

p r e v io u s

an d one l e f t

a f t e r th e

b la n k .

fo u r

Q u e s t i o n n u m b er 9 a-sked f o r

r ep o rted no ch an ge,

to

it

th a t h er

te a c h e r s r e p o r te d an I n c r e a s e ,

d e s ir e

a c tiv itie s ,

t h e num ber o f p u p i l s

com pared w it h

in

a ll

in d ic a te d

t h a t t h e y h a d !,a f e w ” p r o b l e m s ,

in

one,

a q u e s t i o n m ark-

ben te a c h e r s

n u m ber o f p r o b le m s i n

t w e lv e w ho s a i d

c la s s e s

on e who l e f t

7,

sh ow a n I n t e r e s t

on e t e a c h e r w ho r e p l i e d

w ith a la r g e

98 p e r c e n t -

one,

b la n k .

to q u e s tio n

c a te d a n e g a tiv e o n ly

90 p e r c e n t ,

7 5 P®** c e n t *

one,

In an sw er

tw o ,

th e r e

th r e e

s i x m o n th s,

T h is a v e r a g e s a p p r o x im a te ly 1 . 8

T h ere w ere

ju st

th r e e

fo r

w ho h a d b e e n

£2 c o n n e c te d w ith th e a p e r io d

program in

o f one y e a r and one

I n num ber 2 o f

so m e o t h e r f o r a p e r io d

s e c tio n

IV t h e

program ?”

11i n d e f i n i t e l y . 11

o th er s

in

th e

is

a n sw ered w ith t h e

1.

"A s l o n g

2.

" I fm v e r y

3.

MA s l o n g a s

s u ffic ie n tly

as I

fo llo w in g

c o n n e c te d r e p lie d it

b la n k ,

The r e m a in in g

rem a rk s*

am e f f i c i e n t . ”

in te r e s te d th e r e

fillin g

seven ,

group l e f t

an d tw o a n sw e r e d w it h a q u e s t i o n m a rk . te a c h e r s

o f tw o y e a r s .

t o r e m a in

The l a r g e s t nu m b er,

T hree

tw o f o r

q u e s tio n w as ask ed *

" A p p r o x im a t e ly how l o n g w o u ld y o u l i k e w ith t h i s

c a p a c ity ,

a

is

in

t h i s w o r k .”

an a ssu ra n ce

s p ir itu a l need

t h a t my s e r v i c e

o f th e

c h ild r e n .”

"For l i f e . ” The t e a c h e r s w ere n e x t

ask ed i f

th e y f e l t t h a t

e d u c a tio n and t r a in in g w ere a d e q u a te p r e p a r a tio n in

th is

program .

r e p lie d ask ed

E le v e n r e p lie d

n e g a tiv e ly ,

if

th e y w ere

m e th o d s f o r t h e i r a ffir m a tiv e , and o n ly

a n d tw o d id n o t r e s p o n d .

age

group,

to

if

te a c h e r s

The

secon d p a r t o f

th re e

T hen,

r e p lie d

in

th e

a g a in

w hen

la te s t

an sw ered , i n

th e

t w o a n s w e r e d " s o m e w h a t ,”

an sw er.

th e y

te a c h in g

th e

e le v e n

th e n e g a t iv e ,

one f a i l e d

in g m e th o d s o f

to te a c h

a d e q u a te ly a c q u a in te d w ith th e

tw o i n

W hen a s k e d

a ffir m a tiv e ly ,

th e ir

ex p e cted

in th e

t o k e e p up w it h

r e lig io u s

e d u c a tio n ,

a ffir m a tiv e

q u e s tio n ,

^b o f

th e

fifte e n

and one l e f t s e c tio n

IV ,

it

chang­ of b la n k .

in q u ir e d

53 as

to

j u s t h ow t h e y h o p e d t o

w ith , t h e

do t h i s .

T w e lv e

of

th e m a n s w e r e d

f o l l o w i n g w a y s*

1.

11S t u d y a n d o b s e r v a t i o n . ”

2 . ”S tu d y ,

e t c .”

3 . "Sum m er s c h o o l a n d s e l e c t e d r e a d i n g . ” l±m " R e a d i n g , l e c t u r e s , 5.

in s titu te s ,

e t c .”

" S tu d y a n d r e a d in g ."

6 . " I f t h e y d o n o t c o n f l i c t w i t h my c o n s c i e n c e . " 7 . "By r e a d i n g , s h ip

tr a in in g ,

a tte n d in g

c la s s e s ,

le a d e r ­

e t c .”

8.

" S e m in a r y a n d p e r s o n a l

9.

" S tu d y in g ,

10.

e x te n s io n

a tte n d in g

"B y r e a d i n g ,

s t u d y .”

c o n fe r e n c e s,

a tte n d in g

r e a d in g ."

in s titu te s ,

an d ta k in g

u n i v e r s i t y w o r k .” 11*

" S c h o o l,

12.

" T a k in g c o u r s e s . "

T he r e m a in in g

r e a d in g ,

fo u r w ere b la n k .

Q u e s t io n nu m ber 6 o f as

to h er

I n s t it u t e s .”

s e c tio n

t h r e e m o st f r e q u e n t m e th o d s

m e th o d s m e n tio n e d a n d t h e num ber o f sh ow n i n

T a b le V I I I ,

O ut o f th e s e c tio n

IV i n q u i r e d

IV t o t h e

in d e fin ite ly

in

te n

o f te a c h in g .

tim e s

th e y

te a c h e r

The

occu rred are

p a g e jjlj.. t e a c h e r s w h o c h e c k e d n u m b e r 7a

e ffe c t

th a t th e

s u b s ta n tia lly

o n e w h o m ad e t h i s

o f th e

q u a lify in g

its

program

s h o u ld c o n t in u e

p r e s e n t fo r m ,

rem ark .

".

of

.

th e r e

. w ith

w as

changes

5k

TABLE V I I I FREQUENCY OF THE METHODS OF TEACHING USED BY THE TEACHERS, CHURCH FEDERATION GROUP, I 9 I4.7

M e th o d

S to ry

te llin g

N u m b er

13

D is c u s s io n

7

V is u a l a id s

6

T e sts

2

Q u e s tio n an d a n sw er

2

N o te b o o k

2

P u p il p a r t ic ip a t io n

2

D is c u s s io n

2

W o r s h ip

( w it h p i c t u r e s & d r a w in g )

(a id s and a c t i v i t i e s )

1

S in g in g

1

P r o je c ts.

1

C o n v e r s a tio n

1

S im p le

1

d r a m a tiz a tio n

55 b e i n g m ade a s

th e y

7b ,

w ho c h e c k e d

s e e m e x p e d i e n t . f*

th a t i s ,

b a s i c a l l y m o d ifie d m ade t h e s e

p r e s e n t program

im p o r ta n t p a r t i c u l a r s .

r e lie v e d

2.

of esco rt

" W o u ld l i k e

m u ch tim e

is

W o u ld l i k e

Four

o f th e m

lo s t

in

it

t o b e h e ld

c o m in g t o

in

th e

s c h o o l,

so

ch u rch and r e tu r n in g

to

" T im e s h o u l d b e l e n g t h e n e d b y l a w . "

ij..

"Som e w a y t o m e e t n e e d s

o f th o se

d o n o t know e v e n t h e b e s t know n B i b l e

m ean w hen a

s c h o o l.

s e s s i o n s . 11

lo n g e r

w ho a r e

T eachers

d u t y . ’*

3.

th o se

s h o u ld b e

11C u r r i c u l a a d o p t e d f r o m o l d e r s y s t e m s .

s h o u ld b e

as

th e

te a c h e rs

rem a rk s:

1.

S .S .j

in

th a t

T h ere w ere f i v e

r e g u la r

in

S .S .

w ho d o n ’ t s to r ie s

go to

a s w e ll

and ch u rc h a tt e n d a n c e .

I

o f 3 0 o r lj.0 h a v e l a r g e s t m a j o r i t y n o t i n

c la s s

S . S ." N one i n d i c a t e d w h ile

one l e f t

it

W hen t h e IV ,

to

s h o u ld b e

c o m p le te ly r e p la c e d ,

b la n k .

th e

b e tw e e n th e m s e lv e s and

it

t e a c h e r s w ere a s k e d ,

d e te r m in e

m in is te r s ,

th a t

ty p e

in

num ber 8a o f

o f r e la tio n s h ip

and th e

s u p e r v is o r s ,

p u b lic th e

th a t e x is te d

sch o o l te a c h e r s,

r e s u lts

s e c tio n

p a r e n ts,

sh ow ed t h a t a n

h a r m o n io u s c o n d i t i o n w a s p r e s e n t i n t h e m a j o r i t y

of ca ses.

The c o m p le te

r e s u lts

th e

e x c e p tio n

one

of

are

sh o w n i n

T a b le

IX ,

t e a c h e r w ho a n s w e r e d t h a t

w ith

sh e w as " n o t

TABLE IX RELATIONSHIP OF WEEKDAY TEACHERS TO PUBLIC SCHOOL TEACHERS, PARENTS, MINISTERS, AND SUPERVISORS

1

Harmonious

P u b lic School Teachers

!

10

Parent s

i

io

M in iste r s

!

9

S u p ervisors

t

8

Construct i v e l y C r it ic a l

1

D e s tr u c tiv e ly C r it ic a l

U ncooperative

1

Blank

3

5

2

4

4

3

ui o>

s u ffic ie n tly

in fo r m e d

ber S b ,

te a c h e r s w ere q u e s tio n e d a s

fe lt

th e

th a t th ese

in c e n tiv e .

v a r io u s

g iv e

a correct

g ro u p s w ere a

E ig h t te a c h e r s r e p lie d ^

sch o o l te a c h e r s,

w .

m in is te r s ,

to

fiv e

and te n

F in a lly # th e r e w h o m ad e s u g g e s t i o n s L i s t e d b e lo w

are

th e

fo r

th e

th e p u b lic

th e

m

p a r e n ts,

te n fo r

o f th e

s ix te e n

te a c h e r s

im p r o v e m e n t o f t h e

th e

program .

s u g g e s tio n s .

1.

”A l o n g e r

2.

” M ore o p p o r t u n i t i e s

c o lle g e s .

of

s u p e r v is o r s .

w ere n in e

th e se

fa v o r

su p p o r t and s

r e p l i e. d. . . f. o. .r

fo r

I n num­

t o w h e th e r th e y

real

in

■ *

s t a t e m e n t .”

c la s s

p e r io d .”

H ig h e r s a l a r i e s

fo r

t o h e lp

3.

” W id e r k n o w l e d g e

fy..

" H ig h e r q u a l i f i c a t i o n s

tr a in in g s o lv e

i n m ore

te a c h e r

o f program b y p u b lic

s h o r ta g e .” as

a

*

w h o le .”

h ig h e r

s a la r ie s

a c tiv e

c o o p e r a tio n

m e e t,

in

te a c h e r s w ith

to a t t r a c t b e tte r -tr a in e d on th e

part of

a n d# w h e r- e- • p u p *i l s f f a- m i l i e s

a•r9. e

6.

”1 f e e l th e w eek d ay s c h o o l i s

c la s s e s

o f c u r r ic u lu m .” *

s h o u ld n ’ t

som e i n s t a n c e s com e I n

w here

M ore

c o n n e c t e d .”

’‘R e v i s i o n

I f we c o u ld

te a c h e r s.

ch u rch es,

5.

fo r w a r d b u t as

fo r

sto p h e r e . ou r te a c h in g

th e

s c h o o ls ,

a la r g e •

j

We n e e d l o n g e r tim e tim e

Is

ste p s e s s io n s ,

o n ly 2 0 m in u te s .

c o u ld b e

saved and I t

w o u ld b e m ore im p o r t a n t t o m ore c h i l d r e n * ” *

7. in

churches

■ “

'

”R e v is e d to

-

— r

rr# i

c u r r ic u lu m .

e n a b le

te a c h e r s

H ave p h o n o g r a p h s a v a i l a b l e to

u se

r e c o r d s .”

8# vance have

so

”P la n s

one n o t a lw a y s f e e l s

tim e

la te r ,

f o r y e a r w orked o u t e v e n f a r t h e r

to

so a s

to have

churches need

to

P u p ils .

g iv e

tim e

one o f th e

o f 19l|*7#

o f L o s A n g e le s f i l l e d

'

The

o f th ir ty

s e le c te d ,

s c h o o ls w ere d is tr ic ts .

T he nu m ber o f

s e le c te d

O ut o f t h e

fr o m a l l

s e c tio n s

q u e s tio n n a ir e s .

s c h o o ls n o t h e a r d fr o m , fiv e

of every

■

tw e n ty -th r e e

o u t th e

s c h o o ls

an

C h u rch F e d e r a t io n d u r in g

■'i •»

new c l a s s e s w h ile

T h is m eans

th e P u p il Q u e s tio n n a ir e ,

go in to

a t ran d om fr o m a t o t a l

seven

t h is w ork.

c o v e r e d b y th e

sem este r

s c h o o ls

to

order th a t

m o r e .”

In u s in g

School D is tr ic t

m a in in g

im m e d ia te

w h e n n e e d e d a n d w a n t e d *11

it

fu ll

a t t e m p t w a s m ade t o

S p r in g

ad­

c o l l e c t m a t e r i a l s a n d f o r w h a t i s *n e e d e d

t e a c h e r s m ay g i v e

th ir ty

o f th e

11S a l a r i e s n e e d t o h e h i g h e r i n

9*

th e

th e p r e s s

in

Of th e

tw o w e r e

re-

j u s t b e g in n in g

d id n o t a n sw e r .

q u e s tio n n a ir e s f i l l e d

n in e a t L a u r e l S c h o o l in

th e

o u t r a n g e d fr o m

H o lly w o o d D i s t r i c t

to

118 a t

t h e B u d lo n g S c h o o l i n

S o u th w e st D i s t r i c t .

th r e e

o f 9 ^1*6 q u e s t i o n n a i r e s w e r e f i l l e d

s c h o o ls

a to ta l

4

j

o u t b y p u p ile s In to ta l

of

th is s ix

fr o m

th e

fo u rth ,

q u e s tio n n a ir e

q u e s tio n s ,

fo u r

fifth ,

.

.

.

.

tw e n ty -

.

and s ix th

■■

o f th em m e r e ly r e q u i r i n g a

c h e c k fro m

One o f t h e one t o

th r e e

#

gra d es.

th e p u p ils w ere a sk e d a

c h e c k m a r k a n s w e r i n g ” y e s ” o r lfn o . ” q u e s t i o n s a s k e d th em * t o

F ro m t h e

o th e r reason s

59 fr o m a c la s s

s e le c te d in

r e lig io n .

th e y lik e d th e

lis t

to

The r e m a in in g

or n o t

th r e e

le ft

or n ot

sh ow n i n

s a id

lik e d

an a ffir m a tiv e fo u r te e n

th em w h a t

c o n te n t

in

one

th e

fa ile d

to

in d ic a te

to

n e g a tiv e ,

th r e e

to

do b e s t

n in e te e n T h ey w ere

reason s,

fr o m a

t h e ir w eek day c l a s s .

ask ed

if

th e y lik e d

to

sev e n tee n

s a id

th e

th e ir

te a c h e r .

