The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-05-07
SUNDAY SCHOOL WORK
MUCH INTEREST IS MANIFESTED IN
 THE INSTITUTE.
Miss Minnie Kennedy Outlines Methods to be Applied to Primary Depart ment and Mir. Palmer Speaks
 of Boys.

The third session of the Sunday School Teachers Institute was held yesterday afternoon at the Central Presbyterian Church beginning at 3:3O the devotional services, after which Miss Kennedy. Primary Secretary of the Alabama Sunday School Association spoke on Grading in the Primary De- partment."
 Miss Kennedy said there were three steps toward securing a well-g graded primary department. First, q sepa- rate room for the department must be provided, tn ,n the department must be subdivided into two grades, one com posed of children from three to six years old. the other of children from six to nine years old. Then the third step would be to divide the department those grades to be composed of chill dren from three to five, from five to seven, and from seven to nine years old; for the first, second and third grades, respectively.
 There are several reasons for thus grading the department In the first place, the material taught to the chill dren of such different ages must neces- sarily vary, as what the nine-year- old child can learn and comprehend cannot be taught to the three-year- In view of this fact. the International Lesson Committee. has prepared special Be ginner's Course" of lessons for the children under six years old. Then. too, 1t Is not wise to teach the young est children for so long a time as the older ones. They need exercise and va riety and should be given marching and motion songs to rest them. Again, the methods of teaching for the differ ent ages must vary. We need. also. to teach some supplemental work to the older ones. which cannot be done with the youngest scholars.
 Mrs. O. F. Gregory then read an ex- ceedingly interesting and practical pa per on Plans in My Class" She mem tioned a number of special methods in use in her primary department and the suggestions she gave were all practi- cal and helpful. Each Sunday the first scholar who arrives is accorded the honor of taking up the offering of the class for that day. Every scholar Is trained in habits of obedience, neatness and courtesy, a good morning to the teacher by each scholar being expected every Sunday.
 Mrs. Gregory personally welcomes each scholar as he comes in and in many ways endeavors to show her friendly interest in him. On the birth day of any scholar in he class, the youngest scholar bearing a banner with the words, birthday banner" embroi- dered upon 1t, escorts the child whose birthday is to be celebrated, up to the platform, where he deposits as many pennies as he is years old in the "Birthday Bank of the departm l.
 In teaching the lesson she always re- views the previous Sundays lesson, then tells the lesson story and ques- tions the scholars until they know 1t. As supplemental work, they are taught the Lords Prayer, Ten Commandments, Psalm 23, the Beatitudes and the Books of the Bible,
 Leon c. Palmer. Assistant Secretary of the Alabama Sunday School Asso- citation, spoke on The Boy Problem % He mentioned the fact that from 50 per cent to 60 per cent of the heyS