spirit, and is valuable as a means of advertising the class and its
work.
Some prefer to take class numbers or letters, thus recognizing their
relationship to the Sunday school; others select names from the Bible to
indicate their relation to Bible study; others choose names that
indicate some kind of Christian service, thus committing the class to
Christian work; while others take names of heroes or use Greek letters.
_Mottoes._--A motto is perhaps more important than a name. It will help
to place and keep before the class a definite purpose. If often repeated
it will aid in producing in the class the spirit expressed in the motto.
The following well-known mottoes may be suggestive: We're in the King's
Business--We Do Things--The World for Christ--We Mean Business--The
Other Fellow--Every Man Up--Quit You Like Men.
=International Teen Age Certificate of Recognition=
The International Sunday School Association, through its Secondary
Division, issues a certificate, or charter of recognition.
This certificate represents a minimum standard of organization for
classes, which is considered practical for scholars of these ages. It
gives the class the recognition of the International, State or
Provincial Associations; and to the schools whose denominations add
their seal and signature, or provide a joint certificate, denominational
recognition as well. The certificate of the Secondary Division is
beautifully lithographed, and is suitable for framing for the class
room. For classes of the Intermediate age (13-16 years) an Intermediate
seal is affixed, and a Senior (17-20 years) or Adult seal may be added
upon the advance of the class to these departments. It can be secured by
filling out the application blank at the end of this leaflet, and by
sending the same, together with twenty-five cents to cover the cost, to
your State or Provincial Association, or Denominational headquarters.
Seals may be secured from the same sources.
This certificate and registration links the class to the Sunday school
teen age brotherhood throughout the world.
[Illustration: =Emblem=]
The royal blue and white button (white center with blue rim) has been
adopted for both the Intermediate (13-16 years) and Senior (17-20 years)
Departments, the blue indicating loyalty and the white purity.
=Application Blank=
for
=International Certificate of Recognition=
=Secondary Division=
Years 13-20.
Name of Class ________________________________
Name of Sunday School ________________________
Name of Denomination _________________________
Town or City ________________ County _________
State or Province ____________________________
Has the class the following officers: President, Vice-President,
Secretary and Treasurer? ___________
Is the class of intermediate age (13-16), or senior
age (17-20)? ______________
What is the average age of the members of your
class? __________
Name of Class Teacher __________
Post-office address __________
Name of Class President __________
Post-office address __________
Does the class use the Secondary Division Emblem?
____________________________________
Class motto _______________________________________
Date of organization ______________________
Present Membership _______________________
Date of Application ___________ 19__
Filled out by:
Name ________________________________________
Post-office address ____________________________________
Kindly fill out this blank carefully. Detach and
send same with twenty-five cents to your State Sunday
School Association office.
BIBLIOGRAPHY ON THE ORGANIZED CLASS
International Leaflets on Secondary Adult Classes (Free).
Pearce.--The Adult Bible Class (.25).
IX
BIBLE STUDY FOR BOYS
The study of the Bible that contributes to the boy's education is now
generally accepted to be that which is adjusted to the known
characteristics of boys. At one time, not so very far distant, all
Scripture was supposed to be good for a boy's moral and spiritual
character-building. One part of the Bible was held to be as good as any
other, the important thing necessary being to get the Bible into the
life of the boy, somehow. It did not matter much whether the boy
understood all he read and was told, or not. It would prepare him for
some future crisis and enable him some time to better meet a possible
temptation. It was to be a sort of preventive application, very much as
vaccination now is administered to ward off dreaded disease. And, to
tell the exact truth, it often did, and the treatment proved more
efficacious than some of the present-day Bible study methods, where mere
knowledge is attempted. The mistake was the misunderstanding (for
misunderstanding it was, and not a desire to merely plague the boy) of
the fact that boys were developing creatures, spiritually as well as
physically, and that Bible study could be made pleasant as well as
profitable. It was a mistake due to a purely mature point of view and a
failure to know that the boy mind needed different treatment from that
of the adult. Lately we have discovered, thanks to general education,
that a boy's Bible study can be adapted to a specific purpose, and to a
present, clear, distinct and practical need of boy life.
A recent writer has said, "We have come to a fairly definite
understanding that we must take the boy as he is; we must inquire into
his needs; we must consider the conditions of his religious development.
