Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1909-06-11

preparing the current lesson, but with
courses and methods Of study which
make for self-improvement In the art
| of teaching. Where teachers meet
ing can be maintained, 1t offers to the
| wide-awake pastor splendid oppor-
tunity of 80 impressing his teachers
as to materially improve their work.
But after much observation, am
persuaded that only very few OF our
schools maintain teachers meetings;
and that the meeting Of the teachers,
however valuable 1t may be, Is meet
ing which is very difficult to main
| tain. In many cases and often In
country schools, teachers meeting
does not seem to be possible. Under
such conditions the pastor must needs
look elsewhere for an opportunity to
/; improve the teaching service.
4. However, much may be accom-
plished in the ways already indicated,
the pastor who seeks to leave the
greatest impress upon the teaching OF
his school will find his greatest OPP
portunity in the teachers normal
training class. And here the material
which promises best results will not
be found in mature men and women,
but in boys and girls Of intellect and
piety, who are at the formative Pc
riod of life. The most promising ages
for successful training are the
y. between 16 and 20. Let the pas
tor who would improve the teaching
forces in his school for the future look
carefully among his young people and
select such as give best promise OF
development. Let him lay before
them the opportunities Of the teacher
and ask them to prepare themselves
for the work Of teaching. When
shown the opportunities Of service
L., taa tno thQu will rQQn0n6
to this appeal. Let them now be Or
ganized into a teaclier-training class
and put them upon some course OF
study in Sunday school methods and
Bible study. The pastor himself or
the best available teacher In the
school ought to have charge or this
work, so that in the teaching Of the
regular lessons these young people
may have model work in lesson prep
aration and in class recitation put be-
fore them from week to week. This,
of itself, would go far toward making
them good teachers. The pastor who
perseveres in this work and keeps his
young people at 1t, by keeping them
encouraged and interested, by and by
will have a teaching force In his Sun
day school which will inaugurate
new era in its efficiency. Ten years
ago when Rev. B. w. Spellman, then
field secretary under the Baptist State
Mission Board Of North Carolina, be-
gan to inaugurate this kind OF work In
the Sunday school Of the Tabernacle
church at Raleigh, some there were
who were inclined to laugh at MS
teacher training class composed OF
shy girls and awkward boys. But
few years later when brilliant young
lawyer, who was q member OF that
class, laid his trained hand upon the
BARRACKS and the class outgrew It's
quarters until 1t arose In its own
might and built new quarters for it
self, they did not laugh any more.
Today that class under the guidance
Of the same efficient teacher, number
ing some 200 young men, Is the pride
of that school and mighty organized
force for good in reaching other
young men. When a trained and con-
secrated young woman from the same
class, did a similar work for the Phil
athea class, the school was ready TO
recognize these trained teachers. And
wherever such work has been faith
fully, patiently and lovingly done It
has abundantly indicated itself In
the improvement Of the teaching
force. This is the best solution OF the
teaching problem Of which l have
any knowledge and I most heartily
commend IL tO Hiy uTothOi PoSsoAS ~
Sunday school workers, feeling assur-
ed that 1t will work a revolution
wherever 1t is given an honest trial.
In this day, when on every SIDE
there is a demand for specialization,
in every department Of human en-,
deayor, the Sunday school, IL 1t would
continue to command the respect Oh
Its constituency, must give Its atten-
ton to the special training Of its work
II ing force. There must be not only
trained teachers but trained officers IN
charge of other posts. The pastor.
alive to the demands of the day, Is
the man of the hour to direct these
forces which shall make the Sunday
school new power in the Kingdom OF
God. The vision Of the on-coming
trained force of workers in the sun.
day school, under competent pastoral
leadership, cheers my soul with the
hope that a new day Of Sunday school
efficiency and success is dawning. May
It speedily come in all its radiance
| and glory.