The Birmingham age-herald., 1920-01-18
First Methodist Sunday
 School We'll Organized
By CAROLYN II. ELLIOTT

find the main Sunday school room and visit the Young Peoples Department for one hour. l did that last Sunday morning Not that l needed a cure. It was the "ounce of prevention,' pos sibly, a fine tonic to offset any such diseased attitude toward life-great, beautiful, wonderful life. always abounding ill the joyous spirit of youth" No such base ingratitude could be nursed either after finding the superintendent of the young peoples department, MT. Harry Denman.
 "You are the busiest man in town,P I heard another visitor say. who was trying to get in a word edgewise with MT Denman. He really is busy man and a happy man in his work too young to sing With Browning
 i"Grow old with me.
 The best is yet to be-"
 and too old to advise with the unth AS. ing: 'I4ife's just bubble--whats s.ie use?'
 MT. Denman believes in the use- fitness of living and in the eternal now. He believes that todays sow ing means tomorrow's harvest In consequence he is consecrating his en- thusiasm his idealism. his optimism, to the development of the Christian use fitness of the young life of the First Methodist Church as superintendent Of the young peoples department.
 SUNDAY SCHOOL IS THE PLACE
 If left to any wideawake young American citizen who applies to MT: Denman or to any of the teachers or the bows classes for enrolment in the young peoples department, after re- maining there a few weeks. we belleFe his testimony will be something ike this: Sure, Sunday schools the piace for every fellow who likes to play a good game and play it on the square.
 And every girl between the ages or 14 and 21 who believes that church work simply means being respohsioie for fresh flowers occasionally oh the altar" will be surprised, after Vislt to the department. to ina that the church is a wonderful channel for her talent. her enthusiasm, and mas the pow<r to develop it as no selfish puI- euit for culture or happiness posslply could.
 At least these were my impressions last Sunday as I looked from the super jntendent, MT. Denman. to the happy faces that smiled from the paicohs and lower floor in the assembled de- nartment that numbers more than $50 boys and girls.
 eve don't call this a teen-age de- nartment any longer,' informed Mrs Bessie Barry. the flower-faced laos' who as assistant superlntenoeht, IS m terested with MT. Denman in the de-
 
 if the young peoples department, pe- cause there are numbers over 20, ana while the girls might not ooJect 10 remaining in their teens, the ooys would never consent.
 such a wonderful spirit our poys and girls have,' she pralseo' tbey are running their own depart uent too, under the supervision or their superintendents. for one object of the department is the development of leaders for church work.
 PROVING THEIR CAPACIIf
 "The young people are proving thelr capacity for big jobs. too. i'll the way they handle their own departrnems;; .h;r said MT. Denman. 'They plan the.r own work. elect their departfent or ficers every year. and map out thelr
 The officers elected by the young neople for 1920 are: Albert Branscomp' president; Miss Minna L. Forbus. vice nresident; Miss Katherine Williams' secrstary: Miss Veranella Batson. en- rolling secretary. and Dick Stockham, treasurer. The special officers selected by the regular officers as part or the cabinet for the young peoples depart ment this year are Miss Ethel Mltch- ell. secretary social service; Miss Mary Dewyer,l secretary missions Aubrey Miller, promoter of boys classes Miss Elsie Hill, promoter of girls classes Henry Simmons, secretary of Evangel- ism: Miss Beatrice Chandler. pianist with Miss Fannie Eaton as her assist ant.
 You see the young people run their own department and manage their own affairs much better than others could do it for them,' insisted MT. Denman. Mrs Barry and Las the two superin- fendents only advise them,- and are responsible for supplying the classes with their Al teachers"
 That the young people do manage their work efficiently was evident from the opening exercises which aSSem bled the classes that make vigorous young Sunday school all in one depart ment over which the vice president Miss Minna Forbus, presided.
 Miss Forbus plans all our pro- grammes," Mir. Denman informed; good programmes, too, always inspirational and up to the minute From the ac- counts heard before of the Christmas < programme the New Year programme and the programme of the 14th of De- cember in celebration of Alabama day there was no disputing the superin- tendents praise of Miss Forbus. Her interest and ability were demonstrated in Sunday mornings programme, which dealt with the question of the hour IT a talk on the National Prohibition Amendment" that became operative last week. and in the stirring appeal of Rev J. D. Hunter for volunteers for personal service in the evangehstit campaign of First Church. Miss Ceci Self talked on the class motto, Look Up, Lift Up" and Jack Stuart sang ont of his solos that is much in demand INTEREST IN SOCIAL SERVICE
 "Every class of the young peoples department is interested in some lint of social service" Mrs. Barry explained as we peeped into the separate rooms during the lesson period, just to pass the time O day" with each of the T. classes and their teachers, that, as MT Denman assured, are, leach one Al"
 There were the Sunshine Girls Think of having a name like sunshine It means gladness, doesn't it?-light . health. life? But the Sunshine Girls are living up to their name, some O them at home, and some of them il other cities of the United States. Ye those who have carried sunshine witt them into many of the colleges of thu country are still retaining their mem bership in Miss Mary Craven's class Miss Craven is very much interested with the girls. in the Old Ladies' Home and upon this line of service her class specializes.
 Very close relatives of the Sunshine Girls are the Rays of Light" class of girls who, with their teacher. Miss Ethel Cobia. are planning great sur prises this year for the boys and girls of the Parental Home of the juvenile court
 For Miss Mabel Peters class of girls. -lx xttatr anf htfc ciaC Cq V