dren should be as carefully selected
with reference to _what they are to teach_, and should be as carefully
graded to meet the age, interests, and appreciations of the child as are
other forms of curriculum material. Some otherwise excellent picture
sets of recent publication lose the greater part of their usefulness as
teaching helps through the lack of this adaptation.
MUSIC IN THE CURRICULUM
Music as a part of the curriculum of religious education offers a
peculiarly difficult problem. No other form of expression can take the
place of music in creating a spirit of reverence and devotion, or in
inducing an attitude of worship and inspiring religious feeling and
emotion. Children ought to sing much both in the church school and in
their worship at home.
Yet most of our hymns have been written for adults, and most of the
music is better adapted to adult singing than to the singing of
children. The ragtime hymns which find a place in many Sunday school
exercises need only to be mentioned to be condemned. On the other hand,
many of the finest hymns of the church are beyond the grasp of the child
in sentiment and beyond his ability in music. The church seriously needs
a revival of religious hymnology for children. In the meantime the
greatest care should be used to select hymns for children's singing
which possess as fully as may be three requisites: (1) music adapted to
the child's capacity, (2) music that is worthy, interesting and
devotional, and (3) words within the child's understanding and interest,
and suitable in sentiment.
1. Many persons think that teaching the child religion and teaching
him the Bible are precisely the same thing. Do you think it is
possible to teach the child parts of the Bible without securing for
him spiritual development from the process? Is it possible to make
the Bible itself mean more to the child by supplementing it with
material from other sources?
2. Do you ever find lessons provided for your class which are not
adapted to their age and understanding? If so, do you feel free to
supplement or substitute with material which meets their needs? Do
you have sufficient command of the material of the Bible and other
sources so that you can do this successfully?
3. Do you know a considerable number of stories adapted to the age
of your pupils? Are you constantly adding to your list? Are you a
good story teller
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