Church of England Sunday School Institute

The surviving records of the Church of England Sunday School Institute

The Institute was founded on 15 November 1843 at a meeting of Church of England Sunday school teachers at St Saviours Southwark. At this meeting it was resolved "That an Institution be formed to be called the Church of England Sunday School Teachers Institute" for the purpose of increasing the means of communication between Sunday School Teachers by establishing lectures & conversational meetings, together with a library & reading room". The Institute set out to provide a specifically anglican element to the Sunday School movement because it was felt that in Church Sunday Schools the catechism should be taught and the prayer book used. It became an Incorporated Society in 1903. Some of its objectives as stated in its constitution are as follows: "To establish a centre of communication through which information as the best methods of organising and conducting Church of England Sunday Schools may be given and received, and statistical details obtained and recorded. To establish and carry on printing and book-binding works, and to publish and provide publications, such as Notes of Lessons, Manuals of Organisation and of Teaching, Tracts on Sunday School work, School material, Magazines, and other works useful to Sunday School Teachers and Scholars; and to acquire copyrights and to establish depots for the sale of such publications and material. To provide experienced Visitors or Deputation Agents to attend Meetings for the purpose of giving lectures and Training lessons, and to visit Sunday Schools (where desired) with a view to suggesting plans for their improvement. To establish and maintain Training Colleges and Hostels and Boarding Houses for Sunday School Teachers and Leaders in Sunday School Work, and for the Staffs working in such Colleges; and to provide Bursaries, Scholarships, Exhibitions, and Grants for Maintenance of students or pupils thereat. To hold examinations of Teachers and Scholars."

In 1909 it opened St Christophers Training College for Leaders in Religious Education at Blackheath and in 1927 the College's Council and the Institute's General Committee merged to form a single governing body known as a Standing Committee. At the same time the Institute moved to the College premises. This Committee would meet about 4 times a year and would have executive and financial powers and have sub-committees under it for the College, for Extension Work and for the Publishing Department.

The Institute published through the St Christopher Press and jointly with the Society for the Promotion of Christian Knowledge (SPCK).

It amalgamated with the National Society in 1935.

Open

Records to be kept permanently

The records passed in to the care of the National Society in 1935 and are deposited at the Centre as part of the Society's archive.

No further accruals expected