" n o ,H and tw e n ty -

q u e s tio n B ib le ,

as

to

of

in

th e ir

o v e r la p p in g ,

g iv e n b y th e a p p e a r in g ,

is

recorded th e

c la s s ,

an sw ers.

th e

p u p ils .

F in a lly ,

w h e th e r

9^-5 i n d i c a t e d

a n e g a tiv e

an sw er,

and

resp on d .

th ir t y -e ig h t d iffe r e n t deal

in

889 an sw ered in

Msom e t i m e s . tf

stu d y a b o u t th e

an sw er,

to

T a b le X .

In r e p ly

to

ask ed

T o q u e s t i o n n u m b e r 5, c o n c e r n i n g w h a t t h e lik e d

of

t h e i r w eek day c l a s s

” y e s , rt t w e n t y - t w o

i t " b la n k .

th e y

F or th e

o f 9^6 p u p i l s ,

fr o m

(Q u e s tio n t h r e e 9^1

go t o

a s t o w hy th e y w en t t o

The r e s u l t s a r e

To t h i s ,

c la s s .

and one r e p lie d

in d ic a te

lis t,

to

th ir ty -s e v e n

an sw er,

n e x t ask ed to s e le c te d

lik e d

O ut o f a t o t a l

to

q u e s tio n s a sk e d

The p u p i l s w e re f i r s t

th ey

th e a f f ir m a t iv e , fa ile d

th e ir

th e w eek day

t u r n t o A p p e n d ix B .

F in d in g s .

r e lig io n .

t o w hy th e y a t t e n d e d

d o " b est i n

q u e s tio n s ,

w h e th e r

as

to ta l

A lth o u g h t h e r e

a n s w e r s r e m a i n m u ch a s

The l i s t , in

th e r e w ere a

w ith

T a b le X I,

th e page

p u p ils w ere a sk e d

p u p ils of

w as a

great

th e y w ere

num ber o f

tim e s

6l . if

t h e y w o u ld l i k e

60

TABLE X REASONS CHECKED BY P U P IL S FOR ATTENDING WEEKDAY C L A S SE S, CHURCH FEDERATION GROUP, 1 9 4 7

R ea so n s I

lik e

to

go

My p a r e n t s

m a k e me g o

I lik e

fr ie n d s I h ave h e r e

th e

N um ber 717 67 322

I

le a r n

a b o u t G od

810

I

le a r n

aboutJ esu s

718

I

lik e

It

g e ts

th e me

te a c h e r o u t o f th e p u b lic s c h o o l

445 80

61 TABLE XI PREFERRED A C T IV IT IE S OF 9 4 6 WEEKDAY P U P IL S , CHURCH FEDERATION GROUP, 1 9 4 7

A c tiv itie s

S to r ie s L e a r n a b o u t G od S in g S tu d y th e B ib le L earn a b o u t J e su s P ic tu r e s P rayer E v e r y th in g B la n k S tu d y T est S lid e s L is te n L earn P la y T a lk R ead Wor s h i p N o te b o o k W r ite L esson s L ik e t e a c h e r A r ith m e tic L earn B ib le v e r s e s D o n ’ t know T e ll jo k e s W ork S p e llin g Show s H is to r y N ew a n d O ld T e s t a m e n t S it W h a tev er com es a lo n g D ra w N o th in g No c h o i c e A sk q u e s t io n s Be g o od T o ta l

N o.

of

tim e s

512 156 107 87 65 57 32 28 28 25 24 23 19 15

10 9

8 7

6 4 4 3 3 3

2 2 2 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1051

check ed

62 to

c o n tin u e

fo llo w in g r e p lie d

are

in

fo u r

( 5O

one

th e v a r io u s

th e

s a id

(2 )

a ffir m a tiv e .

s a id

th a t

th e

next year.

a n s w e r s w h ic h w ere

(3 ) fo u r te e n r e p lie d

n e g a tiv e (If)

on w it h a w eek d a y c l a s s

The (1 )

g iv e n *

s e v e n ty -s ix r e p lie d

in

821

th e

t h a t t h e y " d o n ’ t k n o w ."

t h e y w ere " g o in g

t h a t h e w a s m o v in g ,

to

and

s c h o o l 5"

ju n io r h ig h

(6 ) t h ir t y

le ft

it

b la n k . II.

FIE L D OBSERVATIONS AND THE FIN D IN G S

A lth o u g h t h e num ber o f f i e l d r e la tiv e ly g a in

s m a ll,

a

s u f f i c i e n t n u m b er w a s m ade i n

a r e a s o n a b ly c le a r p ic t u r e

T w e lv e

c la s s e s

fr o m v a r i o u s

School D is tr ic ts ob served .

in v o lv in g

The f i n d i n g s

s u lts th e

o f th is

e le v e n

of a

average

d iffe r e n t

fie ld

s itu a tio n .

te a c h e r s w ere

o b s e r v a tio n s w ere

s c h e d u le m ade u p b y t h e

s h o u ld a l s o b e p o in t e d

fo r

order to

o f th e L o s A n g e le s

o u t th a t th e

s c h e d u le w ere b a s e d u p on th e

in v e s tig a to r

u la r

th a t p a r tic u la r

e v a lu a tio n

s itu a tio n

re­ of

on a p a r t ic ­

day. Of th e

w ere

tw e lv e

com p osed o f th e

th r e e

o f th e

th a t w ere The

It

o f th e

s e c tio n s

o f th e

c o m p ile d th r o u g h th e u s e in v e s tig a to r .

o b s e r v a tio n s w as

s iz e

s ix th

o f th e

c la s s e s

ob served ,

fo u r th g rad e,

grade,

fo u r th ,

o f th e. c l a s s e s

one

tw o

o f th e

fifth ,

th e r e w ere th r e e o f th e

fifth

ju n io r h ig h ,

and s ix t h

grades

r a n g e d fr o m e i g h t p u p i l s

th a t

grade,

and th r e e c o m b in e d . in

tw o o f

-6 3 th e

c la s s e s

group

of

th e r e

w ere

to

fifty

th ir ty -fiv e p u p ils

th r e e

F ir s t

of a ll,

th e

s itu a tio n

b e tte r

th a n f a i r .

It

ch u rch es w ith

s e le c te d .

T here w ere

w h ile

T he room i n

concerned

In ste a d , to

u se

th e

ou t o f th o se

a c c e s s ib le .

In

h om e a n d o n e

e x c e p tio n a lly

o u t o f th e

w ere a d e q u a te .

s id e r e d

e s p e c ia lly

room w a s t h e r e

th a t

fo u n d t o b e

r e s t m ig h t b e p a s s e d a s

if

in

th e

w h ic h

o th e r .

a church,

ob served ,

needed. in

Two o f

T here w ere

w h ic h th e th e

c h a ir s *

th e r e

lig h t,

o n ly h e a t,

room s w ere c o n ­ In

o n ly

one

s e v e n room s h a d

o f a q u e s tio n a b le n a tu r e w h ile s a tis fa c to r y . ta b le s

th e y w ere n o t i n

An a tt e m p t w as m ad e,

in

a p r i v a t e hom e

in

c la s s r o o m s

s u ita b le

w a s a l s o m ade t h a t t h e r e w e r e th e room s b u t t h a t

o th e r ,

poor lig h tin g .

c h a i r s w h ic h w e r e d e f i n i t e l y

th e

s e le c te d

one,

of

s m a ll an d cro w d ed .

tw e lv e

and v e n t ila t io n

th e

c o u l d n o t b e r a t e d m u ch

t h a t h a d b la c k b o a r d s and e ig h t

to have

a s b u ild in g s ,

church n e a r e st to

w ere fo u n d t o b e p ia n o s a v a i l a b l e seven

fa r

I t w as n e c e s s a r y , b e c a u se

tw o e a s e s

p r iv a te

w ere fo u n d t o b e In te n

as

a W o m e n s C lu b H o u s e w a s u s e d

th e

ca se,

s h o u ld b e rem em b ered , h o w e v e r ,

a church w as n o t e a s il y w as u se d ,

th is

t h e b e s t ro o m s a n d e q u ip m e n t c o u ld n o t

tim e a n d c o n v e n ie n c e , s c h o o l.

T h ere w as one

te a c h e r s.

a n d e q u ip m e n t w e r e

a lw a y s b e

tw o o f th e m .

g a th e r e d to g e th e r , b u t in

room s,

th e

in

d u r in g

The

a v a ila b le

o b s e r v a tio n in

fo u r

u se. th e

o b s e r v a tio n s ,

to

of

e v a lu a te

th e

e v a lu a tin g o f th e

s itu a tio n *

th e a p p ro a ch o f th e

p u p ils a t th r e e

p e r io d * (2 )

te a c h in g

T h ese

te a c h e r and th e

d iffe r e n t

and

m is s in g d u r in g th e o f th e

(3 )

fin a l*

in itia l

sta g e ,

in v e s tig a to r 's

n o ted .

as

to

a p a r tic u la r

seven ,

In e s tim a tin g p a r tic ip a tio n th e

cent a ll

th e

d u r in g th e

p e r ce n ta g e

in

te a c h in g

The l i s t

a n d t h e num ber o f t im e s u s e d

th e

is

in

fo r

th e p e r c e n ta g e

5°,

55#

TO, 8 0 ,

T a b le X I I ,

t h e num ber o f p r o ­ w h ic h r a n g e d

o f tw e lv e

c en t.

T a b le X I I I ,

page

66.

o f te a c h e r and p u p il

c la s s p e r io d s ,

it

w as fo u n d t h a t

r a n g e d f r o m I|.0 p e r

The s c a l e

o f te a c h e r p a r tic ip a tio n

T h is l e a v e s

ta llie s

d iffe r e n t c la s s e s

to ta l

sh o w n i n

a n d 9 O5 t h e r e w e r e

and 95 b r a c k e ts*

th re e

o f m e th o d s a n d p r o c e d u r e s

p e r ce n ta g e

9 5 P©r

in itia l.

s itu a tio n

o f te a c h e r p a r tic ip a tio n

th e w ay up t o

c la s s

ab sen ce.

and th e r e w as a

d iffe r e n t p ro ced u res.

(1 )

sh ow n i n

T here w as a v a r ia t io n

ced u res u sed in fro m t h r e e

as-

T here a re

The m e th o d s o f t e a c h in g u s e d w as a ls o

resp o n se

s t a g e s d u r in g t h e

s ta g e s w ere c l a s s i f i e d

d u r in g p e r io d ,

b ecau se

One o r t h e s e m e a n s w a s b y

in c lu d e d }

tw o e a c h i n

a b a la n c e

o f e s tim a te s

th e

65,

a lj.0 ,

85,

fo r p u p il p a r tic ip a _

t i o n w h ic h a v e r a g e s a p p r o x im a t e ly 2 7 p e r c e n t . W hen i t sh o w n b y t h e c o u n ter e d .

cam e t o

p u p ils

in

T h ere w ere

w h ic h t h e w h o le

r a tin g

th e

p e r ce n ta g e

each c la s s , o n ly f i v e

group w as r a te d

so m e d i f f i c u l t y

o f th e th e

o f in te r e s t

tw e lv e

sa m e*

w as en ­

c la s s e s

in

F or th e m o st p a r t,

TABLE XII EVALUATION OF THE APPROACH OF THE TEACHERS AND THE RESPONSE OF THE PUPILS IN TVffiLVE 1EEKDAY CHURCH SCHOOL CUSSES, CHURCH FEDERATION GROUP, 1947

t » r R ating

Approach o f th e Teacher

*

* » t

t

t

E x c e lle n t

t t I

t r t

Very Good

T t t t

2

’t t t

Good

‘ t 1

5

* t i

F air

’ t I

2

’ i !

f

I n itia l

During Period

t

Response o f th e P u p ils F in a l

1 I n itia l

f < t

During P eriod

, f

* ln a i

t ,

1

8

|

7

2

’t i t

4

T

, 3

4

’ i i t

1

3

’ t i

’

t t t

1

8

’t t t

9

4

* i t t t t t

2

t t

\n

66

TABLE X I I I METHODS AMD PROCEDURES OBSERVED IN TWELVE WEEKDAY CHURCH SCHOOL C L A SSE S, CHURCH FEDERATION GROUP,

M eth o d s a n d P r o c e d u r e s

N o,

o f T im e s U s e d

Q u e s tio n and a n sw er

11

W o r s h ip

11

S to r ie s

10

V is u a l e d u c a tio n ( p ic t u r e s , a n d c h a lk d r a w in g s )

s lid e s ,

8

M u s ic

3

D is c u s s io n

2

R e v ie w

1

R e a d in g

1

M e m o r iz in g

1

R e c ita tio n

1

I n te r p r e ta tiv e L e c tu r e

r e a d in g

I 9 I4.7

1 1

it

r e q u ir e d

groups

so a s

o f in te r e s t

to

th e

g a in

sh o w n *

in to

a m ore t r u e

a b o u t th r e e

p ic tu r e

F o r e x a m p le ,

and how th e

v a r io u s

The r a t i n g th a t

th e

c la s s e s

o f th e

(3 ) 10 p e r c e n t

T able30T V s h o w s t h e

num ber o f t i m e s

g ro u p s a r e r a te d *

se v e r a l d iffe r e n t a ttitu d e s

a s a w h o le w e r e

o f good and v e r y good*

fa ir ly

T h ere w as one

w as fo u n d t h a t th e

o f poor.

S o c ia b ility

w ith e ig h t g r o u p s b e in g c l a s s i f i e d

6 9 , T a b l e XV s h o w s h o w t h e e x p r e s s e d b y th e F in a lly , s c h e d u le c la s s e s * w as th e le n g th

n o te

it

th e

T hat i s ,

r a tin g s

o u ts ta n d in g e x c e p t io n , o f " a tte n tio n ”

d ow n t o

th re e

w as r a te d

a s v e r y good*

On p a g e

seven d iffe r e n t a ttitu d e s

o f tw e lv e

so m e o f t h e

o f th e

o b s e r v a tio n

p r o b le m s p r e s e n t i n

o f th e

c la s s

o f th e

c la s s

p e r io d s a r e

p e r io d *

th e

m e t , w ere fr o m

one t o

S in c e

d e te r m in e d b y th e

t h e W eek d ay P ro g ra m h a s l i t t l e

B u t b e c a u se m ost o f th e

as

c l a s s e s w ere r a te d *

w as th e p u rp ose

o f tim e

groups

th e h ig h e s t

T he p r o b le m w h ic h w a s u n i v e r s a l w i t h a l l le n g th

s c h o o ls , tim e .

to

p u p ils

sh ow ed

c o n sta n t.

a ttitu d e

r a n g e d fr o m tw o g r o u p s w i t h e x c e l l e n t w ith a r a tin g

in

s h o w in g v e r y g o o d i n t e r e s t .

c l a s s e s w ere a lm o s t e v e n ly d iv id e d w ith

h o w e v e r , w hen i t

p e r ce n ta g e

and

s iz e

of

d iffe r e n t

one grou p w as d iv id e d

1 0 p e r c e n t s h o w in g g o o d i n t e r e s t }

s h o w in g p o o r i n t e r e s t *

th e

c la s s

(1 ) 80 p e r c e n t

th is w ay, (2 )

d iv id in g

c o n tr o l

c h u r c h e s, w here

v a r io u s

c la s s e s th e p u b lic

o v e r th e th e

c la s s e s

tw o b l o c k s a w a y fr o m t h e p u b l i c

68

TABLE XIV INTEREST INDICATED BY GROUPS OF P U P IL S IN TWELVE WEEKDAY CHURCH SCHOOL C LASSES, CHURCH FEDERATION GROUP, I 9 I4.7 P er C ent

V e r y G ood

G ood

100

4

I

90

1

80

1

70

1

60

1

$0

1

2

ij.0

1

1

30

1

Poor

1

20

1

10

2

1

69

TABLE XV RATING OP ATTITUDES SHO W IN TWELVE WEEKDAY CHURCH SCHOOL C L A S S E S , CHURCH FEDERATION GROUP, 1 9 4 7

A ttitu d e

A le r tn e s s E agern ess C o o p e r a tio n In te r est S o c ia b ility A tte n tio n O rder

i ! t t f f I

E x c e lle n t

t t I t 'T ' t t t i t t

2

t ! i i t f » i f-1 i i » f™ i r i i t t

f

V ery G ood

6 5

? i i t

G ood

T i 1 r 1 11 i

6 - 'Y '" "

5

1

6

6

* i

6

8

T i

4

3

? i

4

7

?

