In this department the boys and girls are assigned to separate classes.
As far as possible the girls are taught by male and the boys by female
teachers. Each class 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 classes 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 classes for convenience sake, and use for
recitation two of the church rooms on the first floor of the building.
The teachers go with their classes as they are promoted from year to
year in this grade, and when their classes are promoted to the Senior
Department they turn back and take new classes 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 pass 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 pass a satisfactory
examination in Bible biography from Adam to the Judges, the Apostles'
Creed and the Beatitudes, 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 pass 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 pass 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 pass a satisfactory examination in Bible geography and
history, they may be promoted to the Senior Department.