We must ask, then, of the Bible, how far it can be effective to meet
these needs and this development. The fixed factor is the boy, not the
Book. At the same time, we are not obliged to begin always as if the
Bible were a new thing in the world, and its claim to value as religious
material were to be considered afresh. We know that the Bible has proved
itself good. We know that it has been effective in the life of boys. The
question, then, really before us is, What parts of the Bible are really
desirable for the boy, and how are they to be presented so as to be most
useful?"
This, in other words, is Graded Bible Study, and, possibly, were we to
give a Bible to the boy and induce him to read it, the parts which he
would read would help us a lot in determining the material that would
challenge his interest. The parts he skipped over would also fix our
problem for us.
The writer had a unique experience in his boyhood. His folks were
members and officers of a church where long doctrinal sermons were the
rule. These had little interest for the growing boy, but parental
persuasion kept him in the pew for hours at a stretch. The boy, under
these circumstances, had to do something in self-preservation, so he
spent the long hours in reading the Bible. The stories of the
Patriarchs, the Judges, the Kings, and the Acts were his peculiar
delight. The sermon period ceased to be tiresome and often was not long
enough. He never read Leviticus, or the Prophets, or the Gospels, or the
Epistles, however. They had no meaning for him. As well as he can now
remember, between his ninth and twelfth years, his favorite Scripture
was the Patriarchs and Judges. Between his twelfth and sixteenth years
he was passionately fond of the Kings and the Acts. After that he began
to feel interested in the Gospels. He was pretty well grown up before he
cared either for the Prophets or the Epistles; they were too abstract
for him.
The writer's experience corresponds fairly well with the growing modern
usage in Bible study with boys. The philosophy underlying Graded Bible
Study is merely to meet the present spiritual needs, as indexed by the
characteristics of the period of his development.
At present there are many schemes of Graded Bible Study for boys on the
market. Some of it has been prepared to meet a theory of religious
education. The University of Chicago Series of textbooks and the Bible
Study Union (Blakeslee) Lessons are examples of this trend. Both of them
are exceptionally good. Other courses have sprung up, being written and
used among boys here and there, and later worked together into a Bible
study scheme. The Boys' Bible Study Courses of the Young Men's Christian
Association are recognized as such. Then there is the present system of
Graded Bible Study of the International Sunday School Association.
Fifteen complete years of Graded Bible Study, from the fourth to the
eighteenth year, may now be used in the Sunday school. Great care has
been exercised in the selection of the material with the aim of fixing
definite ideals of Christian life and service. These courses are divided
as follows:
=Possible Present Use of the Graded Lessons=
=Departments Years Courses of Study=
Beginners | Four |
| Five | A Unit of two years.
| Six |
Primary | Seven | A Unit of three years.
| Eight |
| Nine | Lower--A Unit of two
| Ten | years.
Junior |
| Eleven | Upper--A Unit of two
| Twelve | years.
| Thirteen | Lower--A Unit of two
| Fourteen | years.
Intermediate |
| Fifteen | Upper--A Unit of two
| Sixteen | years.
| Seventeen A Unit of one year.
|
Senior | Eighteen | A Unit of two years.
| Nineteen |
|
| Twenty
Lesson Committee Leaflet No. 2,
International Sunday School Association.
THE ORGANIZATION OF THE PUPILS OF A SUNDAY SCHOOL, AND CHARACTER
OF GRADED LESSONS FOR EACH DEPARTMENT
=Divisions Departments Age or Grade Themes of Lessons=
/ /Four --1st year --God the Heavenly Father,
| BEGINNERS / our Provider and Protector.
| \ Five --2d year --Thanksgiving, prayer, helping
E | \ others.
L | /Six --1st year --God's power, love and care,
E | | awakening child's love, trust
M | | and confidence.
E | | Seven --2d year --How to show love, trust and
N | PRIMARY / obedience, in Jesus' love and
T | \ work for men; how to do God's
A | | will.
R | | Eight --3d year --People who choose to do God's
Y / | will; how Jesus revealed the
\ \ Father's love and will.
| /Nine --1st year --Stories of beginnings, three
| | patriarchs, Joseph, Moses and
| | Jesus.
| | Ten --2d year --Conquest of Canaan, stories of
| | New Testament, life and
| JUNIOR / followers of Jesus.
| \ Eleven --3d year --Three Kings of Israel, divided
| | kingdom, exile and return,
| | introduction to New
| | Testament.
| | Twelve --4th year --Gospel of Mark, studies in
| | Acts, winning others to God,
\ \ Bible the Word of God.
