Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1909-06-11
THE FORWARD MOVEMENT.
Where It Began and Where It Is Lead
ina To.

]. M. Way, General Secretary of South
Carolina Sunday School association,
before York County convention.
That belief that Mark Hopkins on
one end of a log and student on the
other end made a university has a
principle which can now be said to
dominate the great Sunday schoo!
leaders Of our country In their for
ward movement, for upon the effici-
ency, conservation and perseverance
Of our Sunday school teachers, more
than others, depends the future sue
cess Of Sunday school achievement.
| While we mean to leave no such I'M
preston as the one which considers
the Sunday school for children only,
yet in the main, all Sunday school
MANAGEMENT and teaching should
take into consideration the meaning
| of the work to our children. The
boys and girls, young men and young
women, doing systematic work In the
secular schools naturally and proper
ly measure Sunday school work by the
standards of the schools which they
attend during the week. In the sec
ular schools they have trained teach
ers, and the Sunday school world has
come to a realization of the fact that
these same children must have train
ed teachers to teach them Gods word
on Sunday. This has brought about
what we are pleased to term the
great continent-wide forward move
ment of Sunday school teachers. TO
make more ineligible the statement
which I have Just made, I will assign
the following reasons for demanding
trained teachers:
First, probably as never before the
worldwide Christian church Is laying
great stress on Christian education.
Second, the world rates the Sunday
schools in accordance with the stand
ard of efficiency, conservation and
perseverance of their teachers.
Third, the Sunday schools have not
been producing satisfactory results
The better we are equipped for our
work, the more difficult it becomes to
satisfy ourselves with the results or
our endeavors. This is exactly the
sentiment which should dominate the
minds of all Sunday school teachers.
Fourth, the leading Sunday schools
of the country are now demanding a
graded course of study. This graded
system of lessons Is now in course OF
preparation, but it cannot be handled
| by unframed teachers. The beginning
Of the twentieth century brought the
Sunday school as a worldwide insti-
tuition, face to face with the greatest
test in all of it's career. 1t must meet
the test or suffer severely from the
| results.
Fifth, the teacher training courses
now provided by the different denom-
nations and standardized by the In
ternational Association, give general
knowledge of the Bible as a whole
rather than a special knowledge Of
isolated sections 1t is we'll to be able
to turn to any particular verse or
chapter of the Bible wanted at any
time, but it Is a hundred fold more
| important to have a clear view In out
line of the Bible as a whole. This Is
Just what the teacher training course
gives.
Sixth, you ask how have we arrived
at the conclusion that the Sunday
school Is not producing satisfactory
results? Ny answers-Tests among
nom attendants show that our past
and a good deal of our present teach
ing is not satisfactory and worse still
| is not attractive. Between the Be-
ginners' Department and the Adult
Department, we have suffered a leak
age of rs per cent. To stop this leak
age all does not depend upon the
teacher, but surely most Of 1t depends
on the satisfaction and attractiveness
of the teaching. Christ held his au-
dience spellbound for the reason that
He was the most attractive teacher
the world has ever seen.
Seventh, we must realize, and sure
| ly we are beginning to, that the Sum
day school is an educational inStitu-
ton. Members of Gods church
should receive well-grounded Chris
tian education if they are to develop
symmetrical Christian character.
How to Do the Work.
| I have now stressed the Importance
of training our teachers for more eff
fcient work. In organizing and main
tanning these classes many questions
will arise. / therefore deem it of i'm
work in detail.
| I. Organization.
| /. Organize the class thoroughly.
| 2. Fix place of meeting.
3. Fix time Of meeting, that Is, the
| day and the hour.
| II. Who Should Be Members of the
Glass.
| l. Your teacher.
2. Those who ought to be teachers.
3. Young men and young women
who ought to be your future
| teachers.
III. Course of Study for the Glass.
l. Should be general, not special.
2. Should lay the foundation for
| broad and intelligent future study.
| 3. Should conform to the develop
ment of the mind.
4. Should produce definite results.
s. Should include the elements of
| religious pedagogy.
". How to Conduct the Class.
l. Use a text book.
2. Use a blackboard.
|
| 4. Review each lesson until all
| know it.
5. At the beginning of each session
review the previous lesson.
6. Have both written and oral tests.
| Z. Having final examination cover
ing the entire course.
V. Who Shall Teach the Class?
| l. Your pastor, or
| 2. Your superintendent, or
3. Some good, Christian teacher.
VI. Qualifications of the Teacher.
l. He should be willing to teach.
| 9. He should have a working
| knowledge of the Bible.
| 3. He should have the respect and
confidence of the class.
1. He should adapt his teaching to
the mental capacity of his pupils.
| VII. Graduation Day
| |. Prepare for the occasion as you
would for commencement
have special music and decora-
| tiOnS.
2. Have essays and addresses by
| members of the class.
8. Have special address by a
| special speaker on Bible study.
| 4. Make special announcement of
| the graduation exercises. magni-
fy it, and get large crowd to at
| tend.
| 5. Award diplomas to graduates.
VIII Results of Teacher Training.
| /. Produces better teachers.
9. Encourages special Bible study.
3. Gives a better rating to Bible
| study. and Sunday school work
| i'm the community.
4. Prepares one to be an effective
worker for the Master.