5

t

i i

1

i

! 1 I 1 t V t

t » V ery Poor t Poor i t ■“ ■ ■ i i • 1 1"f t

1

1

1 !

1

i

1 i i

3

i t t ■i » t t t t f t

70 school, almost h a lf of the time was consigned in escorting the pupils to and from th e ir class.

This meant th a t in the

majority of cases the class period averaged approximately twenty minutes.

There were some th a t were able to "squeeze”

in a few more minutes than th is . Another very common problem noted was the lack of adequate f a c i l i t i e s and equipment.

In almost a l l of the

classrooms, the pupils had to use chairs th a t were too large for them.

Most of the churches were equipped to seat

adults ra th e r than small children.

In the few instances

where tab les were available to work on, there was only one class th a t a ctu ally took advantage of them.

The pupils in

most classes, when w riting was called fo r, found i t necessary to use the seat of th e ir ch airs.

There were other de­

fic ie n c ie s such as crowded rooms and a lack of blackboards which have already been mentioned. Especially noticeable in three of the classes was the problem of d iscip lin e and securing a tte n tio n .

Because the

teacher i s pressed for time, taking out time to secure a tte n tio n or send pupils from the class i s an unfortunate waste of the precious minutes. S t i l l another problem was th a t of mixed grades present in one class.

As was previously indicated, there were three

of the twelve classes in which the fourth, f i f t h , and six th grades were combined in to one.

Because of the obvious

differences among the pupils, th is presents some d if f i c u lt situ a tio n s for the teacher.

II Although i t

i s not a problem of a classroom s itu a tio n ,

there e x is ts the problem of a c o n flic t with the schedule of the public school.

This c o n flic t i s a r e a l one on the

junior high school level as the pupils usually miss out on one of th e ir regular subjects.

For those students who can­

not e a s ily make i t up, th is absence for them presents an unde sirab le s i t u a t i on. III.

INTERVIEWS AND THE FINDINGS

The f i r s t two methods of procedure used in th is study, the questionnaires and the f ie ld observations, were almost e n tire ly r e lie d upon fo r an evaluation of the Los Angeles Weekday Program.

Through the use of the teacher and pupil

questionnaires and the actu al f ie ld v i s i t s to some of the classrooms, a somewhat s c ie n tif ic and objective analysis of the program was made.

However, th is did not eliminate any

possible contribution which some of the various leaders might make toward an evaluation of th e ir own group programs and of the lo ca l movement as a whole.

I t was to be expected,

though, th a t a l l of those connected with the d irectin g or teaching of a Group Program would react in a favorable manner. What seemed to be a representative opinion of a l l groups was given in an interview with Father Coogan, the la te D irector of the Roman Catholic Program.

He was of the

opinion th a t 11released time*1 was making good progress and was here to stay,

i t was a lso h is claim th a t the In te r-

F aith Committee in Los Angeles was carrying on i t s work most e ffe c tiv e ly .

As fa r as the effectiveness of h is own

Program, one phase of i t

showed p a rtic u la rly gratify in g

re s u lts when Father Coogan estimated th a t £0 per cent of th e ir pupils were unchurched. As a point of comparison "between two of the fa ith s in Los Angeles, i t was Father Coogan* s opinion th a t the Catholics do not have many of the problems th a t P rotestants are faced with because they are b e tte r united.

In other

words, whether for good or bad, the Catholics are able to concentrate more d e fin ite ly on a specific curriculum within th e ir program.

The P rotestan ts are divided in to a t le a s t

three d is tin c t groupss.

(1) C hristian Science.

(2) Church

Federation; and (3 ) Evangelical Released~Time Education, Inc. Against the argument, sometimes used by public school p rin cip als and teachers and others, th a t the s p littin g up of the Weekday Program in to several relig io u s groups i s con­ fusing to most children of elementary school age, Rev. Wilbur Parry, former Director of the Church Federation Group, pointed out th a t th is was a n atu ral and normal consequence of our democratic expression of the freedom of thought and worship.

Thus, i t was h is opinion th a t the children should

become aware of these differences, and th a t they should receive some in stru c tio n which would develop an appreciation of a l l relig io u s f a ith s .

As was previously pointed out in

73 the Teacher Questionnaire, fourteen out of the sixteen teachers answered th a t they did provide opportunities for appreciation of other f a ith s . In an interview with Miss Lois Howard, a former teach­ e r-p rin c ip a l of the Church Federation Croup, i t was found to he her contention th a t the Weekday Program was f u l f i l l i n g an important function in i t s relatio n sh ip between the church and the public school.

I t was her opinion th a t i t was not

the function of the weekday school to replace the Sunday church school.

On the contrary, i t

should be the purpose

of the weekday school to supplement and help improve the Sunday school, i t

should stimulate b e tte r teaching and a

b e tte r program in general.

According to her viewpoint, then,

the Sunday school s t i l l has an important place In the re lig io u s development of children.

Therefore, one of the

most important functions of the weekday school, in her thinking, was to reach the unchurched. Ytfhile th is section does not contain the opinions and viewpoints of many of the other leaders of Weekday Programs in Los Angeles, these few points were deemed to be adequate in lig h t of the previously mentioned reasons. it

Once again,

should be kept in mind th a t the evaluation which follows

was prim arily based upon the questionnaires and the f ie ld v is its .

CHAPTER V EVALUATION OP THE WEEKDAY PROGRAM IN LOS ANGELES

For the most p art,

th is evaluation of the Weekday Pro­

gram in Los Angeles was based on the Program of the Church Federation,

The evaluation of the Church Federation Program

was made prim arily upon the b asis of the findings of the questionnaires, m aterials.

f ie ld observations, interviews, and published

But the re s u lts of th a t evaluation were judged

according to the relig io u s and educational philosophy which was assumed in Chapter Three.

The Church F e d eratio n s Week­

day Program was evaluated in terms of* situ a tio n ,

(1) the teaching

(2 ) pupil-teacher re la tio n sh ip s,

(3 ) curriculum,

(If.) fu lfillm en t of needs, and (5 ) a ttitu d e s developed. I.

THE TEACHING SITUATION

A number of facto rs enter into and determine an evalu­ atio n of the teaching situ a tio n in a weekday program. facto rs chosen fo r consideration here are. schedule,

(3 ) size,

(1 ) time,

(Ij.) place, and (5 ) equipment.

The (2 )

They w ill

be discussed In th a t order. Time,

As has been previously pointed out, the time

of the periods allowable fo r a weekday class i s regulated by the public schools.

Since the periods are ju st fo rty minutes

in length and nearly h a lf

&£ th a t time Is used in escorting

75 the pupils to and from the church where they meet,

th is

leaves approximately twenty to twenty-five minutes of actual class-tim e.

Inasmuch as a pupil can only be excused four

times during a school month, the time spent fo r relig io u s train in g could hardly be called adequate.

One solution to

the problem would be to hold the classed d ire c tly in the school building.

This practice was being followed by many

of the programs throughout the United S tates u n til the United S tates Supreme Court handed down i t s decision on the Cham­ paign Case.

S t i l l another solution would be to ra is e the

number of days per month, but th is would n ecessitate a change in the law and create the need fo r a much la rg er teaching s ta f f . The time of a period is fa r too short when the teacher fe e ls the need of rushing through her lesson.

This feeling

of being rushed was strongly evidenced by many of the teachers during the f ie ld observations. Of the various plans th at have been tr ie d by the week­ day program, there seems to be l i t t l e

doubt but what the plan

known as "released time11 has proven to be the most s a tis f a c t­ ory.

The plan of "free time11 has to compete against too much

after-sch oo l a c tiv ity , while the plan of "dismissed time” c a lls for a large teaching force who usually are not professionaly trained . Thus, while the Los Angeles Program functions under what i s now the b est system of releasing pupils fo r relig io u s

tra in in g ,

the time actu ally spent fo r th at tra in in g i s f a r

from sa tisfa c to ry .

Even though, the control of the length of

class periods i s out of the hands of any of the relig io u s groups, a plan should be sought whereby more time of actual tra in in g can be made av aila b le.

This should be one of the

most immediate and important tasks of the weekday program. Schedule,

The schedule of classes, as w o r k e d out by

the Church Federation Group, was apparently the most s a t i s ­ factory under the conditions.

That i s ,

factors such as the

number of pupils released for each school-grade and the num­ ber of weekday teachers available determine the schedule to be worked out fo r a p a rtic u la r school. classes observed,

Out of the twelve

there were found to be several d iffe re n t

schedules in operation.

These v a ria tio n s,

showing the num­

ber of periods, the number of teachers, and the grades, were as follows. ' 1,

Three periods

three teachers

li-th, £th, and

6 th grades released in ro ta tio n , E,

One period

one teach er-—lj.th, £th, and 6 th

grades released together, 3,

One period-—one teacher

junior high grades

released together, Ij..

One period—-three teachers

grades released together.

Jfkh, £th, and 6 th

77 £.

Three periods

one teacher—-lj.th, $th, and 6 th

grades released in ro ta tio n .

6.

One period

-two teach ers-—l|.th, 5>th, and 6 th

grades released together. 7.

Three periods—two teachers—-Ij.th, 5>th, and 6 th

grades released in ro tatio n .

8.

Three periods-

one teacher-—lj.th, £th, and 6 th

grades released together each period. So, while the schedule arranged^ias probably the b est possible under the circumstances, i t could hardly meet the highest educational requirements.

The schedule often proved

very d i f f i c u l t for the teacher a lso .

In some cases,

she was

required to rush across the City by stre e tc a r or bus to meet with her next c lass.

And occasionally,

th is t r i p had to be

made during the lunch-hour. Size.

The size of the weekday classes vary with the

number of pupils whose parents have signed to release them and with the number of teachers av ailable.

I t was previously

pointed out th a t of the,twelve classes observed, the size varied from eight to xth ir ty - f iv e pupils.

A uniform number of

pupils In one class is d i f f i c u l t to set because of the v aria­ tions in pupils and teachers.

There Is also disagreement

among educational leaders as to the size of a class for the b est learning.

Of those classes observed,

factory ra tin g could be made.

then, a s a tis ­

7? Place,.

Of the twelve classes observed, ten of them

were held in nearby churches.

There was one th a t was held

in a private home and the other met in a Woman* s Club House, As was pointed out e a r lie r in the study of the State of Cali­ fornia by Winters, public school buildings may never be used fo r weekday classes because of an early c o n flic t between the Catholics and the P ro testan ts, Even though there may not be a choice in Bos Angeles, the question a ris e s as to the b est meeting-place fo r weekday classes.

Arguments have been given fo r both the church and

the school.

In favor of the church are these arguments-

a) I t has b e tte r f a c i l i t i e s for worship and i s often more adaptable for other re lig io u s a c t i v i t i e s , , , , b) The church i s the center of the re lig io u s a c t i v i ­ t i e s of a community and children need to become used to going there, c) Unchurched children are more apt to a f f i l i a t e themselves with a church i f they have some sa tisfy in g experience th ere, d) The church membership fe e ls more responsible for a school housed in i t s own building, e) Movable tab les and chairs afford b e tte r opportunity for more informal methods of teaching. f) There may be fewer interru ption s to class sessions in a church. g) I t i s possible to have church centers as adequate as public schools i f a service charge i s paid the church and ja n ito r. h) This policy helps to f o r e s ta ll any use of public school money fo r re lig io u s education, The arguments in favor of using the public school buildings are. •* * The Weekday Church School (New Educational B u lletin No. 6 o i. Chicago, in tern atio n a l Council of Religious Educatio n , 19l|2), P. 17.

a) Heating costs are saved. However, a nominal sum i s often paid for the use of public school property. b) T raffic problems and unfavorable weather conditions are avoided, and time i s conserved when pupils remain in the public school buildings. c) D iscipline i s e a sier because pupils are s t i l l under the public school roof where h abits and sch©dixies have become a matter of routine. d) Equipment may be b e tte r in the public schools, such as blackboards, adjustable seats and desks, proper l i g h t ­ ing and v e n tila tio n .^ Thus, while the preference of the place of meeting may be a debatable question, there seems to be no choice between the church and school in Los Angeles, else now. tig a tio n ,

or anywhere

However, according to the findings of th is inves­ the arguments in favor of meeting in the public

school outweigh those in favor of meeting in the church. The time and equipment arguments alone should be enough to swing the balance in favor of the public schools. Equipment.

The findings concerning the equipment in

use in the weekday classes of Los Angeles were presented in Chapter Four.

Heedless to say, a l l of the conditions found

were not adequate or sa tisfa c to ry . such as small,

In f a c t,

there were some,

crowded rooms, poor lig h tin g , unsuitable chairs,

no blackboards, no desks or tables to write on, and others, which should be rated as ,!poor.tt

An attempt should be made

to overcome these deficiences as soon as possible.

Granted

th at the church has many finan cial and other types of prob­ lems, the question continually a ris e s as to the re la tiv e

2 Ibid4 , P* 1 8 .

80

importance of each..

How can the church possibly s e ttle for

anything as being more important than the re lig io u s tra in in g of boys and g irls? Aside from the findings of the Teacher Questionnaire and the f i e l d observations, i t i s common knowledge th a t our church buildings are f a r behind the public schools in the m atter of equipment.

Many of our larg e st churches are com­

ing closer to the public school standard, but the b est ones are not always convenient fo r use in the weekday program. According,

then, to the findings presented,

the Weekday Pro­

gram in Los Angeles i s d e fin ite ly handicapped by the short time for class periods, by many of the schedules which have to be followed, by the place where they meet, and by the equipment in use.

Although some major changes cannot e a sily

be made under the present conditions, the question remains as to how these situ a tio n s can be altered to make fo r a b e tte r program. II.

PUPIL-TEAQHER RELATIONSHIPS

One of the most favorable signs of the Weekday Pro­ gram in Los Angeles is the frien d ly relatio n sh ip s established between pupil and teacher.

