The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1898-11-09
SUNDAY SCHOOLS CONVENE
TWenty-Sixth Annual Con-
yention Held in Hobo
ken, Yesterday.
SUPT. ovERToNS NEW FLAG
Symbolic Of the Faith and
Can Be Used by All
Election Of
Officers.

lie IlQtSCj HSoIt-tf lin 9citct
cation met yesterday afternoon in the
First Methodist Episcopal Church, Hobo
ken, al two O'Clock. There was an excel
lent attendance, and Notwithstanding the
fact that the convention and election day
clashed there was a good showing of
men.
In the absence Of Mr.. S. H. Hadley. de-
yotional exercises were led by the Rev.
j. Francis Morgan, Recording Secretary,
who also responded warmly to the well
come given by the Rev. A. B. Richardson,
D. D., ana Mr.. C.. l.. Pitts. President j..
v. Foster made an explanatory address TO
open the subject for the afternoons dis
c~ussion, .sSome arguments and sugges-
lions as to the proper division OF study
and teachers in our Sunday schools" Mr..
Forster said that as there was at present
an effort being made to classify and di-
vide the work in all schools, and as no
one method of division and classification
could be used in all schools. alike, the dis.
cussion had been arranged so that ideas
might be advanced, which could in part,
if not in whole, be adopted by many of
the schools. This discussion was con-
Quoted under the management of the Rev.
E.Morris Ferguson, Secretary of the New
Jersey Sunday School Association, who
made the leading address.
II am one of those said Mr.. Ferguson,
'swho believe that every Sunday school,
large or small, should be graded. A
grade in any division Of a school, either
sacred or secular. Every Sunday school
having a primary department is graded.
Ia department may be defined as a divis-
ion under which pupils of a certain class
come. AT the present time you II Jersey
City are witnesses of the good fuits Of
grading the Sunday schools in Hudson
county. / do not believe in classification
by attainment. We are not educated to
4 that yet. Nor do believe in age CLASH
heation., Mr.. Ferguson here explained
how impraeticable 1t would be to place all
children of d stated age in one depart
ment. and of another stated g in
another department. etc.; nor from the
standpoint of educational attainment
alore. when a child is about eight
years old said he, land is able to read
he should be promoted from the primary
department., the age of eight years being
flexible either one way or the other"
Mr.. Ferguson said there should also be
a Junior department extending over four
years, a senior department extending over
four years more, and an adult department
for those four years in advance of the
senior department. In the larger schools
these departments should be supdivided
the primary consisting Of an infant and
intermediate department, etc.
Miss Mary Clemson, from the Deacon
esses' Home, Jersey City, argued in favor
Of the adoption of the kindergarten IDEAS
II the instruction of infant Sunday
school classes saying the greatest and
most important science is the education OF
little children. The kindergarten is the
school wnere they are taken care OF as
tender plants and fitted for the primary
Schools, She explained the system in de-
tail. saying it was based on Christ, and
nobody could teach it and leave Him OUT.
Mrs. II. E. Foster, Of New York, gave
some valuable suggestions based upon
personal experience. as to now tine
might be economical in teaching small
children. .Be sure" said She TO be
ahead of time. Have the lesson plan all
laid out. the blackboard ready. and q
place for the children to put their cloaks
and hats. Have a clock where you can al
WAYS see it. and never get behind time.
Begin on time. Let the doors be closed,
not permitting Gods worship to be inter-
rupted by little ones who come in tardy-
Then open these doors after prayer, Close
on time. Remember to little children All
teaching must be short, not only because
we lose time by a long session, but be-
cause we lose our hold on the children.
Mr.. 3. F. Edsall of Newark gave q
brief talk in which he explained the dis-
ference between the intermediate depart
n1ent and other parts of the scnool. lie
believes this to be the most unattractiVe
part of the school recurring the best
teachers. These teachers he does not be-
,ieve IN changing because they grow into
sympathy and love with their classes,
ard should be promoted with the pupils.
The Rev. Henry C. Cronin, of Jersey
city. was the fourth speaker on this sub
iect. His argument was as to whether
scholars in the main room should be ask
ed to leave the teachers to whom they
have become attached to enter Bible
Glasses. and at what age TIE question
was 4 difficult one as Mr.. Forster remark
ed in introducing the speaker. But Df.s
Cronin rose to the occasion, SAYING, =
am very glad that the president has said
something about the difficulty of this
question. else it would seem to answer it
self. My school is not a model school
II is a downtown church where the pu-
pills are gradually slipping away uptown.
| With us it is not a question of all the
new models of the day, beautiful as they
are, but how to hold our pupils
Teachers should de kept in the division
for which they are best suited. There IS
one man who is excellent at running
round wearing out his shoe leather. He
can say How do you do to forty or fifty
people in a morning and makes an excel
lent pastor for his flock. There is an
other mar who wears out his hrains in
study, but when the hungry flock ceme
10 the church to be fed he has something
to feed them with. So keep the teacher
ia the department for which she is best
fitted. Often when a teacher is promoted
with her class she does not advance as
rapidly as the pupils.
Out of the Bible class must eventually
come our teachers. We are demanding
better and better work from our teachers,
| and we must have better training. Now
as to the age when the pupil should leave
the main ROOM say sixteen years. Let
the promotion from one class to another
be a formal thing. Let it come at a
stated lime, and let the pupils be pres-
ent to witness the promotion of those
who have attained it through good work