Seven Graded Sunday Schools Part 6

The pupil is now fifteen years of age, and, all things being equal, he is ready for the Senior Course.

In this department the "Senior Lesson Quarterly" is used. The supplemental work consists of a completion of the Old and New Testaments thoroughly read and considered during the five years. In addition to this, McGee's "Outlines of the Methodist Episcopal Church" is studied the first year; "The Teacher Before His Cla.s.s," by James L. Hughes, in the second year; "Normal Outlines for Primary Teachers" in the third year; "History of the Sunday School," by Chandler, in the fourth year; Discipline of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and "Christian Baptism,"

by Bishop S. M. Merrill, in the fifth year.

Our pupils are then entered in the Normal Training Cla.s.s, where they read such books as "Open Letters to Primary Teachers," by Mrs. W. F.

Crafts; "Hand Book for Teachers," by Dr. Joseph Alden. They also consider more fully the doctrines of our Methodism and the history of "that great religious movement," as one has termed it. The pupils of this cla.s.s subject themselves to much training for Sunday school teachers. They are permitted and are expected to meet the teachers in their weekly meetings in order that they may go over the lessons with the teachers and be prepared in case of an emergency. Our examinations are held semiannually. In the supplemental work the examinations are conducted in written form. As to the International studies, the recommendation of a pupil by a teacher is sufficient to determine his work and his ability to pa.s.s to a higher grade. The teachers conduct their own examination and make tabulated results, the whole of which is submitted to our Examining Board, consisting of eight members, who carefully pa.s.s upon it and order the promotion. The promotion is then made by the superintendent according to the tabulated results.

As an encouragement to pupils we have found it wise to issue certificates to everyone as they complete the course of study of each department, and finally, when the Senior Course is completed, to issue a diploma. The a.s.sembly idea also obtains in our school as a part of our system. This has been found indispensable as an incentive to devotion, because it makes our higher Intermediate and Senior cla.s.ses feel their importance in a measure when they are called together every fortnight to hear some talk or paper upon some religious topic, apart from the Primary and lower Intermediate cla.s.ses. In order that the teachers might be more thoroughly interested in the success of the system, and thus influence their children, our superintendent has very wisely introduced the social feature into our work, and very often in our consideration of Sunday school matters we find ourselves in the midst of a pleasant and agreeable reception. This has worked well, for we are all creatures of humanity with the same innate social tendencies. The day of days, yes, the red-letter day, is "Promotion Sunday." These Sundays will never be forgotten. The enthusiasm is equal to that of Children's Day in every respect. Boys and girls with eager hearts pa.s.s from cla.s.s to cla.s.s. As a means necessary to the success of our system our superintendent very carefully presented the necessity of a larger library than we had. The plans for raising the money were arranged, and, to use the popular expression, "they worked like a charm." Hundreds of dollars were raised, with which we now have over one thousand volumes and a neatly built library case of twenty feet in length. It would be a pleasure to tell how that money was raised.

As to the results accomplished in our school by the system, suffice it to say they are manifold. Order, system, interest, care, study, regular and punctual attendance by officers and teachers, have been some of the results. In conclusion, let us pray that our superintendents and boards will see the necessity for this system in their schools, and that before long the schools of our Methodism may be one of continuous gradation.

THE PLAINFIELD PLAN.

BY JESSE L. HURLBUT, D.D.

TWO years have pa.s.sed since our Sunday school was graded, and the results of the system are now so apparent that we can safely recommend our plan, for it has met and endured the test of time. Our Sunday school, before the grading was accomplished, embraced about four hundred scholars of all ages, with an average attendance of two hundred and seventy-five. Its officers and teachers were fifty in number. It was by no means an ideal school, though above the average in the efficiency of its work and the interest of its exercises. Its building, however, is a model of convenience and adaptation to the work of the Sunday school, having around the main hall eighteen cla.s.s rooms, all capable of being either secluded or opened together at a moment's notice.

