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SermonIndex.net : Christian Books : X THROUGH-THE-WEEK ACTIVITIES FOR BOYS' ORGANIZED CLASSES

The Boy And The Sunday School by Alexander of Cappadocia

X THROUGH-THE-WEEK ACTIVITIES FOR BOYS' ORGANIZED CLASSES

The Sunday school has at last begun to realize that a boy demands more than spiritual activity to round out his life into symmetrical development. It also comprehends that religion is more than a set of beliefs -- that religion is a life at work among its fellows. |For to me to live is Christ| -- to live, play, love, and work. Because of these two reasons, the Sunday school assumes its obligation to direct and foster the through-the-week life of its boys, as well as the Bible period of the Sunday session of the school.

Contact. -- Of course, for a long time the leaders and teachers of Boys' Organized Bible Classes have felt the need of a through-the-week contact with the members of the class. The school period of one hour or an hour and a half has been found by most teachers to be too meager for a healthy class life. Then, too, most teachers are realizing that really to touch the life of the boy more contact than the teaching of the Bible lesson is necessary. Some teachers are taking an interest in the school or working conditions of the teen boy. Quite a few teachers are now deeply interested in the leisure time of their pupils, and have begun to direct the physical, social and mental activities of the teen years, as well as the spiritual. They have realized that the teen age is not made up of disjointed and disconnected activities, but is in a continual process of development, and that its growth is normally symmetrical and its activities intertwined.

The Organized Class. -- The great majority of Sunday school teachers have no desire to try any auxiliary organization in combination with their classes. They are somewhat dubious of the machinery, ritual, etc., which are concomitants of these schemes. Again and again they have voiced a demand, not for new organizations, but for activities to deepen interest in the organization that the teacher understands -- the Bible Class.

The Organized Boys' Bible Classes operate in the Secondary Division or teen years of the Sunday school, from 13 to 20, and include both the younger and older boys. The earlier and later adolescent periods are separate and distinct groups. Plans and activities that have proven successful with one group will prove to be ineffectual with the other. All things should be planned to meet the development of the group. In the following list of activities the group interests have not been separated as they intermingle with each other. If the class be allowed to choose and voice its sentiment, the right activity will always be selected. Besides, if the members make their own choice, there can be little complaint at results, and they will work harder for the success of their own plans. All this develops character, which is one of the real reasons for these through-the-week activities.

=Activities for Teen Boys' Organized Bible Classes=

#Physical#

ATHLETICS

Free Hand and Calisthenic Drills Fire, Ambulance, Life-saving Drills Single Stick and Foil, Boxing Swimming Water Polo Water Sports Jumping and Running Shot Put Discus Throwing Baseball, Indoor and Outdoor Basket-ball Football Volleyball La Crosse, Bowling Tennis

GAMES

Observation, Agility, Strength, Fun -- Indoor and Outdoor Quoits

SIGNALING

Semaphore Wig Wag Heliograph Wireless

WOODCRAFT

Tracking and Trailing Bird, Plant, Tree, Grass and Flower Lore Star, Wind and Water Knowledge Stalking with Camera Wild Life

CAMPING

Tent and Tepee Making Moccasin Making Huts, Lean-to, Shacks Grass Mat Weaving Map Making Knot Tying Fire Lighting Boat Management Boat and Canoe Building Canoeing Fishing Camp Cooking Week-end Camps Indian Camps Over-night Camps Hikes, Tramps, Walks, Gypsy and Hobo Hill Climbing

HYGIENE

Care of body, eyes, nails, teeth, etc. Laws of recreation, Hiking, etc. Kite Making and Flying Gliding and Aeroplaning Circus Stunts Sport Carnival Corn, Apple, Clam Roasts, etc. Moonlight Trips, Rides, etc. Cycling Skating Hockey Skiing

#Social#

Home Socials: Stag Ladles' Nights Parents' Nights

Entertainments: Playets Minstrel Show Lincoln Night Washington Night Stunts and Skits Mock Trial Declamation or Oratorical Contest Glee Concert

Game Tournaments: Checkers Caroms Chess Ping-Pong Bowling

Hayseed Carnival Parlor Magic Athletic Stunts Independence Day Political Campaign Town Meeting Sex Instruction Practical Citizenship

Exhibition: Pet Show Mandolin and Guitar Fests Fireside and Joke Nights Spelling Bee History Bee Geography Quiz Hallowe'en Night Pop-corn Festival Masked Partners Library Party Supper or Banquet Father and Son Spread Class Guest of Class Calendar Exhibit Coin Exhibit Stamp Exhibit Arts and Crafts Photographs Wild Flower Tree and Plant Sea Shell Post-cards

