The Negro's church,.

142

142 The Negro's Ch urch

as they would have others do unto them. Get into their hearts.
Teach them Thy way. May the coming of these children here be
a coming worthy of the life they have spent. These blessings we
ask in the name of Thee, who has taught us when we pray to say:
(Recital of Lord's Prayer in concert.)
GENERAL LESSON REVIEWS AND TALKS
A large part of the time of the closing exercise in virtually
90 per cent. of the 608 schools is devoted to lesson reviews.
This procedure naturally, and often rightly, is based upon the
assumption that every one has studied the same biblical lesson texts. The reviews seem to be regarded as necessities, although observations reveal that the reviewers seldom present
the material even as interestingly as it has already been presented in the classes. Evidently it is hoped that the persons
present will all have the same idea of the lesson, and that the
conduct of all will be similarly changed. It is doubtful, however, that such an objective can be achieved in a service in
which ages vary as widely as from six to seventy. If, however, the work of the classes were accepted as well done, the
need of reviews would disappear.
A number of schools, probably a tenth, do not have general
lesson reviews, and devote the time to planned services of
worship. General observations of these two methods in the
churches studied indicates that the latter method seems to
produce more satisfactory results. There is usually less noise
and moving about. The service proceeds with a greater
sense of its achieving its purpose. The pupil participation
appears to arise out of interest rather than coercion.
PUPIL PARTICIPATION
The services of worship of the schools are dominated by
adult leadership. Duties such as passing and collecting song
books and lesson materials, and the running of errands are
given over to younger pupils. In many schools in which the