APR 16 1918 0*^^:0 At b..^- '>^ BV 1520 .A6 7 1914 Athearn, Walter Scott, 1872- 1934. The church school THE CHURCH SCHOOL Community House Congregational Church Winnetka (111.) Ground Plans of Community House. The l)uilding whieh serves the educational jnirposes of the Congregational Church in Winnetka, Illinois. Notice the large number of separate classrooms, each of which is entered from a hall. Note also the gymnasium and the large rooms availal)le for departmental and assembly purposes. THE CHURCH SCHOOL By WALTER S. ATHEARN Professor of Religious Education Drake University ^;S:i OF PRl!^ APR 16 1918 ti^owhi s^*r THE PILGRIM PRESS BOSTON :i NEW YORK :: CHICAGO Copyright, 1914 by WALTER S. ATHEARN THE PILGRIM PRESS BOSTON THIS BOOK IS AFFECTIONATELY DEDI- CATED TO MY WIFE, AND TO MY CHILDREN, CLARENCE AND GERTRUDE FOREWORD This volume is the outgrowth of a commis- sion report on ^^The Correlation of the Educa- tional Agencies of a Local Church'' presented at the Cleveland meeting of the Religious Edu- cation Association. This report awakened widespread interest. As chairman of this com- mission the writer has received many requests for details of organization and nature and con- tent of curriculum suited to the various periods of unfolding childhood. The introduction of courses in religious edu- cation into colleges, seminaries and city insti- tutes has created a demand for textbooks which will open up the whole field and direct the stu- dents to the literature and material now acces- sible. This volume is not an attempt to assemble the popular practices in the church schools of our times. The author believes that nothing is practical which is not founded on the best edu- cational theory. The great need of the church schools of our day is leadership capable of eval- uating practice in terms of well-established the- ory. Progress in religious education must not be a matter of accident — the chance survival of that which works. Trained specialists, having at their disposal scientifically-equipped labora- [vii] THE CHUECH SCHOOL tories endowed liberally for research, must guide practice. Eeligious pedagogy is the youngest of all the offshoots from general psychology. Very much is yet to be discovered, but there are already many results from the fields of general psy- chology and the psychology of religion which may be taken over into the field of religious education. This volume is an attempt to give religion the advantage of the scientific research that has done so much to increase the efficiency of secular education. It accepts as its fundamen- tal proposition the doctrine of growth. It be- lieves that every child is God^s child from the beginning, capable of growth and unfolding un- til he ** attains unto the perfection of the Father.** It seeks those methods by which a child may ^*grow up a Christian and never know himself to have been otherwise." It seeks to find not what is being done, but what should be done to attain the desired end. The theories herein advocated have been put to practical test under the author's observa- tion. He believes that the principles of the church school set forth in this volume must be put into operation in every community which seeks the religious culture of its youth. This program will cost money and it will require trained leadership, but it will produce results. The author wishes to acknowledge his obli- gation to all who have contributed toward the completion of this volume. Special acknowl- [viii] FOREWORD edgment is due to Dr. E. D. Starbuck, of the State University of Iowa, who has read the manuscript and given invaluable suggestions; and to Miss Grace Jones, Professor of Method- ology in the School of Religious Education, Drake University, for her valuable assistance in both the library and the laboratory while this volume has been in preparation. The author sends this book out with the hope that it will be helpful to that rapidly increasing body of religious workers who seek to give the practices of the church school the support of sound educational theory. Walter S. Atheaen. Des Moines, Iowa April 4, 1014 [«1 CONTENTS I. Functions, Activities and Program . . 1 Reference Books on Principles of Education . 8 II. The Need of Correlating the Educa- tional Agencies of the Church . . 10 The Present Condition of the Church's Educational Organizations — No Definite Purpose for Organiza- tions — The Overlapping of Similar Work — The Faith- ful Few Overworked — Much Needed Educational Work Omitted — The Lack of Supervision — The Lack of Correlation — The Absence of Promotions — Sum- mary Bibliography 23 in. Organization 26 Greneral Organization — Departmental Organization Bibliography 35 IV. The Cradle Roll Department ... 38 Scope — Organization — The Cradle Roll Child — The Educational Duty of the Home — Activities — Meetings — The Relation of Cradle Roll Children to the Church School — The Cradle Roll Department and the Church Nursery — ^Equipment Classified Book Lists for Cradle Roll Workers 52 V. The Beginners' Department ... 56 Scope — The Nature of the Child in the Beginners* Department — The Nature of the Curriculum — The Material of the Curriculum — Expressional Work for Beginners — Organization — Equipment — Program — Tests for the Beginners* Department — Songs for the THE CHURCH SCHOOL Beginners' Department — Pictures Appropriate for Be- ginners Classified Book Lists for the Beginners' De- partment 81 VI. The Primary Department .... 85 Scope— The Nature of the Primary Child— The Characteristics of Primary Play — The Moral Signifi- cance of the Primary Period — The Material of the Curriculum — Expressional Work for the Primary De- partment — Organization — Equipment — Program — Tests for the Primary Department — Songs for the Primary Grades — Pictures Suitable for the Primary Grades Classified Book Lists for the Primary Department 115 VII. The Junior Department .... 120 Scope — The Nature of the Junior Child — The First Period of Doubt — Conversion — The Material of the Curriculum — Cultivating the Church-Going Habit — Music for the Junior Department — Expressional Ac- tivity — Organization — Program' — Equipment — Tests for the Junior Department — Memory Work for Junior Grades — Junior Poems and Songs — Picture Study for the Junior Grades Classified Book Lists for the Junior Department 166 VIII. The Intermediate Department . . . 173 Scope — The Nature of the Intermediate Child — Problems of Adolescent Development — The Nature of the Curriculum — Art and Adolescent Education — Ex- pressional Activities — Organization — Equipment — Pro- gram Classified Book Lists for the Intermediate De- partment ....... 236 IX. The Senior Department .... 244 )f Seni Yean [xii] Scope — The Nature of Senior Pupils — ^Determining Factors in the Senior Years — The Nature of the CONTENTS Senior Curriculum — Expfessional Activities — Organ- ization — Program — Equipment Classified Book Lists for the Senior Department 272 X. The Adult Department .... 279 Scope — Organization — The Eeligious Needs of an Adult — The Kinds of Classes Maintained — Elective Courses — The Church College — Class Loyalty — The Sunday Program XI. The Home Department .... 292 Scope and Organization — Supervision of the Home Work of Children — Supervision of the Home Work of Adults XII. The Teacher Training Department . . 298 Candidates for Teacher Training — Requirements for Teacher Training — A Teacher's Grovring Library — Equipment for a Teacher-Training Class — Courses of Study for Training Classes — The Nature of the Text- books — Sources of Students for Training Classes — ^A Dedication Service— Teachers for the Training Classes — Cooperation with City Institutes Bibliography . 309 [xiii] LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS Ground Plans of Community House Frontispiece FACING PAGE Homelike Room for Beginners' Class . An Ideal Room for the Beginners' Department A Primary Class at Work .... An Attractive Primary Department . A Group of Boys in the Junior Department An Ideal Room for Junior Boys and Girls Young Men's Class for Study and Discussion Class op Young Men Meeting for Bible Study Class of Young Women .... A Primary Superintendent Training Her Group OF Assistants 56 56 85 85 120 120 279 279 298 298 [XV] THE CHURCH SCHOOL CHAPTER I FUNCTIONS, ACTIVITIES AND PROGRAM 1. Functions The functions of the church school are, (a) tc develop intelligent and efficient Christian lives consecrated to the extension of God's kingdom on earth, and (b) to train efficient leaders for all phases of church work. The church that fails to provide a school for the training of workers for its various ac- tivities will be forced to call into leadership men and women who are unprepared for the du- ties they are asked to perform, and the work of the church will suffer as a consequence. Ef- ficient church work demands trained leadership, and training for leadership is one of the func- tions of the church school. It follows that the church school must be as comprehensive as the church itself. 2. AcTrviTiEs The activities of the church school are (a) teaching, and (b) worship. [1] THE CHURCH SCHOOL In insisting that the church school shall be- come a real school we must not forget that it is a. The Place ^^ ^® ^ rcUgious sckool. It wiU dif- the chJrch^ ^"^ f ^^ from the public school not only School jj^ ii^Q content of the curriculum, but also in the place of worship in the program. Its methods will be scientific, its teaching will be thorough, its atmosphere will he surcharged with religion. The songs, the prayers, the or- der of service, the attitude of teachers and of- ficers will give an emotional coloring to the facts of the lesson that will make them always differ from facts presented under different cir- cumstances. The simple law of memory — that things held before the mind at the same time tend afterward to suggest each other — holds true of emotions as well as of sensuous im- agery. An object revived in memory not only recalls other objects, but it recalls also the emo- tions experienced when the objects were first presented to the mind. Biblical facts, to have value as religious truths, must be associated with emotional responses, and then passed over into conduct so that the subsequent recall of the fact will reinstate the emotion and issue in a godly deed. The lessons in the church school should be taught in an atmosphere of rever- ence, and every lesson should close with prayer, the teacher lifting the facts of the lesson over into the reahn of feeling and tying them to the shies so that these facts will forever differ from all other facts in that they will reinstate a re- ligious feeling and inspire a religious act. [2] FUNCTION AND PROGRAM When all one^s experiences have been lifted into the presence of God, one will live and move and have his being with the consciousness of God as an ever present fact. The teaching act must include both instruc- tion and expression. It is now generally be- b. The Place lievcd that all consciousness is mo- ?n th?chur°ch ^^^ — ^^^^ nothing comes in through School ^i^Q senses that does not tend to pass out through the muscles. Not only do bodily acts follow upon consciousness, but each act performed reacts upon consciousness, ** carrying with it a sense of reality and a feel- ing of appropriation and possession.'' The re- action from the