/ / /Thirteen --1st year--Biog. studies in Old
| | | Testament, religious leaders
| | Lower / in N.A. salvation and service
S | | \ Fourteen --2d year--Biog. studies in New
E | INTERME- / | Testament, Christian leaders
C | DIATE \ \ after New Testament times.
O | | /Fifteen --3d year--Life of the Man
N | | Upper / Christ Jesus.
D / | \ Sixteen --4th year--Studies in Christian
A \ \ \ living.
R | /Seventeen--1st year --World as a field for Christian
Y | | service; problems of youth in
| | social life; Ruth; James.
| | Eighteen --2d year --Religious history and
| SENIOR / literature of the Hebrew
| \ people--Old Testament.
| | Nineteen --3d year --Religious history and
| | literature of the New
| | Testament.
\ \Twenty --4th year --
ADULT Grading and Classification and Courses now being studied by a
Special Committee of the International Association.
Prepared by Professor Ira M. Price, Secretary International Sunday
School Association Lesson Committee.
These International Lessons are undoubtedly the best on the market at
the present time, although they are very far from being perfect. Gradual
changes, coming from experience in the local Sunday school, will modify
them considerably in the next few years, and they may actually prove to
be forerunners for an almost entirely new series of courses and lessons.
They have been generously received by the eager workers in the local
Sunday school, as an advance on the Uniform Lessons, and where they are
now being tried satisfaction, for the most part, is being evinced. A
great deal of dissatisfaction has been found with the treatment of these
Graded Lessons in some quarters, the Lesson Helps being too mature for
teen age boys. _However, in appraising the value of these Graded
Lessons, two things should be kept in mind, viz.: the selection of the
Lesson Material, and the Lesson Help Treatment of the selected
material._ Opposition to the lessons should never be taken because of
the Lesson Helps. These can be remedied by the denominational publishing
houses, if their attention is called to the weakness or mistake of
treatment, and the teen age teacher can give great assistance to the
denominational editors by counseling with them.
Here and there the suggestion has sprung up for a Graded Uniform Lesson.
That is precisely what the treatment of the Uniform Lesson was for a
number of years, and is yet. It is not adaptation of treatment that is
needed, but adaptation of material that is demanded--courses of study
that fit the religious, spiritual need of the various stages of
development. This much is positively settled.
There is, however, some good reason and very strong ground for uniform
cycles, based on seasonable development rather than on chronological
years and intellectual rating. In some places the present Elementary
International Graded Lessons are being used just this way, although they
do not yield themselves readily to this usage. Cycles of four courses
for the three main divisions of boyhood, nine to twelve years, thirteen
to sixteen years, and seventeen to twenty years, four courses to each
period, based on the general, seasonable development of each period,
have much in their favor. Thus we might have four courses built on
Individual Heroism, four on Altruistic Heroism, and four on the Social
Adaptation which marks the reflective period between seventeen and
twenty. Boys do not mature by years. Growth and development is a jump
from plateau to plateau.
This would fit in also with the general objective of the Sunday school,
and is not the mere impartation of information, but the letting loose of
moral and religious values in life. The latter is produced more by
contact of personality with personality than by intellectual processes.
Should such a plan ever be adopted the courses of study must be
pedagogically arranged and in keeping with the best findings of
psychological usage.
At any rate, whatever be the course of study, the teen age boy needs to
have his life and activity center about the dynamics of the Bible. "The
Art of Living Well" can only be learned out of the textbook of the
experience of the ages. The ordinary tasks and interests of boys, as
well as daily conduct, can be made great channels for life's best
achievement only in proportion to the dynamic throb of the Word that has
inspired men to heroism amid the commonplace and the uncommon, to
self-sacrifice and peace.
BIBLIOGRAPHY ON BIBLE STUDY
Alexander.--Sunday School and the Teens ($1.00).
Horne.--Leadership of Bible Study Groups (.50).
Starbuck.--Should the Impartation of Knowledge Be a Function of the
Sunday School? (.65).
Use of the Bible Among Schoolboys (.60).
Winchester.--The International Graded Sunday School Lessons (_American
Youth_, April, 1912) (.20).
