Seven Graded Sunday Schools Part 2

GRADING.

Our school numbers 700, officers, teachers, and pupils, with a large percentage of men and women in the Senior Cla.s.ses. We have most of the modern appliances for Sunday school work, and a most enterprising and faithful corps of officers and teachers. Until within four or five years our school had been divided into the usual Primary, Intermediate, Junior, and Senior Departments, and the teachers had for many years sustained a successful weekly teachers' meeting for the study of the lesson. There were, however, manifest weak points in the work done. The instruction on the part of the teachers, in many cases, was superficial, and there was lack of study on the part of the pupils. The Sunday school had been considered too much as a place where an hour or two could be pleasantly pa.s.sed on the Sabbath, where the members could be entertained without much work or study on their part, and consequently was of little profit. Our officers and teachers for some time considered how our school might be improved, made more efficient, and more satisfactory results be obtained. A committee was appointed to consider the whole subject. The public school of to-day is looked upon as a model in method and thoroughness of work. While there are many points of difference between the two, yet progressive Sunday school workers have sought to overcome the apparent difficulties, and incorporate, as far as possible, the best features of the secular school.

Some of the members of our committee had been either directors, officers, or teachers of public schools, and thus gave to the subject the benefit of their knowledge and experience. The committee spent considerable time in studying the plans adopted in successful schools--some of the more noted were visited; prominent Sunday school leaders were consulted, and in every way light and information were sought. They in due time made their report, which, after being thoroughly considered and discussed, was unanimously adopted, and the committee were instructed to carry out the recommendations of their report. The committee had a delicate task to perform, to take a school of 700 members and arrange them in the different grades sought to be established. The whole plan was carefully explained to the school, and printed circulars, containing full information, were placed in the hands of the Senior Department, where the greatest changes were to be made.

The teachers for the new cla.s.ses to be formed were first chosen, then the committee met with the other teachers of the cla.s.ses in the Senior Grade, and by mutual agreement their scholars were permitted to leave any of the existing cla.s.ses and join any of the new cla.s.ses to be formed as they saw fit, without the least hesitation or embarra.s.sment either on the part of pupil or teacher. The members of the Reserve Corps were secured by special invitation from the superintendent. The cla.s.ses of the Junior Department were, with the general consent of their teachers, divided by the committee into the first, second, third, fourth, and fifth years. The committee used their best judgment and made the a.s.signments without examination, general attainments and age being the standards. Transfers were also made from the Primary to the Intermediate, and from the Intermediate to the Junior Department of such as should be promoted. Most of these changes were made on a review Sunday, though some time was previously taken in the necessary detail work, and the transformation was accomplished with the best of feeling, both on the part of teachers and scholars.

We have six grades. Primary, Intermediate, Junior, and Senior Departments, Normal Cla.s.s, and Reserve Corps.

LESSONS.

The International Lessons are used throughout the entire school. The standard of promotion from one department to another is the age of the pupil, knowledge of the ordinary lessons, and especially of the supplemental lessons studied in each cla.s.s of the school, with two or three exceptions. These supplemental lessons occupy the first five minutes of each lesson period, and contain valuable information in regard to the Bible and the Church.

THE PRIMARY DEPARTMENT.

In this room the instruction is oral, and the lesson is taught to the entire cla.s.s by the princ.i.p.al. She is a.s.sisted by several ladies in maintaining order, leading the music, marking the roll, taking the collection, noting birthdays, and caring for the wants of the children.

The blackboard and visible ill.u.s.trations are freely used. The children remain here until they are eight years of age. They are taught besides the regular lessons the Lord's Prayer, the Beat.i.tudes, a number of verses of Scripture, and several Psalms. On pa.s.sing an examination on these supplemental lessons they are promoted to the intermediate Department.

THE INTERMEDIATE DEPARTMENT.

In this room also the instruction is mainly oral. The children are taught the lesson by the princ.i.p.al, who uses blackboards and charts when needed. She likewise has her a.s.sistants, who perform for her the same service as is rendered by the a.s.sistants in the Primary Department.

The Catechism of the Church, the Ten Commandments and the Apostles'

Creed are taught as supplemental lessons. Here the children remain three years, or until they are eleven years of age. On pa.s.sing an examination on the supplemental lessons they are promoted to the Junior Department.

THE JUNIOR DEPARTMENT.

In this department the boys and girls are a.s.signed to separate cla.s.ses.