physical expression makes the act real. In the words of Stratton, **The feel- ing of what is occurring in our veins and muscles rolls back upon the mind and gives the mental state definiteness and *body.'"' In other words, an object ceases to be ^^foreign'' and becomes a part of one's self as soon as it has passed into his consciousness through the motor process. It is then vitally a part of the actor. James recognizes two important aspects of the content of consciousness. He speaks of the concrete as * ^ substantive " elements of con- sciousness, — facts of color, loudness, sharpness, which we call sensations. These are relatively passive, static elements. Besides these con- crete elements the mind contains also less con- ^ Experimental Psychology and Its Bearing upon Culture, p. 269. [3] THE CHURCH SCHOOL Crete, ** transitive'* parts, **fringes,*' relations or links, such as sameness, causation, etc. An object is the same as another, caused by some- thing, liked or disliked, chosen or rejected. These aspects of consciousness give a sort of universality to experience, while the concrete sensations seem transitory and more or less accidental. These aspects arise when the mind is actively doing something with the sensation. These aspects, once created, make the object a part of the self and it is always thereafter im- aged in terms of the self. It is the constructive activity which makes knowledge a part of the self. God will be a **foreigner'* until some act of prayer, or worship, or service makes him a part of the self. * ' Faith apart from works is dead, * ' and **If any man willeth to do his will, he shall know of the teaching'* seem to recognize the connection between activity and belief. We not only learn to do by doing, but we also learn to know by doing. A sense of reality and identity with the self will only attach to those facts which have been dynamically acquired. Children may come to know about God from verbal memory of facts and precepts, but children who are really to know God as a personal presence, in whom they are to *^live, move and have their being,*' must do something with God. They must use him in the performance of their daily tasks. The sense of the presence of God thus ac- quired will give the mystic 's assurance of real- [4] FUNCTION AND PEOGRAM ity which logic and argument can never overthrow. The church school must undertake two types of expressional work, as follows : c T es of ^^^ There must be a response to ^xpressionai the iustruction given which will ^ the facts presented in the con- sciousness of the pupil. There must be no impression without a corresponding ex- pressiofi. The lesson story must be told back to teacher or parent. The map must be drawn or modeled as well as seen. This re- quires individual response on the part of each pupil. The teacher must hear pupils re- cite, as well as present new truths to them. He must be provided with blackboards, maps, charts, models, work tables, etc., and he must require composition and notebook work, map making, modeling and handwork appropriate to the subject and the pupil. In addition to vitalizing the truth taught, ex- pressional work of this kind adds an interest and a charm which can be secured in no other way. ** Every child born in the image of the Father finds his highest joy in creation. In education we have learned that if we would best develop the royal H's, the Head, Heart and Hand, it is necessary to provide materials which, with high effort and much love, may be fashioned into simple objects of beauty.'** (2) In addition to the type of response which will fix the lesson in the mind of the pupil, there * Seegmiller, Primary Hand Worlc, p 7. [8] THE CHUECH SCHOOL must be another type which will carry the les- son over into life habits. The curriculum must pass over into conduct. It is not enough to give the pupil what James calls the systemic reso- nance; we must also give him what Him in his ^'Origins of Art'' calls the social resonance. The story of the Good Samaritan must be re- told, visualized, written in a notebook and thus fixed in consciousness, but the child's experi- ences must also be so organized that he will live the story of the Good Samaritan in his daily life. He must know how it feels to act his ideals in the presence of his fellows. To this end the church school must connect up with the home, the day school and the community. In another chapter we shall point out the need of a correlation of the educational agencies of a lo- cal church. Secular education does not separate the class-room from the laboratory, and the church must no longer divorce instruction and expres- sion. Habits of religious expression are formed just as other habits are formed, and the church must give religion the benefit of all the research in psychology and pedagogy which is so rapidly imioro^dng the methods of the public schools. The arguments which have given us the graded church school curriculum must also give us graded worship and graded expression. A child must be taught to live a full life in all the world he knows ; and as his world grows larger his religious life should keep pace with his ex- [6] FUNCTION AND PROGRAM panded horizon. In the chapters of this volume dealing with the departments of the church school an attempt has been made to point out types of expressional work suitable to the va- rious stages of unfolding life. The efficient administration of an educational program demands emphasis on the fact that religious expression is a part of the process of religious teaching. It must follow that the organizations that have sprung up as agencies for the expres- sion of religious life must be correlated with the church school and that one board of officers must administer both sides of the educational program. When a student is promoted from one department of the church school to another, he should pass by virtue of the promotion into all phases of the work of the new department. At the close of the Senior course the school should make it a part of its business to see that each student is actively identified with some of the adult organizations of the church. 3. Peogkam If the activities of the church school are teaching and worship, and teaching consists of instruction and expression, it is clear that the program of all departments of the church school must consist of three parts : worship, in- struction and expression. The program would arrange these parts as follows : a. Period of real and reverent worship, suited to the age, experience and needs of the department. [7] THE CHURCH SCHOOL b. Period of instruction. This is the regu- lar class period. The graded lessons will suit the subject matter to the capacity and needs of the students. c. Period of training for and in Christian service. This period of the program will take the place of the Junior, Intermediate and Senior Societies now meeting under separate management. These three periods can be united into one exercise lasting from one hour and a half to two hours. This arrangement secures the at- tendance of all who are in the church school upon all the expressional services suited to their years. It secures a correlation of instruc- tion and expression, and makes possible a unity of supervision that prevents the overlapping of agencies. REFERENCE BOOKS ON PRINCIPLES OF EDUCATION Bolton, Principles of Education, $3.00. Charles Scrib- ner's Sons, New York. Henderson, Text Book in the Principles of Education^ $1.75. The Macmillan Co., New York. Klapper, Principles of Educational Practice, $1.75. D. Appleton & Co., New York. Thomdike, Educational Psychology, Vol. 1, $2.50. Teachers' College, Columbia University, New York. McDougall, Introduction to Social Psychology, $1.50. John W. Luce & Co., Boston. Home, Psychological Principles of Education, $1.75. The Macmillan Co., New York. MacCunn, The Making of Character, $1.25. The Mac- millan Co., New York. [8] FUNCTION AND PROGRAM Baldwin, Development and Evolution^ $2.60. The Mae- millan Co., New York. Kirkpatrick, Fundamentals of Child Study, $1.25. The Macmillan Co., New York. Thomson, Heredity, $3.50. G. P. Putnam's Sons, New York. Seashore, Psychology in Daily Life, $1.50. D. Appleton & Co., New York. Coulter and others. Heredity and Eugenics, $2.50. Uni- versity of Chicago Press, Chicago. Galloway, The Principles of Religious Development, $3.00. The Macmillan Co., New York. Bagley, The Educative Process, $1.25. The Macmillan Co., New York. Hartshorne, Worship in the Sunday School, $1.25. Teachers' College, Columbia University, New York. Coe, Education in Religion and Morals, $1.35. Fleming H. Revell Co., New York. Coe, The Spiritual Life, $1.00. Fleming H. Revell Co., New York. Starbuck, The Psychology of Religion, $1.50. Charles Scribner's Sons, New York. King, Education for Social Efficieticy, $1.50. D. Apple- ton & Co., New York. Starbuck, ^^Hopeful Lines of Development of the Psychol- ogy of Religion," in Religious Education, Vol. 8, pp. 426-429, December, 1913. Athearn, "Contribution of General Psychology and Pedagogy to Religious Education," in the Sunday School Encyclopaedia. Thomas Nelson and Sons, New York. Bushnell, Christian Nurture, $1.25. Charles Scribner's Sons, New York. Coe, "The Origin and Nature of Children's Faith in God," in American Journal of Theology, Vol. xviii, pp. 169-190, April, 1914. [0] CHAPTEE II THE NEED OF CORRELATING THE EDUCATIONAL AGENCIES OF THE CHURCH^ In order to know whether closer adjustment is needed between the Sunday school and the The Present ^^^'^^^^ JOUUg pCOplc^S SOClctieS of Condition of the local church, there should be an the Church's • < • f. • j • Educational exammatiou oi existing organiza- tions with reference to their pur- pose, methods and condition. One of the most fruitful sources for such investigation is through questioning a number of representa- tive churches, as it is assumed that other churches would reveal approximately the same conditions. For this purpose, a ques- tionnaire was sent to the pastors of one hundred churches. The list was confined to churches within the Missouri Valley, in order that climatic and other general conditions might be similar. Ten different Protestant denominations were represented in the list, in order that all methods of organiza- tion might be included. Churches were selected which ranged in membership from twenty-six ' An extract from an unpublished thesis prepared under the author's direction by Mr. Roy L. Thorp, B.D., a graduate student in religious education. [10] CORRELATION OF AGENCIES to two thousand seven hundred and ninety-one, or about two hundred and fifty members on the average, and were located in the country, in vil- lages of varying size, in towns and in cities. This was thought necessary in order that the needs of the smallest and the methods of the largest might be known. One-half of the pas- tors replied by filling out regular blanks and the rest through personal interviews. Some of the questions did not apply to all the churches and naturally some answers are too indefinite to be of any value. Conclusions have been drawn only from definite answers given. The following list of questions was used : 1. What is the membership of your church, Sunday School, Young People's Societies, Senior Endeavor, Intermediate, Junior, Broth- erhood, missionary societies, prayer meeting and other organizations? 