Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1906-02-13
WORK IN SUNDAY SCHOOLS
Nebraska Association Opens Convention
At Trinity Methodist
PLANS AND METHODS UNDER DEBATE
Experienced workers Discus. the
Rest Means of Arousing Interest
and Achieving Results that
Are Permanent.


Trinity Methodist Episcopal church, at
Twenty-first and Binney streets was well
filed last night with enthusiastic Sunday
school workers of the Nebraska State sun
day School association, who gathered to
listen to the addresses by Prof II Nj. Steid-
ley, secretary Of the state association; Miss
Mamie Halnes, state superintendent of pri-
mary work and George @. Wallace chair
man of the state executive committee Of
the association.
The meeting was presided over by Rev
r. II. Mcdowell. After brief devotional
services Prof. Steidley gave a talk upon
the teacher problem. He maintained that
the first duty of the Sunday school teacher
is to secure the friendship of the class.
next 70 prepare by careful study to be able
TO interestingly instruct the class. What
you touch in people," he said, lis what
comes to the surface II you touch the
good, the good comes, and II you touch
the bad. the bad comes 1t Is a lamentable
fact that but IS per cent of the pupils of
Sunday school become active church work.
ers. The fault lies with the method OF
instruction or rather the lack of instruc-
ton The chief point is to interest the
pupil in his work and adhere to the recita-
tive feature exactly on the same plan that
is observed in the public schools"
Primary sunday school Work.
Miss Haines talked on the problem of
primary work in the Sunday school. She
said. THE all-absorbing question is.
Where shall we place the primary grades?
The general idea Is that any place in the
Sunday school room is good enough for
them. While in truth we should exercise
the same care in placing them with at
tractive surroundings in the kindergar-
ten and primary departments of our pub
lie schools.
''who shall constitute the primary
classes? The cradle roll is one of the most
important departments of the Sunday
school, For we should remember that when
we place our hand on the head of a child
We place IT on the heart of the mother.
The cradle roll is always feeding the pri-
mary class. Our primary ages should be
from 8 to years, after the child should
go into the Junior grade.
How shall we teach them? I still have
faith in the old plan of memorizing scrip
tural verses once memorized they will
never be forgotten. There should be two
classes, one from 3 to 5, and the other from
6 to 0 year pupils. Isn't IT sad to think
that we have but one short hour in the
week to teach spiritual things? That hour
| is most precious one, and every moment
of IT should be utilized to its sacred oppor-
tunity.
What shall we teach is another OF the
| vital questions of Sunday school work.
Memorzing seems to be a most effective
method. 1t gives the child familiarity
with the scriptures that will remain with
it always"
Question Box Session.
| Mr.. Wallace suggested a question bureau,
In which all present should participate.
! The questions were along the line of
general Sunday school work; how to Sc
/ cure better attendance, how to interest the
parents in Sunday school work, and how
to best interest children in the Sunday
school, Prof. Steidley and Miss Haines
gave the benefit OF their observation and
experience in these matters. as did the
several superintendents of the Sunday
schools of the city in attendance.
| This afternoon at o'clock a childrens'
and mothers meeting will be held at
! Trinity church, Mrs. NJ. b. Copeland pre-
siding. Mrs. p. NJ. Pritchard will speak
| upon Some Methods OF the Primary
Teacher" and Miss Haines will speak upon
Some Phases of the Mothers relation to
the Sunday School,"
Rev b. NJ. Higbee will preside at the
| Tuesday evening meeting, which will be-
conduct a round table on Sunday school
management. Miss Haines will make the
| closing address