Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1894-01-16
SUNDAY SCHOOL UNION.
Meeting Of That Exccllen, Association
Held Last Night

There was very fair attendance at
the Sunday School Union meeting
held last evening, January lblh'
Nearly nil the city schools were repre-
scented, also the schools Of Big Cotton
wood, Sandy, Forest Dale, Union anu
Deaf Mutes.
Tho very excellent singing exercises
were given by the Juvenile Choir OF
the Second ward, directed by Brother
Ernest Basseit, whose labors In train
ing the children OF lha, ward are very
commendAble and gratifying.
Prof willard Done, as per previous
announcement, caves very instructive
lecture upon the subject Of "Sunday
Rohool Teachinx.0 The speaker began
bia remarks with brief history u bab-
hath sohools. In early days OF this work
the teaching was very much dlscon-
nocted, there being no systemic plahi
or definite purpose I'm view until the
organization Of sunday school unions,
under which was inaugurated hsr.
monious work throughout the various
Christian nations, until ut present the
work IL 10 thoroughly syetemalizsd a.
TO become n profession.
The history Of our own Sunday
schools II very similar. At present II
forms ono OF tho greatest "helps" In
thoChuroh, working harmoniously with
all other church organizations Tor the
development OF the souls and faculties
Of the Tiaing generation.
The old Idea Of teaching was TO cram
the minds OF the children with tho
knowledge Of words and phrases, with
out regard 10 the growth OF mind. Tho
modern and tfue idea Of teaching
IL 10 place child under the
best circumstances for development
and then give him an opportunity for
growth, aud instead Of examining his
mind with words, or senlonces,Or ideas
no does not comprehend, present sub
Iects 10 him IN such way ~ 10 draw
MIN out, and give him an opportunity
10 formulate ideai and thoughts OF Ills
own.
Tho first duty OF teachers, No also
OF parents, IA 10 study child nature,
and seek 10 understand tho children
they have TO deal with mentally aud
spiritually, to learn TO feel ns they
feel, TO look NJ things NJ they do. The
ulOft tuuIuANhAI AAN NtANhNA hhANNH
stands the children the greater his sue.
cess.
Give the children an opportunity 10
think for themselves. IL, for Instance,
a child comes with question Tor in-
formation, instead Of giving a direct
anawer, question him upon tho subject
and lead MIN 10 see for himself, nnd by
the exercise Of hia own judgment TO
g..Iu... aI... Inflammation Ia. To
do this successfully IL tfuo teaching.
In this way the child learns 10 think
for himself aud learns 10 exercise his
own judgment.
No teacher should nttempt 10 teach
his class unless no knows what no 1,
going 10 teach, and should adapt his
Instructions 10 the capacity ofhis class |
never cram the minds Of his chill. |
dren with finished and matured In. /
formation, but stir up their minds with |
earneat enthusiasm, anu plant tho |
reeds Of knowledge and lot the
lnatured aud perfected plant Of
knowledge grow and develop In the
minds OF tho children.
The golden rule OF all teaching IL
that the teacher cannot impaft 10
others that which he does not himself
possess. A teacher must therefore
posses, the chaTaoloristlcs he wishes ~
develop In his pupils, mentally ami
morally.
The art OF questioning, called the
bocrntic methOu Of leaohiug, In one uf
the best means VI drawing Out AMI do-
veioping the minds Of tho children.
Jesus was Teacher OF all toachUls,aud
used this method OF instruction TO ma.
finite perfection, M often iuulAnCrd In
the discontinue OF his enemies by a
pertinent question. BY this method the
children Are led 10 discover truths for
themsolvea, and tho more Of this the
better. Give IN this way all thc oppof.
tunity pOasiblei for tho children 20 learn
Tor themselves, 40 they most onec,u.
ally learn 10 DO by doing. Tho
true teacher should do MS little
talking Tor telling) M possible,
and draw out by judiolOus questions
tho Information or knowledge no de-
aires 10 impGfl. A class or school
should not 10 bored TO death by too
much talking, either by teacher or
superintendent.
"Aim high" should be- the motto OF
our teachers and Huperiniendents--
not the qinttest class or school, but tho
BKsr. IL 10 better 10 aim too nigh and
strive TO reach that ideal than 10 aim
lower and reach our ideals.
bupt Gflggs offered few excellent
remarks, commanding tho iaithiulness
Of tho Sunday School workers during
the past year, and expressed his pleas
nre In seeing 30 good a representation
at these meetings OF the officers OF the
Sunday Schools. lilo noted thu better
condition OF those schools which were
usually represented at these meeting.
superintendent were requested 10
zee that the annual reports for 1893
were sent In ht once.
Tho namua Of Elders VIM. J. Kerr,
ChRs. Nj. Cannon aud w. IL. Guam.
berlin were presented as additional
workers In tho Sunday school mission.
airy corps, anu were unanimously Bus.
tainsd.
The Third ward school viii furnish
the music at the next meeting Of the
Union, the general program Tor which
will be published hereafter.
Benedlclijn was pronounced by
Assistant Superintendent w. G. Bur.
ton, aud the meeting adjourned Tor one
mouth. JOS. HYRuM PARRY,