2. What is the main purpose of each organ- ization in your church scheme, e. g. prayer meeting? 3. What has been the success of each organ- ization in attempting to realize that purpose; e. g. the Sunday school? 4. List the activities of your organized Sun- day-school classes. 5. Do organized classes tend to increase or decrease attendance and efi^ectiveness in Young People's Societies, etc.? 6. Are there instances where similar lines of work intended for the same group of people overlap? [11] THE CHURCH SCHOOL 7. What needed educational work for any age is omitted! 8. What plan of program and library equip- ment have you for your missionary societies* study? 9. Do 3^ou have a system of promotion in your Sunday school, Young People's Society, etc.? 10. How many take part in prayer meeting, Young People's Societies, etc.? 11. What supervision, if any, has the church over its various organizations? 12. What system has the church for using people trained in organizations ? 13. What plan and course have you for Teacher Training? 14. Use the back of this sheet to record any experiment you have made to increase effec- tiveness in any organization. In response to the first question, there were reported 24,827 church members, 17,100 in Sun- day school, 3,304 in Young People's Societies, 406 in Intermediate societies, 888 in Junior so- cieties, 969 in men's organizations, 3,576 in women's missionarv societies and 1,472 in prayer meeting. There were a few other groups of various kinds, but not enough to con- sider in a general study. This shows that the enrolment of the Sunday school is 68 per cent of the membership of the church. Considering the number of children in Sunday school, this means that much less than half of the church 's constituency is receiving such vital training as [12] CORRELATION OF AGENCIES the Sunday Bchool claims to give. Considering the number of adults in the school, it means that there are less than one-half as many of the oncoming generation in training for the work of the church as are now in the church. Either the church's membership will be reduced, or it will be made up of a great number who have not had the advantages of early training for Christian work. Compared with the church membership the Young People's Society has 13.31 per cent; the Intermediate, 1.63 per cent; Juniors, 3.55 per cent; Brotherhoods, 3.89 per cent; missionary societies, 14.40 per cent and prayer meeting, 5.75 per cent. All these organ- izations combined have a membership of only 42.78 per cent of the church membership. In- asmuch as the same people are in a great num- ber of these organizations, it. is evident that a very small percentage of the church member- ship is being cared for. Each organization claims for itself a great field, but surely the field is not being cultivated. Probably less than one-fourth of the member- ship of the church is definitely allied with some organization aside from the Sunday school, which seems by far the strongest department. One might say that this percentage is unfair, as not all the churches in the list have all the or- ganizations. It is true that they do not, but this only indicates that a great host in our small churches are not receiving what the larger ones claim to have. Since the combined membership [13] THE CHURCH SCHOOL in small churches probably exceeds that in the larger, the defect of our present system is evi- dent, for a church of less than two or three hun- dred members cannot carry on all these forms of activity successfully. Question two revealed general conditions rather than specific ideas. Many of the written „ T. . . answers on **the purpose of each t. No Definite . .. ,, i p. xt. i.- Purpose for organizatiou' ' leit the question en- tirely blank, while others only gave a general purpose to include all. When asked in interview as to the purpose of certain groups, such as Young People 's Societies, many pastors seemed dazed for a moment, and then some said, *^Well, the same as all Young People's Societies, — ^what is that?'' Some frankly admitted that they had no definite pur- pose in mind, and others seemed to search their mind for what they had read from the founders or promoters of such movements. No matter in what way they answered, only a small per- centage of the pastors showed any definite pur- pose for each organization, or that these so- cieties had any definite aim, which they were holding as their goal. Instead, pastors seemed to have found them in the churches they en- tered, and considered it their duty to keep them going, or else they were started because they had them in other churches. This lack of defi- nite purpose would naturally spell failure, even if the original aim of the founders were the highest. Answers as to * * success ' ' revealed something [14] CORRELATION OF AGENCIES of the same nature. The difficulty is that one cannot determine the criteria by which success has been measured. Where the purpose was in- definite, they could not measure by that, yet this class reported the greatest success, even if the figures denoted otherwise, while those seemingly more successful were the most mod- est in their statements. Those who realize their problems are working on them, realizing the distance of their goal. More hopeless are those who do not realize their problems and are satisfied with merely keeping up appearances, while many indicate a spirit of self-satisfaction. A great difficulty in our present system seems to be an overlapping of similar types of Th ov work designed for the same group lapping of of people. Thirty-four churches Similar Work i i i . j. i* reported no overlappmg, most or these being smaller churches where there were few organizations. Fifteen mentioned an over- lapping between Sunday-school classes and Young People 's Societies. Most reports did not show much activity in organized Sunday-school classes aside from boosting the class enrolment, which would have no effect on Young People 's Societies. If they are carried on by the plan of the International Sunday School Association, there must be an overlapping. The social com- mittees of both are supposed to look after the social life of the members. Each has a mission- ary committee to interest the members in mis- sions. The Sunday-school class has a devo- tional committee corresponding to the prayer [15] THE CHUECH SCHOOL meeting committee of the Young People's So- ciety, and class prayer meetings are urged. Other committees belong to both, such as flower, citizenship, lookout, etc. Six report a decrease in effectiveness while eleven, by divid- ing the work, felt that they helped one another. Men's classes and Brotherhoods have the same problems, and many have combined these into one organization. Four report the prayer meeting and Young People's Societies as over- lapping. This is especially true in many small churches where the older people take part in Young People 's Societies, and the two meetings are carried on in precisely the same fashion. It is also true that few young people attend prayer meeting. Six report an overlapping in attempts at missionary work between societies, or Sundaj^-school committees and societies. Nine others mention some form of overlapping. Even this does not tell the whole story, for there is a great drain on a few people for dif- Th F ith- ^^^^^^ sorts of work. Eight volun- fui Few Over- tcercd tho statement that a few are in all organizations. One said, *^The prayer meeting attendants are the best all-round church workers." The question is, whether they are the best all-round church workers because they attend prayer meeting, or vice versa. The faithful feel that it is their duty to attend all meetings, and indeed their presence is necessary. Imagine the Sunday schedule of one who teaches a Sunday-school class, attends morning church service, superin- [16] COERELATION OF AGENCIES tends the Juniors, helps with the Intermediates, attends Teacher-Training Class, Senior En- deavor and evening service. Such is known to be the case with some, and many lack only one or two of these services. Add to this one's Sunday work and is it any wonder that many break down under such a strain? In comparison with these people, note the modern pastor, especially in the smaller churches. He is expected to be present at and give life to nearly all meetings. One leading pastor said, * ' The modern pastor is expected to be a machinist instead of a preacher. It takes all his time to oil the machine and nurse infant organizations.'* It is often true that only through the pastor's attention and assistance some organizations keep alive. Such being the case, his study must be neglected and he cannot constantly give a masterly message, for the wider a thing is spread out, the less the depth in any one place. Another serious handicap in our present sys- tem seems to be that a great amount of needed »r u *T J educational work is omitted. Here S. Much Need- work^omitt"d^ again we cannot expect our an- swers to reveal all needs, for the pastor who realizes such needs will be supply- ing them as fast as possible. Yet there were only six who said no additional work was needed, while sixteen mentioned missionary education. The bulk of this work is being at- tempted through women's societies. Their suc- cess must be limited, since only seventeen [17] ,THE CHURCH SCHOOL report any missionary libraries whatever, and twenty-three having societies stated that they had no library. It seems strange, also, that there is no such work attempted for men. If there be such, it is a rare exception. This puts intelligent giving to missions on a cheapened basis, for men, who are used to dealing in hun- dreds of dollars and on whom the major sup- port of all church enterprises rests, are left uninformed, excepting from an occasional mis- sionary sermon. Six wanted something such as an Intermedi- ate Young People's Society, six wanted Junior Societies and one wanted something for the motor side of all below the Senior. Since only 1.63 per cent and 3.55 per cent respectively of the church membership are being taken care of in any expressional life, it seems that much is needed in Young People's Societies, or some- thing that will take care of this vital side of human nature. Nine expressed a need of Teacher Training, and we find that only thirty- three of the one hundred churches mention any provision for this need. Eight felt that the young people were not given the right sort of work to line them up for the church. Three ex- pressed the same need for young men and four for the older men. It is a great problem to get everyone into some definite church work, yet one of the most important. Sixty-five churches report that they have no system for this. Many societies claim to train for service, and yet when they are through training no task is given [18] CORRELATION OF AGENCIES them. One church assigns visiting, one has its young people run a mission Sunday school, and three have their membership divided into neighborhood companies with workers in each company. Thirteen others expressed various desires such as education for social service, sex educa- tion, library equipment, church history, church management, boys' clul) and Christian giving. Seven were modest enough to say they needed everything, or, as one said, **much every way.