Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1898-05-17
INTERESTING SESSION.
Sunday School Union Meeting Attended by ;
Large Gathering,

Large Gathering.
A large and appreciative gathering
of Sunday school workers met irf reg
ular Union meeting on Monday even
ing. May 10, 1898, in the Fourteenth
ward assembly rooms. Supt. r. C.
Griggs presided. Excellent music was
rendered by the Sixth ward Sunday
school choir under the direction of
Elder James Poulton.
All the city schools, except the Fifth
and Twenty third wards, were well
represented, as were also the following
schools of the county: Big Cottonwood
both schools), Cannon, Center. East
Mill Creek. Farmers, Forest Dale, East
Jordan, Mil Creek, South Jordan.
Sugar, Sandy, North Point and Will
ford.
The opening prayer was offered by
superlntendent Henry b. Elder of the
Twenty fourth ward AS soon as the
opening exercises were concluded, the
meeting was divided and the usual de-
partment work was entered into in
earnest. II is in this department work
that the utility and usefulness of the
Union meeting Is manifest, as the
teacher from each department gets In
formation directly bearing upon his or
her practical school work. Each of
the departments Is under the direction
q competent and practical school
wMkers, and the model lessons and
dlscussions upon the same are partici-
paid in by all who attend If they 50
desre Since the adoption of this
aOrk In the Union meetings, the at
iendance has more than doubled, md
the interest has grown proportionately
Many Sabbath schools, both of the, city
and Stake. have at each meeting rep
resentatives from each department of
their schools, and 1t is needless to say
that such schools are improving and
becoming more efficient for good. The
lessons presented and discussed are not
arbitrary, but serve as models, OF
sample lessons, and the discussions are
Intended to Illustrate the best means
and methods of interesting and in
structing the young in the principles
Of the Gospel.
Besides the department work.
meeting of superintendent was also
held during the evening,
The Primary department. under the
charge of Elder b. w. Ashton, dis
cussed sample lessons suitable to this
grade.
The First intermediate. in care of Ell
der VIM. Bradford. had under consid-
Grafton the best means of strength
ening the memory" and also had some
discussion on the subject of "appro-
pirate Fast-day exercises"
The Second intermediate, under the
care OF Elder Horace Cummings and
Delbert Pnrrott, spent sometime dis
eussing means to control and interest
rough and inattentlve boys"
The Higher or Theological class We're
given n model lesson upon Divine Au-
tlOritN from tho Hfth nj pI. 40
by Sister Bertha Wilcken.
Elder Richard II. Lyman, the direc-
tor Of this department, gave very in
!erestng talk upon psychology, dwelling
particularly upon the subject of atten-
ton, urging Its Importance as the
greatest factor in attaining success in
The search for knowledge. The art of
learning as well as the art of teaching
rests upon the power of attention Few
lessons are too difficult for the student
VINO can concentrate upon them all his
energies. Right study and correct
teaching develop the habit and power of
complete attention.
Attention, In one sense. is compared
WIN burning sun glass, which, when
properly focused upon an article begins
nurn II; so when the mind is concen-
mated upon subject 1t begins to
.sster ". 1t is thepower to concentrate
mort, without attention and some fixlty
purpose life would be long
,eyerte man would would be an idle
areamer. Sis Isaac Newton ascribed his
superiority to other men In intellectual
power simply to his greater power of
suehtion, without which power there
In ne no mental growth or activity.
..uenuon lsolates one subject from 9TH
ana concentrates effort upon 1t to
''s exclusion of all other objects.
,qni,I nothins can be learned without at
m,nu,n y would not be out of place
Ior the Sunday school teacher TO in
s,ruct his pupils In the art of attention.
,, oe nist thing to be done in this direc-
y, n'n IS Tor the teacher to come prepared
present his class with something
/, -. their attention. and seek to offer
W. such way that the children are
Ssusry Tor the lesson. To reach this
~ OF interest the lesson must not
~ u,eyond the mental capacity of the
gaNL As the child cannot pay attention
,hn,Ss upon any one subject, the minds |
ss,Ia'u mol be urged to tho point of
az ast as this weakens the capacity |
v, WIEN the attention is lost. some d. |
,eaohln should he resorted to by the |
iiv w, IN primary class some bod |
varcss 'oises or song, in a more adj |
re,Is,.uu class story or anecdotc may |
iar,n the mind and arrest Its wan |
;on.as When the teacher can no |
40 i. interest his class in the subject |
rs IN ing to teach, the lesson, SO far
ana !. "drher Is concerned Ia ended, |
for a,, ne recitation should cease also; |
ana NY Time the child should attend
much ~, not, he has not only lost 20
had aiming In attention, but he has
ton mat much training in inatten-
and anton is n lesson to be learned,
as anv n,, us much matter of training
must bo me, ,l lesson. To be effective il
soclatc hilaught, not demanded. To as
the punt, insure with the exertions of
which aov. particularly the pleasure