Social Sing: Popular Songs Old Familiar Songs School Songs Patriotic Hymns Church Music

#Mental#

Practical Talks: Elementary Mechanics Applied Electricity Wireless Chemical Analysis Natural Science Mineralogy Nature Study First Aid Thrift and Property Use of Library

Life-work Talks: Ministry Law Medicine Teaching Business

The Trades: Blacksmith Carpenter Plumbing Printing Painting Bricklaying Masonry Farming Seamanship Architecture Art Chemistry Forestry

Engineering: Mechanical Electrical Surveying

Citizenship: The Township or Municipality -- Town Meetings Select and Common Councils Commission Government

The State -- The Legislature The Courts The Governor's Staff

Literary Stunts: Declaiming Extemporaneous Speech Editing Paper

Educational Trips: Community Visitation -- Shops and Factories Fire Houses City or Community History Public Buildings Public Utilities, etc.

Neighborhood Visitation -- Famous Places Great Industries Coal Mines, etc.

Arts and Crafts: Drawing Bent Iron Work Clay Modeling Basket Making Hammock Weaving, etc. Stamp Collecting Coin Collecting Sketch Collecting Kodaking and Photographing Debating Reading Night and Courses Discussions Congress and Senate Poster Making Travel and Science Talks Stereopticon Moving Pictures

Literary Stunts -- Essay Writing and Reading

The Nation -- Congress Army and Navy Civil Service Diplomatic and Consular Service

Duties of Citizen -- Elections Jury Service Maintenance of Law

Current Topics

#Spiritual#

Graded Bible Study

Daily Readings

Systematic Instruction: Church Membership Benevolences Missionary Operations

Supplemental Talks: General Church History Denominational History Local Church History

Church Organization: Denominational Local Church Sunday School Auxiliary Societies

Teacher Training Class

Cooperation in Church Activity Personal Evangelism Directed Reading

NOTE: Of course all the activities enumerated in this leaflet are Spiritual. This list merely emphasizes a few activities usually designated spiritual.

=Service Activities=

Christ challenged men to self-sacrifice. He said: |He that would be greatest among you let him be the servant of all.| In this way adolescent boys must be challenged to lives of unselfish, altruistic, Christ-like service. There is no other test for the teacher. It is his business to get teen age boys to serve. This the boy does, first by the desire to help another, then by right living, doing right for the sake of right; then by religious belief, which forms a cable to bind him back in simple faith on God, until he comes face to face with the Master of men, living right, doing right, thinking right, loving right, serving right, with all his life, because of his love for Christ.

Physical Service --

Organize and manage Boys' Baseball Nine.

Organize and manage Boys' Football Eleven.

Organize and manage Boys' Basket-ball Five.

Organize and manage Boys' Track Team.

Organize and manage Boys' Tennis Tournaments.

Coach younger boys in baseball.

Coach younger boys in basket-ball.

Coach younger boys in football.

Coach younger boys in track athletics.

Coach younger boys in tennis.

Train younger boys in free-hand gymnastics.

Train younger boys in life-saving drills.

Assist in the running of inter-class athletics.

Assist in the running of inter-school athletics.

Lead gymnastic groups for the local school.

Teach boys to swim.

Assist in the running of aquatic meets.

Leaders to encourage boys to get into athletics.

Leaders to encourage boys in outdoor life.

Leaders to encourage boys in camps and hikes.

Leaders to encourage boys in woodcraft and scouting.

Lead a gymnastic class in Social Settlement.

Manage and coach athletics in Social Settlements.

Assist as Play Leader in public playground.

Organize, manage, and umpire Boys' Twilight Ball League.

Assist in sport carnival, circus, exhibits, etc.

Make a specialty of some form of camp life and teach it to boys.

Social Service --

Become responsible for some boy.

Plan a social time.

Assist in planning an entertainment.

Manage and coach musical activity.

Teach games to backward boy.

Assist in exhibit.

Manage celebration.

Promote class and school picnics.

Secure home for boy from country.

Take boys home for meal and social time.

Promote musical and dramatic entertainments in settlements and orphanages.

Visit sick boys in hospital.

Arrange outings for needy mothers, and children, crippled and unfortunate boys.

Automobile party for above.

Play Santa Claus to poor families.

Lead in keeping school and shop morally clean.