X
THROUGH-THE-WEEK ACTIVITIES FOR BOYS' ORGANIZED CLASSES[5]
The Sunday school has at last begun to realize that a boy demands more
than spiritual activity to round out his life into symmetrical
development. It also comprehends that religion is more than a set of
beliefs--_that religion is a life at work among its fellows._ "For to me
to live is Christ"--to live, play, love, and work. Because of these two
reasons, the Sunday school assumes its obligation to direct and foster
the through-the-week life of its boys, as well as the Bible period of
the Sunday session of the school.
_Contact_.--Of course, for a long time the leaders and teachers of Boys'
Organized Bible Classes have felt the need of a through-the-week
contact with the members of the class. The school period of one hour or
an hour and a half has been found by most teachers to be too meager for
a healthy class life. Then, too, most teachers are realizing that really
to touch the life of the boy more contact than the teaching of the Bible
lesson is necessary. Some teachers are taking an interest in the school
or working conditions of the teen boy. Quite a few teachers are now
deeply interested in the leisure time of their pupils, and have begun to
direct the physical, social and mental activities of the teen years, as
well as the spiritual. They have realized that the teen age is not made
up of disjointed and disconnected activities, but is in a continual
process of development, and that its growth is normally symmetrical and
its activities intertwined.
_The Organized Class._--The great majority of Sunday school teachers
have no desire to try any auxiliary organization in combination with
their classes. They are somewhat dubious of the machinery, ritual, etc.,
which are concomitants of these schemes. Again and again they have
voiced a demand, not for new organizations, but for activities to deepen
interest in the organization that the teacher understands--the Bible
Class.
The Organized Boys' Bible Classes operate in the Secondary Division or
teen years of the Sunday school, from 13 to 20, and include both the
younger and older boys. The earlier and later adolescent periods are
separate and distinct groups. Plans and activities that have proven
successful with one group will prove to be ineffectual with the other.
All things should be planned to meet the development of the group. In
the following list of activities the group interests have not been
separated as they intermingle with each other. _If the class be allowed
to choose and voice its sentiment, the right activity will always be
selected._ Besides, if the members make their own choice, there can be
little complaint at results, and they will work harder for the success
of their own plans. All this develops character, which is one of the
real reasons for these through-the-week activities.
=Activities for Teen Boys' Organized Bible Classes=
#Physical#
ATHLETICS
Free Hand and Calisthenic Drills Fire, Ambulance, Life-saving Drills
Single Stick and Foil, Boxing Swimming Water Polo Water Sports Jumping
and Running Shot Put Discus Throwing Baseball, Indoor and Outdoor
Basket-ball Football Volleyball La Crosse, Bowling Tennis
GAMES
Observation, Agility, Strength, Fun--Indoor and Outdoor Quoits
SIGNALING
Semaphore Wig Wag Heliograph Wireless
WOODCRAFT
Tracking and Trailing Bird, Plant, Tree, Grass and Flower Lore Star,
Wind and Water Knowledge Stalking with Camera Wild Life
CAMPING
Tent and Tepee Making Moccasin Making Huts, Lean-to, Shacks Grass Mat
Weaving Map Making Knot Tying Fire Lighting Boat Management Boat and
Canoe Building Canoeing Fishing Camp Cooking Week-end Camps Indian Camps
Over-night Camps Hikes, Tramps, Walks, Gypsy and Hobo Hill Climbing
HYGIENE
Care of body, eyes, nails, teeth, etc. Laws of recreation, Hiking, etc.
Kite Making and Flying Gliding and Aeroplaning Circus Stunts Sport
Carnival Corn, Apple, Clam Roasts, etc. Moonlight Trips, Rides, etc.
