John Brown, Third Reader, age eleven years, March
16, 1892.
Samuel Findley, Fourth Reader, age twelve years,
July 13, 1892.
In this way complete the enrollment of the entire school, commencing
either with the older or younger scholars, as may best suit; of course
those whose ages are above twenty need not be taken; all above that age
should be enrolled as married and young people. This kind of an
enrollment enables a clear understanding into what class to place every
member of the school.
2. Prepare an outline floor plan of the Sunday school room on a scale
large enough so that a space can be marked which each class is to
occupy, and in each space write the names of the scholars, their ages,
the number of the class, and the name of the teacher who is to have
charge. For rooms with galleries or without the outline plan is the
same. Arrange your plan so as to have all the different class spaces on
the same sheet of paper. The diagram on page 23 will give an idea of one
kind of room.
A sheet three feet by two and a half will be needed for a school of a
thousand members.
3. Having the age and standing in ability on a sheet of paper, outlined
as described and illustrated, the next step is to make the selection
of the scholars for the different grades and classes they are to
occupy. Commencing with the Infant Class, write all the names of the
Infant Class scholars into the space outlined for their class. Then
place the names of the Intermediate Class in the space outlined for
them. These two classes are not difficult to arrange, as all below eight
years, boys or girls, are placed in the Infant Class, and those between
eight and ten in the Intermediate. These two grades may be subdivided
into as many classes as may be desired; in our school we have each of
these two grades under one teacher, with one or two assistants. Where
rooms are convenient subdivisions by age could be made with profit; we
so divide these classes, and sometimes teach them by sections.
[Illustration: PLAN OF AKRON SCHOOL.
N. B. This plan represents two floors on one diagram. The rooms numbered
from 1 to 10 are in the gallery; those from 11 to 19 are under the
gallery on the ground floor. The classes numbered from 20 to 56 are not
separated by partitions, but are seated in chairs around tables.]
The Youth's Department is separated into classes of six to eight members
each, and occupies the main room, boys and girls in separate classes,
but so arranged that there is a class of girls, then a class of boys,
and so on alternately; as far as possible for boys we have a lady
teacher and for girls a gentleman. We place the older scholars in the
rear of the room, or in the "rear circle," as we say in our school.
The roll of the school now serves an excellent purpose; select all the
boys that are past thirteen years old, but not fourteen, and list them
with their standing in the public schools. This is probably best
understood by grade, say:
John Brown, seventh Primary Grade, thirteen years,
March 6, 1892.
Samuel Jones, seventh Primary Grade, thirteen
years, July 24, 1892.
Jacob Smith, seventh Primary Grade, thirteen
years, September 16, 1892.
Isaac Miller, seventh Primary Grade, thirteen
years, April 20, 1892.
Joseph Crankshaw, seventh Primary Grade, thirteen
years, May 19, 1892.
Thomas Marshall, seventh Primary Grade, thirteen
years, February 10, 1892.
You will not have much difficulty, in a school of three or four hundred
scholars, to find several class lists all in the same grade and same
age. This will also permit the selection of certain scholars somewhat in
accordance with their social standing. Probably one or two classes of
each age will not all stand in the same grade as in the public schools,
and there will be others who are not in the public or any other school.
The judgment of the superintendent or committee must guide; age probably
will be much the best guide, and one, at least, that scholars will
recognize and consent to more readily. As fast as classes are formed the
names are placed in their locality on the diagram or school room plan.
Sometimes, in order to keep the grade by years, the classes may not
number six and sometimes may exceed six. All the classes are selected in
the same way, a class of boys, then a class of girls, and the names of
the scholars placed on the diagram as illustrated.
Scholars above fourteen and under seventeen are comprised in another
department, and should be grouped in the same way, only into much larger
classes. Where separate rooms can be had fifteen or twenty will not be
too many--young ladies and gentlemen separate. In small schools, of
course, the classes would be less in number. The age will largely govern
in this grade; only such as are advanced ahead of their class will go
into higher grades. The names for each class should be placed in the
space they are to occupy on the diagram.
