The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-11-05
MRS. PHOEBE A. CURTIS ON THE
 BIBLE TRAINING SCHOOL WORK
Distinguished As Teacher and Schoar-Her Work In Her Native State, Ohio" Timothy Standby's Winner She Is Borrowed For the Occasion Opinions
 On Various Subjects
py DOLLY DALRYMPLE

Mrs. Curtis continued, both the H1ne Department and Elementary Work In the Sunday School. and gave up teaching m the Public Schools and I have followed my vocation ever since"
 The Graded Work in the Sunday School" I asked, how did 1t come about?s
 Tt came to us through the need that has been felt as we studied the Child, Mrs. Curtis replied. 'fThe old style or uniform method, as the name implies, was the same to all. By that method the material was the center and the child out side, and the material had to be worked over to suit the needs of the child. In the Graded work the child is the center and tho material is outside, and as we study the characteristics and temperament and needs of the child we mold the material to suit the child"
 You believe largely in organization in your work as effective of great results, I infer" was my next observation.
 "The organized work is under the h. ternational Sunday School Association, and the States. Counties, Township or Districts hold their meetings-each form ing wheel within a wheel. as It were, in the great whole" was the reply.
 The work is divided very attractively into different divisions. The Elementary Division in which I am particularly in- terested takes in all the children under the teens. The Secondary Division em- braces the boys ard girls ii the teen age, or, as we call 1t. the Slippery age-onIy we don't let them slip away from us now as they formerly did. The Adult Glasses have accomplished also a wonderful work, inasmuch as they have done more to bring the men and women of the church into the Sunday School than anything else I know of. It used to be true that when you'd 20 Into the Sunday School yol.'d see nothing but children, and an occasional grown person, but today through the Bible Training School you will see great classes of men and wom- on with the children interspersed among them. You nave much to be proud of in Birmingham in this particular division of the work. I have heard since have beon here of one class-the Ramsay Class which is composed of 300 men. Isn't that splendid? Then there Is the Home Department, which is of untold worth. It enables all those who by age or illness for any reason are deprived of the pleas ure of attending Sunday School to study their Quarterly and carry on their Sunday School work right in their own home. The Superintendent of this Department makes it her duty to call at the home of such member at least four times a year at which time literature is provided and every arrangement made for the proper stuoy of the work. Then a Home Day is set apart at which time all those members are sent for and brought to the Sunday School"
 The Sunday School worker does a great deal of Social Service work as we'll which after all is only Sunday School work put into practical use," said Mrs. Curtis. T know one class of giris up in an Ohio town, who keep a chest of baby clothes always ready for the poor mother who has no means to pro- vide them with, and often these girls go to the home of such and give their services. and do all in their power to assist the mother Another very im- portant part of the work is the Teacher training-for which purpose the present school Is being held here. The object is to give the teacher a thorough knowl- edge of the Bible and of the child, and then the hest methods by which he can bring the Bible to the child. The teach CT receives his diploma, just as the Pub lie School teacher does, and the work is absolutely thorough and accurate"
 T would like for you to tell me-" l said to Mrs. Curtis, why it is that so many more women work In the Sunday School and church than men?
 Do they?" Mrs. Curtis answered looking quizzically at Sme. That used to be the case, but now the old order or things Is changed. I know 1t is the accepted idea that fewer men than women are interested in the church and the Sunday School, but the methods used now, make 1t so much more in- teresting and the men are beginning to realize what they are missing by not affiliating with the Sunday School. Apropos of that sort of thing let me tell you very amusing little story. There was an old widower who was a regular attendent at a certain church within my Knowledge, who decided that he would marry again. He be- came very much infatuated with a very lovely woman who was also a reg ular attendant at the same church. One day very much to her surprise, he called upon her, and she, thinking, of course, that he'd come to talk with her about Sunday School work, opened the conversation alonga those lines. Presently, however, theA widower be- came very sentimental, and said to her:
 My dea, Lady. I have come to pro- pose for your hand"
 She was very much surprised, and re- piled quickly:
 why, Sir, I am a married womanr'
 "Married?" said he, aghast with as- tonishment.
 Certainly. My husband is out in the yard now, looking after some work"
 He is?" gasped the widower. Gracious. I am surprised. I've seen you at Sunday School ard at church for the last two years all alone-your husband not with you, and I naturally assumed that you were widow"