The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1897-10-09
THE SYSTEM OF THE SCHOOL.
The name is ST. Johns Church School.

'The name is st. Johns Church School.
The usual infant department is called
'The Primary Department and no child
can enter under hve years of age. When
they can read in the ordinary third
reader and know the cathechism to DUTY
to God" they pass to the main room.
Here all study the same grade of les
son book. but the teacher IS instructed
to adapt this book to different ages.
Each child at the age of Is is obliged
to attend the course OF confirmation lee
voluntary, but not the attendance at the
class, since instruction by the rector is
part of the law of the church:
Scholars are never degraded for not
writing their lessons, but simply left be-
hind when the class moves up to a higher
number and place in the chool room.
THE course of lessons is on the old
testament one year, the new testament
of the church each a year. AT the end
of four years the course is begun again,
but may be modified. The books are
prepared by the clergy of the parish and
are similar to the Blakeslee in hat the
answers to questions must be in writing,
but are much shorter and less complex
than the b lessons.
1.-THE books, that they may be kept
fresh, contain only eight lessons each,
and when finished there is a sort OF re-
slew Sunday on which scholars write es-
says upon the previous lessons and read
them TO the school, banners are put out,
the church school sing an anthem, and
there is a sort of letting up"
'The scholars are taught TO make up
their offerings hen away in summer, as
well as to attend to other religious duties
when absent from home, and a good pro-
portion do this.
AS many are away during the summer
the lessons are arranged to run from DC
tober TO June, the rest of the year being
devoted to oral teaching and c~athechising.
The children are all marked for attend
ance at church as well as at church
cchhp1 and "a 1 large nrnncrtinn 90 rpril-
larry.
IAN average of $50 are communicates,
and on the third Sunday in the month at
7:3O A M. they are supposed to make
their communion. From 40 to SO are
regularly present.
SAfter the lesson from the book, one of
the clergy supplements 1t by cathechism
and oral instruction after the ST. Sulpice
method.
passes into the Rector's Bible Class, where
fhe PRAYER Book and the History of the
Church, and from which, at the end of a
three years course. members are gradu-
ated and given a diploma. 70 stu iuT-
a Bible Glass Alumni Association which
has yearly meetings and for its special
work is raising an endowment u Tor
The church is entirely self-supporting.
and takes care of, decorates and furnishes
its own class rooms, pays Ter its prizes,
banners and excursions, besides contribut-
ing literally to charities.
"Difficult as it is to obtain teachers for
a large school, the clergy would prefer (
have none who are not in sympathy with
the purpose of the school and willing to
cooperate in furthering it.
THE teachers will see that each class
box has a Bible, a prayer book, a book
of mans. a pencil and an eraser, with a
copy of these rules.
.sThey are to see that each new scholar
is given a copy Of the rules with the les
son book.
..They are to mark the scholar 0, l or 2
as he has failed to write, written or writ
ten we'll, his lesson book. A ~line-under
the 0. l or 2, signifies that he has brought
his lesson book to church school which is
an inexorable requirement. They are to
visit any scholar away more than one
Sunday without the customary written
excuse of courtesy. They are expected to
have their own books written and to come
full OF the lesson and ~ explanation or
questions prepared beforehand to occupy
the lesson hour. They are supposed never
to sit quietly and leave the children to
amuse themselves. 1t is not desirable,
but 1t is better to talk circus than to do
thai
ASIDE from requiring ordinary courte-
sy, seeing that hats are placed in the
proper place. that children kneel and have
their ANIMALS open. the teachers are not
supposed to discipline the scholars unless
they wish to.
'"fhe school has voted to conduct itself
according to the shonor system That
is, spying, telling tales, keeping boys un-
der watch and guard Is discouraged.