In the Pupil Questionnaire,

findings showed th a t 901 ou^ did lik e th e ir teacher, tiv e ,

the

pupils reported th a t they

only twenty-two answered in the nega­

and twenty-three fa ile d to answer.

When an overwhelming

81 number of pupils such as th a t indicate th a t they lik e th e ir teacher, a relatio n sh ip has been established which creates a good foundation fo r the whole program. The fa c t th at so many pupils liked th e ir teacher in ­ d icate s, to a great extent, th a t the approach of the teacher during the class period was a favorable one.

In every class

observed, i t was found th at the teacher expressed a kind and friendly a ttitu d e toward her p u p ils.

And except in a few

cases, where the teacher tended to show a feeling of being rushed,

she was calm and poised.

Thus, i t became apparent

th a t the teacher was e a sily winning the confidence of her pupils. Responses of the pupils observed in the twelve classes showed th a t they were rated only " f a i r 11 and "good" in the in itia l

stages of the class periods.

But these responses

showed a steady improvement throughout the period, u n til in the f in a l responses, nine of the groups were rated as "very good11 and one received "excellent."

These findings indicate

a growing relatio n sh ip between the teacher and the pupils. Another indication of a good pupil-teacher r e la tio n ­ ship was uncovered in the Teacher Questionnaire.

There was

ju s t one teacher out of the sixteen who checked the question­ naire as saying th a t she had rfa large number1 * of d iscip lin e problems in her classes.

A good majority,

twelve of them,

indicated th a t they were faced with only "a few" problems of

8a th is nature. question.

The other three teachers fa ile d to answer th is

Since i t i s d i f f i c u lt to imagine a teacher with­

out any d iscip lin e problems whatsoever,

these findings should

almost conclusively prove th a t the relatio n sh ip s of the teach­ ers and pupils in the weekday classes are of a high order. Although there was-apparently a friend ly and likab le relatio n sh ip between the teachers and pupils, a t the same time,

there appeared,

to be a relatio n sh ip present which showed

a lack of fa m ilia rity .

In other words, the teachers greeted

th e ir pupils in a frien d ly manner but were unable to c a l l but a very few of them by name.

And i f a teacher i s unable to

know her pupils by name, she cannot possibly know the individ­ ual c h a ra c te ristic s,

strong points, and weaknesses of them.

Herein l i e s one of the g re a te st weaknesses of the weekday pro­ gram.

In order for aiyclassroom situ a tio n to become educa­

tio n a lly sound,

the teacher should have a workable knowledge

of each and every pupil whether she be teaching History, English,

or Religion.

Of course, the f a u lt does not l i e with

the teacher in the case of the Weekday Program in Los Angeles. When a teacher comes in to contact with a c ertain class fo r only twenty minutes a week,

she cannot be expected to know

her pupils thoroughly, esp ecially when she has several other classes to teach during the week. Something d iffe re n t in the way of pupil-teacher r e la ­ tionships was being experimented with during the Spring semester

of 1 9 ^7 .

In oneof the classes observed,

was usedwith a class

of White children.

a colored teacher The class on th a t

p a rtic u la r day was not running as smoothly as was evidently hoped th at i t would.

A number of reasons could be suggested,

such as.

(1) the lack of a b ility to handle

teacher,

(2) the race of the teacher, and

the pupils in the c la ss.

(3 ) the nature of

The d if f ic u lty could have been in

any one of the above three reasons, tio n of them.

the class by the

At any r a te ,

or even in some combina­

the experiment could hardly be

rated as a success on the b asis of observation fo r th a t par­ tic u la r day. Thus,

on the whole, i t could be said th a t most of the

weekday classes were conducted with favorable pupil-teacher relatio n sh ip s,

except when i t

her pupils individually.

came to the teacher knowing

The f a u lt fo r th is l i e s in the

lim itatio n s of the program rath er than with the teacher. There i s l i t t l e

doubt but what the teacher is attempting to

do the b est th a t she can under the present circumstances. Ill.

CURRICULUM

In the words of Erwin L. Shaver, Director of Weekday Religious Education for the In tern atio n al Council of R eli­ gious Education, the following importance was given to the building of a curriculum.

"Aside from securing thoroughly

q ualified teachers,

there i s no more important task confront­

ing a weekday church school board than th a t of organizing a sa tisfa c to ry curriculum.”3

since there has been no complete

series of testbooks available fo r use in weekday schools, community leaders have been fre e ,

for the most p a rt,

to

develop a program to meet the local needs and demands. According to the In tern atio n al Council of Religious Education, what i s taught in the weekday church schools depends upon the following things. 1. The needs as the leaders see them and the te x t­ books available to help meet the needs. 2. The place the weekday school holds in the to ta l community program, whether i t is a lo cal church enter­ prise or a cooperative e f f o r t among churches of the same or of d iffe re n t denominations* 3. Whether the Sunday church school i s doing i t s work e ffe c tiv e ly . if. The prevailing theological ideas and in te re s ts ‘of the community; 5. The lib e r a l or conservative concepts of relig io u s education and of education in general. hThe Council adds th a t. There are a t l e a s t four sources out of which weekday church school curricula and programs arise* f i r s t , a study of the Bible, church h isto ry and re lig io u s l i t e r a . ture. second, public school studies, th ird , recurrent or outstanding social experiences* fourth, personal or so­ c ia l problems. These c la s s ific a tio n s overlap and each makes use of m aterials and procedures belonging to the o th e rs.5 3 Choosing A Course of Study For Your Weekday Church School (Service BuTle^tinT^^Number 6 2 0 . Chicago. International Council of Religious Education, 19lfS>), Foreword. If The Weekday Church School, op. c i t . , p. 1 9 .

8? The above points, which should receive some considera­ tio n in working out a curriculum, were undoubtedly kept in mind when the Church Federation Group worked out th e ir own. In making th e ir ffCurriculum Suggestions, 11 i t was the claim of th a t Group that*

"After consultation with public school

teachers, d ire c to rs of C hristian Education, m inisters and parents,

the following plan has been evolved to a s s i s t in

meeting these very v i t a l needs of boys and g ir l s ,"

They go

on to say* This curriculum has been developed with careful considera­ tio n fo r the following e ss e n tia l facts* 1, A knowledge of the development and c a p a b ilitie s of the child in each of the various age le v e ls , 2. Correlation with public school courses of social studies, 3 , Correlation (not su b stitu tio n or duplication) with the Sunday Church School and Vacation Church School m aterials as prepared by the various Protestant denomina­ tion s working with the In tern atio n al Council of Religious Education. 4. A recognition of the length of time available fo r Weekday C hristian Education on Released Time, and the necessity fo r maintaining a school room atmosphere in a l l C hristian Education c l a s s e s ,' In organizing and building a curriculum, everything th a t influences the experience of the learner must be con­ sidered.

Four of the most important elements were d ealt with

in th is investigatio n. perience,

These elements are*

(2 ) objectives,

(1 ) areas of ex­

(3 ) methods, and (ij.) m aterials.

b Weekday C hristian Education - Curriculum Suggestions foi* kth. 5 th » bth Grades (Los Angeles* Ghurch Federation of Los Angeles, Southern C alifornia Council of P rotestant Churches, 19k7-k®)> Foreword,

7 hoc, c i t .

86 Of course, the physical, psychological, and social character­ is tic s ,

including the needs and in te r e s ts of the various

age-groups,

should he kept in mind in the process of c u r ri­

culum making. Areas of experience.

I f re lig io n i s to he assumed as

concerned with the to ta l experience of a person or with the integ ration of l i f e , must include a l l

then a program of relig io u s education

of the various areas of experience.

This,

in other words, means th a t relig io u s education must be con­ cerned with a c e rta in kind of response in a l l l i f e

situ a tio n s.

The In tern atio n al Council of Religious Education has l i s t e d the following as the areas of human experience. sp ecific a lly relig io u s a c t i v i t i e s ,

or those which are common­

ly recognized as sp e c ific a lly relig io u s in form. a c tiv itie s . ties*

(3 ) educational a c t i v i t i e s .

(5 ) vocational a c t i v i t i e s .

( 7 ) recreation al a c t i v i t i e s . life*

( 9 ) general l i f e

(1 )

(2 ) h ealth

(Ij_) economic a c t i v i­

( 6 ) citizenship a c t i v i t i e s ;

(8 ) sex, parenthood, and family

in the group.

and (11) aesth etic a c t i v i t i e s .

8

(1 0 ) friendship a c t i v i t i e s .

But when i t

curriculum plan fo r weekday church schools,

came to the actual the Council suggested

8 The In tern atio n al Curriculum Guide. "Principles and Objectives of C hristian Education," Book Qne. (Chicago. I n te r ­ national Council of Religious Education, I 9 3 5 ), pp. 95-102.

87 the following four groups of courses fo r grades one through nine.

(1) The Bible,

(2) C hristian Citizenship,

(3) C hristian

In te rp re ta tio n of the Universe, and (Ij.) The Church.

9

I t was

pointed out that a local curriculum committee may wish to se le c t u n its from a l l four of the courses of work out some combination of them, According to th e ir manual on Curriculum Suggestions,

10

the Church Federation Group of Bos Angeles worked out a curriculum plan based upon the one suggested by the I n te r ­ national Council of Religious Education, with the addition of u n its on Thanksgiving, Christmas, and E aster,.

Table XVI

outlines th e ir plan showing the u n its and the number of sessions suggested fo r each.

I t should be pointed out here

th a t a l l of the u n its f a l l within two groups of courses. (1) The Bible, and (2) The Church, with the exception of one u n it of six sessions on C hristian Citizenship and the three special u n its. of the Bible,

Recognizing the importance and significance th a t approximately 2 £ per cent of the pupils

are unchurched, and th a t there i s

so l i t t l e

time each week,

i s a weekday program “ju s tif ie d in such a narrow scope of our ~ 9 Choosing A Course Of Study For Your Weekday Church School, op. c i t . , p. 1. 10 Weekday C hristian Education - Curriculum Suggestions for £££. SE T 6 th . 7 th Grades And Junior high Schools (Bos ~ Angeles. Church Federation of Bos Angeies Southern C alifor­ nia Council of P rotestant Churches, I 9 I4.6 - 4 7 ), 11 pp.

TABLE XVI CURRICULUM SUGGESTED FOR 4 th , 5 th , 6th GRADES AND JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL WEEKDAY CLASSES, CHURCH FEDERATION GROUP, 1946-1947 I

.............i . i

ii

i

r

t

Grade

’

----------------------------------------

-------- r---- -- ---------- ------ --------------- ---------------------------- r ~ 1

i

The B ib le

t

C h r istia n C itiz e n s h ip

The Church

1

t

t

t

t

t

»

t

t

1 4th

,.r .

*

S t o r ie s o f B ib le People (20 s e s s io n s )

t

i

The Church in Our Town (7 s e s s io n s )

t t t

5th * * *

6th

7 th , 8 th , &

9th

1 1 1 1

E arly Old Testament Times (9 s e s s io n s ) Later Old Testament Times (9 s e s s io n s ) ..................................

11

Jesus as Friend (8 s e s s io n s ) Jesus as Teacher (8 s e s s io n s ) Jesus as Savior (5 s e s s io n s )

t

t t t

1 ’ ’

»

Worshipping God by M y se lf, a t Home, a t Church (9 s e s s io n s )

t

i

'

Christmas (3 s e s s io n s )

.............. i

'

t

L iving as a World C h ristia n (6 s e s s io n s )

» t

t

t

t

t

t

t

t

t

t

i

t

’ U sing My B ib le 1 (6 s e s s io n s ) 1 E xploring My B ib le ’ (20 s e s s io n s )

t

t

t

Thanksgiving (2 s e s s io n s )

t

t

|

* *

T hanksgiving, C hristm as, and E a ster U n its

My Church Home (10 s e s s io n s )

E aster (3 s e s s io n s )

1 1

t

t

t

t

t

t

00 CO

to ta l experience?

To the pupils in classes where

$0 to 75

per cent are regular attendants of some Sunday church school, most of the characters and sto rie s in the Bible, p a rtic u la rly of the Old Testament, merely pass in review* Of the twelve classes which were observed, the inves­ tig a to r v is ite d one-half of them during the special season u n its.

There were three classes in which the teacher

spent most of the time te llin g

sto rie s of such Old Testament

characters as David, Samuel, Saul, and Elijah* fourth graders,

One c la ss,

spent the period in taking a t e s t ,

of

learning

a song fo r E aster, and re c itin g the Twenty-Third Psalm*

A

class of six th graders, who were taking a unit on Jesus, were presented with slid e s and comments by the teacher on the cus­ toms, dress, the l i f e

surroundings, and other fa cto rs concerned with

of the people a t th a t time*

The unit of the re -

maining class was somewhat more vague since they used the period in singing some hymns, lis te n in g to a story, and re ­ c itin g the Twenty-Third Psalm, which they were to memorize for the following week* observations,

Thus, on the b asis of those twelve

the findings seemed to show a lack of actu ally

dealing with lif e - s itu a tio n s in th e various areas of experience* During the school year of 19l|.7-i|.8, the Church Federa­ tion put a system into practice whereby a plan fo r each session of each u n it was prepared fo r the teacher which was to be used

90 as a guide. (1) a t i t l e purposes-

For each, session, fo r the session;

the following helps were given*

(Z) a statement of purpose or

(3 ) a l i s t i n g of b ib lic a l m aterial-

of visual aids which could be used-

(Ij.) a l i s t i n g

(£) preparation needed by

(6 ) the suggested procedure- and ( 7 ) attached 11 copies of the story, t e s t , or pro ject to be used. A system the teacher-

such as th is would prove not only helpful to the teacher but i t would give the program more coordination, balance, and harmony.

But,

on the other hand, would not such a system

tend to make the teacher dependent on i t and thereby lower her chances to be creative?

Would i t not also tend to set up

a fa lse impression th a t there i s an ideal plan to follow? Objectives,

The general objectives fo r a weekday

program of relig io u s education should be the same as for any other form or type of re lig io u s education.

In other words,

these are the broad, ultim ate aims, purposes,

or goals set up

and pointed to by the adm inistrators and teachers for each and every p upil.

The Church Federation Group has li s t e d what

they c a ll "General Purposes" and "Desired Outcomes” as the objectives of th e ir program.

In order than an analysis of

them might be made, in the lig h t of the re lig io u s philosophy of Chapter Three, they are li s t e d below11 See Appendix C fo r a sample copy of a session-plan.

