THE THIRTY YEARS (1950-1980)

The Church School

Just as the parish's organizations and community service work suffered a decline beginning in the late 1950's, so did its school.

In 1955 there were seven hundred children registered in the Church School, with a staff of fifty-eight to teach them; however, with the advent of television and with young families moving to the suburbs, year by year attendance dropped.  In 1961 three hundred were registered, in 1968 two hundred, and in 1969 only one hundred.

This decrease continued until the classes for older children were non-existent. In 1971 a class for retarded children was started, but this lasted for only about a year. Interest waned: parents were unwilling to bring their children, and wished them to be both picked up and delivered home.

When our present rector came to St. John's in 1975 he introduced a new concept of teaching in order to revive the Church School. Parents must now themselves teach or assist in the School for two months during the season. This concept of parental participation has proved quite successful, for the Church School is once again increas­ing in numbers. Between forty and fifty children now attend regularly. Parent-teacher sessions are held to plan lessons: news­letters are sent to parents; get-togethers are held with both adults and children attending; even the Rector and Mrs. Van-Lane take their turns teaching, as their son, Christopher, is still in the school.

Things are indeed looking up for the Church School.  Children enjoy having their parents take an active role in church life alongside them. More young couples are seen in church every week, and while chances are that never again will our church teach seven hundred children on a Sunday morning, we look forward to an enlarged and revitalized Church School containing the range of infants to teenagers.