The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-02-15
WORK FOR BETTER
 SUNDAY SCHOOLS
  State Association Plans An Extended Campaign HAVE A UNIQUE PLAN Competition Between Districts to Be Used as Basis of Movement. Free Charts and Pamphlets
 for Schools
HAVE A UNIQUE PLAN

make the Sabbath school system of Ala bama superior to that of any other Leon c. Palnfer, field secretary of the Alabama Sunday School association, with offices In Montgom- cry, Is in Birmingham.
 In an interview given out on the sub work which is being carried on as fol- lows:
 We have just inaugurated a new and original plan for helping the Sun day schools of Alabama and during the present month we are bringing 1t to the attention of the officers of the county and district associations throughout the state. The purpose of this plan Is first, to inspire the back ward schools to adopt better methods, and second, to utilize the good work being done by the best schools as a help and stimulus to the weaker ones. To accomplish these purposes we have adopted the Banner School plan, as follows:
 Two standards of efficiency have been established, arranged in such form that each school can readily as certain just how far 1t falls short of the standard and how its work com pares with that of other schools in the same district or county The first standard of efficiency is the Banner School Standard, which Is within the reach of any school, country or city, and includes 10 points, each counting 10 per cent-making 100 per cent the Banner The second or higher stand ard is the Front Line Standard,' which Is applicable especially to city schools. This includes the 10 points of the Ban ner school plus five additional re- quirements. The 10 points of the Ban ner school standard have been printed on large chart in shape to hang up in the Sunday school room This chart, together with leaflets explaining each poit in detail, is sent free to any on request. with sugges- tion that he put up the chart In his Sunday school room. check off each point on which his school is up to the standard, thereby ascertaining the ex- act rating of his school on a percentage basis. The points not checked will in- dicate the work yet to be done by that school. At the district conventions each school will report the number of points 1t has reached on the Banner Standard and will be rated on a per centage basis accordingly. The rank l of the district will be the average rat ling of it's schools; and the rank of the county the average rating of its dis s.f, I ot.Jf1 f1ir of the schools of a whole state is large undertaking, and so far as we know has never been attempted by any other state.
 One Step at Time Tn connection with this we are sug- gesting that each school in Alabama take one forward step during the present quarter, that is, adopt one new and improved method as indicated on the standard, thereby adding 10 per cent to its rating. The same request will be made by the district presidents in their district conventions through out the state. This will mean a great forward movement along all lines of Sunday school work in Alabama. The same request will be made again the next quarter, and so on each quarter of the year.
 This whole plan, in nearly every de- tail, Is original with the Alabama Sun day School association. No other state has ever attempted work of this sort on so large a scale, or anything ap- preaching 1t. It Is a new departure and Is altogether the most original and far-reaching in it's results of anything in modern Sunday school work. In adopting this plan. Alabama leads the world.
 Another thing: We are now in, cor respondence with leading Sunday school workers of our own and other states. securing their services for the pro- gramme of the state convention to be held in Anniston, April 25-27. We are planning to make this if possible an even better programme and greater convention than the one held in Mobile last year at which we had nearly 1900 accredited delegates, beside a host of visitors MT. D. w. Sims, our general secretary, is giving this his personal attention. He Is now in Mobile, ar ranging for a house to house canvass or Sunday school census Of the entire city to be held Thursday In this can yass the workers will secure com plete classified religious directory of the city. The data thus secured will be given to the various Sunday schools in order that they may inaugurate a sys- tematic campaign for increasing their me m bership."
 The Banner School Standard
 The standard for a banner school is
 n ideal school. If Is simply a reasonable standard, practicable for any school, country or city. It includes 10 points, each point counting 10 per cent. These are de- fined as follows:
 1. Evergreen. Open 12 months in the year. a- of class and school records furnished by its denominational publishing house, or using any other system of records which will mark each individual mem- Der on at least three points. It sug- gested that these three points be punc- tual attendance. lesson study. contribu- tion. A record which marks only on attendance Is not sufficient.
 8. Graded. There are four essentials to a graded school
 CD. The scholars grouped with de- partmentS or classes of the followed ages: Beginners. 3. 4, 5; primary, 6, [, &. junior g, 10, II, 12; intermediate, IS. IA, 15 16 senior IT. IS, 19, 20; adult. all over 20. In each of these departments there may be either one or more classes according to the size and needs of the school.
 (2). A superintendent of grading whose duty 1t Is to place each new scholar in the proper department and class, to approve all promotions, and in general to maintain the grading sys- tenn of the school. The superintend-