CCES is born

1945-1960

The Rev Rex Matthias served as the first full time Director of CCES (1945-1948, see image above), and was succeeded by Rev H R Trenaman (see image below) who led for a short period before Rev L M Thompson (1949-1956) became Director.

CCES was tasked with overseeing the development of a common Agreed Syllabus (achieved in 1946, for both primary and secondary schools) and with training the RI volunteers.

This early period was very busy. A process of accrediting volunteer RI instructors was developed which included: local committees for RI supervision and selection of suitable candidates to be trained as RI volunteers; planning for the Agreed Syllabus; improvements to correspondence RI materials for rural and remote schools (with 2700 children receiving these); and hosting RI training conferences. The first two parts of an upper secondary RI series called ‘Plans for Living’ were published during the first three years, with the third part in the series and the primary school Agreed Syllabus being published during Trenaman’s time as Director.

In 1945, 151,600 students received religious instruction.