The Sunday-school Equipped
11. Buildings.—A discussion of Sunday-school buildings properly comes under the head of equipment, but as that is a large topic by itself, it is not our purpose to consider it here but to confine ourselves to those features of equipment which may be used in any building. The buildings should be made with the needs and conveniences of the Sunday-school in mind. The department rooms and class rooms are but expressions of this idea. The school deserves as good a room as the preaching service, and one as thoroughly adapted to its uses. Department rooms and class rooms can often be temporarily arranged by the use of curtains or screens, in a building where no regular partitions have been provided.
12. Seating.—Chairs are better than pews. They should be comfortable, and adapted to the size of the pupils who are to use them. No one can sit quietly very long unless his feet can rest squarely on the floor. If the room is not carpeted, the chair legs should have rubber tips.
13. Tables.—Such of the officers as need to use desks or tables should have tables of their own, so that all of their books, blanks, and supplies may be kept in proper order. Class tables are very desirable. They need not be very large. Each table should have a drawer or box in it for the song-books and other property of the class. This economizes time and saves confusion, as nothing will need to be distributed.
14. Class Boxes.—Where it is impossible to use class tables, a class box is next in value. It should contain the song-books and everything else belonging to the class, and should be kept in a given place where some member of the class can secure it before the school, and replace it after the school is closed.
15. Blackboards.—It is impossible to overestimate the value of blackboards in Sunday-school work when rightly used. There ought to be one in the main school, and one in every department room. It would be well, also, if there were a small blackboard in every class room. It can be used for so many purposes, such as reviewing the lesson, announcing hymns or displaying reports. The revolving blackboard is the best for general use, and the most ornamental. Square crayons of half an inch, or one inch, in size are better than the ordinary round school crayon. Simple work is better than elaborate work. Anybody can use a blackboard to advantage, whether he can draw or not.
16. Maps.—If a school can have but one map, let it be the map of Palestine. Then add the following maps, in the order named: Bible Lands; a second map of Palestine,—one for Old Testament and one for New Testament; Paul's missionary journeys; a missionary map of the world; a missionary map of the denomination. A sand map is good for use in the later elementary grades, but should not wholly displace the wall map.
17. Charts.—Many helpful charts are now prepared for Sunday-school use; charts of the life of Christ, charts for missionary purposes and temperance teaching, charts with choice passages of Scripture and hymns.
18. Libraries.—If possible, have two libraries, one for teachers, one for scholars. A teachers' library should contain Bible-study helps and books for Sunday-school workers, which treat of special phases of Sunday-school work. The scholars' library should be properly classified so that the members of all departments will feel an equal interest in it.
19. Missionary Curios.—Material aid in creating missionary interest will be secured by showing woods, stones, plants, flowers, clothing, and birds from the various foreign fields, and by the use of pictures and models of their buildings, which reveal the customs of the lands under consideration. These things are abundant, and are comparatively inexpensive.
20. Flags and Banners.—Every school should have the flag of the nation displayed at each session. Many schools use the Christian flag, also, made of white silk with a blue field and red cross. The "Conquest Flag" is also popular. Banners for Star Classes, Excelsior Classes, Honor Classes, etc., are desirable if properly used. Considerable school spirit may be cultivated by having school colors embodied in a pennant, which is always displayed when the school is in session.
21. Objects.—Many objects are now prepared that are valuable in Sunday-school work, such as building blocks, models of the Tabernacle, globes, and birthday banks.
22. Bibles and Music Books.—Every member of the school who is old enough to read should bring his own Bible. Nevertheless, it is well to have a supply of school Bibles, as they should be used in the school instead of lesson helps. Select a good music book, and get plenty of copies. If every member has a book, the singing and the order will be better. Hymn banners and song rolls are useful adjuncts.
23. Pictures.—Choice pictures are not only beautiful, but valuable in many ways. The walls of the Sunday-school room, and especially of the elementary departments, should be well decorated with choice inexpensive pictures, illustrating various Bible scenes; there may also be miscellaneous pictures of an equally elevating and refining character.
24. Stereopticon.—Here and there a school is able to have a stereopticon or magic lantern. This instrument is becoming more popular every day. If properly used, a stereopticon is very helpful in Sunday-school work.
25. Lesson Helps.—Supply yourselves with plenty of lesson helps for officers, teachers, and scholars. Get the very best, but leave them at home on Sunday.
26. Records and Printing.—Records that are worth keeping, at all, are worth keeping well, and in well-made books. All printing should be well done or not done at all. Business houses are judged by their printing; Sunday-schools likewise. Use good paper, occasionally colored inks, and let all the printing be neat and tasteful.
27. Bells.—Bells are useful, if not used too much. Do not use a gong. A small tea bell is large enough for an ordinary room. The less noise the superintendent makes, the less noise the scholars will make.
28. Equipment for Hand-Work.—This comparatively new feature of Sunday-school work is rapidly gaining favor. It is usually the most successful in the Junior Department, though it is used extensively in both the Primary and Intermediate departments. In this brief paragraph, we can but mention some of the phases of hand-work, as follows:—The sand map; the pulp map; map drawing; written lesson outlines; cutting and pasting pictures in blank books (with or without writing), treating of the current lessons, or missionary lands and themes; sewing; modeling Oriental objects in clay, pulp, etc., etc.