Cycling Skating Hockey Skiing
#Social#
Home Socials: Stag Ladles' Nights Parents' Nights
Entertainments: Playets Minstrel Show Lincoln Night Washington Night
Stunts and Skits Mock Trial Declamation or Oratorical Contest Glee
Concert
Game Tournaments: Checkers Caroms Chess Ping-Pong Bowling
Hayseed Carnival Parlor Magic Athletic Stunts Independence Day Political
Campaign Town Meeting Sex Instruction Practical Citizenship
Exhibition: Pet Show Mandolin and Guitar Fests Fireside and Joke Nights
Spelling Bee History Bee Geography Quiz Hallowe'en Night Pop-corn
Festival Masked Partners Library Party Supper or Banquet Father and Son
Spread Class Guest of Class Calendar Exhibit Coin Exhibit Stamp Exhibit
Arts and Crafts Photographs Wild Flower Tree and Plant Sea Shell
Post-cards
Social Sing: Popular Songs Old Familiar Songs School Songs Patriotic
Hymns Church Music
#Mental#
Practical Talks: Elementary Mechanics Applied Electricity Wireless
Chemical Analysis Natural Science Mineralogy Nature Study First Aid
Thrift and Property Use of Library
Life-work Talks: Ministry Law Medicine Teaching Business
The Trades: Blacksmith Carpenter Plumbing Printing Painting Bricklaying
Masonry Farming Seamanship Architecture Art Chemistry Forestry
Engineering: Mechanical Electrical Surveying
Citizenship: The Township or Municipality--Town Meetings Select and
Common Councils Commission Government
The State--The Legislature The Courts The Governor's Staff
Literary Stunts: Declaiming Extemporaneous Speech Editing Paper
Educational Trips: Community Visitation--Shops and Factories Fire Houses
City or Community History Public Buildings Public Utilities, etc.
Neighborhood Visitation--Famous Places Great Industries Coal Mines, etc.
Arts and Crafts: Drawing Bent Iron Work Clay Modeling Basket Making
Hammock Weaving, etc. Stamp Collecting Coin Collecting Sketch Collecting
Kodaking and Photographing Debating Reading Night and Courses
Discussions Congress and Senate Poster Making Travel and Science Talks
Stereopticon Moving Pictures
Literary Stunts--Essay Writing and Reading
The Nation--Congress Army and Navy Civil Service Diplomatic and Consular
Service
Duties of Citizen--Elections Jury Service Maintenance of Law
Current Topics
#Spiritual#
Graded Bible Study
Daily Readings
Systematic Instruction: Church Membership Benevolences Missionary
Operations
Supplemental Talks: General Church History Denominational History Local
Church History
Church Organization: Denominational Local Church Sunday School Auxiliary
Societies
Teacher Training Class
Cooperation in Church Activity Personal Evangelism Directed Reading
NOTE: Of course all the activities enumerated in this leaflet are
Spiritual. This list merely emphasizes a few activities usually
designated spiritual.
=Service Activities=
Christ challenged men to self-sacrifice. He said: "He that would be
greatest among you let him be the servant of all." In this way
adolescent boys must be challenged to lives of unselfish, altruistic,
Christ-like service. There is no other test for the teacher. It is his
business to get teen age boys to serve. This the boy does, first by the
desire to help another, then by right living, doing right for the sake
of right; then by religious belief, which forms a cable to bind him back
in simple faith on God, until he comes face to face with the Master of
men, living right, doing right, thinking right, loving right, serving
right, with all his life, because of his love for Christ.
Physical Service--
Organize and manage Boys' Baseball Nine.
Organize and manage Boys' Football Eleven.
Organize and manage Boys' Basket-ball Five.
Organize and manage Boys' Track Team.
Organize and manage Boys' Tennis Tournaments.
Coach younger boys in baseball.
Coach younger boys in basket-ball.
Coach younger boys in football.
Coach younger boys in track athletics.
Coach younger boys in tennis.
Train younger boys in free-hand gymnastics.
Train younger boys in life-saving drills.
Assist in the running of inter-class athletics.
Assist in the running of inter-school athletics.
Lead gymnastic groups for the local school.
Teach boys to swim.
Assist in the running of aquatic meets.
Leaders to encourage boys to get into athletics.
Leaders to encourage boys in outdoor life.
Leaders to encourage boys in camps and hikes.
Leaders to encourage boys in woodcraft and scouting.
Lead a gymnastic class in Social Settlement.
Manage and coach athletics in Social Settlements.
Assist as Play Leader in public playground.
Organize, manage, and umpire Boys' Twilight Ball League.
Assist in sport carnival, circus, exhibits, etc.
Make a specialty of some form of camp life and teach it to boys.
Social Service--
Become responsible for some boy.
Plan a social time.
Assist in planning an entertainment.
Manage and coach musical activity.
Teach games to backward boy.
Assist in exhibit.
Manage celebration.
Promote class and school picnics.