SUNDAY SCHOOL NOTES

Evening Star, Issue 19002, 25 July 1925, Page 13

SUNDAY SCHOOL NOTES

[By Fouwakd.]

[ltems of interest —short, bright paragraphs of news, comments on these Moles, inquiries about difficulties —will be welcomed by “ Forward.”] “ Tho religious curriculum must give tho church the chief instrument by means of which to fulfil its primary function to the world.” Tho second term of the Otago School of Religious Education opened on Tuesi clay evening, after the winter recess, with a full muster of students. The Bilile Class section of tlio Dunedin Presbyterian Institute will holcHts annual institute in St. Andrew’s Bible School on the first four Mondays of August. The lirst evening of the course (August 3) will bo devoted to an illustrated lecture ‘ How IVe Got Our Bible,’ bv Professor Davies. As such a lecture as this will be of interest to all youth workers it is anticipated that a largo number of Sunday school teachers will make their way to the institute on the opening evening. At tho annual meeting .of the Dunediu Presbyterian Snbbath Schools Union Mr ill. Duncan was re-elected president and Mr T. E. Sutherland lion, secretary. Tho vice-presidents are Messrs H. Neill ami 1). K. M'Donald, and the hon. treasurer (Miss K. Teller.

LEADERSHIP IN RELIGIOUS EDUCATION.

Closely related to the , director (or general* superintendent), tho modern church school will have several major officers. Upon those the school will largely depend for its smooth and effective running. _ . ’l’lie supervisor of the children’s division, embracing, tho cradle roll, beginu/rs’, primary, and junior departments, will be an experienced teacher who has done outstanding work in all of these fields. Some of the required qualities of heart and head need only bo mentioned bore to suggest many others. Those are; Patience, sympathy, tact, insight, courage, buoyancy, _ technical skill, and ability. Not all departments are uniformly strong or well organised, and so one of tho chief tasks of tho supervisor would be to establish unity ami efficiency within tho various departments, and then to ensure a proper correlation of the work so that tho child’s passage through the school might bo uniform. _ This officer would have no stated teaching function, but should bo free to move at will from department to department, visit the weekly training classes,_ help plan the through-the-woek activities, etc. Periodic conferences with the departmental heads, individually and collectively, should do much to elevate the general tone of the work.

The supervisor of tho young people’s division. This division includes all young people between twelve _ and twenty-four years of age, or the intermediate department and junior and senior Bible classes._ This person, preferably a man, will require all tho qualifications of the children's division supervisor, only more so. To act as a unifying agent, binding those three groups together for effective working seven days a week, is a task for a superman. Tho young people’s supervisor will bo in the glorious position of constantly attempting the impossible. Through his prophetic: vision lie will bo a constant source of inspiration and strength to all the loaders within this group. The supervisor of tho adult division. In New' Zealand adult work has been scarcely touched. Hero is a lino field of service for some of our older venturers for tho Kingdom. Tho necessity for formal religious education does not cease at twenty-four years of ago, and our churches have need of great elective courses for the maturor portion of their membership. The adult division • embraces tho entire membership not accounted for in tho other divisions. The supervisor would bo responsible for suggesting courses of study, keeping in touch with tho various classes and associations, ensuring a unity of purpose, suggesting better methods of wor,k. etc. These three supervisors might fittingly he elected assistant general superintendents. From this point come the departmental officers, embracing all recreational leadership.

‘THE BEGINNER'S AVORKEJI AND ’WORK.’

This is tho title of n book written by Frederica Beard, who seeks to give of her riel: experience in the. study of tho child of four and five years of age. Jn the foreword by Henry it. Meyer a description of the child is given, the significance of early childhood pointed out, and suggestions as to characteristics and needs offered. His closing sentence is: ‘‘Among all tho laborers in the Master's vineyard none have a more responsible ta.sk and none, a, higher privilege than those entrusted with the religions care and nurture of little children, to whom by authority of the Master belongcth the Kingdom of Heaven.”

The author meets the needs gf the beginner in tho twenty-six lessons or chapters of her book. Not an avenue but is explored. “ Consider how they grow,” tho first lesson, fascinates tho reader to continue. Pictures of child life in Ids play and bis religious life with a view to understanding and treatment of such iu the planning of the Sunday session, teaching him to pray and sing, preparing and telling stories, presenting the truth through Nature and homo life, arc brought before the teacher clearly and invitingly. In emphasising home co-operation the author gives a variety of plans by which this may be strengthened, supplying a helpful bibliography in the preparation of mothers’ meetings. “ Tho best plans for doing the best things to bring out the best results ” arc summarised in the appendix. Illustrations of the beginners’ department at work will prove an incentive to those planning a department. ‘Tho Beginner's Worker and Work ’ is published by the Abingdon Press.

There was a child went forth every day. And the first object he looked upon, and received with wonder, pity, love,' and dread, That object ho became. And that object became part of him for tho day, or a certain part of the day, or for Alany years, or stretching cycles of years. The carlv lilacs became part of this child. And grass, and white and red morning glories, and white and rod clover: and the song of the plnche bird, And the third-month lambs and the sow’s pink-faint litter, And the mare’s foal and the cow's calf. And the noisy brood of the barnyard or by the mire of the pondside, And the fish suspending themselves so curiously below there., and the beautiful curious liquid. And tho water-plants with their graceful fiat heads, all became part of him. Walt Whitman.

suitable: “ If I were a beautiful twinkling star I’d shine on the darkest night.” I would like to tell them that they are now beautiful twinkling stars, whether they know it or not, and I hope that each one will “ find some little cheerless spot and shine with all their might.” A short, suitable address was given at each service. I noted,’too, that two of the'older hoys wore deputed to uplift the collection. This, I think, is a good idea. Give, if possible, each one something to do. One other interesting item at the afternoon service was the giving out of about 100 prizes, including fifty to the primary scholars. I do not know if these gatherings are frequent or general, but I hope they arc.”