Part 6 (1/2)

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 cohly 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 Class,” by Jahes, 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 Nor Class, 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 Methodisious movement,” as one has termed it The pupils of this class subject the for Sunday school teachers They are permitted and are expected to s in order that they o over the lessons with the teachers and be prepared in case of an eency 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 deterrade The teachers conduct their own examination and make tabulated results, the whole of which is subht members, who carefully pass upon it and order the promotion The pro 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 assembly idea also obtains in our school as a part of our system This has been found indispensable as an incentive to devotion, because it her Intermediate and Senior classes feel their iether every fortnight to hear soious topic, apart from the Primary and lower Interht be hly 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 reeable 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 ”Prootten The enthusiasm is equal to that of Children's Day in every respect Boys and girls with eager hearts pass from class to class 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 ed, and, to use the popular expression, ”they worked like a charm” Hundreds of dollars were raised, hichhave over one thousand voluth 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 ular 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 syste the schools of our Methodisradation

THE PLAINFIELD PLAN

BY JESSE L HURLBUT, DD

TWO years have passed 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 ti was accoes, with an average attendance of two hundred and seventy-five Its officers and teachers were fifty in nuh 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 theeither 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 classes” in the Senior Depart the reirls 2 A constant tendency a people to fall away frohteen years 3 Great discrepancies of nue and srade 4 In ale and the intellectual acquire suitable teachers for new classes, or to take the places of teachers leaving the school

After many conversations a conclusion was reached that ht be lessened, if the school were reorganized according to a good systeraded 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,are the principal features of the plan, for which we inality, as each of its eleraded Sunday schools:

1 That the school should be arranged in four general departments: The Senior, for all over sixteen years old; the Junior, froht to ten; and the Priht years These divisions are not arbitrary, but represent the average standard of age, to which exceptions ht be made in special cases

2 In each department the number of classes to be fixed and invariable, except that in the Junior Departht be so to the varying number of scholars promoted into the department in different years

3 Promotions to be made annually, and all at the saencies no changes in classes to bethe year, either by teachers or scholars If a teacher accepts a class on ”Proement for the entire year, unless a necessity arise

4 While in the saether; 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 froe of teachers, in order to keep the same number of classes in each department, especially the Senior Department, from year to year

5 While special supplemental lessons may be provided for each departe, 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 classes are studying the sa an examination the prerequisite of pro 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 co the pastor and superintendent, e of each scholar under seventeen, conferred with the teachers, and then prepared a new list of teachers and scholars for all classes in the school,staff and the assignment of scholars

Sunday, March 30, 1890, was aour 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 coed No one could tell what heart-burnings would be engendered and what disappointments would come

The superintendent made a stateinning with Class No 1 of the Senior Department

As the names were called the members left their former classes and took their new places in the class rooned to the Senior Grade, each having a separate roo ladies' classes, a class of elderly ladies, a lecture class of ladies and gentlemen, a class of reserve teachers, and a normal class to be trained for teachers in the course of the Chautauqua Normal Union