As far as possible the girls are taught by male and the boys by female teachers. Each cla.s.s contains six or eight pupils, who sit around a little table, the drawer of which holds their order of exercises and singing books. The pupils remain in this department five years, or until they are sixteen years of age. These cla.s.ses are divided into five sections, representing the five years of study in this grade. The pupils of the first section, or year, occupy seats to the right, immediately in front of the superintendent; the pupils of the second year at the left, immediately in front of the superintendent; the pupils of the third year behind the first, and the pupils of the fourth year behind the second. The pupils of the fifth year sit at one side, at the left, and are divided into two large cla.s.ses for convenience sake, and use for recitation two of the church rooms on the first floor of the building.

The teachers go with their cla.s.ses as they are promoted from year to year in this grade, and when their cla.s.ses are promoted to the Senior Department they turn back and take new cla.s.ses from the Intermediate Department.

The pupils of the first year, the most recent from the Intermediate Department, remain in this section one year, and then, if able to pa.s.s a satisfactory examination in the names of the books of the Bible and the five doctrines of grace, they may be promoted with their teachers to the second year. The supplemental lessons in this grade are printed on cards and furnished to each scholar. The pupils of the second year remain in this section one year, and then, if able to pa.s.s a satisfactory examination in Bible biography from Adam to the Judges, the Apostles'

Creed and the Beat.i.tudes, they may be promoted to the third year.

The pupils of the third year remain in this section one year, and then, if able to pa.s.s a satisfactory examination in Bible biography of the Judges and Kings, the Ten Commandments, the Great and New Commandments, they may be promoted to the fourth year.

The pupils of the fourth year remain in this section one year, and then, if able to pa.s.s a satisfactory examination in the biography of the New Testament, the women of note in the Old and New Testaments and the eight points of Church economy, they may be promoted to the fifth year.

The pupils of the fifth year remain in this section one year, and then, if able to pa.s.s a satisfactory examination in Bible geography and history, they may be promoted to the Senior Department.

THE RECEPTION CLa.s.s.

Connected with the Junior Department is a Reception Cla.s.s for pupils between the ages of eleven and sixteen. All new scholars who join the school and are ent.i.tled to enter the Junior Department become members of this cla.s.s. The teacher makes it her special duty to learn the scholar's age, attainments, home influence and surroundings, and tests his punctuality and regularity of attendance. After the scholar has pa.s.sed a satisfactory probation he is a.s.signed to a cla.s.s in the graded system of the school.

THE SENIOR DEPARTMENT.

In the Senior Department the cla.s.ses occupy three of the five large rooms in the gallery. The members of these cla.s.ses remain in this grade three years. They study as supplemental lessons "The Chautauqua Text Book Number 19--'The Book of Books,'" divided into a course of study for three years. Those who pa.s.s satisfactory examinations, and who desire it, are promoted to the Normal Cla.s.s.

There is connected with the Senior Department a Lecture Cla.s.s, where the lesson is taught entirely by the lecture method. No questions are asked the members. Visitors and strangers are made welcome to seats in this cla.s.s. There is also a General Bible Cla.s.s, where the lesson is largely taught by questions and answers. These two cla.s.ses--the Lecture and General Bible Cla.s.s--occupy large rooms in the gallery, and are for those graduates of the Senior Department who do not wish to fit themselves for teachers in the Normal Cla.s.s, and for all others of mature years who wish to study the International Sunday School Lessons without entering the graded system of the school.

THE NORMAL CLa.s.s.

The Normal Cla.s.s occupies seats on the main floor, at the left of the superintendent, during the opening and closing exercises, and uses for recitation one of the church rooms on the first floor of the building, furnished with blackboard and maps. In the Normal Cla.s.s the regular International Lessons are studied very briefly. For two years the cla.s.s is taught the lessons of the Chautauqua Normal Union, and pa.s.ses yearly written examinations on the studies pursued. At the end of two years the members who have pa.s.sed satisfactorily the examinations on the printed papers furnished by the Normal Union are graduated, receive their diplomas, and are promoted to the Reserve Corps, to be drafted on occasion into the teaching force.

THE RESERVE CORPS.

The Reserve Corps consists of the graduates of the Normal Cla.s.s and others who are specially fitted for teaching. They occupy seats on the main floor, at the right of the superintendent, during the opening and closing exercises, and use for recitation one of the church rooms on the first floor of the building. The members of this cla.s.s enter it with the distinct understanding that they will hold themselves in readiness to teach when called upon, and they act, in turn, as subst.i.tute teachers for the regular teachers who may be absent. They study the lessons one week in advance of the school, so when asked to teach a cla.s.s they are prepared by the study of the previous Sabbath. From this cla.s.s the permanent teachers of the school are generally taken. This fact is a great incentive to diligence and punctuality on the part of the regular teachers, as they know that a number of qualified persons stand ready to take their places if they are irregular or not acceptable.

PROMOTIONS.