Stand for clean thoughts, clean speech, clean sport.

Seek leadership in public school clubs.

Get interested in the boy life of the community.

Help boys to find employment.

Help enforce minor laws.

Take an interest in the delinquent boy.

Mental Service. --

Secure speakers for practical talks.

Secure speakers for life-work talks.

Lead in some mental activity.

Promote an educational trip.

Teach elementary arts and crafts.

Conduct discussion of practical citizenship.

Lead discussion of current topics.

Lead younger boys as suggested under class activities -- Mental.

Teach English to foreign-speaking boys.

Help wage-earning boys in elementary subjects, arithmetic, geography, etc.

Encourage grade boys to stay at school by coaching them in studies.

Organize civic nights.

Organize debates.

Organize camera trips and photo study.

Organize Around-the-Fire and story nights.

Lend books and guide the reading of boys.

Edit class or school paper.

Be foreman in printing room of above paper.

Lead observation trips.

Spiritual Service. --

Lead a Boys' Bible Class.

Take part in Boys' Conferences.

Lead Boys' Meetings.

Teach in extension Sunday school.

Serve on Sunday school Committees.

Serve on Church Committees.

Take an interest in every church organization.

Promote systematic giving among boys.

Lead a Mission Biography group.

Lead an inner circle for prayer and Bible study.

Promote a census of non-church boys.

Visit homes to invite fellows to church services.

Join a training class.

Lead campaign to increase Sunday school membership.

Promote inter-class relationships.

Lead prayer groups or circles.

Help in Home Department.

Serve on Reception Committee at Church or Sunday school.

Visit teen age Shut-ins.

Visit prisoners in jails.

Do chores for sick folks.

Help the aged to and from church services.

Support a bed in a hospital.

The Organized Class, its officers, teacher and committees ought to find enough to do in the above long list. The service activities have been listed without any idea of order or grading. They are also for individuals and the class as a whole. They are merely suggestive. The class and the teacher should do things as a real part of the class life.

[Illustration]
ORGANIZED CLASS ACTIVITIES

BOYS' BIBLE CLASSES

JOHN L. ALEXANDER,

Secondary Division Superintendent, International Sunday School Association.

BIBLIOGRAPHY ON THROUGH-THE-WEEK ACTIVITIES

Adams. -- Harper's Outdoor Book for Boys ([USD]1.75).

Alexander. -- Opportunity for Extension of Boys' Work to a Summer Camp Headquarters (American Youth, June, 1911), (.20).

-- Using Nature's Equipment -- God's Out-of-Doors (American Youth, August, 1911). Single copies out of print, but bound volume for 1911 may be obtained for [USD]1.50.

Baker. -- Indoor Games and Socials for Boys (.75).

Bond. -- Scientific American Boy at School ([USD]2.00).

Boys' Handbook. (Boy Scouts of America) (.30).

Brunner. -- Tracks and Tracking (.70).

Burr. -- Around the Fire (.75).

Camp. -- Fishing Kits and Equipment ([USD]1.00).

Chesley. -- Social Activities for Men and Boys ([USD]1.00).

Clarke. -- Astronomy from a Dipper (.60).

Corsan. -- At Home in the Water (.75).

Cullens. -- Reaching Boys in Small Groups Without Equipment. (American Youth, February, 1911.) (.20).

Dana. -- How to Know the Wild Flowers ([USD]2.00).

Ditmars. -- The Reptile Book ([USD]4.00).

Fowler. -- Starting in Life ([USD]1.50).

Gibson. -- Camping for Boys ([USD]1.00).

Hasluck. -- Bent Iron Work (.50).

-- Clay Modeling (.50).

-- Photography (.50).

-- Taxidermy (.50).

Job. -- How to Study Birds ([USD]1.50).

Kenealy. -- Boat Sailing ([USD]1.00).

Lynch. -- American Red Cross First Aid ([USD]1.00).

Parsons. -- How to Know the Ferns ([USD]1.50).

Pyle. -- Story of King Arthur and His Knights ([USD]2.00).

Reed. -- Bird Guide. In 2 volumes. (Vol I, [USD]1.00, Vol. II,.75).

Reed. -- Flower Guide (.50).

Scout Master's Handbook (.60).

Seton. -- Book of Woodcraft ([USD]1.75).

-- -- Forester's Manual ([USD]1.00).

Seven Hundred Things a Bright Boy Can Make ([USD]1.00).

Warman. -- Physical Training Simplified (.10).

White. -- How to Make Baskets ([USD]1.00).

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