^' Nineteen others spoke of efficiency in existing organizations as the most needed thing. Prob- ably nearly all these expressions of need might be applied to a large percentage of churches, which are entirely wanting in any degree of efficiency. It is probable that if we were to test the at- tempts that are being made by a high standard of efficiency, even the aforesaid would be a mod- est statement. Present weakness is not exag- gerated by these statements, for pastors will not overstate this side of their work. This in- dicates that the problem of religious education is far from solved, and makes us wonder that the church has accomplished so much. The weaknesses named above are not so dif- ficult to understand when we note the lack of 6. The Lack of supervislou reported. Especially Supervision jg ^j^^g j^^^q ^f overlapping in one place and omission of needed work in another. Thirty-nine said their church had no super- vision of organization, and nineteen others [19] THE CHURCH SCHOOL made no report of any. Six mentioned no supervision but the pastor *s. Seven churches of the Methodists and United Brethren report supervision by a Quarterly Conference. This gives an opportunity for conference on the work of various departments and is better than no such communication, yet this plan seems to approve rather than direct the order of work- ing and the choice of the leaders in various de- partments. Five Presbyterian and United Presbyterian churches report supervision by a Session made up of church and department of- ficers. One pastor said this was only nominal supervision, checking a bad move rather than originating and promoting a good one. Three churches elect their Sunday-school officers and four others nominate them, but other organiza- tions seem to be independent. One church board elects the Sunday-school superintendent ; another has a Sunday-school board meet with them, and one board has a representative from each organization. Two churches approve all officers and two require reports. One board has a Sunday-school Committee ; two churches elect all officers, and one of these operates all so- cieties, having only one treasury for the church. These conditions indicate a lack of correla- tion of church agencies. "With few exceptions, 7. The Lack of organizatious seem to have sprung Correlation ^p ^Jiere a nccd of them was felt and there were a few people to promote them, without having any relation to other organiza- [20] CORRELATION OF AGENCIES tions or to the church. Many independent or- ganizations are simply permitted to use the same building. They all have a supposed Christian purpose, and have many of the same people in them. Should a certain lodge room be used by three lodges having many of the same members, the same secretary and about the same purpose, they would not be all parts of the same organization, neither are such inde- pendent societies parts of the church. This multiplicity not only causes overlapping in some cases, but also often hinders efficiency in all. Each organization must have certain equipment and funds to work with, but with many making the same demand, each one is lim- ited and the church itself is handicapped in its efforts. One elder said, **We don't seem to be getting anywhere, each organization seems to be doing pretty well, but we don't pull to- gether.'* This is too often true, and many people never really belong to the church, for all their activity has been in the name of some society. Another evident lack of correlation is the ab- sence of promotions. Fifty-two churches re- ported no system of promotion in sence of Pro- tho Suuday school ; thirty had a motions •■ • . • i i~v . . regTilar system with a Promotion Day, and three promoted in some departments. Worse, though, is the condition in Young People's Societies. Many have societies for the various ages, yet have no way of getting members from one to another, or of graduating [21] THE CHURCH SCHOOL them from the Senior society. Forty-six re- ported no promotion; ^Ye had a system, and two an age limit for the Senior society, and two had promotions from the Junior society only. It is evident that in most churches people simply have to feel that it is time for them to quit a given organization; however, some feel that it is time to quit before it really is and others never feel that they should move on. It is also true that if not solicited, and, even then, many may not join the organizations for their age, whereas they should never be permitted to consider themselves as anything other than members. Our present system may be summarized by saying that only a small percentage of the church's membership is now receiv- 9. Summary . t • • • • mg any religious training whatso- ever in existing organizations, and that such work as is given is inadequate. A definite purpose is not held before these organiza- tions, hence few realize their problem and the distance of their goal. There is a great amount of overlapping of similar work for the same people with a gTeat drain on members and pastor, and corresponding to this, the church omits an endless amount of needed edu- cational work which is necessary to develop Christian character in all men. These weak- nesses are largely accounted for by the fact that all organizations are independent, having no central, intelligent system defining what part of one great purpose each is to aocom- [22] CORRELATION OF AGENCIES plish, and seeing that each need is supplied as far as possible. BIBLIOGRAPHY 1. Correlation of Educational. Agencies of THE Church Bitting, "The Coordination of Religious Agencies," Aims of Religious Education, p. 96 ff. Fergusson, "Adult Religious Education in the Local Church/' Sunday School Journal, August and Septem- ber, 1912. Mead, Modern Methods in Church Work; *50c. George H. Doran Co., Chapter 42. R. E. A. Commission Report, "Correlation of Educational Agencies of the Local Church," Religious Education, April, 1913. Northwestern Baptist Convention, "Correlation of Edu- cational Agencies of the Local Church," Reports, 1912 and 1913. 2. Agencies of Religious Education Religious Education Association, Proceedings of the Annual Conventions; 5 vols.. Religious Education Asso- ciation, Chicago. Religious Education, a bi-monthly magazine devoted to religious education; Religious Education Association, Chicago. International Sunday School Association: Proceedings of International Conventions, International Sunday School Association, Chicago. The Public Schools: See "Bibliography on the Bible and Public Education," Religious Education, Yol. 6, pp. 590-595, February, 1912. 3. Men's Organizations Patterson, Modern Church Brotherhoods, *$1.00. Fleming H. Revell Co., New York. [23] THE CHURCH SCHOOL Cressey, The Church and Young Men, $1.25. Fleming H. Revell Co., New York. Chapter 6, pp. 11-30. Baptist Brotherhood, "The Baptists and Religious Educa- tion," Aims of Beligious Education, p. 188. Main, "The Modern Man and Religious Education," Religious Education, vol. 4, p. 478-84, December, 1909. Parker, "A Function of the Brotherhood," Materials of Religious Education, p. 485. 4. Young People's Societies Cressey, The Church and Young Men, p. 85 ff. Pounds, Junior Christian Endeavor Manual; Christian Board of Publications, St. Louis, Mo. Price, Epworth League Workers, 60c. Methodist Book Concern, New York. Clark, "A Quarter-Century of Christian Endeavor," Outlook, vol. 82, p. 80 ff. Willett, "Religious Education in Young People's So- cieties," Religious Education, vol. 6, p. 452-3, December, 1911. Forbush, "The Conditions and Needs of Young People's Societies," The Bible in Practical Life, p. 379 ft. Wells, "The Relation of Young People's Societies to Other Departments of the Church," The Bible in Prac- tical Life, p. 367 ff. Wells, Chamberlain, Robinson, "Some Fundamental Characteristics of the Ideal Religious Society for Young People," Materials of Religious Education, p. 248 ff. Taylor, "What the Missionary Societies Are Doing to Interest the Young People in Missions," Aims of Re- ligious Education, p. 318 ff. 5. Boys' Organizations Cope, Efficiency in the Sunday School, *$1.00. George H. Doran Co., New York. Chapter 14. Gilkey and others. Boy's Work Message, $1.00. AssociS' tion Press, New York. [24] COREELATION OF AGENCIES Bartlett, "The Test of Success in Church Boys' School," The Bible in Practical Life, p. 388 ff. Fennell, "Character Making Elements in Young Men's Bible Classes," The Bible in Practical Life, p. 395 ff. Gilkey, "What Can the Church Do in the Field of Work with Boys? Beligious Education, vol. 7, p. 217-22, June, 1912. Gates, "Histoiy, Scope, and Success of Organizations for Boys and Girls," Beligious Education, vol. 7, p. 223- 235, June, 1912. Crosby, "Boy Scouts and the Sunday School," Religious Education, vol. 7, p. 235-242, June, 1912. Baldwin, "Boys of the High School Age," Beligious Edu- cation, vol. 8, April, 1913. Houston, "Federating Church Work for Boys in Large Cities," Aims of Beligious Education, p. 445 ff. Aims of Beligious Education, *$1.00. Religious Educa- tion Association, Chicago. Materials of Beligious Education, *$1.00. Religious Edu- cation Association, Chicago. The Bible in Practical Life, *$1.00. Religious Education Association, Chicago. [25] CHAPTER in ORGANIZATION 1. Geneeal Obganization Modified to suit local conditions, the follow- ing will constitute the general organization of the church school: This committee should consist of three, five or seven members. Persons definitely inter- . , ested in religious education and a. Educational , . . i i- -i i • Committee of Jiavmg superior educational train- ing should be selected for this com- mittee. When possible, professional educators should be given places on this committee. The pastor of the church should be a member of this committee ex officio. The Educational Committee should be one of the regular standing committees of the church. It should sustain the same relationship to the church school that a school board sustains to a system of public schools. Among the duties of this committee, the fol- lo^ving may be enumerated: To study the educational problems of the lo- cal church, including all organizations and all classes of members. To adopt curricula, textbooks and general rules and regulations for all educational activ- ities of the church. [26] ORGANIZATION To select teachers and officers for all the edu- cational agencies of the church. To supervise the educational work under its jurisdiction in order that it may know that its plans are being faithfully carried out. To remove or transfer teachers or officers at its pleasure in the interest of efficient adminis- tration. To recommend to the church board, at any regular meeting, the modification, consolida- tion or disbanding of any organization or or- ganizations within the church, when such changes would enhance the work of religious education. To sit in council with other committees of the church and with other committees of a simi- lar character and to report back to the church such measures as seem to it commendable. To establish close relations with denomina- tional and interdenominational agencies of re- ligious education, so as to give the local school immediate advantage of new material and new methods. To be the medium of communication between the societies under its supervision and all dis- trict, state