Examinations in each department are held during the month of March, by the Executive Committee, and the promotions are all made on one Sunday in April. This promotion or commencement day becomes one of great interest and importance. The members of the Normal Cla.s.s who have pa.s.sed their examinations are presented before the entire school by their teacher for graduation. They receive their diplomas from the hands of the pastor, who presents them with words of praise and encouragement.

They then take their seats with the Reserve Corps. Promotions from the Senior Department then fill up again the Normal Cla.s.s. Promotions from the Junior Cla.s.ses fill up the empty room in the Senior Department. The Junior Cla.s.ses are all advanced one year, and the Intermediate Department gives a new first year to the Junior Grade. The depletion of the Intermediate Department is then supplied from the Primary Department. The primary room fills up, not by promotions, but by constant accessions made from Sunday to Sunday.

CONCLUSION.

We have tried to give you, as best we could, some idea of our school. We are by no means satisfied with it; there are too many weak places yet to be found. We do not allow, however, our pupils to go on from year to year without learning something, and we afford them the opportunity of gaining much valuable knowledge. We shall continue to labor on in this line and try to make it what its name signifies that it is, a school--a school on the Sabbath for the study of G.o.d's word. We have gone into detail in regard to our work that we might help some out of difficulties under which they may labor. If we have dropped a word, or made any suggestions that shall be helpful to Sunday school workers in organizing and conducting their schools, we shall be amply paid for the preparation of this paper.

THE DETROIT PLAN.

BY HORACE HITCHc.o.c.k.

FOR many years, while serving as superintendent of Sunday schools, I saw hundreds of children grow up to young manhood and womanhood, and in a majority of cases go out from the school because they had reached such maturity. Every conceivable effort was made to retain them by securing the best teachers and offering such attractive social influences as could be introduced into a cla.s.s. Occasionally some magnetic teacher with marked and strong personality would succeed for a time in holding a considerable number of young people in the school, but such teachers were hard to find. The The scholars never seemed willing subjects, but bound in some way to a service that was neither palatable nor in all cases profitable. Why is this so? was the question asked by troubled teacher and superintendent, and too often it was attributed to the perverseness of the young people, and they were given over to the world with the hope that early instruction might have left some seed in their hearts that would in future years bear fruit for their good and the glory of G.o.d.

In the midst of these discouraging conditions, which seemed to be almost universal in the Sunday school (so much so that in every inst.i.tute program was found this topic: "How can the young people be retained in the Sunday school," and when the paper was read and the discussion ended, the mystery was not solved), the writer began to search for the cause that produced these conditions, and asked the question of himself.

Why did you leave the Sunday school at the age of sixteen, just as these people do you are so troubled about? Going back to those days and digging out of memory their thoughts, I found that there existed in my mind the thought which was confirmed by the conduct of all schools, that the Sunday school was for children, and not for young people, and that as I was no longer a child I was out of place. It was not that I did not like to be in the school, but that I had changed conditions and the school had not; therefore was not adapted to me or my wants. This was a revelation which led to the thought that the fault was not in the splendid young men and women who left us, but that of the organization and adaptation of the school to their needs. The conclusion was that if we would retain our young people in the school and church, we must adopt methods and instruction which would be in accord with their age and thought. The public schools at once gave a pattern to be followed. The graded system made some part of the school fit every scholar who came to it, and gave to each one in lower grade a laudable and helpful ambition to reach the higher. This idea, I conceived, might, in a modified form, be introduced into the Sunday school, and as soon as the plan was matured I proceeded to introduce it into the Central Methodist Episcopal Sunday School of Detroit. I will as briefly as possible outline it, trusting it may be helpful to others.

GRADES.

The school was divided into four grades, namely, the Primary, Intermediate, Junior, and Senior, with two other departments, the Normal and the Home, each one of which was under the direction of a special superintendent, all of whom were under the direction of the general superintendent, the object of this being to make some person who was adapted to the place responsible for the department; and it has proved to be an excellent feature of the graded system, as every a.s.sistant superintendent, without any friction with others, has been ambitious to make his or her department as successful as possible.

THE PRIMARY DEPARTMENT.

This grade should consist of all children under eight years of age, under the instruction of a single teacher, with such a.s.sistants as are needed. Kindergarten methods of instruction may be introduced to give variety, and by the object lessons used to teach through the eye and by the movements of the body lessons from the Word never to be forgotten.

Before promotion to a higher grade scholars should be able to repeat from memory the Apostles' Creed, the Ten Commandments, and the Twenty-third Psalm. The ingenious teacher in this grade will invent a hundred methods for instruction, but before all she must comprehend that she is in the most responsible position in the school. She is laying the foundation for the instruction of the other grades, and as she builds so will the superstructure be strong or weak.