church officer, and, except in union and mission Sunday-schools,
should be elected by the church to which the Sunday-school belongs, in
the same manner as other church officers are elected. He should have
general charge of the Sunday-school, and be regarded as its executive
head. He should have sole authority to appoint all of the other
officers of the school: such appointment to be confirmed either by the
church or some body representing it, such as a Sunday-school Board or
teachers' meeting. He should have a voice in the appointing of the
teachers in all departments. During the school session he should study
the school, seeking to discover the weak places and how to strengthen
them.
#40. The Assistant Superintendent.#--The assistant superintendent
should take charge of the school in the superintendent's absence, and
should also have specific duties to perform in every regular session.
These duties will be determined by the size and requirements of the
school, and the efficiency of the other officers.
#41. The Secretary.#--The name of this officer indicates his duties.
His reports should be neatly kept in ink, in a book prepared for the
purpose. They should be comprehensive and comparative, so that it may
be determined at a glance whether the school is growing or not. He
should make reports weekly, quarterly, and annually.
#42. The Treasurer.#--The duties of this officer are likewise
indicated by his name. He should be more, however, than the custodian
of funds. He should endeavor to increase the offerings to the proper
amount. He will pay out money only upon orders properly placed in his
hands.
Test Questions
1. Name four conditions that mark the organized Sunday-school.
2. What facts should enrolment show?
3. What is meant by grading?
4. Name the principal departments into which a school may be divided.
5. What officer should receive and locate new scholars?
6. What are some of the factors in wise promotion of school members?
7. State the pastor's chief responsibility for the school.
8. What are the duties of the superintendent?
9. The Assistant Superintendent?
10. What are the secretary's duties?
11. The treasurer's?
Lesson 4
The Sunday-school Organized (Concluded)
#43. The Superintendent of Classification.#--This office may be filled
by one of the assistant superintendents, but in a school of one
hundred or more, it is well to have a separate officer. His duty will
be to classify the new scholars, first ascertaining by personal
investigation the department in which the new scholar belongs. This is
a most important office, and cannot be neglected a single Sunday
without detriment to the grading of the school.
#44. The Librarian.#--This officer should have charge of the library
or libraries and of all supplies. New books should have his approval
before being added to the library. He should properly classify the
books, so that those in each department may know which are best
adapted to their needs. It would be well, if possible, to give him
control of a library fund, with authority to add one or two books at a
time as the funds will allow. All such books should be announced from
the platform on the day they are placed in the library. A library
maintained in this way will always be fresh, and never lose its
interest.
#45. The Birthday Secretary.#--This officer takes charge of the
birthday contributions of the members. Each member of the school may
be asked to contribute on his birthday as many pennies as he is years
old, or as much more as he may choose. The money thus gathered may be
used for benevolent and missionary purposes and become the means of
creating considerable interest.
#46. The Substitute Teacher Secretary.#--This officer should see that
classes whose teachers are temporarily absent are supplied with
teachers. Having secured a list of names of those who will substitute,
he should send notices each Monday to those who are pledged for the
following Sunday, notifying them that their date is at hand, and
asking them also to attend the Workers' Meeting that week.
#47. The Biographer.#--Some schools call this officer the Historian.
He keeps in a book, or by the card system, permanent records of all
the members, with date of entering the school and other items of
interest, such as date of promotion, of joining church, removals,
deaths, etc. Where this work is properly done, the records become
exceedingly interesting and valuable.
#48. The Door Men.#--A door man should be placed in charge of each
door entering the building, or opening from one room into another.
These door men should know just when the doors may be opened for
people to pass without interfering with the school. They should be in
their place before the school begins, allowing none to enter the room
when their entrance would disturb the services. They should pay
special attention to strangers and visitors, and prevent boisterous
conduct or talking about the doors.
#49. The Ushers.#--Every school should have at least one usher, and as
many more as are needed. In a school of three hundred or over, several
ushers can be used profitably. They should be in their places early,
to pay proper attention to visitors, and to see that they do not
occupy seats intended for regular scholars. They can also look after
new scholars as they enter, and see that they are directed to the
Superintendent of Classification.
#50. The Courtesy Committee.#--This committee will be needed chiefly
in larger schools. Its purpose is to make visitors welcome, and show
them every courtesy that is possible. The Courtesy Committee relieves
the superintendent and other officers of this particular duty, thus
enabling such officers to do those things for which they are
responsible. Visitors greatly appreciate this attention, and will go
away with a good impression of the school. A Guest Book may be kept,
to secure the names of visitors.
#51. The Missionary Secretary.#--Every Sunday-school ought to be a
missionary society. The Missionary Secretary will endeavor to
cultivate missionary interest and spirit in the school. He can do this
by securing a proper distribution of missionary literature, by helping
to prepare missionary programs and concerts, by keeping in touch with
those phases of mission work supported by the school, or church or
denomination, and reporting from time to time. He will have charge of
the missionary maps, charts, and curios.
