The Boy and the Sunday School Part 11

The department superintendent should have special charge of his department and be responsible for building it up; also for department teachers' meetings, and should be personally acquainted with every scholar. The department secretary should keep an alphabetical and birthday card index of scholars; send welcome letters to new scholars; provide the superintendent with a list of new scholars, that they may be properly presented to the department; send lists of absentees to teachers; keep a record of correlated work accomplished by scholars, quarterly lesson examinations, etc.

_Teen Age Department_

In some schools the custom is to combine the Intermediate and Senior Departments into one and to regard the years, 13 to 20, as a series of eight grades. Several large schools are enthusiastic about this plan, and as the wors.h.i.+p requirements are much the same in the teen years the Opening and Closing Services are acceptable to all grades. This arrangement also is adaptable to limited equipment, and affords a certain amount of hero-wors.h.i.+p to the younger boy on account of the older boy being present. It also offers the older boy a field of service through helpfulness to the younger members of the department. In some schools this adaptation is known as the High School Department.

_Boys' Departments_

During the last few years separate Boys' Departments have come into favor with some Sunday school workers. These departments should not be attempted, however, until every cla.s.s is organized (see chapter on The Organized Sunday school Bible Cla.s.s), and there is efficient leaders.h.i.+p to guide them. A premature start may be ineffective and prejudice parents and boys.

=The Departmental Committees=

_Executive Committee_

The Executive Committee has direct oversight of the general affairs of the department and acts officially between sessions on matters needing prompt attention. It is made up of the officers, general superintendent of the school, the pastor of the church, and the president and teacher of each cla.s.s.

_Inter-Cla.s.s Committee_

The Inter-Cla.s.s Committee has the direction and supervision, through sub-committees, of all the activities of the department, such as:

Athletics Outings Camping Socials Entertainments Lectures Library Vocational Talks Practical Talks Congress or Senate Debates Current Topics Practical Citizens.h.i.+p Service Councils Degrees and Initiations Employment Bureau Home Cooperation School Cooperation

_Committee on Sunday school Life_

This Committee has a twofold function, the planning of the department program for general school festivals and matters of general school business. The diagram shows the activities of this committee.

COMMITTEE ON SUNDAY SCHOOL LIFE

FEAST DAYS GENERAL BUSINESS

Children's Day Sunday School Board Meetings[7]

Christmas Teachers' Meetings New Year's School Elections Easter Members.h.i.+p Campaigns for Entire School Rally Day School Needs Anniversary Picnics Specials, Etc. Socials, Etc.

_Committee on Church Life_

The Church Life Committee also has a double task. Its activities along the lines of church life are as follows:

=Committee on Church Life=

WORs.h.i.+P MEMBERs.h.i.+P AND BENEVOLENCES

Morning Preaching Service Evening Preaching Service Mid-week Prayer Service Special Services Invitation Current Expenses Extension Support Social Life Auxiliary Organizations

_Committee on Inter-Church Life_

The Inter-church Life Committee, through its representatives on the Inter-Sunday school Councils and Committees, cares for its part of the common teen age Sunday school life of the community. In this way the Sunday school is made to loom large as the teen age organization in the town or city. Some of its activities would be:

Inter-Church Council Normal Inst.i.tute Training Cla.s.ses Athletic League Church Census Boys' Conferences Girls' Conferences Publicity Special Cooperation.

SUNDAY SCHOOL SECONDARY DIVISION

THE TEEN AGE BOYS' DEPARTMENT (Every cla.s.s organized) ORGANIZATION ----------------------------------------------- OFFICERS COMMITTEES Church Board [a] ------------------------------------ Sunday School Board [a] Sunday School Superintendent[a] Executive Sunday School Life Church Life Inter-Cla.s.s Inter-Church Life Superintendent [b] a.s.sistant Superintendent[b] ------------- ------------- Treasurer [b] Advisory Superintendent[c] Feast General Wors.h.i.+p General Days Interest Church Life DEPARTMENT ACTIVITY ------------------------------------------------ SUNDAY SESSIONS Ma.s.s WEEK MEETINGS (Occasional when there is a motive) Opening Service Cla.s.s Hour Department Affairs Closing Services

[a] Supervisory [b] Older Boy [c] Adult

Prepared by John L. Alexander, Superintendent Secondary Division International Sunday School a.s.sociation

POINTS OF CAUTION!

The promoters of a Boys' Department in the Sunday school should not be too hasty in pus.h.i.+ng the organization. There are certain facts to be kept in mind in effecting a workable, durable department.

1. The Boys' Department is merely one of the departments of the school, and nothing must be done that will cripple or weaken the remainder of the school. Where possible it is best to promote separate departments for teen age boys and girls at the same time. This will reduce opposition and achieve efficiency.

2. There is no use in trying to organize a Boys' Department, where there is no adequate meeting place. The value of a Boys' Department lies almost entirely in the unity produced by the wors.h.i.+p of the opening and closing services and the discussion of departmental common affairs.

3. The Department cannot take the place of the Organized Cla.s.s. Where it does, it is temporary, hurrah-in-character, inefficient and harmful.

The Sunday school is educational in purpose. The Boys' Department must be likewise.

4. Nothing should be advocated or promoted in the Boys' Department that is not in accord with the Sunday school and Denominational policy. The Boys' Department is part of the Church.

_Cla.s.s Organization_

The cla.s.ses of the teen years should all be organized before any scheme for department organization is put in use. The Organized Cla.s.s is based on the so-called "gang instinct," and is the unit of all organization.

_Departmental Progressive Steps_

The steps in organizing a Teen Age Boys' or Secondary Division Department should be:

1. Appointment of Teen Age Superintendent.

2. Every cla.s.s organized according to Denominational and International Standard.

3. Two-session-a-week cla.s.ses--Sunday and week-day.

4. Trained teachers.

5. Departmental organization.

=Departmental Equipment=