91 GENERAL PURPOSES

1 * To guide growing boys and g ir l s into a constantlyexpanding, more meaningful concept of God. 2. To a s s i s t boys and g i r l s into a deepening know­ ledge of, and an appreciation fo r the Christian re lig io n as a source of power and direction in t h e i r liv e s . 3. To lead boys and g ir ls to practice the presence of God in th e ir own liv e s and to encourage them toward the acceptance of Jesus Christ as th e ir personal Savior, Friend and Guide. 1|.. To develop in boys and g ir ls the consciousness of the urgent need of the practice of Christian social re ­ latio n sh ip s in a l l phases of liv in g . 5. To encourage the acceptance of a C hristain view of the world and of the -universe. 6. To create and enlarge in growing boys and g ir ls those reverences for God and for man, and t h a t respect for property which are e ss e n tia l fo r C hristain c itiz e n ­ ship. DESIRED OUTCOMES

1. A constantly expanding and deepening in te rp re ta ­ tio n of the Christian ideal in terms of daily conduct. 2. A deepening' sense of the place, value and practice of worship as a source of power and strength f o r liv in g . 3 . A growing knowledge and understanding of theBible as a rev elatio n of God and His care and concern fo r men. ij.. An ever developing consciousness of the Bible as a liv in g book for today 5 as a guide fo r liv in g here and now. : i 5. A recognition of the Christian Church (ecumenical) as a v i t a l force in the world, and encouragement in the p a rtic ip a tio n of i t s ongoing program. 6 . A growing consciousness of the value and worth of a l l peoples as children of One Father, God. and the development of a sense of kinship toward a l l cultures and races. 7* A knowledge and appreciation of C hristian l i t e r a ­ ture a r t and music th a t w ill enrich and deepen s p ir itu a l life . 8 . A recognition of the great contribution of C hrist­ ian leaders to the l i f e and culture of the world. 9. Experiences in Christion service thru a c t i v i t i e s designed to furth er friendship and goodwill toward ALL men.

92 10* Increasing s k i l l in recognizing achievements and fa ilu re s in C hristian liv in g by evaluating actions and a ttitu d e s in the lig h t of the ideals and l i f e of Jesus

C h r is t .^ The f i r s t General Purpose is excellent and should r e ­ quire no fu rth er comment.

With the second one, however, the

controversy begins with the q u alific a tio n of re lig io n as "C h ristian .”

I t i s true th a t most English-speaking people

are brought up in the tr a d itio n of C h ristian ity , and i t

is

there th a t they must s t a r t , hut i f the people of the world are ever to recognize each other as f,b ro th e rs ,” there must be a common awareness, appreciation, and understanding fo r a l l re lig io n s.

In other words, the peoples of the world need to

discover the common elements necessary fo r the welfare of a ll- .« .( l) a f a i t h in God or a Supreme Being or Value, and (2) liv in g the ffgood l i f e . ”

The "C hristian” re lig io n does not

have the only or the f in a l answers.

Paradoxical as i t may

sound, Jesus himself was not in tereste d In organizing s t i l l another branch to re lig io n , but he was in tereste d in securing r ig h t relatio n sh ip s for a l l men. true in the fourth, f i f t h ,

This same c ritic ism holds

and sixth General Purposes and for

the f i r s t ,

fifth ,

seventh, eighth, ninth, and tenth Desired

Outcomes.

This is not to say th a t l i t t l e

from the "C hristian” re lig io n .

value can be gained

On the contrary, the teachings

^-2 Weekday C hristian Education - Curriculum Suggestions d91|.7_li8). P . 2.

op. c i t . ,

93 in the Sermon on the Mount help to formulate probably the b est known guide for liv in g today. The idea of accepting Jesus as a "Friend and Guide" in the th ird General Purpose should present very l i t t l e

of a

problem to p ra c tic a lly everyone, but the concept of "Savior" is d e fin ite ly of a controversial nature.

The problem involves

a d e fin itio n of the term and an explanation of the function which i s performed.

Without much doubt,

the tra d itio n a l con­

ception of the function and the manner in which i t

is ac­

complished would not be accepted by those of other re lig io n s. To make i t universally true for a l l people would there not have to be certa in conditions to the th ird Desired Outcome? One of these i s th a t the Bible does not become the only re ­ velatio n of God.

Does not a l l of what men say and write reveal

God to some extent and in some manner?

Another condition i s

th a t the Bible i s not the fin a l rev elatio n of God.

By re ­

cording the Sermon on the Mount, the highest and possibly the best revelation of God has been given probably thus f a r , but who i s to Judge t h a t . i t was the f in a l one?

S t i l l another con­

d itio n , which would apply esp ecially to the fourth Desired Outcome, i s th a t of making i t not equally v a lid .

clear that a l l of the Bible i s

In other words, i s not the Bible made up

of more than one level of m orality, and the "good l i f e " attain ab le only by liv in g on the highest level?

Aside from these above c riticism s, ther^ the General Purposes and Desired Outcomes fo r the Weekday Program of the Church Federation have many good and ex cellen t p oints.

One

of the unanswered questions of th is th e sis was, however, to what extent are they f u l f i l l e d in the liv e s of the boys and g ir l s under the influence of i t s program?

At th is point any

measurement becomes d i f f i c u l t to take. As for the more specific objectives, th a t is , which have to do with each u n it,

those

the Church Federation has

accomplished a commendable piece of work,

^here is only a

variance of opinion a t the same points as with the general objectives.

An example of one of the b e st sets of specific

objectives are those which follow on the u n it, f,Living As A World C hristian *11 1. To develop an awareness of the sim ila rity of a l l peoples. 2. To create an expanding consciousness of the mean­ ing of the Tlfamily of God.,f 3. To stimulate an appreciation of the contribution of a l l peoples to each other. 1|_. To provide opportunities of sharing with others, both in tern atio n al and in te r r a c ia l. ^ Methods.

Method stands for the broadest possible plan

or approach in attacking the problem in any l i f e - s itu a tio n or area of experience.

I t i s the way in which resources are

employed to achieve the aims or objectives*

i t i s the way in

which the teacher guides the learner*s a c tiv ity fo r the 1 3 I b i d 7,

p.

5.

95 accomplishment of those aims.

Procedure represents the more

specific course followed within the method chosen. step-by-step process within the method.

I t Is the

Technique means the

narrowest and most specialized d e ta ils within a procedure. According to B etts, there are three broad types of approach or method.

(1 ) the problem-project method,

(2 ) the

l i f e - s i t u a t i o n method, and (3 ) the p ra c tic e -re p e titio n TI method. ^ These c la s s ific a tio n s are not set or r ig id , on the contrary, there is some degree of intermixture and over­ lapping among them. The Intern ation al Council of Religious Education has made the following statement concerning the use of teaching methods and procedures*

11The methods and procedure of each

session w ill be determined by the unit in use, by the place of meeting and the equipment, by the number of children and by the length of the s e s s i o n . T o teacher h e rse lf should be added.

these,

That i s ,

the facto r of the there are many

teachers who do not have the knowledge of some of the most h elpful methods or procedures,

or there may be some who do

not have the s k i l l and tra in in g to successfully use them. For. the most p a rt, a program of weekday re lig io u s education should employ the problem-project method because of the objectives and aims sought fo r and because of the

York*

1if George H. B etts, Teaching Religion Today (New The Abingdon Press, 193^)# P. 102.

15 Tke Weekday Church School, op. c i t . .. p. 22

96 n a tu r e

o f th e

u n its u sed .

B e t t s h a s e x p la in e d

it

in

th e

fo llo w in g w ay. T he p r o b le m -p r o j e c t m e th o d i s m o s t o f t e n u s e d w h en th e e n d s so u g h t a r e th e g e n e r a l e n lig h te n m e n t and b r o a d e r s o c i a l a d ju stm e n t o f th e p u p il r a t h e r th a n th e r e s o lv in g o f a n im m e d ia te p r o b le m . I f , f o r e x a m p le , th e p u r p o s e i s t o in tr o d u c e th e c h i ld t o a u n it o f e x p e r ie n c e in r a c e fr ie n d s h ip su ch a s w i l l in flu e n c e a t t it u d e s and id e a ls , q u ic k e n i n t e r e s t , c o r r e c t w ro n g im p r e s s io n s , a r o u s e a p p r e ­ c i a t i o n s , th e n th e p r o b le m -p r o je c t^ a p p r o a c h i s a d m ir a b ly a d a p t e d t o t h e o u t c o m e s p ro p o sed .* * * ® As w as p r e v io u s ly p o in te d m e th o d s f i n d th e r e w ere

th a t th e r e

t o b e a p r o b a b le

But fo r

h e a v ily upon

th r e e

th e

o v e r - u s e m ade

I t w as fo u n d

th e

a great deal

in s t a n c e s w here a l l

F e d e r a tio n P rogram .

m e th o d .

is

o u t,

a c tu a l u se

o f o v e r la p p in g .

app eared

ends

o f th e

so u g h t,

m ay b e m a n y a n d v a r i e d .

a lr e a d y m e n tio n e d , le n g th

o f th e

th e

s e s s io n s ,

p la c e are

w h ic h a r e

e x p e c ia lly

s u g g e s te d b y th e

H ow ever,

p a r tic u la r ly

a d a p ta b le

u sed .

and q u e s t io n and a n s w e r s ,

(2 )

sto r y

( 3 ) m u s ic ,

(£ )

w o r s h ip ,

je c ts. 16 B e tts,

op.

c it. .

p.

w as fo u n d

in

a c la s s r o o m

th o se

fa c to r s

e q u ip m e n t,

and th e

im p o r ta n t i n

103

d e te r ­

T h ose p r o c e d u r e s

t o a w eek day s it u a t io n ,

I n t e r n a t io n a l C o u n c il,

(if ) h a n d c r a f t ,

th e r e

C hu rch

a n d m e m o r iz a tio n .

o f m e e tin g ,

m in in g w h ic h p r o c e d u r e s m ig h t b e

th e

te a c h e r s r e lie d

T e a c h in g p r o c e d u r e s w h ic h m ay b e u s e d s itu a tio n

in

T h u s,

p r a c tic e -r e p e titio n

t h a t m any o f t h e

su ch te c h n iq u e s a s d r i l l

o f th e se

are.

te llin g and

(1 )

as

d is c u s s io n

and d r a m a tic s , (6 ) s e r v ic e

pro­

97 F ro m t h e w as n o te d

fin d in g s

th a t a l l

of

of

th e

th e T ea ch er Q u e s tio n n a ir e ,

above

s u g g e s te d p r o c e d u r e s w ere

am ong t h o s e m o s t o f t e n u s e d b y t h e c e p tio n

o f h a n d c r a ft*

f a c t o r w o u ld b e ab sen ce. fo r

th e

one

of

a c tu a l

c la s s

te llin g ,

in

a c lo s e

A c c o r d in g

th a t

to

a g o o d , v a r ia b le

o b s e r v a tio n

its up,

and

th e m o st f r e ­ o f th e

pro­

s c h e d u le s

cam e f i r s t

sh ow ed

w ith

sto r y

in

th e

s e le c tio n ,

th e m e th o d s an d p r o c e d u r e s

C hu rch F e d e r a tio n th e

te a c h in g

w ith

th e

and m e m o r iz a tio n .

a lm o s t e n t i r e l y

out

o f th e

o f w ea k n ess w as th e

p r o b a b ly

o v e r -r a te d

The f a c t

th a t i t

fo r

a s w a s sh ow n i n

in

fa v o r , b u t

it

e x c e p tio n

The c a s e

of

P rogram

s itu a tio n *

sto r y

e ffe c tiv e n e s s

T here w as

o f p o s s ib ly

One o t h e r te llin g in

th e

p u p il

it

is

and o f i t s e l f .

P u p il Q u e s tio n n a ir e ,

m ay a l l o w

is

p o s s ib le

s in c e

a n d h o l d s m u ch i n t e r e s t f o r

th e

in d ic a te d

o f h a n d c ra ft

te a c h e r s h an d s.

o v er-u se its

c a r r ie s

p u p il, its

fo r

tim e

th e T ea ch er Q u e s tio n n a ir e ,

T he f r e q u e n c y

th e n ,

a w e ll-r o u n d e d a p p ro a ch i n

s ig n

th e

s e c o n d ,*

te a c h e r s

t o o m u ch d r i l l

ex­

a s a w eek day

and v is u a l a id s w ere

order.

F or th e m o st p a r t, u sed b y th e

th e

c le a n in g

u n lik e ly

q u e s t io n s an d a n s w e r s a n d w o r s h ip

te llin g

w ith

o f h a n d c r a ft,

p r e p a r a tio n ,

c e d u r e s u se d a s r e c o r d e d b y th e th a t

ca se

s e s s i o n m ak es i t

d is c u s s io n ,

q u e n tly u se d and in

th e

te a c h e r s,

th e m o s t im p o r ta n t r e a s o n s

The tim e r e q u ir e d

te a c h in g p ro ced u re* sto r y

A nd i n

it

o n ly t o

th e

young

b ecom es a p o in t d a y -d rea m .

93 It

can,

is

e a s ily

be

danger a ls o

as

a regard

ca se

how ever,

le a d

a d a p ta b le in

fo r

to

fo r

th e

th e

d is c u s s io n th e

u se

sh ort

o f th e

c la s s

and p r o b le m -s o lv in g

c la s s sto r y

p e r io d . if

it

r e m a in in g q u i e t ,

T h e r e w o u ld

is

as

and

h e ld b a ck

it

w as in

one

ob served . M a te r ia ls .

s h o u ld b e c h ild .

The m a t e r i a l s u s e d

c o n s id e r e d a s

The p r i n t e d

and p o s s ib le b e g in s o lu tio n

” t o o l s ” o n ly ,

page, th e

in

fo r

a s h e lp s

e x a m p le ,

p rocess

a te a c h in g

is

to

s itu a tio n

g u id e

u sed to

th e

s tim u la te

to w a r d w o r k in g o u t t h e

o f a p a r t i c u l a r p r o b le m .

M a t e r i a l s d io u ld n e v e r b e

*

c o n s id e r e d

a s h a v in g th e

a w eek day s it u a t io n p a m p h le ts , and

In

o f b a s ic

p ic tu r e s ,

r e la te d m u s ic ,

in d ic a te s

te x ts.

te x tb o o k s fo r

It

th a t a ls o

s u p p le m e n t th e m .

and r e so u r c e b ook s a re h e lp

th e

te a c h e r .

sh ow ed t h a t a l l o ry th e need,

v is u a l a id s n o ted .

The r e s u l t s of

p r in te d m a t e r ia ls

how ever,

of

and

T h u s,

te x tb o o k s,

fr o m

th e

one

to

th r e e

film s

ite m s . C h u rch

f i r s t am ong t h e

lis t

o th e r b a s ic

so m e a d d i t i o n a l r e f e r e n c e s

th e

at

th e

of

end

to

th e T e a c h e r Q u e s tio n n a ir e

te a c h e r s

p r o v id e d

o f th e m anual t o

fo r

check ed a s th em .

s u p p l i e s w h ic h w e r e n o t

te a c h e r s

o f th is

G roup w e r e

s a tis fa c t­

T hey w ere

s u c h t h i n g s a s m a p s , h ym n b o o k s ,

o th e r

th e

is

in

o f m any e x c e l l e n t g e n e r a l r e f e r e n c e

lis te d

s ix te e n

S u g g e s tio n s ,

th e B ib le

w ith

A lis t

B ib le ,

a n d m any m i s c e l l a n e o u s

lis ts

each u n it,

in c lu d e

b o o k s o f v a r io u s k in d s ,

t h e m a n u a l o f C u r r ic u lu m

F e d e r a tio n

T hey o f t e n

su c h e le m e n ts a s . r. th e

stu d y k i t s ,

s lid e s ,

f in a l w ord.

in

a u d io ­

s p e c ific a lly s u p p lie d w ith

99 b a s ic a lly in

r e q u ir e d m a t e r ia ls ,

so m e o f

u s u a lly

th e

o th e r

o f an a id

b u t w ere fo u n d

im p o r t a n t a n d h e l p f u l m a t e r i a l s w h ic h a r e

to

th e

te a c h e r .

