  WE would not undertake to conduct a Sabbath-school without a good blackboard. The great object of it is to direct, to concentrate, and to fix the attention, sympathies, and prayers of the whole school upon that portion of the word of God which is embodied in the great practical thought of the lesson. It is affectingly interesting to see a whole school, teachers and scholars, banishing their worldly thoughts, and raising their eyes and hearts apparently up to the great warm thought of God, as they cross the threshold of the school-room, and see, in clear, distinct letters on the blackboard, the key-note of the lesson for the day; as, "My son, give me thy heart." "Son, go work to-day in my vineyard." "The soul that sinneth, it shall die." "I will arise and go to my father." "Have faith in God." "All waiting for Jesus." "Flee from the wrath to come." "About my Father's business." "The blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin." "Founded on a rock," etc. Blackboards have long been used in public schools We have often seen the noisiest boys of the city calmed by this means into thoughtfulness and interest in the lesson. Sometimes colored crayons are used to attract as well as to impress. The names of the Deity are sometimes carefully written in crayon of one color, while wrath, sin, etc., may be put in another color, say red. A map, drawn by the superintendent or pastor on the blackboard in the presence of the school, will have many times the effect that it will have, if we point to a regular map. A cross of two rough marks made by a teacher on a slip of paper, to illustrate the lesson, will interest a child more than will a jewelled cross,—it was made by teacher. Frequently the superintendent or teacher will write down the answer, or the main word of the answers of the children on the blackboard, and this will interest them greatly. A teacher can use a piece 1. Do not put any but well-digested, important words, thoughts, and objects on the blackboard. 2. Write or draw as plainly, neatly, and correctly as possible. Do not write too much. 3. Let all the exercises of the school bear directly towards the one great thought of the lesson. Thus let the freshest and most prominent object in the school-room aid the teacher and superintendent, through the use of the eye, in their great work. A word of caution is needed, however, concerning the use of the blackboard. Sometimes it has been made to appear quite ridiculous by a fanciful and perverted use of it. The only justifiable use of the blackboard in a Sabbath-school is in order to make Bible truths more clear and attractive in the eyes of teachers and scholars. Men of good taste, as well as those having tact and ingenuity, can and do use the blackboard with power in various ways. For instance, some years ago I saw a lesson taught in Ralph Wells's school—and many of my examples originated with him—from the text in Matt. v.16: "Let your light so shine," etc. This was plainly written on the board, while on one side was drawn a figure of a light-house, with the rays of light shining forth from the lamp. The superintendent in a review pressed the question, "How are we to let our light shine, according to the lesson, 'So shine?'"—and At another time I noticed the text, "Founded on a rock," together with the figure of a house firm on a rock, and another house crumbling and falling down "on the sand." See to the foundation. A catechism lesson on the question, "What is sin?" was placed on the board "My sin." Examples of Blackboard Exercises.The following examples are given as suggestive of several different lines of use to which the blackboard may be put: The substance of a lesson in the 6th chapter of Matthew was once put upon the board in two words, "Outside" and "Inside," the children being asked to examine the chapter and tell what to write on the blackboard; at the end of the address the board appeared as follows, each specification having been vividly illustrated by an incident:
Another good lesson on the board is to take one of the commandments, for instance, the "Third Commandment." Raise three questions and get the children to fill out the answers as follows:
The following lesson has been successfully given by the Rev. Mr. Ostrander, of Albany:
Where ought Jesus to be? Ans. In the heart. Where did he get his name? Ans. From the angel. (Matt. i.21.) Why was this name given? Ans. (Matt. i.22.) How does he save from sin? Ans. "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ." The following, by E. D. Jones, of St. Louis, teaches a lesson from the text, John xii.32: "And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me." First, Notice the influences God uses to draw men: 1. The Holy Spirit. 2. The Bible. 3. The Churches. Secondly, Look at their relations: 1. As a Helper. 2. As a Teacher. 3. As a Trainer. Thirdly, Look at the chief work of these agents: 1. To Reveal.2. To Believe. 3. To Know. 4. To Train. At the close of the address or lesson the blackboard will appear as follows: Still another is the following: "Jesus is your friend." What qualities do you want in a friend? Answer. He must be True. Write the word TRUE on the board, and then by questioning draw out of the scholars four different and prominent characteristics of Jesus as a friend, each answering to one of the letters of the word True, as follows: Jesus is your Friend. T—ried. R—ich. U—seful. E—verlasting. The Parable of the Sower may be taught by the following arrangement in three columns and twelve words or particulars. The children give the words to fill the columns:
Who?—"Son, What?—go work When?—to-day Where?—in my vineyard." How work? Answer: W—illingly. O—rderly. R—egularly. K—indly. The next three examples are from Rev. J. H. Vincent's blackboard exercises: History of Joseph.
The Seven Principal Journeys of Christ.
1st s, for silence. 2d s, for system. 1st v, for vigilance. 2d v, for variety. 1st c, for charity. 2d c, for concentration. central C for Christ. A more elaborate lesson, illustrating the parable of the Pharisee and Publican, and showing the characteristics of three kinds of prayer and their results, can be portrayed thus: Another still is to write a part of the test and fill it up with the answers of the scholars, thus:
Map Drawing.—Palestine.Another use for the blackboard in the Sunday-school is the drawing of maps and outlines of the location of sacred places. Teachers have found it difficult, however, if not impossible, to draw maps of the proper proportions and rightly to locate the places. The following simple plan, used by Ritter and Guyot, has been extensively used in our Sunday-school Conventions the last year or two, and found to be useful. It is called the "Relative Measurement" method. One line, say from A to B (see diagram on page 123), is taken as the unit of measurement. This line is 40 miles in length. Having drawn this line at the top or northern boundary of Palestine, next dot off five times forty miles south, and number it in proper proportions, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. Then run three times forty miles west, and number 6, 7, and 8. Then The great divisions are made by drawing a curved line from Mount Carmel to the Jordan, midway between 2 and 3. Then equidistant between 3 and 4 draw a circular line to the coast of the Mediterranean Sea. The length of the Holy Land is about 180 miles and the width from 25 to 70 miles. The Sea of Galilee is 12 miles long by 6 broad, and the Dead Sea is about 50 miles long. The following outline, which appeared in part in The Sunday-School Teacher, of Chicago, is a good illustration: Table of Localities.
The foregoing are samples each of several classes of blackboard exercises, which I have selected as being the most practical. Other more fanciful ones are omitted, for it should ever be remembered that the true, legitimate use of the blackboard does not necessarily involve any of these ingenious devices: simply the plain Word of God, plainly written, is all. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
