Organizing and Building Up the Sunday School / Modern Sunday School Manuals

by Jesse Lyman Hurlbut

(4) Seeking Workers. In nearly all Sunday schools there is a constant need of helpers, to fill the places of withdrawing or absent teachers; and the work of supplying the demand generally falls upon the superintendent. He may find relief in the work of an associate superintendent, as will be seen in the next chapter. Both the superintendent and his associate should always be on the alert for new teachers and for new scholars. As the builder in stone looks at every fragment of rock, to see where it will best fit into his wall, so the whole-hearted superintendent studies every individual in the parish, to find exactly the place he may fill in the school, as an officer, a teacher, or a scholar; and not infrequently his search will be rewarded by a treasure.

(5) Cabinet Meetings. The superintendent should confer frequently with the several heads of departments, and with all the officers; talking with them freely about his own plans, and learning theirs, for the welfare of the school. It is not necessary that these cabinet meetings should be formal, having a secretary and a record. They may be held occasionally, for a few minutes after the session of the school, or as a social evening at a private house.

(6) Special Days. He should keep a calendar of special occasions in the school year, such as the Sundays set apart for temperance and for missions, Easter, Children's Day, Rally Day, Decision Day, Christmas, Promotion Day, and other notable events. Weeks in advance of each occasion—in the case of some of them even months in advance—he should begin to consider what special exercises should be held, what preparation is needed, and who can best supervise the plans. For a fortnight before Children's Day or the Christmas celebration, many Sunday schools are in a turmoil of confusion, and lessons abandoned, simply because the superintendent did not take thought in sufficient time.

(7) The Convention. The Sunday-school work of the Christian world is now thoroughly organized in international, state, county, and town associations. Each school finds itself a part in a mighty movement; and it is the duty of the superintendent to see that his school takes its place in the Sunday-school army. He should see that in the institute and the convention his school is well represented; and if at all possible he should attend these gatherings, and be active in them. Many a worker who for most of the year is alone, burdened with perplexities, has been refreshed, has found his vision enlarged and his plans improved, by conference with other workers, and by listening to experienced specialists.

3. His Duties in the School Session. (1) Present Early. He should be at his post, if possible, from twenty minutes to half an hour before the opening of the school. However early he may arrive, he will probably find a group of children there in advance of him; and they will behave better if his eye is on them, especially if his glance is kind, and with it is a hand-shake or a word of recognition. The early superintendent will often be surprised to find how much business in the interest of the school can be transacted before the session.

(2) Open Promptly. With his program ready, he should begin the session exactly on the minute, and should carry out every item according to the plan. If for any reason the superintendent is not at the desk when the moment for the opening arrives, the associate or first department superintendent should be empowered to call the school to order and begin the opening service.

(3) Conduct Program. The superintendent should conduct the general program of services; although it is advisable to recognize the associate and others, by calling upon them to take some part in the opening or closing services. A superintendent whose methods were always well chosen was wont once in each month to invite some official or prominent member of the church, who was not an attendant upon the school, to be present, sit upon the platform, and offer the prayer at the opening of the session. This kept the leading members of the church in closer relation to the school.

(4) During the Lesson. As a general principle, the superintendent should remain at his desk during the lesson period; but to this rule frequent exceptions will be made. The supply of substitutes for absent teachers, and the assignment of new scholars to classes, belong to the field of the associate superintendent.

(5) Lesson Review. In the Sunday schools which still follow the uniform system of lessons, studying the same portion of Scripture in all, or nearly all, the grades of the school, the superintendent should give a brief practical summing up of the practical points in the lesson; but this review should not exceed five or six minutes in length. If the pastor possesses the gift of terse, crisp speaking, this practical talk may be given by him. In the schools adopting the graded courses of lessons this review should be given in each department by the department superintendent. Here again the adaptation to the point of view and needs of the pupils of each grade can be made much more effective than in the ungraded school.

(6) Closing. The superintendent should so carry out the program as to close the session at the time appointed. An hour and a quarter is as long as is profitable for the school; and everything that needs to be done can be brought into that space. Often much time is lost by unnecessary delays between the numbers on the program.