We found in out Sunday school certain evils and defects, all of which may be seen elsewhere. Some of these were: 1. "Skeleton cla.s.ses" in the Senior Department, consisting of four or five scholars, being the remains of what had once been large cla.s.ses of boys and girls. 2. A constant tendency among the young people to fall away from the school after reaching the age of sixteen or eighteen years. 3. Great discrepancies of numbers in the cla.s.ses; large and small cla.s.ses side by side in the same grade. 4. In almost any given cla.s.s a lack of unity in the age and the intellectual acquirements of its members. 5. Great difficulty in obtaining suitable teachers for new cla.s.ses, or to take the places of teachers leaving the school.

After many conversations a conclusion was reached that most of these evils might be removed, and others of them might be lessened, if the school were reorganized according to a good system, and then maintained as a thoroughly graded school. A committee was chosen to prepare a plan.

Correspondence was held with graded schools, all printed information was carefully studied, a plan was prepared, printed, submitted to the Sunday School Board, discussed, modified, and finally adopted unanimously. The following are the princ.i.p.al features of the plan, for which we make no claim of originality, as each of its elements was already in successful operation in one or more graded Sunday schools:

1. That the school should be arranged in four general departments: The Senior, for all over sixteen years old; the Junior, from ten to sixteen years; the Intermediate, from eight to ten; and the Primary, for the children younger than eight years. These divisions are not arbitrary, but represent the average standard of age, to which exceptions might be made in special cases.

2. In each department the number of cla.s.ses to be fixed and invariable, except that in the Junior Department there might be some necessary elasticity in the number of cla.s.ses, owing to the varying number of scholars promoted into the department in different years.

3. Promotions to be made annually, and all at the same time, on the last Sunday of March. Except in special emergencies no changes in cla.s.ses to be made during the year, either by teachers or scholars. If a teacher accepts a cla.s.s on "Promotion Day" it is generally to be considered an engagement for the entire year, unless a necessity arise.

4. While in the same department a teacher and his cla.s.s to be advanced together; that is, from the first year of the Intermediate Grade to the second, from the first year of the Junior Grade to the second, etc. But the promotion from one department to another to be attended with a change of teachers, in order to keep the same number of cla.s.ses in each department, especially the Senior Department, from year to year.

5. While special supplemental lessons may be provided for each department, the promotions to be made upon general fitness, age, and intelligence, and not upon the result of an examination. No examination upon the plan of the public schools is practicable in the Sunday school, where all the cla.s.ses are studying the same lesson. All attempt at making an examination the prerequisite of promotion is apt to become a pretense in the actual working of the scheme.

6. It was also decided that the entire school should be reorganized on a certain day, in accordance with the above plan. A careful committee of seven members, including the pastor and superintendent, made a canva.s.s of the school, ascertained the age of each scholar under seventeen, conferred with the teachers, and then prepared a new list of teachers and scholars for all cla.s.ses in the school, making many changes, both in the teaching staff and the a.s.signment of scholars.

Sunday, March 30, 1890, was a memorable day, being our first "Promotion Sunday." We approached it with some anxiety, for on that day our committee held in its hands the fate of every teacher and every scholar.

Old ties were to be broken, new relations were to be entered upon. Ten teachers were to be returned to the ranks as Senior scholars, and the complexion of every cla.s.s was to be changed. No one could tell what heart-burnings would be engendered and what disappointments would come.

The superintendent made a statement of the new plan, and proceeded to read the new roll, beginning with Cla.s.s No. 1 of the Senior Department.

As the names were called the members left their former cla.s.ses and took their new places in the cla.s.s room. Eight cla.s.ses were a.s.signed to the Senior Grade, each having a separate room. These cla.s.ses were a young men's cla.s.s, three young ladies' cla.s.ses, a cla.s.s of elderly ladies, a lecture cla.s.s of ladies and gentlemen, a cla.s.s of reserve teachers, and a normal cla.s.s to be trained for teachers in the course of the Chautauqua Normal Union.

