The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1906-09-22
INTERESTING SESSION OF
SUNDAY SCHOOL COUNCIL

school Is its graded system. The Sun
day school must likewise be graded
to do it's best work. If it is a sound
principle in one case it is certainly 50
in the other. The following plan for !
grading Sunday school has been de-
v.sed VITA great care and with the hel;i
of leading educators and Sunday
school workers.
The plan is to have course of Bible.
lessons supplementary to the regular
international lessons, which shall
grow in difficulty and comprehensive
ness as the pupil advances. 1t includes
the years between three and twenty
approximately and is intended to af-
ford the pupils symmetrical course
of Bible instruction, preparing them
for their place in the church. A drill
in these lessons will occupy a part
of the recitation home (say five or ten
minutes) each Sunday and of course
the supplemented work necessarily in
cludes such home study as the case
may require.
1.-THE school is divided into four
departments as folloys: Primary, five
years, (from to inclusive); Junior,
four years, g to 12); intermediate,
four years Ga to I'D; Senior, three
years III and up). After the Senior
class, comes the Normal Advanced
Bible classes, which may be organ.
ICED as the pastor and superintendent
may elect. Before the primary is
the Cradle Roll department, which
has been found to be very useful.
"One each year, preferably in the
spring, the school will have Promo
ton Day. at which exercises, diplO-
mas and promotion certificates will
be awarded to those who are ready to
advance into another class or depart
ment and formal announcement of
this fact will be made. Promotion
Day should be made an event in the
school year. The church auditorium
should be used and decorated, special
music prepared and the whole morn
ing hour given to 1t. The program
should consist in part of recitation
and drill In selected portions of sup.
Elemental work and the pastor could
readily be induced to preach an APP
propriate short sermon.
when the pupils pass from one
department to another they are given
diploma. AS they pass from one
year to another within department
they are given a promotion certifi-
cate. Handsome diplomas and certifi>
Gates, especially adapted to the pur-
lose may be had from the publishing
houses.
"A Superintendent of Classified
ton should be appointed or elected
who will be given the responsibility
not only of welcoming and knowing
new pupils and of placing them in
their proper classes, but who will
also attend to all promotions and
changes from one claEs or department
to another. A wise superintendent
will judiciously divide the work OF
his school among his several workers.
cit Is generally thought to be wise
to promote the teacher with the
class, though there is often tempta-
ton to do so. Certainly under no
circumstances, should a teacher in
the primary department be promot-
ed beyond department, for they thus
lose the benefit of their experience"
The plan was highly commended in
the discussion that followed, and was
highly recommended for gradual adop-
ton in the Sunday school.
Evening Session.
At the evening session after devo-
tional exercises. led by Rev. j. s.
Sibly, the first subject presented was
use of Maps in Sunday Schools" by
R. M. Bushnell.
This proved to be one Of the inter
esting subjects of the evening, and
was listened to attentively by those
present.
This topic was followed by an in