The Normal Department is next to be selected. All above seventeen and
below twenty that desire to take the course should be put into one
class. If a room can be secured large enough fifty to seventy will not
be too many. Ladies and gentlemen are placed in the same class. This
class becomes an organized literary society, the teacher ex officio
president. They meet frequently through the week at some home; a short
literary program is arranged and the evening filled up with proper
social entertainment. The class may be composed of all the grades,
first, second, third, and fourth, on the same plan as the C. L. S. C.
readings are arranged, all the grades taking the same studies at the
same time, as the studies are so prepared that either may precede the
rest. Not all who enter the Normal will probably pursue the studies with
such vigor as to undertake the written examinations, of which there
should be at least two each year. A good plan is to have all go along
with the class, because such as will not do thorough work enough to pass
these examinations will, after all, probably get as much good in this
class as they would in any other, and the associations are such as will
in nearly all cases retain them in the school; and many times, before
the final graduation comes, they will make up the required work and
finally receive their diplomas. Only those who have pursued the studies
and have, with credit, passed the written examinations, should receive
diplomas; this gives the proper recognition and is an incentive to
study. All who began the Normal work at the same time pass out of the
class at one and the same time, unless by special request some one or
more remain behind. Those who have not passed the examinations go out
without diplomas, in our school we hold to a two years' course, half of
the class moving out of the class each year, and new members being
promoted into the class. This, it will be perceived, keeps a continuous
class, some coming into the class each year and others being removed,
either with or without diplomas. With us this plan is working admirably,
keeping up a continuous interest.
The Assembly or Post-Graduate Department: The Department of the Young
People is divided into a Reserve Corps and a Young People's Class. The
Reserve Corps is made up of young people who have passed through the
Normal Department and such others as will obligate themselves to act as
supply teachers in cases where regular teachers fail; from this class
permanent teachers are usually chosen. Other young people's classes are
provided for those who do not thus obligate themselves but are willing
attendants.
In addition a Young Married People's Class and an Old Folks' Class
belong to the Assembly or Post-Graduate Department.
Having thus arranged to place in some department and class every member
of the school, and having every name placed on the diagram in the place
or class where each scholar belongs, you can study the school members
and their varied wants and desires, and so adjust teachers, rooms, and
locations and provide for a thoroughly harmonious school. All this work
should be done at least a week before promotion day, so that changes can
be made after a careful looking over of the scheme of classification. Do
not consult teachers or other officers than those who have been aiding
in arranging the classification. You must give teachers and scholars to
understand that all has been done that is possible in the judgment of
the officers for the interest of all the best possible results. Secure
from the school a willingness to submit to the judgment of those whom
they have placed at the head.
All preparations being completed before the day of promotion, it will
not need to exceed thirty minutes after the school is opened on
promotion day to place every scholar in the class and department to
which he belongs in a school of six to eight hundred scholars. The
superintendent, with diagram in hand, remains at his desk, the
assistants being his aides. He first calls the names of the Old Folks'
Class and asks them to go into whatever room is assigned them; next the
Young Married Folks' Class, the Reserve Corps, and Young People's Class,
each in order will be asked to retire into the rooms or apartments
assigned them. The teachers assigned for these classes will at once be
asked to take charge of such classes. The Normal Class members will be
asked, with their teacher, to remove into the room assigned them. Then
the classes between the ages of sixteen and seventeen, with their
teachers, to the rooms assigned them. The assistant superintendents will
see that the rooms are in readiness and that the scholars recognize the
rooms that they are to occupy. In the same way classes whose ages are
between fifteen and sixteen, with their teachers, will be arranged in
their rooms or apartments. In like manner the classes between fourteen
and fifteen. This disposes of the Assembly or Post-Graduate, the Normal
and the Bible or Senior Departments. If in a modern room, with a full
suite of apartments, these departments can be asked to close their doors
and proceed with arranging themselves for work.
The Youth's Department comes next in order. Every class, section, or
desk being numbered to correspond with the diagram numbers, and the
assistant superintendents being fully posted as to the order of these
numbers, the teachers should be asked to remove to the class place to
which they were assigned by the superintendent. The older scholars will
be asked first, by reading the names of the scholars who belong to each
class separately, requesting them to move to the class to which they
were assigned. Read slowly enough to avoid confusion, waiting after the
names of a class are read until all are fairly in their places; soon all
will understand and the work will proceed rapidly. Having thus called
every teacher and every scholar and placed them in their proper classes
in their order in the Youth's Department (the whole being done much
quicker than it can be told how to do it), this department is set to
work; the names of the scholars are carefully ascertained by the teacher
of each class, preparatory to making up the class record, then the
lesson can be taken up. All children between the ages of eight and
eleven are placed in the Intermediate Department and placed under the
care of the teacher selected for this division. Then all children under
eight years go into the Infant Department. In some schools these last
two departments might be placed in one room and a suitable number of
teachers provided, so that grading, similar to that of the Youth's
Department, might be arranged.