In the Junior Department sixteen cla.s.ses were formed. Those of the lowest rank, the first year, took the front row of seats; the second year the second row, etc. Those of the fifth year Junior were in two cla.s.ses, one for boys and another for girls, each having a room. The teachers of these two cla.s.ses remain constant, and change their scholars every year; but during the first four years of the grade the teachers advance with their scholars, changing their seats every year, but retaining their cla.s.ses.

The Intermediate Department consists of two large cla.s.ses, each in a separate room. One cla.s.s is of little children just promoted from the Primary Department; the other, of those who have been in the Intermediate Grade a year. The teacher remains with each cla.s.s for two years, the term of this grade. We are inclined to favor a three-year term in this grade, with a cla.s.s for each year, thus making the age at admission to the Senior Department seventeen instead of sixteen years.

Our Primary Department formerly consisted of nine or ten small cla.s.ses under one Primary superintendent. In the reorganization we const.i.tuted it as one cla.s.s, with a teacher and an a.s.sistant. This change released a number of teachers for service in the school, and was on the whole an improvement. Whether it would be desirable everywhere depends on circ.u.mstances. In many places it might be easier to find ten teachers, each of whom can teach ten scholars, than one who can teach one hundred.

When the roll of the school had been fully called every teacher and every scholar had been a.s.signed, except one boy, who had joined the school that day, and was left standing in the middle of the room in a bewildered state of mind over the revolution which was going on around him. A view of the newly arranged cla.s.ses from the platform showed the school looking more orderly than ever before, and gave it the appearance of having twice as many adult scholars as formerly.

One item must not be forgotten. The superintendent announced that each department would hold a "reception" adapted to the age of its members.

The Senior reception was appointed for Monday evening of the next week, and was to include upon its program music, addresses, readings, cake, and cream. All the young people were eager to be counted in, and hence willing to leave their old cla.s.ses for the new ones. A fortnight later the Junior Department held its reception, with a stereopticon entertainment and the refreshments. Even if a boy can obtain a superabundance of cake at home he will be drawn by the prospect of another slice to the Sunday school sociable. Each department held its own reception, all were happy, and the young ladies and gentlemen were not made to feel that they were simply on the fringe of an inst.i.tution adapted mainly to little children.

The system thus inaugurated has been in operation two years. What have been its results?

There were at first some complaints by teachers, scholars, and parents.

But only one teacher left the school; the cla.s.ses settled down to work and soon became acquainted; a few changes, but only a very few, were made in the a.s.signments of the scholars, as, for example, where a mistake had been made in the age of a pupil; and soon everybody was satisfied with the new arrangement. Among its manifest benefits we may note the following:

1. The Senior Department is maintained with large cla.s.ses and growing numbers. There is a social feeling, an "esprit de corps," in a large cla.s.s which is not found in a small one; hence the shrinkage is less.

And whatever loss is met is more than supplied from the new blood infused each year on "Promotion Sunday."

2. The scholars in the Junior Department have an aim and a hope before them. They look forward to their promotion with earnest expectation, and are on this account the more loyal to the school.

3. Inasmuch as all changes are made at a given time they are prepared for. For three months the superintendent is planning for "Promotion Sunday." If a teacher can be better fitted with a cla.s.s, a change is made at that time; and where many changes are made at once the friction of each is reduced to a minimum. Cla.s.ses are made more nearly uniform in their const.i.tuency, and the school is kept up to an evenness of organization which greatly increases its efficiency.

4. There has been a marked increase in the membership of the school.

Notwithstanding the organization of a mission school by the church, taking away several workers and some scholars, the school has an attendance from seventy-five to one hundred larger than that of two years ago.

After a trial of two years we are sure that the establishment of a graded system and a faithful adherence to its plans have greatly benefited our Sunday school.

A MODEL SUNDAY SCHOOL ROOM.