#52. The Temperance Secretary.#--This officer should endeavor to
cultivate the spirit of temperance and good citizenship. If temperance
pledges are used in the school, it would be well for him to keep a
record of them, and to enter the names permanently in a book,
reporting from time to time how many names he has. He can aid the
superintendent, also, by helping to prepare temperance concerts, and
by introducing various appropriate features into the program on
Temperance Sunday.
#53. The Superintendent's Aides.#--These are usually boys, twelve to
sixteen years of age, who are hands and feet for the superintendent.
They prepare the platform and room for the school service, put the
blackboard into place, adjust the hymn-board and the flags, if they
are used. They may also distribute the hymn-books and Bibles.
#54. The Messenger Cadets.#--These are usually boys of the Junior
Department, and their chief business is to carry messages to
absentees, flowers to the sick, or messages to any one, for the
superintendent or pastor. Under the direction of the Home Department
Superintendent they may deliver the quarterlies and other supplies.
They should be in charge of a man who understands boys and loves to
work with them.
#55. The Sunshine Band.#--This is usually made up of girls of the
Junior age, who visit the sick, carry them flowers, sing and read to
them, and minister to them in every way they can. They should be in
charge of a woman appointed for this work.
#56. The Department Superintendents.#--These should be looked upon as
officers of the Sunday-school. Each superintendent is expected to
preside in his own department, with as much care as if it were the
entire school; to preserve the grading provided for by the
superintendent of classification; to endeavor to keep the classes as
nearly uniform in size as possible; and to cultivate a department life
and interest.
#57. The Superintendent's Cabinet.#--All of the officers named above,
and the Chairmen of all the committees named above, constitute the
Superintendent's Cabinet. Nothing should be presented to the teachers
or to the school as a whole until it has first been decided upon by
the Cabinet. The Cabinet should have regular meetings, perhaps once a
month.
Test Questions
1. What are the duties of a superintendent of classification?
2. Of the librarian?
3. How can a Birthday Secretary be utilized?
4. How may substitute teachers be secured?
5. In what ways can door-men render service?
6. What may ushers do?
7. Through what officers may missionary work be emphasized, and how?
Temperance work?
8. What is meant by Superintendent's aides? Messenger Cadets? The
Sunshine Band?
9. How may a Superintendent's Cabinet help the school?
Lesson 5
The Sunday-school in Session
#58.# The Sunday-school session is not the Sunday-school, for the same
reason that a church service is not the church. The session begins,
carries out a certain program, and closes. The Sunday-school continues
throughout the week. Much previous planning and preparation are
essential to the success of any Sunday-school session.
#59. Time.#--The most convenient hour is the best hour. Having
discovered that hour, hold to it the year round. Frequent changes will
bring disaster. Every hour has its advantages and disadvantages. The
morning hour is usually attended by more tardiness of teachers and
scholars, but all are fresher. The noon hour will suffer less from
tardiness and will have a larger attendance of adults. Discipline will
be more of a problem, especially if the school is continued far beyond
the dinner time. The afternoon hour has the following advantages: (1)
The school does not precede nor follow another service, which is
detrimental to both. (2) A completely rounded program can be carried
out because the time will be longer. (3) There is opportunity for
after-meetings, if desired. Many of the best schools are held in the
afternoon. There are the following disadvantages, however: (1) It
breaks in upon the Sunday afternoon home life. (2) It prevents the
members from working in mission schools, etc. (3) It may interfere
with the attendance at the night services.
#60. Length of Session.#--The usual session is one hour long, but this
is too short to secure the best results. An hour and a quarter is
better, and is long enough for a morning or noon school. Under good
management, an afternoon school can use an hour and a half to
advantage.
#61. Program.#--The superintendent should have a written program, and
know his ground every step of the way. The pastor and chorister should
have copies. So also should every individual participant. The passing
from one feature of the program to the next should be done quickly,
and, so far as possible, without announcement.
#62. How to Begin.#--Be ready. Insist that all officers and teachers
shall be ready. Begin exactly on time. Do not wait for anything nor
anybody. Be sure all understand the signal for beginning. Give the
signal once, _never oftener_. Wait for silence. Do not begin without
it.
#63. Signals.#--Use the bell sparingly, if at all. For certain signals
the bell may be desirable, but never to secure order. A chord on the
piano is better than a bell. Piano signals should be arranged so that
a signal given in a certain way always means the same thing. The
superintendent's rising in his place, or, if standing, simply raising
his hand, should be signal enough to secure the attention of any
school. It will be, if the school is properly trained, and so seated
as to be able to see a signal.