or national organizations of said societies. To make a survey of the educational, social and industrial environment of each child in the church school and suggest such remedies for unwholesome conditions as may be possible through education and through church leader- ship. [27] THE CHUECH SCHOOL To help coordinate the plans of all the organ- izations of the church, in order to avoid dupli- cation of effort and prevent the neglect of any phases of training essential to the best inter- ests of the church. To call to their assistance experts in re- ligious education and so to inform themselves on the various problems which arise that they may lead the local church into broad and pro' gressive lines of instruction and give each child of the community and each member of the church the largest opportunity for religious growth. This officer should be the executive agent of the Educational Committee of the church. He should be a trained educational ex- Reiigious pert. He will have general charge of the church school. As general superintendent of the church school he will rec- ommend teachers and officers to the Educa- tional Committee, supervise and direct the work of all departments of the school and train the teachers. Many churches are now able to employ a trained director of religious education, who would give his whole time to the problems of religious education, becoming, not an assist- ant pastor, but the teaching pastor of the church. Institutions of higher learning are establish- ing departments of religious education for the training of experts in religious education, and it is higlily desirable that the output from [28] ORGANIZATION Buch courses of instruction be put immediately into active service in the churches of the country/ Not every one who knows the Bible can direct the religious training of a church, and not every preacher or seminary student is competent to minister to the educational needs of the chil- dren of the church. In this connection it needs also to be said that not every man who loves children and can lead a group of boys on a ** cross-country run'* is competent to direct the educational affairs of a local church. Besides religious interest, and an aptitude for handling young people, there must be technical, profes- sional training. The Educational Committee should use the same care in selecting a director of religious education that a school board would use in selecting a city superintendent of schools or a high-school or ward principal. Smaller churches, not able to employ both a preaching pastor and a director of religious ed- ucation, must select for their pastor a man who has purstied courses in religious education in the seminary and who is competent to superin- tend the church school and train its teachers, and they should insist that this man become the pastor of the church school as well as the pas- tor of the adult portion of the congregation. It behooves the smaller churches to inquire defi- nitely into the educational preparation of the * Churches interested are referred to the August, 1913, issue of Beligious Education for a detailed statement of the work of a Director of Keligious Education. [29] THE CHURCH SCHOOL men called into their service in the combined capacity of preachers and teachers. Pending the time when a trained educator can be employed to direct the church school there should be selected for this position the very best person in the entire community. A professional educator is to be preferred for this position. When a superintendent is once selected he should be given the support and counsel of the Educational Committee and a library of up-to-date books on modern methods of religious education should be placed at his disposal. He should also be sent to conven- tions and special schools of methods at the ex- pense of the local church. The church should place a premium on his efforts to inform him- self, and cooperate in every way in bringing into the community new and improved methods of work. By making the church school his hobby, and giving it time and energy, a tactful, well-informed member of the church may be- come an efficient leader of the local church school. It must be remembered, however, that time, energy and hard study are necessary ele- ments in the preparation of the one who is to become an effective leader of any phase of re- ligious education. Trained leadership is neces- sary to the success of the church school, and the local church must find such leadership at home or import it from the colleges and seminaries. The Director of Religious Education may or c. Platform ^^7 ^^^ ^^ ^^^ platform superin- superintendent teudeut. It is usually best to select [30] ORGANIZATION for this position a man whose personal presence and educational qualities fit him especially for the work of a presiding officer. This officer should keep the financial record of the school and deposit all money received d. Financial ffom all societlcs under the direc- secretary ^[qj^ ^f i]^q Educatioual Committee with the treasurer of the church. This money should be paid out upon the order of the church board, and all expenses of the church school should be paid through the church treasurer from the regular budget of the church. It is important that a consistent classifica- tion of pupils be maintained in both the instructional and expressional ent of ciassifi- departments of the school. The superintendent of classification should be a person familiar with the graded school system, and if possible a professional educator. This officer should become an au- thority on the graded curriculum. £. Secretary These officers wiU keep the usual and Assistants pecords of classes, departments and societies. This council should be composed of the fol- lowing persons : 5. Educational W Educatioual Committee of Council i^Q church. (2) General officers of the church school. (3) Officers of all societies under the direc- tion of the Educational Committee. (4) Teachers of all departments. [31] THE CHURCH SCHOOL (5) Two representatives from each organ- ized class in the school. (6) Two representatives from each society, club or guild under the direction of the Educa- tional Committee. This is to be the democratic body of the school. The council should meet three or four times a year for free and informal discussion of the problems of the school. It is purely an advisory body. Through it the Educational Committee can popularize its policies, and from it may be secured valuable suggestions on or- ganization, administration, etc. In addition to the above-named officers there will be the librarian, organist, chorister, ush- h. Other ^^^y ^^^' Officers rj^Y^Q dcmauds of the depart- m^ental church school are such that the librarian is one of the most influential officers in the organization. This officer must be thor- oughly familiar with the graded curriculum, and thoroughly informed concerning methods and material for the pupils and teachers of all grades. The book lists given in this volume will indicate the scope of the librarian's task. Music leaders must also be skilled artists who appreciate the place of music in a program of worship. There is too much truth in the statement that children reared in homes of culture hear only * ^ragtime'' music when they go to Sunday school. It is the business of the music leaders to cultivate a taste for the best in music. [32] ORGANIZATION 2. Departmental Oeganization The International Sunday - School Associa- tion has adopted the following departmental a. Internation- P^^n • PiaS'^^""^"* (1) Cradle Roll Department (children under four years of age). (2) Beginners^ Department (children four and ^ve years of age). (3) Primary Department (children six, seven and eight years of age). (4) Junior Department (children nine, ten, eleven and twelve years of age). (5) Intermediate Department (children thirteen, fourteen, fifteen and sixteen years of age). (6) Senior Department (pupils seventeen, eighteen, nineteen and twenty years of age). (7) Adult Department (all persons over twenty years of age). (8) Home Department (persons unable to attend the regular Sunday sessions of the school). In this volume a chapter is devoted to each of these departments. It is becoming increasingly evident that the above schedule must soon be revised. In the first 1- XT ^ ^ place, there should be a complete b. Needed i > , • i j i Changes chauge m termmology, to harmon- ize with the program of the public schools. There should also be a complete re- grouping of the adolescent years to harmonize more perfectly with the periods of early, middle [33] THE CHURCH SCHOOL and later adolescence. For example, the pres- ent plan groups young people from sixteen to twenty years of age in a department for in- struction and expression. This puts into one group those young people who are in the emo- tional upheaval of middle adolescence, and the young people from eighteen to twenty who have passed over into a more reflective stage. The social and educational needs of these two groups are so different that it is impossible to provide for both with a single program. In the field of public education there is a growing movement toward uniting the seventh and eighth grades with the high-school group. It seems evident that the twelve years of ado- lescence will soon be divided into two periods of six years each; viz., twelve to eighteen and eighteen to twenty-four. It will doubtless be necessary to divide these into sub-groups. There is valid argument for graduating a pupil from the church school into the church college at eighteen years of age, just when he is being graduated from the day school into the stand- ard institutions of higher learning.* These needed changes have been clearly in mind in the preparation of the chapters on de- partmental organization. * See Bibliography, under ' * Eeorganization of Secondary Education. ' ' [34] OKGANIZATION BIBLIOGEAPHT 1, Oegaijiizatioit of the Church School Cope, The Modem Sunday School in Principle and Prac- tice, $1.00. Fleming H. Revell Co., New York. Cope, The Evolution of the Sunday School, 75c. Pilgrim Press, Boston. Cope, Efficiency in the Sunday School, *$1.00. George H. Doran Co., New York. Meyer, The Graded Sunday School in Principle and practice; 75c. Methodist Book Concern, New York. Burton & Mathews, Principles and Ideals for the Sunday School, *$1.00. University of Chicago Press, Chicago. Hurlbut, Organizing and Building Up the Sunday School, *65c. Methodist Book Concern, New York. Athearn, "Standardizing the Sunday School," Biblical World, May, 1913. Fans, Editor, The Sunday School at Work, $1.25. Pres- byterian Board of Publication, Philadelphia. Pease, Outline of a Bible School Curriculum, $1.50. Uni- versity of Chicago Press, Chicago. 