The Sunday-school Organized
29. A Sunday-school is organized for work when (1) the official positions are filled; (2) there are teachers for all the classes; (3) the scholars are properly enrolled and classified; (4) and it has intelligently set itself thoroughly to accomplish, in a definite way, that for which a Sunday-school stands.
30. Enrolment.—The name of every member of the school should be enrolled either in a book or by the card system. The enrolment should show not only name and address, but date of entry, birthday, date of promotion from one department to another, date of uniting with the church, date and cause of leaving the school; date of death, if necessary.
31. Classification (or Grading).—Classification consists in placing the scholars in such departments and classes as will secure for them and for the whole school the best results in the best manner. This will require that the scholars be advanced from one department to another at proper intervals, in order to meet their changing needs.
32. Departments.—Every Sunday-school should be divided into departments. Three or four departments are possible in the smallest schools, and more are desirable in larger ones. It is usually possible to maintain the following departments in an ordinary school:
(1) The Cradle Roll, for children too small to attend the regular sessions. These are usually under three years of age.
(2) The Beginners, for children from three to six.
(3) The Primary, for children from six to nine.
(4) The Junior, for children from nine to eleven or twelve.
(5) The Intermediate, for boys and girls from twelve to fifteen or sixteen. (In some schools, a Senior Department, coming between the Intermediate and the Adult, is recognized.)
(6) Adult, for all over fifteen or sixteen.
(7) The Home Department, for those who cannot attend, but who will study the lessons each week.
(8) The Teacher-Training Department, for those who are preparing to become teachers.
In many schools of several hundred or more, the Adult Department indicated above is divided into a Young Men's Department, a Young Women's Department, and a Senior Department of classes of either sex.
An educational test may be required for promotion with honors from one department to the other; but transfer (without honors) may be made upon the age basis. Without departments there can be no thorough grading.
33. Departmental Organization.—Each department should have some organization within itself, at least a superintendent in general charge. The superintendent of the department determines in what classes new scholars shall be enrolled, and carries into effect the plans of work outlined by the cabinet or the superintendent of the Sunday-school. The teachers should be especially adapted to the work of the department, and should remain in that department as long as they can do their best work there.
34. Classification (or Grading.)—Proper classification cannot be maintained unless some one especially appointed for this purpose gives it careful attention every Sunday. Neither teachers nor scholars should be allowed to bring new members into their classes without the consent of the officer in charge of the classification, nor should new scholars be permitted to join whatever class they wish, regardless of proper classification. Eternal vigilance is the price of grading. The superintendent of classification will determine to what department the new scholar belongs, and his word should be final.
35. Promotions.—There comes a time when a scholar ceases to belong in one department, and belongs in another. Promotions should be made regularly, and at a public service. All members of the school up to and including the intermediate scholars should be promoted at the same time, changing seats, as far as possible.
36. Records.—The general records of the school should be well kept, in ink, in a good book adapted to the purpose. There should be annual, quarterly, and weekly reports which should be comparative and complete.