Other Windsor Schools

The Windsor Parish Magazine January 1881
Our SUNDAY SCHOOLS

 OF TEACHERS. – AND FIRST OF LADY TEACHERS IN THE BOYS’ SCHOOL
 I cannot think of any undertaking which more happily unites Church Members in the work of their Church, than the service of the Teachers in the Sunday Schools of the Parish. A Clergyman must be very insensible to the value of what is called ” Lay Agency,” who does not feel what a support and comfort it is to him to have a band of’ earnest communicants, all associated, in the ‘blessed work of the Lord’s Day; all carrying down to the youngest and poorest of the flock that teaching which he himself tries hard to impart to the Congregation at large. I do not say that this is the highest aspect of Sunday School work. Of course that is higher still which regards it as service “rendered in singleness of heart to Christ.” I wish to dwell here on the common interest which Minister and people have in their Sunday Schools, that I may invite you to read which from time to may offer you in these pages.

It is our happiness to have 64 Sunday School Teachers in our five Sunday Schools. This is without reckoning some who take separate classes in their own houses, or in appointed places. Far the greater number of these are young ladies; or those who will allow me to call them “Female Teachers”  it is to them especially that address this paper.

 I cannot exaggerate the sense I have of their special fitness for the work, especially as regards lads and boys. The kindly, gentle influence of a young woman, is precisely what is wanted with a rough boy, who all through the week has been under the strict rule of a Master and Pupil Teachers in the Day School. Our number of Sunday School Teachers enables us to break up ‘our Sunday School into small classes, and so to bring each scholar into intimate acquaintance with his Teacher. Imagine what it may be to a rude lad out of Love Lane or Sydney Court, to find that once a week he spends an hour with some young lady who does her very utmost to please him, for his good to edification. She makes even the sweet stories of old sweeter still by the skill with which she translates them into language which applies to the circumstances of his every-day life. I do not wonder that in some cases there is an admiration of the Lady Teacher, which at the lowest becomes a gallantry, that makes rudeness and disobedience impossible; and, at the highest, becomes a reverent esteem which saves from the sins and faults by which it would be forfeited.

As Superintendent of Sunday Schools, I interfere as little as possible with the work of each separate Teacher. I wish each Teacher to feel “Here I have ten scholars committed to me bv the Vicar. I must make them better Christians than they are now; and I may do it my own way. So success or failure is my own hands, so far as it is ever in the hand of a human instrument.”

Still there are limits to irresponsibility, or rather there are outline rules within which class Teachers must keep, or there would be no superintendence—and I believe there would be no success.

First.—There must be perfect discipline. I mean there must be undisturbed order and quietness. I believe that Sunday School Teachers must be content to work on God’s own plan; and with Him fear comes even before love. I do not say that harshness or sternness comes before kindness. We may be kind from the very beginning; but we must begin by exacting respect for authority. A discipline love may begin by weak indulgence – letting a boy do just what he likes, and may end in ” petting ” the good boys. In the class generally there may be no real regard for the rule of the Teacher. Her orders may be disobeyed by the boy she addresses all too affectionately. So I say to Teachers, begin by ” being minded.” If you tell n new scholar to do, or not to do, a thing, call in the Superintendent rather than let him have his wilful way,

Secondly—There must be a careful regard for reverence both on the Teacher’s part and on the part of the scholar. When an inexperienced Teacher is trying to make Scripture interesting to the dull and ignorant she is in danger of making the tale too familiar, of bringing it down too much to the boy’s level instead of lifting up the boy halfway to meet it. She should watch and observe if the observations made by the class on her narrative appear to her to be irreverent, if so, she has overstepped slightly what was safe; and would do well to be more guarded in terms. It is most desirable to enforce the greatest reverence in manner. Never pass over the name of the Lord Jesus without due acknowledgement. Stop immediately all tossing about of the Bible, fanning themselves with the book, and even all rough turning over of its pages, especially if accompanied by the abomination of a thumb wetted at every turning.

Thirdly. But no. “Thirdly” must be kept for next month. I only add here that if any Teacher would communicate to me her special difficulties I would endeavour to treat them in some of these Occasional Papers.

As early as the 1880’s Sunday School teachers were having meetings and being given rules:

The Windsor Parish Magazine December 1881
MONTHLY MEETINGS
The District Visitors’ Meeting and the Sunday-School Teachers’ Meeting will be held at the usual hours and places on Saturday, January 8th, the second Saturday in this month.