As w as p r e v io u s ly l i s t e d , t i o n s m ad e b y n i n e

o f th e

im p r o v e m e n t o f t h e

P rogram ,

r e v is io n as

to

th a t

o f th e

s h o u ld

e n a b le

te a c h e r s

g a tin g

th e

it,

The t e s t m ea su red b y th e p u p ils in g as

th e r e

r e v is io n

w ere

N e ith e r

to

u se

to

c u r r ic u lu m a n a ly z e

one

w as n o t t o

and e v a lu a te

o f,

t o w h ic h i t

tw o s e c t i o n s ,

fu lfills

fin d in g s a t hand,

a ls o

a

s e lf-e v id e n t

th e

s u g g e s tio n

but

one ad d ed

churches to o f in v e s ti­

one t o

r e p la c e in

p r a c tic e .

in

th e n e e d s th e m . fin d

In

o f th e th e

fo llo w ­

o u t a s n e a r ly

j u s t how t h e th o se

C h u rch

r e sp e c ts,

FULFILLMENT OF NEEDS

A c c o r d in g t o J o h n so n , 17 A lth o u g h t h i s i s a

L ife ,

fo r

can p r o b a b ly b e s t b e

F e d e r a t io n w eek d a y c u r r ic u lu m m e a su r e s up in IV ,

su gges­

one a lr e a d y

a n a t t e m p t - w i l l b e m ad e t o

w ith th e

in

a

su g g est

th e

a n d d e v e l o p s w h o le s o m e a t t i t u d e s

p o s s ib le ,

o ffe r e d

The p u r p o se h e r e

o f a w e ek d a y c u r r ic u lu m e x te n t

th e

tw o w h o s u g g e s t e d a

w o u ld c o n s i s t

r e c o r d s , ff

in

te a c h e r s

Tlh a v e p h o n o g r a p h s a v a i l a b l e

p resen t

b u t r a th e r

o n p a g e 5 7 - 5$ ,

C h u rch F e d e r a t io n

c u r r ic u lu m ,

ju s t w hat t h is th e y

to b e la c k in g

one.

!fG r o w th i s s ig n ific a n t

T hat i s ,

th e b a s ic

need

sta te m e n t,

everyone

it

c o n tin u a lly

1 7 -P a u l E , J o h n s o n , P s y c h o l o g y o f R e l i g i o n , , A b in g d o n -G o k e s b u r y P r e s s , 1 9 ^ 5 ) , p , 0 3 ,

of is grow s

(N ew Y o r k .

100 to

som e d e g r e e

and in

q u e s t i o n ‘b e c o m e s . a p h y s io lo g ic a l

so m e d i r e c t i o n *

In w hat d ir e c tio n

sen se,

f o r e x a m p le ,

T he a l l - i m p o r t a n t

does

it

ta k e

g r o w th t a k e s p la c e

h e a lt h b y r e s t o r in g w ounds and d e f i c i e n c i e s G r o w th i n is tic

r e lig io u s

e d u c a tio n

s e lf-r e a liz a tio n

fu lfillm e n t

of

th e

s h o u ld

ta k e

or in te g r a tio n

v a r io u s n e e d s ,

p la c e ?

In to w a r d

t o w h o le n e s s .

p la c e

of life

to w a r d w h o l-

th r o u g h th e

p a r tic u la r ly

of

th e

s p ir it­

u a l a n d m o r a l. W h a t, to

grow

in

B r ie fly ,

th e

r e st,

o f th e se

o fte n

th e

above

th a t

s e c u r ity , 3.

c la s s ifie d

in v o lv e s

or

s e lf-r e a liz a tio n ?

a s fo llo w s .

s o m e tim e s r e f e r r e d

su ch th in g s

a n d m any o t h e r s .

th ese

n ecessary

in d iv id u a l p la c e s o f th e

th e

as.

fo o d ,

F o r tu n a te ly ,

n e e d s m ost o ft e n

needs are

to

as

th e

w a te r ,

and y e t un­

co m e f i r s t .

to

s u s ta in

v a lu e

sex,

T hat i s ,

life ,

b u t to o

of fu lfillin g

th is

need

o th e r s.

P s y c h o lo g ic a l n e e d .

T h is n e e d It

in te g r a tio n

p e r s o n a litie s

o r m a te r ia l n e e d .

fo r tu n a te ly ,

need.

of

n e e d s w h ic h m o t iv a t e

B io lo g ic a l need— -o r

e x e r c is e ,

2.

th e se

d ir e c tio n

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ATTITUDES DEVELOPED

S im ila r

C a r r ie r * s

su ch a s th e

V.

c e r ta in

o f b e h a v io r a r e a ttitu d e .

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c l a s s p e r io d s and ch u rch t r a d it io n ,

tw o , h a v e b e e n b a r r ie r s

to behave

p u p ils .

of

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t u d e s m ay p a s s f r o m

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to

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19 A n d ra s A n g y a l, F o u n d a tio n s F o r A S c ie n c e O f P e r ­ s o n a lity lig io n ? p . 5^.

(N ew Y o r k .

T h e C o m m o n w e a lth F u n d ,

1 9 i | l # ) "*P» 1 3 b .

2 0 B l a n c h e C a r r i e r , How S h a l l I L e a r n T o T e a c h R e ­ (N ew Y o r k . H a r p e r & B r o t h e r s P u b l i s h e r s , 1 9 3 0 ) ,

io6 p o s s ib ility th e

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th e

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is

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a ttitu d e s ,

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a s n ear a s p o s s ib le th e

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t h a t a p e r s o n m ay p r o ­

p h ilo s o p h y

s h o u ld b e

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a p p a ren t.

t h a t ’’h o n e s t y

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,

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it

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im p o r ta n c e

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sta n c e s.

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to

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t e a c h e r s b eco m es q u ite

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d e v e lo p m e n t o f a t t i t u d e s to

th e

p o te n tia litie s

are

s ig n ific a n t

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107 o th e r w o rd s, w h en ever th e is

rea d y to

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to

if

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th e

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A ttitu d e s ,

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t o T a b le XV,

a lm o s t e v e r y c a s e in

is

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c o n c lu s iv e

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of

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e d u c a tio n

h ig h e s t a t t it u d e s

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th e P u p il Q u e s tio n n a ir e s .

in te r e s t

s itu a tio n s are

c la s s e s *

th e /te a c h e r ,

s e s s io n .

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fa ir ly

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sh ow ed t h a t i n

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Several a c ts

O b s e r v a tio n S c h e d u le

and

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t o m easu re and a n a ly z e .

is

s o m e th in g e l s e

c o n d itio n s

in d iv id u a l d e v e lo p

a r is e s ,

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th e r o le

th o se

s itu a tio n

w a y s.

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in

sh ow ed a

1

th e w eek d ay program b y

th a t e v id e n c e w as a s

fo llo w s *

108 (1 ) e ig h t h u n d red e ig h t y n in e to

a b o u t G od,

a n d 717 b e c a u s e (£[•) 93-5 l i ^ e d c o n tin u e

th e

73-8 b e c a u s e

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to

c la s s

to

lik e d th e

by

th e ir

th e

s ix te e n

fe lt

of

m e th o d s o f th a t ly ,

in

o f th e m o st fa v o r a b le

sta ff

in

th e

o f te a c h e r s*

te a c h e r s an sw ered in tr a in e d

te a c h e r s

te a c h in g .

(£ )

th e ir

go

te a c h e r *

821 w a n te d t o

a sp e cts

to

in s ta n c e

a n d c a lm a t t i t u d e

th e

th e

T hat th e y a re w e llE le v e n

and e d u c a te d f o r

expect

to

C hu rch F e d e r a t io n

th e Q u e s tio n n a ir e th e

k e e p up w it h th e

I t w as n o te d

a lm o s t e v e r y

k in d ,

and

p u p ils h a s a lr e a d y b e e n n o ted *

th e

to

th e n e x t year*

t o b e a d e q u a te ly

fifte e n

( 3 ) 903* l i k e d

go*

d e v e lo p m e n t o f p r o p e r a t t i t u d e s is

lik e d

th e y le a r n e d a b o u t J e s u s ,

stu d y a b o u t th e B ib le ,

P r o b a b ly on e

P rogram

P u p ils

(2 ) e ig h t hundred te n w en t b e c a u se

t h e ir w eek day c la s s *

th e y le a r n e d

o u t o f 9^

in

th e

out o f th a t

p o s itio n * c h a n g in g

O b s e r v a tio n

S c h e d u le s

t e a c h e r m a in ta in e d a

to w a r d h e r p u p ils * .

th e y

fr ie n d ­

T here w ere' .I

v e r y fe w T h u s,

o c c a s i o n s w hen a d i s t u r b e d

th e

te a c h e r s w ere h e lp in g

th r o u g h th e tu d e s

to

p rocess

th e ir

m ore

so.

Im p o r ta n t a s

o f d e v e lo p in g

and l i f e th e

as

proper a ttitu d e s

fr ie n d ly

th e

a w h o le

a c t m ay b e ,

A s C a r r ie r p u t i t *

o th e r r a c e s ,

w as e x p r e s s e d * '

a n d c a lm

a tti­

p u p ils *

o th e r p e o p le

s iz e d *

d e v e lo p

o f tr a n s fe r r in g

The im p o r ta n c e to w a r d

to

fe e lin g

th e

proper a tt itu d e s cannot be a ttitu d e

o v er-em p h a ­ is

tfT h e c h i l d 1 s a t t i t u d e s

to w a r d w o r k in g f o r

rew ard s,

m u ch to w a r d

to w a r d e n jo y m e n t

o f th e m o v ie s , th a t

s h o u ld

th e m . th e

,.21

So,

a lth o u g h

P rogram ,

liv in g

•21

o f p r o p e r ty — -th e s e th a n

th e r e w as

th e

so m e e v i d e n c e in

s tr o n g e v id e n c e w as la c k in g

th e

Ib id ..

w h o le s o m e a t t i t u d e

11g o o d l i f e . 11

p.

57

are

th e

a c ts th a t r e s u lt

d e v e lo p m e n t o f a t t i t u d e s

o f a c o n s is te n t, and to

car©

c o n c e r n u s m ore

fa v o r a b le

a tio n

to w a r d

th e

to

th in g s fro m

p o in t

to

C hu rch F e d e r ­

o f a d e v e lo p m e n t

to w a r d a f a i t h

in

G-od

CHAPTER VI SUMMARY, CONCLUSIONS, AND RECOMMENDATIONS I. On a n a t i o n a l e n jo y e d

s c a le ,

SUMMARY w eek day r e l i g i o u s

a lm o s t p h en o m en a l g r o w th

and e s p e c ia lly

fr o m 1 9 4 3

th a n d o u b le d .

Som e t h r e e

th e n a tio n w ere u n t il th e

to

s in c e

as

c o m m u n itie s

e d u c a tio n

in

s e p a r a tio n

th a t

th e p u b lic

of th e

d e c i s i o n m ad e i t

th e

church and to

o f r e lig io u s

v io la te d

tr a d itio n a l

sta te . h o ld

o p e r a te b y h o ld in g

S ta te s

p r e s e n t fo r m th e

E ven th o u g h t h i s

c la s s e s

s c h o o l b u i l d i n g s , a p p r o x im a te ly 90 p e r to

1913,

o p e r a tin g w eekday p ro g ra m s,

s c h o o ls

ille g a l

in

th ro u g h o u t

d e c i s i o n w as h a n d e d dow n b y t h e U n it e d

Su prem e C o u r t h o ld in g

c o n tin u e d

b e g in n in g

1 9 4 8 w h e n t h e e n r o l l m e n t m o re

th o u sa n d

e s tim a te d

its

e d u c a tio n h a s

th e ir

w ith in

cent o f c la s s e s

th e p u b lic th e program s

in

so m e

n ea rb y church or b u ild in g . W eek d ay r e l i g i o u s in

th e

S ta te

o f C a lifo r n ia

R e l e a s e d T im e L aw i n le a v in g o f lo c a l th e

th e

e d u c a tio n h a s b e e n

th is

a c tio n f o r

c h ild r e n ca n b e

S ta te

S e p tem b e r,

is

a p e r m is s iv e n a tu r e ,

H ow ever,

o f th e p u b lic r e le a s e d .

o p e r a tio n

s in c e

o r g a n iz in g

church b o d ie s .

c o o p e r a tio n

o n ly

in

of

su ch a program it

is

n ecessary

sch o o l o f f ic ia ls

The p rogram s in

1943.

in

The

th e hands

to

b e fo r e

C a lifo r n ia

secu re th e w ere

Ill not e ffe c te d w ere n e v e r

of

in

began

its

th e tim e of

th e

one p er th e

la te r ,

o r 4 3 .5

d u r in g

year,

c e n t.

ju n io r in

per

The

s c h o o ls , th e

ju n io r

h ig h

1 .6 p e r c e n t i n

c o n d u c tin g

( 1 ) C h r is tia n

and th e

a d v a n ta g e s

to a

th e

to ta l

h ig h

A lth o u g h t h e o f 1 3 ,2 8 9

th e

r e le a s e d

e n r o llm e n t fo r

th e

in c r e a s e d o n ly t h r e e - t e n t h s r e le a s e d ,

a fig u r e

of

in c lu d in g

o f 1 5 ,1 4 4 *

TWo y e a r s

e n r o llm e n t w a s 1 6 , 0 9 0 , w h ic h

T h is

an in c r e a s e

sch o o l p u p ils .

program s in

S c ie n c e *

and

e n r o llm e n t i n

s ig n e d f o r

to ta l

fifth ,

s c h o o l s , f o u r d e v e lo p m e n ta l s c h o o l s ,

s c h o o ls .

but

o f L os A n g e le s

th e fo u r th ,

r e p r e se n te d a d e c re a se

t h e num ber o f p u p i l s

s c h o o ls , ju n io r

of

year*

reached

to ta l

an d n in e

groups

sch ool

C o m m it t e e h a d o r g a n i z e d

e n r o llm e n t o f p u p ils

148 e le m e n ta r y

num ber o f

of

C ity

th o se g r a d e s,

in c r e a s e d

1 9 4 7 -4 8 ,

e le m e n ta r y

cen t

th e p e r c e n ta g e

h ig h

th e

p u p ils

th e f i r s t

in v o lv e d

of

th e

th e p a s s a g e o f t h e R e le a s e d -lim e

a s 1 0 ,7 2 2

sa m e g r a d e s

fo llo w in g

w ith in

th e y

d e v e lo p m e n t o f w e ek d a y r e l i g i o u s

The I n t e r - F a it h

s c h o o ls fr o m

c la s s e s

c la s s e s

o f C a lifo r n ia ,

program *

p u b lic

th e

fo llo w in g

S ta te

gra d es,

condu ct

s in c e

c o o p e r a tio n *

a n d p la n n e d w e l l s ix th

Su p rem e C o u r t r u l i n g

C a lif o r n ia w as th e n e c e s s i t y

One y e a r th e

to

U n iq u e i n

in te r -fa ith

Law i n

recent

p e r m itte d

b u ild in g s . e d u c a tio n

by th e

(2 )

of

r e le a s e d 2*9 p er

in

th e

cen t in

The v a r io u s

th e

r e lig io u s

L os A n g e le s in c lu d e d :

C hu rch F e d e r a t io n ;

( 3 ) E v a n g e lic a l

112 R e le a s e d -T im e E d u c a t io n ,

I n c .;

(4 )

J e w is h ;

and

(5 )

R om an

C a th o lic . T he W eek day P r o g r a m o f w as ch o sen a s

th e

t h r e e m e th o d s o f th is

stu d y .

and

group o f p u p ils .

o u t a q u e s tio n n a ir e ( 1 ) p h y s ic a l (3 )

th e

o f th e

e q u ip m e n t,

q u e s tio n n a ir e b la n k s .

to

fo llo w in g

and a

te a c h e r s

and r e a c t io n s ,

and

t e a c h e r ’ s ow n p e r s o n a l r e a c t i o n s .

