_Attention._—This is a Latin word of very decisive meaning; “a
stretching of something toward something.” A bow strained is a literal
illustration. In common acceptation it is limited to mental conditions.
The dictionaries define it as “a steady exertion of the mind.”
Without attention there can be no teaching. In Sunday-school teaching
the _something stretched_ must be the pupil’s mind; the _objective
something_, the truth to be taught.
There are two kinds of attention: (1) Voluntary, and (2) Involuntary.
Voluntary attention is born of ignorance and of desire to know, and
places confidence in the power of the person to whom it yields itself to
satisfy that desire.
Illustration: My little child sees my hand upon the door-knob; sees the
door open, and my egress. Next day, pursuing his desire, his hand seeks
the knob, but the door does not open. He comes to me with his difficulty.
I slowly turn the knob. He watches. He gives attention. It was born of
ignorance; of desire to know; and of confidence in me. It was voluntary;
and it will end when the necessity for it ends.
2. Involuntary attention. This is of two kinds—(1) _Compelled_; (2)
_Won_. The galley slave under a master’s eye illustrates the first.
Another is furnished by a violin string, when strained. It is attent,
it answers the thought in the soul of the musician who draws the bow
upon it. But the bow was resined and the string strained by the artist’s
hand. He created the attention. It was involuntary; nay, more; it was
compelled. Such attention ends when the compulsion ends. I do not want
such from my pupils.
2. That which is won; and which involuntary at first soon becomes
voluntary. This is the attention which results in teaching and learning.
The duration of attention, voluntary or involuntary, must always depend
on certain conditions:
1. Conditions of Circumstance. (_a_) The place must be suitable; (_b_)
the time must be opportune; (_c_) the ventilation good; (_d_) the
temperature agreeable. These are necessary elements in the effort of
holding attention. But though these things be all unfavorable, their
disadvantages may be overcome, if there is no lack in the second class of
conditions, namely:
2. Conditions of Personality. By this I mean my personality as teacher.
These conditions are (_a_) that of attractive power that will draw the
pupil toward me; (_b_) that of magnetism that will hold the pupil fast to
me; (_c_) that of enthusiasm that will fire my pupil with zeal for work;
(_d_) that of self-withdrawal; (_e_) that which transfers attention from
myself to my subject. If I have these personal elements in my teaching, I
shall get attention and hold it. If I have not, I must cultivate them.
3. Conditions of Knowledge. These are three. I must know _my subject_,
_myself_, and _my pupil_. A knowledge of the subject, involves a
knowledge of methods. And here is the critical test with a teacher.
Notice some of the methods essential: (_a_) The use of illustrations
apt and interesting; (_b_) the use of questions full of surprises and
wise devices; (_c_) the use of elliptical readings between teacher and
pupil; (_d_) the use of concert recitations in low tones by pupils; (_e_)
the use of inter-questions, each pupil asking a question in turn of his
fellow-pupil, and each also of the teacher; (_f_) the use of pictures,
maps, and objects.