The climax of the year's work in teacher-training comes at graduation. This is indeed the Commencement. No effort should be spared to make the day a notable one. Church and community should be made to feel that the event is important.

      In the first place, it is due the class to bestow upon them honors in recognition of their efforts and sacrifices toward preparing themselves for larger usefulness in the church. It is no small thing for busy people to devote fifty evenings, as most of our classes do, to recitation. And back of these recitations is the preparation which makes a large demand upon the time. To make a great occasion out of graduation causes the members of the class to feel that their efforts have been appreciated, and encourages them to continue their training.

      In the second place, the importance of Bible training is impressed upon the church. Very few of the members who do not attend recitation have any conception of what the course means. Graduation day thus becomes education day for the church.

      In the third place, graduation affords the Bible school and church a splendid opportunity for impressing the importance of Bible training and study upon the community at large. The church should embrace heartily this great opportunity of arousing interest in the study of the Word. If rightly observed, the day will mark an epoch in any community, and stimulate other classes to greater effort.

      To make the most of graduation, it is necessary to put a great deal of thought and careful planning into the preparation of the program and all that attends its execution. Then, of course, the planning must be followed by systematic effort. Care must extend to each small [552] detail that goes to beautify and to make impressive the graduation exercises.

      The most can not be made of the day unless the teacher and officers of the class begin planning for it a long way ahead. If kept before the class constantly, it will keep many from falling out of the ranks. It is well to begin planning far enough ahead to use the occasional discussion of graduation day features to stimulate interest when the class comes to the last one-third of the course which has least to do with the Bible itself.

      No amount of time and effort expended

J. A. BARNETT.

in the preparation of a creditable graduation program is in vain. In many communities the event can be made one of the year's attractions. In many instances an admission can be charged which will defray all expenses in securing able speakers and other attractions. At Galesburg, Ill., we began planning for the event five months in advance. The daily papers were used freely. We exploited who was to speak, Moninger; who was to sing, Excell; and the Auditorium, where the exercises were to occur, through the news columns, with great profit. The main thing kept before the people was that a class of fifty was to graduate upon that occasion from a course of Bible study that took brains and a year's work to complete.

      Tickets were put on sale a few days in advance. When the diplomas arrived, one was displayed in the window of a store. Placards were displayed with Moninger's and Excell's cuts. In carrying out the program, the utmost simplicity was observed, but a variety of attractions offered.

      At the close of the drill, when the class came to the part upon the life of Christ, they instantly arose to their feet. When they came to the last event of the forty days, the organist struck the chord and the class burst into "All Hail the Power of Jesus' Name," and carried the audience with them.

[CCR 552-553]