Sunday in the Home : Part 4

Religious Education in the Family
by Henry F. Cope

(Page 16 of 24)

Parents are puzzled, perhaps most of all, to choose appropriate stories to read to the children on Sunday. Youngsters prefer, of course, the told story to the read one, but if you wish to read you will make no mistake in selecting Christie's Old Organ; Aunt Abbey's Neighbors, by Annie T. Slosson; The Book of Golden Deeds, by Charlotte M. Yonge; and Telling Bible Stories, by Louise S. Houghton. Some Great Stories and How to Tell Them, by Richard Wyche, and Story Telling, by Edna Lyman, will serve as good guides to what to tell, and how to tell it.

7. Naming the day. - From week to week variety should enter into the Sunday program. On the Sunday following the one described above we can begin at the dinner table the happy task of "naming the day." We can decide whether it shall be called after one of our own number, whose birthday falls near this date, or after one of the anniversaries of the week following.

Perhaps someone suggests calling it after the feast day of the church year observed by certain churches. That should lead to discussion and investigation of the meaning of the day.

When all are agreed on a name, write it under its date on your wall calendar. It will be a convenient suggestion for next year, unless the decision is for a different name when the day again comes round. It will also call to mind some of the interesting discussions which it aroused.

After this we might call for The Family Book, which now contains, you will recall, the family's decision as to the best Sunday and the happiest occurrences of the year before. The keeper, appointed last week, must bring it out. We can read what we wrote a week ago and decide on the things worth entering this week. Records of birthdays, special happenings to each of the family, the bright sayings of little ones, and the visits of friends and relatives all should go in.

8. "I remember" stories. - While The Family Book is open is the psychological moment for father and mother to tell stories of their childhood. Every child likes to hear the story that begins, "I remember," and feels a thrill of pride in belonging to something that goes back and has a history. The old family album is a never-failing source of delight, not so much because of the pictures as because of what they suggest of family traditions.

Now is a good time to select some certain thing which shall be used only on this day, such as a festival lamp or candlestick, some festival plates or dishes - just one thing or set of things toward the use of which we can look forward during the week. This helps to make Sunday what we used to call "a treat."

9. Golden deeds. - Last week we started The Family Book in which to keep a record of all the happy experiences that belong to our family. This week we begin another book. In it we expect to place every week just one splendid story, the account of a golden deed, some piece of everyday kindness or heroism of which we have read or heard or which we have witnessed. Everyone is to have a chance to contribute to this book, all the family deciding by vote each week as to which story should be placed on its pages.

Did you read in the paper this week of some brave or kindly deed done by a boy or a girl, a man or a woman? Did you see someone do an act of kindness? Cut out the account or write out the story and have it ready for your own Golden Deed Book. Everyone must watch all the week for the right kind of stories. It is wonderful how much good you will find in the world when you are looking for it.

Sunday afternoons all the family can hear each story and talk over its fine points of virtue and goodness. Thus may be developed an appreciation of the human qualities that are really admirable. We can discuss also the probability of certain of the stories and the righteousness of the deeds.

Any blank book will do, or even a composition book. It will help to keep hands happily occupied if you make your own covers and cut out gilt letters for the title. Often you can find pictures to illustrate the stories chosen; sometimes you may prefer to draw the illustrations. Keep The Golden Deed Book in a safe and convenient place, because there ought to be something to go into it every week. For instance, did you read the other day of the young man who jumped in front of a train to save a young girl? He lost his life, but he saved hers. Can you find that story and put it in the book? Perhaps you have found one that seems even more fitting.

10. Various plans. - Giving happiness creates it. Plan something every Sunday for the happiness of others. Occasionally go in a body to call on someone who will be made happy by the visit.

If you walk in the park or elsewhere, see how many things you can discover that you have read about in the Bible or know to be mentioned there.

Try the game of "guessing hymns." While someone plays the familiar tunes, each takes a turn at identifying them and the hymns to which they belong.

Set aside twenty minutes for each one to write a letter to send to the brother or sister, relative or friend, at a distance. Even the baby can scratch something which he thinks is a "real enough" letter in penciled scribbles.

Close the day with quiet reading and song, or with the memory exercise in which all endeavor to repeat some simple psalm or a few verses, like the Beatitudes. All children like to repeat the Lord's Prayer in family concert.

I. References for Study

Emilie Poulsson, Love and Law in Child Training, chaps. i-iv. Milton Bradley, $1.00.

Happy Sundays for Children and Sunday in the Home. Pamphlets. American Institute of Child Life, Philadelphia, Pa.

II. Further Reading

Sunday Play. Pamphlet. American Institute of Child Life, Philadelphia, Pa.

Hodges, Training of Children in Religion, chap. xiii. Appleton, $1.50.

III. Methods and Materials

A Year of Good Sundays. Pamphlet. American Institute of Child Life, Philadelphia, Pa.

IV. Topics for Discussion

1. What is the real problem of Sunday in the family? Is it that of securing quiet or of wisely directing the action of the young?

2. Recall your childhood's Sundays. Were they for good or ill?

3. What are the arguments against children playing on Sunday? Is there any essential relation between the play of children and the wide-open Sunday of commercialized amusements?

4. Can you describe forms of play in which practically all the family might unite?

5. What characteristics should distinguish play on Sundays from other days? Is it wise to attempt thus to distinguish this day?

6. Criticize the suggestions on occupations for Sunday afternoons.

7. Recall any especially helpful forms of the use of this day in your childhood, or coming under your observation.

Copyright 1915 by The University of Chicago