In

th e ca se

The r e s u l t s

o f e v id e n c e i n out o f th e

w eekday c la s s ;

stu d y

th e B ib le ;

o f t h e P u p il s c h o o ls r e p r e s e n t­

fille d

out

fa v o r

o f th e

program .

946 in d ic a te d th a t 901 lik e d

th e ir

a n d 8 2 1 w o u ld l i k e

C o m p le te r e s u l t s

th e

sh ow ed a lm o s t a n o v e r ­

of

can b e fo u n d on p a g e s 59 th r o u g h 6 2 , X I.

te a c h e r s

sev en teen

fr o m t w e n t y - t h r e e

th e ir

year.

fie ld

( 2 ) o r g a n iz a tio n and

sam e num ber o f s c h o o l d i s t r i c t s

go to

p u rp o se o f

c a n b e fo u n d on p a g e s 4 6 th r o u g h 5 8 ,

946 p u p ils

e x a m p le , 8 8 9 p u p i l s

th e

c o n c e r n e d w ith t h e f o llo w in g

T a b le s V th r o u g h IX .

w h e lm in g d i s p l a y

T h ere w ere

(2 )

o u t b y th e

p u p il r e la t io n s h ip s

r e s u lts

Q u e s tio n n a ir e ,

lik e d

S ix te e n

s e c t io n d e a lin g w ith th e

in c lu d in g

fu lfillin g

q u e s tio n n a ir e s ,

w ere f i l l e d

T he c o m p le te

to

(1 )

in

Q u e s tio n n a ir e s

a d m in is tr a tio n ,

in g

procedure u sed

in v e s tig a tio n .

in te r v ie w s .

s e c tio n s :

a

th is

(3 )

s e le c te d

(4 )

of

T hey w ere:

o b s e r v a tio n s ,

fille d

o b jec t

t h e C h u rch F e d e r a t i o n C roup

th ey lik e d

te a c h e r; to

F 0r

915

c o n tin u e

th e

th e P u p il Q u e s tio n n a ir e s in c lu d in g

T a b le s X an d

113 F ie ld in g

o b s e r v a tio n s

e le v e n d if f e r e n t

v is its

w as to

te a c h e r s.

ob serve th e

(1 )

w here t h e

ber

o f p u p ils ;

th e

te a c h e r

(7 )

m e th o d s u s e d

(4 )

th e

(12)

( 1 1 ) th e

e x p r e s s io n

c o o p e r a tio n , le m s

of

th e

(9 )

u n it

in te r e s t

th e

s o c ia b ility , c la s s

react

in

it

w o r th n o t in g

th a t

th e

s h o u ld

program .

te a c h e r and

p u p ils ;

a le r tn e s s ,

ea g ern ess,

a tte n tio n ,

and o rd er;

and

w ith

so m e o f t h e d i r e c t o r s

r e lie d

a c lo s e

of th e

th a t

upon fo r It

o b je c tiv e

w as t o b e

r e la tio n s h ip

a ll

w ork o f

In s p it e

to

(1 3 )

prob­

th e

th e

o b s e r v a tio n ,

be p a r tic u la r ly C o m m itte e ,

d iv is io n

An o p in io n w as a l s o

s h o u ld n o t r e p l a c e

s u p p le m e n t a n d

in fo r m a tio n

p r o g r a m w o u ld

o f th is

I n te r -F a ith

and te a c h e r s

e x p ected th a t

th e

g r o u p s seem ed t o

v a r io u s f a i t h s .

th e w eek day s c h o o l

but i t

of

( 1 0 ) w hat n e e d s w ere

stu d y ;

O p in io n s w ere e x p r e s s e d w h ic h u p h e ld gram s f o r

o f th e p u p ils ;

su ch a s

a fa v o r a b le m an ner.

a p p r e c ia tiv e

of

num ­

app roach o f

( 6 ) resp o n se

(8 ) p e r ce n ta g e

w eekday p rogram .

th o s e m a in ta in in g

(5 )

(3 )

o r program .

w ere n o t p a r t ic u la r ly c o n c e r n in g t h e

grade or g ra d es;

in d ic a te d by th e

o f a ttitu d e s

in v o lv ­

c o n d itio n s and s it u a t i o n s :

e q u ip m e n t a v a i l a b l e ;

te a c h in g ;

The in t e r v ie w s

is

(2 )

th r o u g h o u t t h e p e r io d ; in

c la s s e s

The p u rp o se ©f t h e f i e l d

fo llo w in g

c la s s w as h e ld ;

p u p il p a r t ic ip a t io n ; b e in g m e t;

w e r e m ade o f t w e l v e

s tim u la te

th e

a b e tte r

of pro­ exp ressed

Sunday S c h o o l, Sunday

llij. The e v a lu a t io n

of

Church

th e

w as b a se d u p on th e

r e s u lts

tio n s ,

and p u b lis h e d m a t e r ia ls .

in te r v ie w s ,

h o w e v e r , w e r e m ade i n and r e lig io u s

be

e v a lu a te d ,

r e la tio n s h ip s , (5 )

a ttitu d e s

(!)

m en t. of

( 1 ) th e

th e

tim e ,

p e r io d s

w ere

s e le c te d

te a c h in g

te a c h in g

and th e

(4 )

c la s s e s

(3 )

F in a lly ,

to

th e

C h a p te r T h r e e ,

so m e o f t h e

o f h eed s,

w ere

h o ld

of

th e

(4 ) in

ta k en

day in

in to

and

w h ic h

and

g ra d es,

te r m s (5 )

e q u ip ­

le n g th

th e p u p ils te a c h e rs,

and

c o n s id e r a tio n n e x t.

c o u ld b e r e a c h e d ,

w ere b r i e f l y

a n a ly z e d . su b jec t

c la s s e s — th e

te a c h in g s it u a t io n

p la c e ,

in

te r m s o f th e

c o n c e r n in g t h e

c o n c lu s io n

w eek day

w as e v a lu a te d

s iz e ,

th e n p r e s e n t e d p r o and c o n on th e p la c e

in

( 2 ) p u p il-te a c h e r

fu lfillm e n t

e v a lu a te d

tim e

S c h e d u le s

A lth o u g h n o d e f i n i t e

a b le

e d u c a tio n a l

a s b e in g

s itu a tio n ,

s itu a tio n

s c h e d u le ,

t h e num ber o f p e r i o d s

v a r io u s

ju d g m e n ts,

t h e w e e k d a y p r o g r a m w h i c h m ig h t

c u r r ic u lu m ,

(2 )

w ere r e le a s e d .

th e

of

T he tim e e le m e n t w as

c la s s

T h ese

ob serva­

d e v e lo p e d .

F ir s t, o f:

p h a ses

(3 )

q u e s tio n n a ir e s , f i e l d

a s s u m p tio n s a s g iv e n

th e fo llo w in g

m ore im p o r ta n t*

th e

a c c o r d a n c e w ith th e b a s ic

p h ilo s o p h ic

A m ong t h e v a r i o u s

of

F e d e r a t i o n W eek day p r o g r a m

th e

s iz e

of

A r g u m e n ts w e r e of

th e m ost d e s i r ­

church or th e

w as e v a lu a t e d

in

s c h o o l.

te r m s o f t h e

e q u ip m e n t a v a i l a b l e . S e c o n d ly , in

p u p il-te a c h e r

te r m s o f th e w r i t t e n

a ttitu d e s

d e v e lo p e d

r e la tio n s h ip s

an d o b s e r v a b le

to w a rd e a c h o t h e r .

w ere e v a lu a te d

e x p r e s s io n s I t w as a ls o

in d ic a tin g p o in te d

115 out, however, how the lack of time and contact influenced th is rela tio n sh ip .

An example of an unusual relatio n sh ip was cited

of a t r i a l s itu a tio n where a colored teacher was used with a class of T&foite children. The th ir d be

p h a se

e v a lu a te d w as th a t

d iv id in g

it

o b je c tiv e s ,

in to (3 )

o f th e ^ h u rch f e d e r a t io n P rogram t o of

th e

c u r r ic u lu m ,

( 1 ) a r e a s o f e x p e r ie n c e ,

fo u r p a r ts : m e th o d s,

^ h is w as don e b y

and

(4 )

m a te r ia ls .

An a t t e m p t w as

m ade t o

d is c o v e r

w h e th e r o r n o t t h e

program w as b a s e d

v a r io u s

areas of

e x p e r ie n c e

life -s itu a tio n s

c h ild .

The g e n e r a l an d s p e c i f i c

w ere e v a lu a te d

in

order

le m s or u n i t s

th e

o b je c tiv e s

to d is c o v e r

th e p ro g ra m w as p la n n e d . how e f f e c t i v e l y

and t h e

covered.

fo r

th e

th e d ir e c tio n

M eth o d s w e r e e v a l u a t e d

program w as a tta c k in g

on th e

o f th e program

fo r

w h ic h

to d is c o v e r

th e v a r io u s

A nd t h e n , m a t e r i a l s

(2)

w ere

prob­

c o n s id e r e d in

*

order

to

d is c o v e r t h e ir

A fo u r th w as th e n (1 )

th e

e v a lu a te d ,

th e u n it s

th e

and

(2 )

in

th e

te r m s

of

w h o lis tic .

o f n eed s,

tw o n e e d s : I t w as p o in te d

m eans o f m e a su r e m e n t, b u t

a s s u m p t i o n s c o u l d b e m ad e o n t h e b a s i s

o f th e

q u e s tio n n a ir e s ,

o u tlin e d

in

th e

th e

C u r r ic u lu m

a s s u m p t io n s w e r e m ade a s f u l f i l l i n g fo u r

any program .

program , f u lf illm e n t

th e r e w as no s c i e n t i f i c

c e r ta in

fin d in g s

of

a n d im p o r ta n c e i n

p a r tic u la r ly

in te lle c tu a l,

out th a t th a t

p h a se

p la c e

as fu lfillin g

th e w h o lis t ic

fie ld

o f th e

o b s e r v a tio n s ,

S u g g e s tio n s .

and

T hree

th e i n t e l l e c t u a l n e e d and

need.

116 The program

" A t t it u d e s D e v e lo p e d "

to

a ttitu d e s

b e e v a lu a te d . and th e

tiv e It

o f a t le a s t

w as a l s o

An e x p la n a t io n

im p o r ta n c e a n d

opm en t w as c o n s id e r e d . s c h e d u le s and t h e

q u e s tio n n a ir e s so m e d e g r e e o f

brought

out th a t

G roup w a s o n e o f

d e v e lo p in g

w h o le s o m e

fa v o r a b le it

dence

d e v e lo p m e n t o f

tu d e

w as n o t

to w a r d a f a i t h

th e th e

in

th e

to

in

c e r ta in sta ff

s p ite

o f th e

liv in g

of

in

th e P rogram

c o n c lu s io n s

of

th is in

th e

th e se

upon th a t

T h en , upon t h i s

b a s is

fie ld ,

of

a w h o le .

som e r e c o m m e n d a t io n s .

in

fa v o r

of

o f som e a p p a r ­

d iffic u lty

of e v i­

th e

"good l i f e . ”

F in a lly ,

e d u c a t io n w h ic h

w ere m ad e, f i r s t

of a ll,

H ow ever, th e

and e v a lu a t io n s w ere b a s e d th e

and t h a t

a n a t t e m p t w a s m ad e t o

Program a s

th e ^ hu rch

a n d w h o le s o m e a t t i ­

o f L os A n g e le s .

fin d in g s

a lm o s t e n t i r e l y

of

a ttitu d e s .

CONCLUSIONS

in v e s tig a tio n C ity

d e v e l­

in d ic a ­

produ ce any str o n g

a c o n s is te n t

G od a n d i n

th e ir

th e n g iv e n a s

The c o n c lu s io n s on w eek d ay r e l i g i o u s w ere r ea c h e d

of

s tr o n g e s t p o in ts B u t,

o f th e

o b s e r v a tio n

te a c h in g

p o s s ib le

II.

p h a se

o f t h e m e a n in g o f

d e v e lo p in g

and b e c a u se

m e a su r em e n t, o f th e

w ere

a ttitu d e s .

e v id e n c e ,

fin a l

s ig n ific a n c e

E x a m p le s f r o m

F e d e r a tio n

e n tly

w as th e

of

C h u rch f e d e r a t i o n som e o f t h e

reach

G roup.

e x p e rts

so m e c o n c l u s i o n s

a n a t t e m p t w a s m ad e t o

in

th e

on th e o ffe r

117 The L os A n g e le s P rogram , 1,

A lth o u g h

b e r o f p u p ils

t h e r e h a s b e e n so m e i n c r e a s e

r e le a s e d

s in c e

e d u c a tio n

in L os A n g e le s ,

a tte n d in g

fr o m

w h ile

th e

th e b e g in n in g

th e p e r c e n ta g e

in

o f w eek day r e l i g i o u s

o f a v a ila b le

e le m e n ta r y g r a d e s h a s d e c r e a s e d

th e r e h as b een

t h e num ­

o n ly a s m a ll p e r c e n ta g e

p u p ils

s lig h tly

in c r e a s e

in

th e

j u n io r h ig h s c h o o ls * 2, fa ith s

C o o p e r a tio n an d u n d e r s ta n d in g b e tw e e n

a n d r e l i g i o u s g r o u p s h a s b e e n p r o m o ted

tr a tio n

o f th e

t o t a l program , a n d in th e

program o f th e

S h ureh f e d e r a t io n .

p e r s is t,

how ever, a s

c h ild r e n

in to

3, fo u n d

to

t o b e in a d e q u a te a s

4, know n a s

th e

Of th e

it

d iffic u lt

fo r th e

of

o f o p in io n

s e g r e g a tin g

th e

one c la s s

e a c h w e ek w as

a v e r a g e d b e tw e e n tw e n ty a n d

th e n e c e s s ity

of

e s c o r tin g

v a r i o u s p l a n s w h ic h m ig h t b e u s e d ,

" R e le a s e d T i m e ,” w h ic h i s be

p u p ils

in

o p e r a tio n

in

th e

one

L os A n g e le s ,

s u p e r io r ,

A lth o u g h i t

c ir c u m s ta n c e s ,

sh ort o f

a c t u a l te a c h in g

a n e a r b y c h u r c h , hom e, o r b u ild in g ,

w as fo u n d t o 5,

a d m in is ­

th e v a r io u s g r o u p s,

T he tim e a v a i l a b l e

a n d fr o m

in t h e

Som e d i f f e r e n c e s

th e a d v is a b ility

t w e n t y - f i v e m in u te s d u e t o to

th e v a r io u s

th e b e s t

th e

w as p r o b a b ly t h e b e s t s c h e d u le o f

c l a s s e s w a s fo u n d t o

e d u c a t io n a l r e q u ir e m e n ts

s itu a tio n s

fo r

th e

arran ged under

te a c h e r s.

and t o

be

p resen t

118 6.