2. Books Relating to the History of the Graded Lessons Twelfth International Sunday School Convention Report, International Sunday School Association, Chicago. Meyer, The Graded Sunday School in Principle and Prac- tice. Part 2, Chapters, 9, 10, 11. Cope, The Evolution of the Sunday School, Chapters 9 and 11. Sampey, The International Lesson System, $1.25. Flem- ing H. Revell Co., New York. International Graded Course, Teachers* Texts. Religious Education, vol. 3, pp. 106-108. Price, The Work of the Lesson Committee (pamphlet), International Sunday School Association, Chicago. Graded Text Books for the Modem Sunday School, an annotated bibliography issued by the Religious Educa- tion Association, Chicago (free). [35] THE CHURCH SCHOOL 3. The Chuech and Its Educational Task Faunce, Educational Ideal in the Ministry, $1.25. The Maemillan Co., New York. Hitchcock, *'The Church as an Educator," Ai^ns of Re- ligious Education, p. 148 E. Wood, McFarland, Mackenzie, "The Churches Problem of the Religious Education of Its People," Aims of Be- ligious Education, p. 177 ff. Goodsell, "Educational Aims of the Church," Aims of Religious Education, p. 147 f. Goodsell, "The Signal Weakness of the Church and Its Remedy," Collier's Weekly, vol. 45, p. 24 ft. Crooker, The Church of To-day, 50c. Pilgrim Press, Boston, p. 261. Doney, An Efficient Church, $1.25. Fleming H. Revell Co., New York. Chapters 1, 4, 10. 4. Reorganization of Secondary Education Boynton, "A Six Year High School Course," Educational Review, vol. 20, pp. 515-19, December, 1900. Brown, J. S., "Development of Secondary Schools Ac- cording to the Proposed Plan," School Review, vol. 13, pp. 15-18, January, 1905. Brubacher, "Some Readjustments in Secondary Educa- tion," Education, vol. 24. pp. 613-20, June, 1904. De Garmo, Principles of Secondary Instruction, $3.25. The Maemillan Co., New York. Dewey, "The High School of the Future," School Review, vol. 11, p. 1; also pp. 17-20, January, 1903. Hanus, "Six- Year High-School Program," Educational Review, vol. 25, pp. 455-63, May, 1903. Harper, "The High School of the Future," School Review, vol. 11, pp. 1-3, January, 1903. Hedgepeth, "Six Year High School Plan at Goshen, Indiana," School Review, vol. 13, pp. 19-23, January, 1905. Liddeke, "Extension of the High School Course," School Revidw, vol. 12, pp. 635-47, October, 1904. [36] ORGANIZATION Lyttle, ^'Should the Twelve Year Course of Study Be Equally Divided Between the Elementary School and the Secondary School?" Proc. N. E. A., 1904, pp. 424 and 436. Lyttle, et al., "Report of the Committee on Six Year Course of Study," Process N. E. A., 1908, p. 625. Snedden, "Six- Year High-School Course," Educational Beview, vol. 26, pp. 525-29, December, 1903. Whitney, "Differentiation of Courses in the Seventh and Eighth Grades," Educational Bevieiv, vol. 41, pp. 127-34, February, 1911. Rugh, "Reorganization of the Curriculum," Religious Edu- cation, vol. 7, pp. 636-644, February, 1913. Johnston, High School Education, $1.50. Charles Scrib- ner's Sons, New York, Chapter IV. Ruediger, "Has the Dividing Line Between Elementary and Secondary Education Been Drawn at the Proper Point?" Elementary School-teacher, vol. 5, pp. 482-492, April, 1905. [87] CHAPTER IV THE CRADLE ROLL DEPARTMENT 1. Scope This department concerns itself with the needs of children under four years of age. 2. Oeganization The officers of this department should be a superintendent and as many helpers as may he required. These officers should comprise the most refined and cultivated women in the church. Besides the Christian graces and re- fined manners they should possess tact, good common sense, keen insight into life's prob- lems, warm sympathy and deep spiritual con- secration. Many churches will be able to em- ploy a salaried deaconess, or specially trained worker for this important service. This department, as a phase of the Home De- partment, is best administered in connection with that department. 3. The Cradle Roll Child Of the three-score and ten years allotted to man, none are more significant than the first three years. They are years of phyThii^EqS^' very rapid physical growth. The m.nt of a Baby ^igsues of thc little body drink nu- [38] CRADLE ROLL DEPARTMENT trition as the parched ground absorbs the sum- mer shower. Poisons are absorbed as freely as food — the little body as yet offers resistance to no substance. The gastric juice is weak in the acids which serve to prevent the decomposition of food, and solid food given to infants often decomposes and becomes the source of serious intestinal trouble. Great care must be taken in the feeding and nurture of children, and until such instruction is given in our schools and col- leges the church must assume the responsibility of such training through its Cradle Roll De- partment. But the mind and the body develop together. From the instant of its birth the child is forming both physical and mental hab- its which enter into and determine the charac- ter of the adult life. The psycho-physical equipment of the new- born infant is as follows : (1) Reflexes. The more direct and simple reactions to environment. They represent the more simple adjustments to the more fixed environment, such as digestion, wink- ing, etc. (2) Instincts. These are more complex and highly organized reactions — a chain of reflexes. Animal instincts represent well-organized re- actions to environment, or adjustments to a shifting environment. Instincts are more com- plex and more pliable than reflexes. Compare, for example, the hunting instinct with the breathing reflex. The child inherits a nervous mechanism which goes off like an alarm clock [39] THE CHURCH SCHOOL when the proper stimuli are presented. In- stinct may be defined as ^ inborn tendencies toward specific modes of behavior. ' ' ' The bee and the fly have no babyhood. The neural adjustments are all established at birth. They cannot be educated because they have no period of plasticity. The pup has a few months of plasticity before the neural ad- justments '^set" and it becomes **hard to teach an old dog new tricks.'' The human in- fant has about twenty-four years of plas- ticity — the longest of all the animals — and for this reason the human being is capable of the greatest training and development.' (3) Impulses. Impulses have been called snubbed instinct, or unraveled instinct. They are crude, uncoordinated and not well adjusted. They are the survival of instinct. Unused, they will die out and gradually disappear from the race; used, they will ripen into habits which will pass them on to a coming generation as its instinctive inheritance. Examples of impulses are reaching, walking, prattling, or, more in- stinctive, fear and anger. (4) Consciousness. Consciousness, or aware- ness, appears and is related to the growth of any activity. It is a creative factor in growth. The first manifestation of consciousness is an attempt to control stimuli ; crying, sucking, etc. are merely direct responses to stimuli. A per- * Scares, Biblical World, vol, 43, p. 195, March, 1914. ' See Mark, The Unfolding of Personality as the Chief Aim in Education. [40] CRADLE ROLL DEPARTMENT cept is simply the conscious interpretation of a stimulus in terms of related experiences. Education sets itself the task of presenting a series of selected stimuli which will produce types of reaction which will make habitual acts which society has approved. But the senses do not aid each other at first. The nerve centers are not ripe, not ready to function, and there is no cross reference from eye to ear, etc. The interaction of nerve cen- ters comes after some weeks and months of experience. As the various nerve centers ripen and the imagination develops, the problem of the proper presentation of stimuli, both objective and through imagery, becomes increasingly difficult. It cannot be deferred until the kin- dergarten teacher takes the responsibility. The educative process is on in the nursery years before the state furnishes a professional teacher, and the parents must become the first teachers of their children. A child of eleven months of age will recog- nize pictures. What are to be the first pictures in the nursery? Long before it can talk the baby enjoys the harmony of sound. "What are to be the first tunes that play upon the infant mind? By two years of age the average child has used five hundred different words. What should be the vocabulary of the home in which a human being is ** picking up'* a language! Certainly the church should put its most skillful workers into that department which THE CHUBCH SCHOOL touches life in its very budding, and creates both soil and atmosphere from which and in which a child of God is to be reared. Spalding tells of a gosling reared in a kitchen away from all water. When some months old b TheAtro h ^^ ^^^ takcu to the water. It re- of Unused fused to go in and when thrown in scrambled out again. The instinct for swimming had been entirely suppressed by disuse. In his ** Principles of Psychology ^^^ James shows how dogs lose their instinct for burying bones w^hen they are brought up on a hard floor. It is said by poultry experts that the third generation of incubator chickens are chicken idiots; that is, they do not have ordi- nary chicken sense because the instincts of the normal chicken have been suppressed through disuse. Just in so far as morals and religion are in- stinctive will they obey the laws of growth and development which govern other instincts. The first cravings for sympathy, the first feeling of reverence, etc., must not be allowed to die for lack of expression. Fear, awe, trust, wonder, curiosity, sympathy, etc., are the roots from which religion is to grow, and the religious ed- ucator must not ignore the great fact that religious and moral growth depend upon exercise for their development. It were better for parents that a millstone were hanged about their necks and they were * Vol. 2, p. 399. [42] CRADLE ROLL DEPARTMENT cast into the bottom of the sea than that they should murder a human soul by inattention just when it is throwing out the first tendrils seek- ing nurture for the budding spirit. The religious teacher seeks out all the in- stincts, reflexes and impulses that are essential to a well balanced Christian character, secures their development into permanent life habits and lets all undesirable instincts and impulses die through disuse. 4. The Educational Duty of the Home The ideas most fundamental in moral and religious growth are developed in family life. Many fundamental reactions are established by the time the child enters school, and they are intensified by the home influences throughout the school life of the child. Among the items which the home life will determine are the fol- lowing : Habits of industry Conceptions of God, duty, honor, honesty, etc. Emotional reactions, likes and dislikes Vocabulary, habits of speech, love of books and literary tasks Motor reactions, posture, carriage, etc. Habits of cleanliness and neatness Habits of obedience, accuracy, promptness Habits of study, depending upon conversa- tion and occupation of the home Standards of conduct and morals The home should not be permitted to neglect these fundamental elements of character, [43] THE CHURCH SCHOOL under the delusion that the church and the school can later make up the deficiency. It should be made clear that these matters cannot be determined by the school, for the school gets the child too late in its career and too few hours per day to determine these early reactions. The church must be made to realize how hard it is to raise the morals of a people above the level of the homes in which the people are reared. The church hr„s no mere important duty than that of teaching the f-amily how to do certain work for itself, which it now tries to delegate to others, so that the education of the family may be a like preparation and supple- ment to the education of the school and the church. Dr. Irving King, in an article in Unity, August 30, 1906, says : * * The whole problem is not that of telling children this or that, but of putting them into situations which shall de- mand of them certain types of action, certain responses. How to surround the child with the most healthful ideals; to call forth the best motives and crowd into the background the lower ones ; how to utilize to the best advantage the power of example furnished by adults — in fine, how to furnish stimuli which will incite to desirable activity, and avoid those which will produce unfavorable action. All these must be effectively illustrated and persistently brought home to the parent, making clear to him, above all, that there is absolutely no substitute for it in effective child training.