#64. Music.#--An orchestra is good, but should not be too large for
the room. A piano is better than an ordinary organ because of its
distinct tones. The next best instrument to add is a violin for a
small room and a cornet for a large one. Do not consume too much time
with instrumental music in the session. The orchestra can give an
overture at the opening, a number while classes reassemble after the
teaching period, and a postlude at the close. That is sufficient. The
superintendent should select the hymns, in conference with the
chorister. Some of them should be appropriate to the lesson of the
day. Use one or two old church hymns at each session. Select a good
book, and have plenty of copies. The best results cannot be secured
where even two sing from the same book. The hymn numbers should be
placed on the blackboard or hymn-board, before the opening, in plain
sight of all.
#65. Prayers.#--Sunday-school prayers should never be long, and those
who pray aloud should keep the children in mind. All the rest will
follow. Two or three short prayers at different times are better than
one long prayer.
#66. Memorizing Scripture.#--Every school should repeat some Scripture
from memory every Sunday. Select the verses carefully, and not too
many of them. A few verses thoroughly memorized are better than many
imperfectly learned.
#67. Lesson Study.#--The lesson study period should be the heart of
the session. It should never have less than thirty minutes. Hold this
period sacred to the teachers, without interruption of any kind. No
visiting of classes by officers at this time should be permitted. The
necessary business of the session should be conducted during the
opening and closing services. Do not distribute books nor papers to
the classes until the close of school--certainly not during the
teaching period.
#68. Review.#--The superintendent should not review the entire lesson;
he should mention only that part of it which enables him to fix the
personal application he has in mind for the school that day. The
blackboard will help if properly used.
#69. Reports.#--Reports should be few, and very short, never in
detail. Calling the roll of officers and teachers is a waste of time.
To give the number present, the number absent, the offering for the
day, the missionary collection, and the names of the sick is usually
sufficient, except in cases of emergency, such as deaths or funerals.
#70. Announcements.#--The fewer announcements the better. Those that
must be made should be brief, plain, striking. Do not call them
"announcements." Work them in, one at a time, as comments on the
program in hand. The announcement that you have an announcement to
make is an announcement wasted, and time wasted, too. Never take the
time of all to make an announcement that concerns but a few. Do not
fall into set forms. Announcements may be interesting and instructive,
but usually they are not so. They should be made a study.
#71. How to Close.#--The lesson review or application should be
followed by a short prayer. Then sing a sweet, familiar hymn bearing
upon the truth you have tried to impress, the school remaining seated.
Then the benediction, school still seated. Then a moment of silent
prayer, followed by the piano or orchestra softly playing the music
that has just been sung. Let this be the signal for dismissal.
Test Questions
1. What are some of the advantages and disadvantages of the various
hours for Sunday-school session?
2. What are some of the details to look out for in beginning a
session?
3. Name a signal that is better than a bell.
4. State how you would plan to secure good singing.
5. What should not be allowed during the lesson period?
6. Outline a good plan for the closing service.
Test Questions for Review
Lessons 1 to 5
1. What is the purpose of the Sunday-school?
2. How many Sunday-schools in the world to-day?
3. Suggest ways of creating missionary interest in the school.
4. What are some of the requisites for hand-work in the school?
5. Give four conditions that mark the organized Sunday-school.
6. What is meant by grading?
7. Name the principal departments into which a school may be divided.
8. When and where did the International Lessons have their origin?
9. By whom are the International Lessons selected?
10. What is the work of the International Sunday School Association?
11. What is the World's Sunday School Association?
12. How may substitute teachers be secured?
13. What is meant by Messenger Cadets?
14. What are special points to look out for in beginning a session?
15. How would you plan to secure good singing?
Lesson 6
The Sunday-school Teacher
#72. The Teacher's Office.#--Next to the minister of the gospel, the
Sunday-school teacher occupies the highest office in Christian
service. The central and most important feature of every Sunday-school
session is the Bible-teaching period. All the other exercises of the
school should be so arranged as to make the teaching period as
effective as possible. The teachers do the teaching; hence the
importance of the office. The character of the teacher and the
efficiency of the teaching usually determine the efficiency of the
school; like teacher, like school.
#73. The Teacher in Prospect.#--Probably the greatest problem in
Sunday-school work, at present, is that of securing a sufficient
number of good teachers. The only solution of this problem is for
every school to have at least one teacher-training class each year.
Any school which sets itself definitely to the task of training its
own teachers, from its own ranks, for its own classes, will reduce the
teacher problem to a minimum. Such a class should be composed of young
men and women between the ages of sixteen and thirty, specially chosen
by the pastor and superintendent because of their interest in the work
and apparent fitness for it. The class should be taught by the best
teacher obtainable, though he need not be an expert. It should meet at
the church, at the regular Sunday-school hour, thus solving the
difficulty as to time and place. Substitute teachers should never be
drawn from this class. A teacher's diploma should be issued to each
student completing the course and passing the required examination.
