III. Educational Institutions ¶ 411, § 1. The educational institutions under the patronage of the Methodist Episcopal Church shall be classified as follows: 1. Primary Schools. 2. Secondary Schools. 4. Universities. 5. Schools of Theology. § 2. In mission fields and other localities where inadequate provision has been made for elementary instruction, primary schools may be established. § 3. Wherever the conditions are favorable, each Conference may have under its direct supervision one or more secondary schools known as academies, seminaries, or collegiate institutes. § 4. Conferences shall not approve the multiplication of colleges or universities beyond the needs of the people or their ability to equip and sustain them. § 5. Theological schools, whose professors are nominated or confirmed by the Bishops, exist for the benefit of the whole Church. It is the duty of the Bishops, District Superintendents, and Pastors to direct the attention of our young people to our literary institutions, and of the candidates for our Ministry, having proper qualifications, to our theological seminaries. § 6. The Board of Education shall publish in its annual reports a list of all the educational institutions under the patronage of the Methodist Episcopal Church, classifying the same according to the provisions contained in § 1 of this paragraph. IV. University Senate 412, § 1. There shall be a University Senate of the Methodist Episcopal Church, quadrennially appointed by the Bishops under the authority of the General Conference. It shall be composed of persons actively engaged in the work of education, one from each General Conference District and one at large. It is not required that the Conference relation of a ministerial member be held in the General Conference District which he represents, provided his residence and educational work are within such District. If, in consequence of the retirement of a member from educational work, or from any other cause, a vacancy occur in the body during the quadrennium, it shall be the duty of the Bishops at their next semiannual meeting to fill said vacancy. § 2. The Senate shall determine and at least quadrennially revise the minimum equivalents of academic work to be required for promotion to the Baccalaureate degrees in the educational institutions of our Church. The curricula thus determined shall provide for the historical and literary study of the Bible in the vernacular. In general, the Senate shall have authority to protect the educational standards of our Church. § 3. At the written request of the President and Corresponding Secretary of the Board of Education, or at the written request of any three of its own members, the Senate shall investigate the scholastic requirements and methods of any designated institution claiming to be under the patronage of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and shall report to the Board of Education its decision as to whether the require ments and methods of said institution are such as to justify its official recognition by the authorities of the Church. Such decision shall thereafter govern the action of the Board of Education. § 4. The Senate shall at least quadrennially report to the Board of Education its requirements and decisions, and on the basis of these the Board of Education shall in its official lists and in its administration classify the educational institutions of the Church, whatever their legal or self-chosen name may be. V. Duties of District Superintendents ¶ 413, § 1. It shall be the duty of each District Superintendent to bring the subject of education before the fourth Quarterly Conference of each Charge within his District, and said Conference shall appoint a Committee on Education, consisting of not less than three nor more than seven persons, of which Committee the Pastor shall be chairman. This Committee shall aid the Pastor in canvassing the Charge for the purpose of stimulating interest in the higher education of our youth, by distributing the catalogues and circulars of the secondary schools, colleges, universities and theological institutions of the Church, and seeking to secure the attendance of our young people at these institutions. § 2. The District Superintendent at the fourth Quarterly Conference of each Charge shall inquire: 1. Has the Sermon on Education been preached during the year, when, and by whom? 2. Has the canvass for education been made, and the collection for education been taken? Has Children's Day been observed, and have its collections been taken as required by the Discipline? How much was contributed for each of these purposes? 3. What students in the Charge are attending any of the secondary schools, colleges, universities, or theological schools of the Church? VI. Duties of Pastors 414, § 1. It shall be the duty of every Pastor to take one public collection annually in each Society in aid of the work of education. The money so received shall be paid over to such auxiliary of the Board of Education, or institution of learning, as the Annual Conference may direct, or, in the absence of Annual Conference direction, to the treasury of the Board of Education, and this shall be reported to the Annual Conference under the head of "Public Educational Collection." § 2. It shall be the duty of every Pastor to cause every Sunday School under his charge to observe the second Sunday in June, or such other Sunday as may be more convenient, as Children's Day, and upon said day, as part of the service, he shall take a collection to be devoted to the Sunday School Children's Fund. The Pastor shall forward the collection aforesaid directly to the Secretary of the Board of Education, and report the same to his Annual Conference under the head of "Children's Fund." 415. The Treasurer of each Annual Conference at the close of each Conference session shall report to the Board of Education the amount of all moneys raised for educational purposes and the objects to which they have been applied. CHAPTER VIII BOARD OF SUNDAY SCHOOLS I. Incorporation 416, § 1. For the moral and religious instruction of our children, and for the promotion of Bible knowledge among all our people, there shall be a Board of Sunday Schools, duly incorporated according to the laws of the State of Illinois, and having its headquarters in the city of Chicago. The said Board shall have general oversight of all the Sunday School interests of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and shall be subject to such rules and regulations as the General Conference may from time to time prescribe. § 2. The work of the Board of Sunday Schools shall be to found Sunday Schools in needy neighborhoods; to contribute to the support of those Sunday Schools which, without assistance, cannot continue; to educate the Church in all phases of Sunday School work, constantly endeavoring to raise ideals and to improve methods; to give impulse and direction in general to the study of the Bible in the Church. All the work of the Board of Sunday Schools shall be done under a Board of Managers to be elected by the General Conference, upon nomination by the Board of Bishops, to consist of twenty-seven members, three of whom shall be effective Bishops and twenty-four other members, Lay and Clerical, |