*' [44] CRADLE ROLL DEPARTMENT Whatever our theories of the family may be, we must all agree with MacCunn* when he says : * ^ It is not only from the family but with the family eyes that we all begin to look out upon the world. The family plants the seeds of the social virtues. For it is the substantial nur- ture of the affections within the home that first gives its members genuinely developed affec- tions to carry beyond it. ' * Dr. Starbuck in his ** Psychology of Religion^' has made it clear that it is to the father and mother that we must look for the ^^all controlling external religious influences of childhood and youth.'* Dr. Op- penheim in his * ^ Development of the Child '* has a chapter on *^The Profession of Mater- nity/' and Rishell in his splendid little volume on ^^The Child as God's Child" pleads for the establishing of the profession of parenthood. The church must deliver its message to child- hood through enlightened and consecrated par- ents. There is no better medium through which this message can be delivered than the Cradle Roll Department of the church school, which is organized to carry into the home the two great thoughts of the beauty of childhood and the dignity and responsibility of parenthood. 5. ACTIVETIES The activities of the Cradle Roll Department center around three functions which the de- partment must perform, This is the most important duty of the ^Making of Character, p. 84. [45] THE CHURCH SCHOOL Cradle Eoll Department. If parents can be a. The Depart- Diade to See that their baby is a Dig"nif5^"par. chlld of God, and that they are serv- Giorrfy*^ chifd- aiits, entrusted with a holy steward- hood giiip — partners with God in the fashioning of a human being in his image — the matters of church attendance, religious nur- ture, etc., will follow as a matter of course. Through literature, lectures, child welfare exhibits, exhibits of the child in art, literature and music, and similar methods, parenthood may be exalted and childhood glorified. Cradle Roll workers should seek to place on the wall of every home in which there are chil- dren a copy of the Sistine Madonna, or some other masterpiece of the mother and the child, and to give to every parent the interpretation of the masterpiece, so that it will constantly teach its great lesson to all within the home. These great pictures may be made the sub- jects of lectures at parents* meetings; the story of the picture, the conception of the artist, etc., may be presented, the great anthems which tell the same story may be sung, and classics in poetry and prose voicing the same sentiment may be read or recited. Such a program would be beautiful and dig- nified and still be within the comprehension of all. Miniature prints could be distributed to be taken to the homes, and all could be urged to purchase good reprints to be framed for a per- manent place in the home. Frequent refer- ences to the Madonnas will reinstate the im- [4a] CRADLE ROLL DEPARTMENT pressions of its great lessons, and soon there will be an ambition in every mother *s breast to raise up a son who shall be the savior of his people. Beautiful pictures of children, and the music and literature which tend to create a love for children and an appreciation of their place in the home and in society, should be given pub- licity by the Cradle Roll Department. In short, it is the chief mission of the Cradle Roll De- partment to see that parenthood and childhood are exalted in the midst of the people. This done, all else will follow ; this neglected, all else will be shallow and unfruitful. (1) Mothers should be taught how to feed and care for their babies. Literature on health b The Depart- ^^^ sauitatiou cau be taken to their "i.e^t Must homes, non-technical books treating Give Needed ' « . « i • Information tho problcms 01 miaucy can be cir- culated. The mothers of Cradle Roll children can be assembled for lectures on children, given by physicians, nurses and educators. Care must be taken that no books are circu- lated by the Cradle Roll workers which would not be approved by the best medical and educa- tional authorities. The church cannot afford to popularize quackery or become the agent of charlatanism. (2) Parents may be instructed regarding the literature and games of the nursery. Libra- rians, story tellers, professional educators will gladly give courses of lectures in this very im- portant field. [47] THE CHURCH SCHOOL (3) The mother must be the child's first teacher of religion, and the Cradle Roll worker must see to it that mothers are instructed so that they can intelligently answer the questions that will be put to them by baby lips. Such a book as Hodge's '^Teaching Religion to Chil- dren" would form a splendid basis for a course of lessons on this subject. The baby is often the first point of contact between the church and the home. It is also c. The Home ^^^^ ^^^^ many homes already iden- chll-ch' through ^ifi^cl with the church have their in- the Baby tercst iucrcased and vitalized by the activity of the Cradle Roll Department. The following are the usual steps which are taken to identify a new home with the church. (1) The Cradle Roll worker calls. (Has seen the announcement of the birth in the pa- per, learned of it from the children in the pri- mary department, etc.) (2) Takes with her some neighbors for the second call, at which time she delivers the Cradle Roll Certificate, signed by herself and the pastor. (Some information is here given about the pastor, his able sermons, etc.) (3) Pastor calls, after being advised of fam- ily conditions by Cradle Roll workers. (4) Father invited to men's class or club by neighbors. (5) Mother joins the circle of ** Mothers of Cradle Roll Children, ' ' where she forms a num- ber of new acquaintances. [48] CRADLE BOLL DEPARTMENT (6) Both father and mother at work in the church. By birthday remembrances, Christmas and other special day attentions, the Cradle Roll workers keep closely in touch with the baby until the beginning of the fourth year, at which time it is the business of the department to see that the child is regularly enrolled in the Begin- ners ' Department of the church school. 6. Meetings Three types of meetings will be held by this department. Meetings for instruction, lectures and class a. Meetings for study. Thcsc mcctiugs will be held Instruction ^g frequently as possible, but only when there is a program prepared which will be vital and helpful. Social meetings held on week days for pur- fa. Social poses of promoting friendship Meetings amoug thc young parents who have many common problems. The fathers as well as the mothers should be invited to these meetings. Special meetings held in connection with the Beginners^ Department. A special program c. Special should be prepared for such occa- Meetings slous. TMs program should not be held oftener than once a quarter. Its purpose is to familiarize parents with the work of the Beginners' Department and introduce the new babies to the teacher and the class which will soon receive them into membership. [49] THE CHURCH SCHOOL 7. The Eelation of Cradle Roll Childben to THE Church School The Cradle Roll children are not members of the church school and no child should be per- mitted to attend a class in the Beginners' De- partment until he has been regularly promoted out of the Cradle Roll into the church school sd four years of age. The Beginners' Department is not a nursery to care for infants whose mothers wish to at- tend other departments of the school. Neither is it a circus inviting mothers and infants to come and be entertained each Sunday. Mothers and their babies should stay away from the Be- ginners ' Department and give the teachers an opportunity to do a definite bit of educational work for the children of the department without interruption. It is still necessary to insist that the church school is for the training of children and not for the enter- tainment of old people at the expense of their babies. Mothers who are students in other depart- ments of the church school should ordinarily care for their own babies, but it may be neces- sary for the school to maintain a nursery where children under four will be cared for under the direction of the Cradle Roll Department; but the Beginners' Department must never be con- verted into a nursery. The children of that de- partment have rights which should be re- spected. [50] CRADLE ROLL DEPARTMENT 8. The Cradle Roll Depaetment and the Chuech Nuesery There should be maintained by the Cradle Roll Department a nursery in which babies may be cared for by trained workers, during all the services of the church and the church school. Babies disturbing the church services may be quietly taken to the nursery by the workers appointed for that purpose and the mothers will be able to enjoy the services feel- ing that the children are being cared for by competent nurses. The nursery should not be equipped for in- struction. It is a place for play and rest. It should be equipped with cots, cradles, toys, games, blocks, etc., and the simple nursery remedies for emergencies. One dollar sent to the Ohio Sanitary Block Co., Mt. Sterling, Ohio, will bring a burlap bag full of assorted blocks. Cobb and Cobb, Busy Builder's Booh, 30 cents, Ginn & Co., Boston; Wells' Floor Games, $1.00, Small, Maynard & Co., Boston; and Beard & Beard, The Little Folks' Handy Book, *75 cents, Charles Scribner's Sons, New York, are admirable books for workers in the nursery. 