#74. The Teacher Trained.#--Many who are now teaching desire to take a
teacher-training course. Difficult though it is to maintain a class
for such workers, it can be done. Evidently it cannot meet at the
Sunday-school hour, as the teachers are already occupied. A full
week-night is preferable, if it can be had; if not, it may come before
or after the Workers' Meeting or prayer-meeting, though this
arrangement is always more or less detrimental to both meetings.
Interdenominational training-classes are much better than none, but
the training-class in the local church is the ideal, and should be
maintained wherever it is possible. When it is impossible to attend a
teacher-training class, or there is none, individuals may take a
course alone, and this is often done.
#75. The Teacher Chosen.#--The teacher should be chosen and appointed
by the proper authority representing the church and the Sunday-school.
The committee for appointing teachers should be composed of three
persons: the pastor of the church, the superintendent of the
Sunday-school, and the superintendent of the department where the
teacher is to teach. If there is a separate superintendent of teachers
in the Sunday-school, he may represent the superintendent of the
school in this capacity. No one should be set over any class as
teacher whose appointment is not satisfactory to the three persons
named above.
#76. The Teacher Installed.#--The Sunday-school is a church service,
hence the teacher should be properly recognized by the church. It is
desirable that all the officers and teachers should be assembled and
installed in their offices for the coming year with fitting exercises,
at a regular service of the church. Such a service as this dignifies
the office of the Sunday-school teacher, places upon him the
approbation of the church, and makes him feel that his work is
appreciated. The installation service should be in charge of the
pastor of the church, and the officers and teachers should be seated
in a body. Appropriate exercises for such a service have been
arranged, and may be easily secured from the denominational publishing
houses.
#77. The Teacher Protected.#--During the general opening and closing
exercises of the Sunday-school session the superintendent is in
charge. But during the teaching period the teacher outranks everybody
else, and is entitled to the full time set apart for teaching without
any interruption. The officers of the school should not be allowed to
disturb the classes in any way. The making of the class reports,
gathering of the offering, and similar matters, should be attended to
before the recitation begins, and in such a manner as to make the
least interference with the class work. It is a sin to disturb a class
unnecessarily after the teaching has begun.
#78. The Teacher Between Sundays.#--The wise teacher will regard the
intervening week between two sessions of the school as the time of his
greatest opportunity. He will review in his mind the experiences of
the previous Sunday, endeavoring to learn therefrom how to improve his
work in the future. He will give himself diligently to the preparation
of his lesson and to the visiting of the absent, and will be
especially careful to call upon the sick members of his class. He will
attend the Workers' Meeting, and avail himself of every opportunity
for improvement. He will seek personal interviews with those of his
scholars who have been troublesome in the matter of discipline, and
will talk individually with all the members of his class in order to
win them to Christ. He will identify himself with the International
Reading Circle, as a member of which he pledges to read at least one
good Sunday-school book each year, and thus keep in touch with the
Sunday-school movements of the world.
#79. The Teacher's Aim.#--The teacher should aim, first of all, to win
the confidence and esteem of his scholars. Until this is done little
else is possible, because there can be no effective teaching without
co-operation. He should give his scholars faithful and efficient
instruction in the Word of God. The lesson itself should be taught
each Sunday, and not allowed to be brushed aside by the discussion of
any other topic, though other topics may be used to introduce or
illustrate the lesson. He should endeavor to lead his scholars to an
acceptance of the Lord Jesus Christ as their Saviour. This is oftener
accomplished by a personal interview than in the class. He should aim
to lead his scholars into membership in the local church. He should
aim, by careful training and instruction, to build his scholars up
into strong Christian characters, and to fit them for the duties of
civic and religious life. Let him remember that his work is for
eternity.
#80. The Teacher's Reward.#--The teacher receives much of his reward
as he goes along, but not all of it. The privilege of being associated
with the Great Teacher, and laboring in obedience to his command; the
joy of leading souls to Jesus Christ, and sending them out into the
world as witnesses for him; the consciousness of growing power in
service because of work well done; the companionship of kindred
spirits engaged in the same great work--these are surely rewards
enough. But there is another reward when the work is done. It is God's
"Well done" to the faithful.
Test Questions
1. What should be the most important feature of every Sunday-school
session?
2. What is the solution of the problem of getting teachers?
3. Who should be in a teacher-training class?
4. Who should choose the teachers?
5. In what special way may the teacher be recognized by the church?
6. What may the teacher accomplish between Sundays?
7. What do you regard as the teacher's proper aims?
8. What is the teacher's reward?
Lesson 7
The Workers' Meeting