The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1896-09-19

| ton and careless interest will soon be-
come manifest, caused by the weakness
Of the teacher. What we want is corps
of worthy men and women who are
trimming full of the work and have a
Jealous desire to promote religious NOR
atty; thus they may steal gently and
silently into the hidden recesses of the
child mind.
Failures in life result from lack of
systematic effort. Nothing great was
ever accomplished unless the producing
process was first systematized. Here,
the same as in the public school, grad
uated scale forming continuous chain
is of vast import. If morality and re-
ligious instinct have been properly pro
pagated in the child by an interesting
study of individual characte we have
laid the foundation for the higher con
siderations of the more mature mind.
Two Kinds of Interest.
Best results are only to be secured
when there is individual interest in the
subject under consideration. There are
two kinds Of est,-direct, or that
which springs from an uncomfortable
desire to obtain more knowledge than
we already possess of the subject in
which we are concerned; or, briefly stat
ing it, knowledge for the sake of knowl
edge and the pleasure to be derived from
it. This kind of interest is the true
source of all greatness. The other is
indirect interest, or that produced
through the agency of prize. emulation
or vanity.
1t seems unnecessary to discuss which
of these two the honest and Jealous
teacher will strive to secure.
1 repeat that the great purpose, at
least of the Universalist Sunday school,
is to SECURE good citizenship. morality
and holy reverence for our supreme
Father. and Christ his Son, who said,
Suffer little children to come unto me
and forbid them not. This can only be
secured by bending the tender flaments
of child mind in way that will directly
interest him for truths own sake; first in
the study of individual character, thence
in the great abstract questions of re
ligiop.
Use and Abuse of Question Method.
Another most disagreeable error APP
pearing to the qualified and practical
teacher is that arising from the abuse Ct
the question and answer method; and it
is really surprising how great the num-
bar who resort to this method, presum
eddy to save themselves labor and the
trouble of investigation. Why teachers
of intelligence will resort to this prac-
tice as predominating feature Of their
work is really beyond the understanding
of thinking people.
The good old way was, has been. is
now, and most likely will be for years to
come, very popular among Sunday school
| teachers. The plan is to take penny
collections, secure lesson leaves with the
proceeds, ask the printed question in
manner sembling the atmosphere of
Polaris, and the second feature of this
great self sacrificing process is for the
pupil to likewise answer it by reading
from the printed page.
Shame be upon those teachers who
practice this sluggardly hobby! May
| they in the near future awaken to the
fact that their duty is to instill into the
child mind through the agency of char
acter study, the peaceful satisfaction of
religious knowledge and understand
| ing.
l wish not to oppose the use of lesson
leaves in our work. was speaking only
o: their abuse. They can be and are by
many teachers used successfully, but
their purpose is merely to outline the
work to be done. They should be used
az means toward an end, but not as an
end in themselves.
Every teacher should possess the
| qualifications of superintendent, the
more important of these being consider
ate authority, ability to transmit to
others the contents of his own mind
methodically arranged ideas, and alb I'VE
all comprehensive knowledge of the
! subject under consideration.
Ask no direct questions which can be
answered by yes or no, but rather pres
emit those queries which will arouse the
interest and imagination of the children;
then see how quickly every eye, sparkling
like diamonds, will be upon you, and how
anxiously every little urchin will at once
search the innermost recesges of his
II ind to discover the unknown answer
by relating it to facts already existing in
bis mind.
This method Of instruction, if applied
to the younger classes. would not only lie
successful in securing steady interest
but would be productive of absolute
success. Then the old maxim, "Train up
child in the way he should 60 al d
when he is old he will not depart there
ON" would be practically demon
| trated.
| Concentration Needed.
Again, concentration is the secret OF
| Ill n ieh 10