The s i z e

of

s i d e r a b l y , w a s fo u n d and w ith in 7.

th e

c la s s e s ,

a lth o u g h v a r y in g

to b e a c c e p ta b le

a r e a s o n a b le The p la c e

to

o f m e e tin g

in

th e m a jo r ity

th e n e a r e s t c o o p e r a tin g

church t o th e

In

som e i n s t a n c e s ,

w ere h e ld

r u le s

A lth o u g h

c la s s e s

th e

th a t i t

is

8.

it

o f h o ld in g

r e m a in s

th e m ost

in

c o n d itio n s .

(6)

la c k

of

th is

ta b le s t o

w r ite and

th e

p u b lic

in v e s tig a to r

b y on t h e

t h e f i n d i n g s sh o w ed t h a t t h e r e Som e o f t h e s e

( 2 ) u n s u ita b le

o f n e e d e d m a p s;

over­

L o s A n g e le s w a s g e t t in g

w e r e m any u n d e s i r a b l e

or

sc h o o l b u ild in g .

and a d v a n ta g e o u s.

H ow ever,

no d esk s

c a s e s w as

th e c la s s e s w ith in

e q u ip m e n t a v a i l a b l e *

(4 )

te a c h e rs

hom es o r o t h e r b u i l d ­

th e o p in io n

d e s ir a b le

T he P rogram

(1 ) poor lig h tin g ;

in

of

r e c e n t S u prem e C o u r t d e c i s i o n

th e p o s s i b i l i t y

sc h o o l b u ild in g ,

th e

te a c h in g r a n g e .

in

in g s .

m ost o f

con­

c h a ir s ;

on;

(7 )

(5 )

la c k

w ere:

( 3 ) no b la c k b o a r d s ;

s m a ll,

crow d ed room s;

o f s a tis fa c to r y

a u d io ­

v i s u a l e q u ip m e n t. 9.

T h ere w as

so m e e v i d e n c e

p u p il-te a c h e r

r e la tio n s h ip s .

Q u e s tio n n a ir e

in d ic a te d th a t

th e ir

te a c h e r.

fr ie n d ly ,

O b s e r v a tio n

O ne o f

on th e p a r t th e

fa ilin g s

in a d e q u a t e k n o w le d g e

sh ow

The f in d in g s 901 p u p ils of several

k in d a p p r o a c h on t h e

good resp o n se

to

part

s ig n s

o f fa v o r a b le

o f t h e P u p il

out o f 946 c la s s e s

lik e d

sh ow ed a

o f th e te a c h e r s w ith a

o f th e p u p ils . at

th is

p o in t , h o w e v e r, w as a n

o f ea ch and e v er y

p u p i l w h ic h w a s d u e

119 to

a la c k o f

tim e

and c o n t a c t .

f o r o n ly tw e n ty m in u te s o n c e

M e e tin g w it h a

a w eek i s

not

d e s ir a b le

c o n d itio n

o f k n o w in g e a c h a n d

o u g h ly a s

a te a c h e r

s h o u ld know th e m .

10. tio n

P rogram ,

e n tir e ly

to

th e

th e a r e a

to a

th e u n its

As r e lig io n

is

of

s tu d y w ere a lm o s t

o f s p e c ific a lly

o r g a n ic

area

to

t h e w h o le

e d u c a tio n

th o r ­

o f th e C hu rch F e d e r a ­

r e lig io u s

th e y w ere b a se d p r im a r ily upon th e B ib le

a program o f r e l i g i o u s

w ith e v e r y

c o n d u c iv e

o f p u p ils

e v e r y p u p il a s

c u r r ic u lu m

i t w as fo u n d t h a t

as

C hurch.

ie n c e ,

r e la tio n

c o n c e r n e d w ith

a c tiv itie s th e

In

c la s s

s h o u ld b e

and

o f exper­ concerned

o f hu m an e x p e r i e n c e , a n d t h u s d e a l w i t h

a ll

life -s itu a tio n s . A sy ste m

o f d is tr ib u tin g

t e a c h e r s b e g a n d u r in g t h e g iv e

le s s o n

sch o o l year

t h e p ro g ra m m ore c o o r d in a t i o n ,

o n ly

if

th e y

are u sed a s

o p p o r tu n ity f o r 11.

c r e a tiv e

g u id e s of

an d p la n s t o

1 9 4 7 - 4 8 w h ic h

th e

s h o u ld

b a la n c e , and harm ony, b u t

a g u id e a n d d o n o t b lo c k

th e

te a c h in g .

For the most p a r t, i t was found th a t the general

and specific objectives of the Church Federation Program were challenging and of a high order.

However, in accordance with

the in v e s tig a to r’ s religio us philosophy, there were certain points a t which there was disagreement. 12. in

th e

good,

I n v e s tig a tio n

c u r r ic u lu m v a r ia b le

of

th e

s e le c tio n .

o f t h e m e th o d s

and p r o c e d u r e s u s e d

C hu rch F e d e r a t io n P rogram sh o w ed a H a n d c r a ft w a s fo u n d t o

be about

th e

120 o n ly

im p o r t a n t

c la s s r o o m

The tim e f a c t o r s to r y te llin g ity in

to

th e m ;

m ade h a n d c r a f t i m p r a c t i c a l ,

th e m o st p o p u la r b e c a u s e

th e tim e .

s to r ie s ,

p r o c e d u r e w h ic h w a s n o t w i d e l y u s e d .

a

B eca u se o f th e

c e r ta in

h ow ever, u n le s s

so m e a t t e m p t a t

of

th e y

le a d

th e ir

in te r e s t

am ount o f v a lu e to

p r o b le m -s o lv in g ,

and i t ea sy

a d ju s ta b il­

sh ow n b y t h e

c o u ld b e

d is c u s s io n

little

m ade

p u p ils

c la im e d f o r and a t l e a s t

e d u c a tio n a l v a lu e

w i l l b e g a in e d . 13. fo u n d

to

be

The m a t e r ia ls

p r o v id e d

s a tis fa c to r y ,

a c c o r d in g

w ho f i l l e d

o u t q u e s tio n n a ir e s .

m a te r ia ls

s h o u ld b e c o n s id e r e d

and

te a c h e r

is

t h e c u r r ic u lu m

to th e

s ix te e n

I t w as a ls o as

s h o u ld n e v e r b e t h o u g h t o f

a s th e

in

and u s e d a s

te a c h e r s

p o in te d

“ t o o l s *1 o r

w ere

out th a t

“ h e l p s 11 o n l y ,

th e f i n a l w ord,

t e a c h i n g d y n a m ic p e r s o n a l i t i e s

in

a d y n a m ic

s itu a tio n . 14.

G r o w th i n

to w a r d w h o l i s t i c th r o u g h

th e f u lf illm e n t in

a

th e

so

sh o r t,

tim e

is

on m e e tin g

and th e w h o lis t ic

e d u c a tio n

s e lf-r e a liz a tio n

c lu d e d t h a t

p la c e d

r e lig io u s

of

s itu a tio n th a t

th e

or

in te g r a tio n

v a r io u s n e e d s .

su ch a s

It

of life w as co n ­

t h e m a jo r e m p h a s is s h o u ld b e

th e h ig h e r ,

g r e a t e r n e e d s —? t h e i n t e l l e c t u a l

o r s p i r i t u a l and m oral n e e d s .

s o c i a l — seem t o

ta k e p la c e

a w eek d ay p rogram , w here

n e e d s --th e b io lo g ic a l or m a te r ia l, th e th e

s h o u ld

T he o t h e r

p s y c h o lo g ic a l, and

b e n a t u r a l l y d o m in a n t

in

th e p e r s o n a lity

an d a p p a r e n tly co m m o n ,

everyday

in d ic a tiv e B u t,

a r e m et by t h e

of

a lth o u g h

s e r io u s

in d iv id u a l in

e x p e r ie n c e s .

Som e e v i d e n c e w a s p r e s e n t e d a s to m eet th e h ig h e r n e e d s .

th e

G r o u p h a v e b e e n m a k in g a

C hu rch F e d e r a t io n

to f u l f i l l p u p ils ,

th e

in t e lle c t u a l and w h o lis tic

needs

o f th e ir

c la s s

p e r io d s

and c h u r c h t r a d i t i o n

la r g e r d e g r e e

o f th a t fu lfillm e n t.

15.

fa c to r s

su ch a s

th e tim e a v a i l a b l e

h ave b een b a r r ie r s to

fo r a

T he d e v e lo p m e n t o f g o o d a n d p r o p e r a t t i t u d e s

c o n s id e r e d

to

b e m ore im p o r ta n t th a n t h e

c a r r ie d

o u t by th e c h ild .

a n t r e a s o n s g iv e n a s t o (1 ) p o s s ib ility p erso n ,

le s s

t h e P r o g r a m 1s a t t e m p t

a tte m p t

b e h a v io r

t h e m ore o r

th e

s u c h a s fr o m

le c tu a lly

p r o fe ss

d iffe r e n t

one;

im p o r t­

o f d e v e lo p in g

t r a n s f e r r i n g fr o m p e r s o n

te a c h e r t o

a p h ilo s o p h y

and (3 )

of

T h ere w ere th r e e

s ig n ific a n c e

o f a ttitu d e s

a c tu a l a c ts

p u p il; of life

th e y r e fe r t o

a ttitu d e s to

( 2 ) a p e r s o n m ay i n t e l ­ b u t a c t a c c o r d in g

th e

p o te n tia litie s

to

a

of

p erso n s. A c c o r d in g th e

to

th e f in d in g s

p u p ils

in

th e v a r io u s

m ost p a r t ,

in

several

in g s

of

th e

tu d e

of a

te a c h e r s. p o in t

in

c la s s e s

ty p e s o f

of

th e o b s e r v a tio n

r ea c te d

l a r g e m a j o r i t y o f th em A sta ff fa v o r

of

tr a in e d

o f d e v e lo p in g

fa v o r a b ly , f o r

a c t s o f b e h a v io r .

P u p il Q u e s tio n n a ir e s in d ic a t e d

s c h e d u le s , th e

The f i n d ­

a fa v o r a b le

a tti­

to w a r d t h e P rogram a n d t h e i r

te a c h e r s

w as a l s o

proper a ttitu d e s .

c o n s id e r e d a H ow ever,

w as

122

largely ‘because of the difficulty in the measurement of attitudes, strong evidence was lacking of a development of a consistent, wholesome attitude toward a faith in God and in living the ”good life.” The Program as a whole.

Conclusions concerning the

program of weekday religious education as a whole probably can be made best by listing its strengths and weaknesses* As was pointed out at the beginning of the section, these con­ clusions are not altogether original with this investigation. Help from some of the experts and others in the field has been enlisted. Strengths. 1.

According to Shaver, the weekday plan helps to

solve the problem of ”how to get religion into life.”

He

says that ”. . . i t has both psychologically and in its teaching program identified religious ideals and knowledge with the weekday as well as Sunday.”^2.

In the words of Bower.

f,The significance of week­

day religious education lies in the fact that it is an attempt to relate religious education to public education.”^ ^ Erwin L. Shaver, ”The Movement For Weekday Religious Education,” Religious Education. IpL.lO, January-February, 19if6. ^ William G. Bower, Church and State in Education (Chicago. The University of Chicago Press, 19l|i^), p^ 3B.

123 In addition, the weekday plan calls for* at least some cooper­ ation between the church, and school.

As Shaver puts it-

Churches are responsible for financial support, for administration of program, for curriculum and for furnish­ ing teachers and supervisors. The public school cooper­ ates by excusing pupils, by sharing time, and in such other ways as indicate encouragement and sympathetic interest without using any manner of influence which is coercive or embarrassing,3 3.

In many respects and in many cases, the weekday

program has practically reached the level of educational requirements set by the public schools, and in almost every case, it has surpassed the effectiveness of the Sunday school. While salaries possibly seldom reach the standard of the public school, the professional training of the supervisors and teachers often equal it. i|,.

In spite of the decision handed down by the

Supreme Court of the United States in March 19^, there still remains, on the part of a high percentage of the communities which had programs in operation, a determination to continue them. 5.

The weekday program has been responsible for

creating more understanding and cooperation between the faiths and between some of the various Protestant denominations. For the first time, in many cases, decisions which involved a working together became necessary. 3 Shaver, on. cit., p. 9*

It has also helped to

12k «

promote a more cooperative relationship between the laymen (

and the clergy.

The possibility of thus helping to build a

better community spirit cannot be overlooked. 6.

Because of the released time plan, the pupils

have tended to regard their weekday class as being as import­ ant as any in the public school. 7.

The weekday plan has challenged* the church to a

higher standard of teaching. 8.

It has offered the opportunity of reaching many

of the unchurched children.

Some estimations have reached as

high as 5 0 per cent. 9*

^or the most part, the program is guided by leader­

ship of a high, competent, and consecrated order.

For example,

Dr. Erwin L. Shaver, who is the director of the International Council of Religious Education* s Department of Weekday Religious Education, made the statement that.

”Protestantism

should spend no less on its Christian education program than it is willing to spend on general education,” Weaknesses. 1.

There is a definite lack of evidence to show that

any religious educational values received in the weekday program are carried over into the home, public school, com­ munity, and other groups. ^ Article from the page called ^Religion - Today and Tomorrow,” Pasadena Star-New s. February 28, 19lf8.

12£ 2.

The following are two of the significant findings

and conclusions of Isaac K. Beekes’ doctoral dissertation on Interfaith Attitudes in Weekday Religious Education; 1. Weekday religious education in the communities studied is making some contribution to interfaith under­ standing and appreciation hut very limited contribution to interfaith fellowship and cooperation. 2. In communities where there has been no effort to explain, to the community at large a basic philosophy for releasing public school pupils for religious instruc­ tion, separation of students does accentuate conscious­ ness of religious difference in the opinion of most parents and in a significant minority of the students.5 In another article, the same author makes still another significant statement. The rather tragic thing Is that little evidence was discovered to show that religious leaders were making any serious effort through weekday religious education to correct the misinformation, antagonism, and the social inhibitions which/were so apparently present in each of the communities.® 3*• Many weekday programs have failed due to.

(1) a

lack of preparation. (2) a lack of skilled, trained leaders and teachers. (3) financial problems. (l±) a lack of coopera­ tion. (5) 9- lack of advertising and promotion, and (6) a lack of interest.

5 11Abstracts of Doctoral Dissertations in Religious Education I9 I4 J.-I4.6 , 11 Religious Education. lt2*l