THE Sunday school is the door to the Church through which enters the great majority of its members. This fact alone would account for the increasing interest that the Church now manifests toward the school. As the inst.i.tution which trains the young for the Church, and leads both young and old into the Church, the Sunday school is ent.i.tled to the Church's support and care.

The housing of the Sunday school is one of the most important subjects that can come before the Church as the guardian of the school. Too often the work of the school is impeded by unsuitable and inconvenient quarters. Just as the public school building now claims the attention of architects and sanitary engineers, the Sunday school hall is also attracting notice.

It is only twenty-two years since the first building thoroughly adapted for the uses of the Sunday school was erected at Akron, O. This building, the joint conception of the Hon. Lewis Miller, superintendent, and Mr. Jacob Snyder, architect, has furnished most of the ideas peculiar to Sunday school construction, and is therefore ent.i.tled to preeminence in the record. Others have improved upon the details of the Akron plan, but its fundamental principles have never been superseded, and can never be. Those principles are only two, and they seem almost incompatible with each other. They have been called "aloneness" and "togetherness;" that is, that each cla.s.s in certain departments shall be isolated in a separate room, and yet that all the cla.s.ses may be brought together into one room for general exercises without delay, without confusion, and without the change of seats by the cla.s.ses.

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIRST FLOOR PLAN

VINCENT CHAPEL]

Among the dozen or more Sunday school buildings on the Akron plan one of the most convenient and most complete, yet not one of the most expensive, is that connected with the Methodist Episcopal Church in Plainfield, N. J. As this was for twenty years the church home of the Rev. Bishop John H. Vincent, the Sunday school bears the appropriate name of "Vincent Chapel." The plans were drawn by Mr. Oscar S. Teale, architect. Mr. Teale was at that time the efficient secretary of the school, and added to an architect's knowledge a worker's practical acquaintance with the needs of the Sunday school. The chapel, as may be seen by the diagrams, embraces a large room, with eighteen smaller cla.s.s rooms around it, nine upon each floor. The part.i.tions of the cla.s.s rooms are so arranged as to offer no obstruction to the line of vision from any seat in the building to the superintendent's desk and the blackboard fastened to the wall back of it. Thus the superintendent can see and be seen by every pupil and teacher in the building. He can also be heard with perfect ease in every cla.s.s room, as the acoustic properties of the building are excellent.

The main room is used by the Junior Department, in which the scholars are from eleven to sixteen years of age. The cla.s.ses are seated according to grade, the "first year Juniors" on the front row of cla.s.ses; the "second year Juniors" on the second row, etc., for four rows, the boys on the superintendent's right, the girls on his left.

Each year, on "Promotion Sunday," the cla.s.ses move one row farther from the desk, and the new cla.s.ses formed from the Intermediate Department take the front row of seats.

The nine cla.s.s rooms on the ground floor are used as follows: In the left-hand corner, just where the most of the scholars pa.s.s in entering and leaving, is the secretary's room. Next is the "fifth year Junior,"

into which all the girls enter after four years in the Junior Grade, leaving their former teachers for a new one. In this cla.s.s they stay either one or two years, according to age and acquirements, and from it are promoted to the Senior Department. The third room is that of the "Ladies' Bible Cla.s.s;" the fourth, the "Reserve Cla.s.s." Next comes the church parlor, seating a hundred people, and used by a large Senior Cla.s.s. The next room is for the "first year Intermediate," that is, those just advanced from the Primary Department; the seventh, the "second year Intermediate;" the eighth, a "young men's Senior Cla.s.s;"

the ninth, and last, the boys' section of the "fifth year Junior," the largest cla.s.s of boys in the Junior Department.

On the ground floor are four entrances, one at each corner. As the chapel stands at the rear of the church it was necessary to have the princ.i.p.al entrance on each side of the room facing the school. This is a slight drawback, as a rear entrance would be preferable, in order not to distract attention to the late comers.