Guide to the International Council of Religious Education Records

The International Council of Religious Education, 1839-1953, files are arranged in two series -- Subject Files, 1872-1953, and Printed Matter, 1839-1950. Descriptions and folder lists for the two series follow.

The Subject Files, 1872-1953, date primarily from 1930 to 1950. The series represents the combined files of Hugh S. Magill and Roy G. Ross, general secretaries; Mildred Magnuson, director of Lesson Studies; Isaac K. Beckes, director of Young People's Work; Erwin L. Shaver, director of Weekday Religious Education; and John B. Ketcham, director of Field Administration.

The files are arranged alphabetically by subject, name of individual, name of organization, or geographic location. Items within the files are arranged chronologically by year, month, and day. Partially dated documents are placed at the end of the month or year; undated items are placed after all dated material. Enclosures follow their letter of transmittal. Newspaper clippings, unless enclosed with correspondence, are placed at the end of subject files.

The files consist of incoming and outgoing correspondence, memoranda, agenda, minutes, reports, financial statements, bylaws, press releases, newsletters, bulletins, application forms, programs, reprints, pamphlets, leaflets, broadsides, and newspaper clippings.

Material within the files represents the activities of the various departments and advisory sections of the ICRE. These include departments such as Audio-Visual and Radio Education; the Graded Series Committee; Leadership Education; Religious Education of Youth, Children, and Adults; and Vacation Religious Education. Advisory section files include Children's Work, Editors' Section, Lay Section, Leadership Training, and Professors' Advisory Section.

In conjunction with youth work there are extensive files concerning the United Christian Youth Movement and the Commission on Ecumenical Voluntary Service Projects. These files consist of correspondence, minutes, application forms, reports, and printed matter. Included with these files is material relating to the Christian Youth Conference of North America and the Christian Youth Council of North America.

The files of the Field Administration Department include correspondence, minutes, reports, and printed matter concerning various state and local councils of churches. These files are arranged by state and then by city or county.

The Weekday Religious Education files contain correspondence, reports, and printed matter treating this subject. The files also contain court documents concerning the legality of "time-released" weekday religious education.

Files relating to ICRE predecessor organizations, the International Sunday School Association and the Sunday School Council of Evangelical Denominations, contain correspondence, minutes, reports, and printed matter. There are files for the International Sunday School conventions from 1890 to 1950. From 1922 to 1950 these conventions also served as the official conventions for the ICRE.

he files also contain materials detailing ICRE relations with various organizations such as the Religious Education Foundation, the International Training School for Sunday School Leaders, and the International Association of Daily Vacation Bible Schools.

The Printed Matter, 1839-1950, files date primarily from 1940 to 1950. The files are arranged chronologically by year, month, and day; undated items are placed after all dated material. The files consist of pamphlets and leaflets published by the ICRE, as well as other organizations such as the International Sunday School Association and the Federal Council of Churches. The materials include bulletins, memoriams, promotional literature, songs, charts, reports, dedication services, manuals, speeches, bibliographies, curriculum guides, and a history of the International Sunday School Association. The printed matter concerns subjects such as the Crusade for Christian Education, the United Christian Teaching Mission, Christian education in wartime, marriage and the family, youth, vacation church school, juvenile delinquency, youth church camps, race relations, world peace, and various aspects of religious education.

The researcher should note that printed matter may also be found in Series I of this record group.