Raikes, Robert. Statue of Robert Raikes, founder of the Sunday School movement. Public domain.
Robert Raikes is commonly known as the founder of modern Sunday School. Raikes, an English printer, questioned why so many young children (or “white slaves”) were getting into trouble on Sundays. He later learned that they worked in factories six days a week, and most had parents who were either dead or imprisoned. With the help of a local vicar, they began teaching these chilidren to read and write and gave them Bible lessons on Sundays. Soon after, 4000 Sunday Schools were a part of Christian worship in England. Raikes died on April 5, 1811. Pictured is a statue of Raikes that sits in London, England.