9. Equipment The Cradle Roll Department should be equipped with certificates of enrolment, birth- day cards, invitations to special meetings, promotion certificates, record books, Ma- donnas and childhood pictures. Cradle Roll [61] THE CHURCH SCHOOL boards, etc. The denominational publishing houses and the Sunday-school supply houses have prepared much material in this line. It is to be hoped that the quality and general char- acter of Cradle Eoll material will be speedily improved so that nothing cheap, undignified or trashy will be associated with the work of this department. CLASSIFIED BOOK LISTS FOR CRADLE ROLL WORKERS 1. Books on Health and Cabe of Children Under Four Years of Age Israels, The Child, Metropolitan Life Insurance Company, New York. Free. Cradle Roll workers should secure copies for distribution. Scientific yet simple and non- technical. The chapter headings are: I. The Home. II, Preparing for the Baby. III. The Baby up to One Year. IV. The Runabout Baby. V. The Child of School Age. VI. The Sick Child. VII. Emergencies. Kerley, Short Talks with Young Mothers, $1.00. G. P. Putnam's Sons, New York. A very helpful book on the details of the child's feeding, clothing, bathing and air- ing, and what to do in an emergency. Eghian, The Mother's Nursery Guide, *$1.00. G. P. Put- nam's Sons, New York. This book treats in a brief but comprehensive way the care of the baby in health and sickness. The first part is devoted to the natural and artificial feeding of infants; the second, to the most im- portant and common diseases in infancy and early childhood. Holt, The Care and Feeding of Children, 'TSc. D. Appleton & Co., New York. This little manual is writ- ten in the form of questions and answers and has largely to do with the feeding of infants and young [62] CEADLE ROLL DEPARTMENT children. This is a simplified edition of Dr. Holt's large work on the care and feeding of children. MacCarthy, Mother and Child, **$1.25. Harper & Broth- ers, New York. A manual for mothers and nurses in- cluding hygiene for the prospective mother and prac- tical directions for the care and feeding of children. Very good from the standpoint of both mother and chUd. Coolidge, The Mother's Manual, $1.00. A. S. Barnes & Co., New York. A month by month guide. The care of the child for the first year is considered for each month, during the second and third years, for each half year, and then a chapter is given on each year from the fourth to the seventh. Hogan, How to Feed Children, $1.00. J. B. Lippincott Co., Philadelphia. The purpose of this book is to offer in practical form suggestions concerning the applica- tion of the principles of dietetics to feeding in the nursery and throughout the period of childhood. The chapter on the diet of the school children will be found especially helpful to mothers. Coolidge, First Aid in Nursery Ailments, *50c. Sturgis & Walton, New York. This little book is for the as- sistance of mothers in caring for their children when any of the simple ailments of the nursery arise; also teaches how to act in an emergency. Griffith, The Care of the Baby, $1.50. W. B. Saunders, Philadelphia. Fischer, The Health Care of the Baby, 75c. Funk & Wagnalls Co., New York. Brown, The Baby, $1.00. Whitcomb & Barrows, Boston. Starr, Hygiene of the Nursery, $1.00. P. Blakiston, Son & Co., Philadelphia. Chance, The Care of the Child, $1.00. Penn Publishing Co., Philadelphia. These books are perfectly reliable. They are non-technical and therefore within the compre- hension of the average mother. One or more of [53] THE CHURCH SCHOOL them should be in every home where there are small children. 2. Books and Chai>teks on the Mental Life op Children Under Four Years of Age Kirkpatriek, Fundamentals of Child Study, $1.25. The Macmillan Co., New York. A discussion of instincts. Preyer, The Mind of the Child — 2 parts, each $1.50. D. Appleton & Co., New York. Perez, The First Three Years of Childhood, *$1.50. C. W. Bardeen, Syracuse, New York. Koons, The Child's Beligious Life, 75c. Methodist Book Concern, New York. Certain chapters deal with re- ligious instinct, notably chapter 2. Compayre, The Development of the Child in Later In- fancy, *$1.20. D. Appleton & Co., New York. Es- pecially chapter 1 on Imitation and Curiosity. Taylor, The Study of the Child, $1.25. D. Appleton & Co., New York. Weigle, The Pupil and the Teacher, *50c. George H. Doran Co., New York. Chapters 2, 3, 11. Mark, The Unfolding of Personality as the Chief Aim tn Education, $1.00. University of Chicago Press, Chicago. Poulsson, Love and Law in Child Training, $1.00. Milton Bradley Co., Springfield, Mass. Tyler, Growth and Education, $1.50. Houghton, Mifflin Co., Boston. Chapter 9. 3. Books to be Eead to Children Under Four Years of Age Bigham, Stories of Mother Goose Village, 75c. Rand McNally & Co., Chicago. Caldecott, B. Caldecotfs Picture Books, each 25c. Wame & Co., New York, 16 volumes. Crane, Mother Huhbard, 25c. John Lane Co., New York. Crane, This Little Pig, 25c. John Lane Co., New York. Poulsson, Through the Farmyard Gate, $1.25. Lothrop, Lee & Shepard Co., Boston. [54] CRADLE ROLL DEPARTMENT Poulsson, Father and Baby Plays, $1.25. Century Co., New York. Bryce (ed.), Robert Louis Stevenson Reader, *40c. Charles Scribner's Sons, New York. O'Shea (ed.), Six Nursery Classics, 20c. D. C. Heath & Co., Boston. Lindsay, Mother Stories, $1.00. Milton Bradley Co., Springfield, Mass. Bailey & Lewis, For the Children's Hour, $1.50. Milton Bradley Co., Springfield, Mass. Walker, Lady Hollyhock and Her Friends, $1.25. Double- day, Page & Co., New York. 165] CHAPTER V THE BEGINNERS' DEPARTMENT 1. Scope This department includes children four and five years of age. It corresponds to the kinder- garten department of the public schools. 2. The Natuke of the Child in the Beginners ' Department The first three years of a child's life are years of rapid physical and mental develop- ment. The normal child trebles its Senses SiT\7t wclght durlug the first year. The Growing Mmd ggj^gQj.y ccuters iu the brain ripen rapidly. The child's ears are hungry and he demands noise; his eyes are hungry and he must have color and form; his nose is hungry and he seeks the odors of the flower garden or field; and his fingers are hungry and he must touch something. He is hungering and thirst- ing after sense stimulation. The little mind, fed by the sense impressions, unfolds rapidly. It organizes, classifies and tries to explain everything which plays in upon it through the senses. At a few months of age, the baby plays with images and by the end of the first year it will recognize pictures. The [66] All ideal room for the Beginners' Department, abundantly supplied with light and air. Homelike and attractive with its large fireplace. An ideal room for the story circle. llemodelled Building, providing homelike room for Begin- ners' Class. BEGINNERS' DEPAETMENT vocabulary grows rapidly, and by two years of age the average child has used 500 different words, and by three years of age it is a veri- table little chatterbox/ The child comes into the Beginners' Depart- ment at four years of age with a stock of sense perceptions gained in the home circle and with a network of instincts and reflexes already crystallizing into habits. The raw material with which the Beginners' teacher starts her work is (1) the background of three years of experience, (2) the eager, hungry senses, and (3) the active instincts peculiar to childhood, such as trust, curiosity, imitation, play, fear, awe and imagination. These instincts are the roots from which religion must grow. As they ripen they take the child from a world of the senses to a world which finds its reality in the realms of faith.' The child in this department imitates acts, not people. He tries his own powers and gets b Th im r ^^^^8'^^ i^ t^^ doing of the thing he tance of First has seeu othcrs do. He can best be led by suggestion. In fact, as the child ^ Spicks up" a vocabulary from the home, in the same way he picks up ideas of neatness, accuracy, industry, kindness, politeness and honesty. By the same process by which a child ^O'Shea, Linguistic Development and Education, $1.25, The Macmillan Co., New York; and Major, First Steps in Mental Growth, $1.25, The Macmillan Co., New York, chapter 15. ' Teachers in this department should carefully study Weigle 'e The Pupil and the Teacher, chapter 3. [57] THE CHURCH SCHOOL fixes hain't and HainH in his mind, he also in- delibly fixes in the sensitive tissue of the brain the standards of behavior which are found in the home. That which is put into the first of life is put into all of life. Hain't and 'tain t^ once in the mind, are there forever. In after years the child may memorize all the rules of English grammar, but in some unguarded mo- ment hain't and 't ain't will rise up as the carnal man of language and demand utterance, and he may well say, ^^When I would speak grammatically the ungrammatical is present with me. ' * Parents and teachers must remember that **new vases preserve the taste of the first liquor that is put into them, and that wool once col- ored never regains its primitive whiteness, '* and just so the first impression that flows into a child's soul will either mar or beautify all the images of his subsequent life. The child 's mind is impregnated mth everything that touches it, and it offers resistance to no impressions whether they be good or bad. The child there- fore should be shielded from the ugly, the re- pulsive and the immoral that his first impres- sions may be only beautiful, attractive and pure. Weigle has properly italicized what he calls the only safe rule for this period: ''Do absolutely nothing before a child that you would 7iot have him copy. Let nothing touch his senses that you tvould not have enter perma- nently into his life."^ » The Pupil ayid the Teacher, p. 24. [58] BEGINNERS^ DEPARTMENT The young child's images are concrete. His symbols differ from those of the adult. With the adult unfermented wine may ter^o^f%h^^^"^" symbolize an uncorrupted life, be- symbois cause the adult sees relationship and reasons by analogy. But the symbols of a child are not dependent upon thought relationships. The imagination is playing with concrete images, and anything which the child knows may be made to stand for any other thing which he knows regardless of its resemblances. The child's symbolism is characterized by imagination; the adult's sym- bolism is characterized by imagination plus reason. When the adult's symbol is presented to the child the element which reason furnishes is not apprehended. It is for this reason that object lessons based upon analogies are so in- effective. The mouse-trap may illustrate the snares set for the wicked, but the mind of the child will fail to see the analogy. The mouse- trap illustration will serve only to recall im- ages of traps and mice. At this age the child is fancy-full, running over as it were with an activity of both body and mind. He reads into the ob- of chudish^ jects about him the properties and ^"'^^ attributes that he has discovered in himself. He attributes life and feeling to the inanimate objects about him. A doll becomes a real baby ; a stick is a real horse ; a chair is now a steamboat, now a trolley car and now an en- gine. He refers to himself as the engineer, the [69] THE CHURCH SCHOOL coachman, or the big doctor, and not by his own name. His creations are real to him and he en- ters into his play with as much earnestness and zest as he will ever enter into his work. The child thinks images, and the stories a child of this age tells are made up of fragments of sto- ries that have been told to him. The imagina- tion now peoples the woods with fairies, the cel- lar with brownies, and puts a voice in trees and stones and toys. The child invents, combines and * ^freely abandons himself to the caprice of his fancy.'' A hole in the ground becomes a great cavern, or a bear 's den. The dirt from it becomes a great mountain. The cheap doll dressed in calico rags becomes a beautiful prin- cess adorned in finest silk. The best toys are those that leave the most chance for the imagination to be displayed. The enjoyment and the educational advantage is proportioned to the amount the imagination is exercised. The store-bought doll that can shut its eyes may be beautiful, but it is soon thrown aside for the old rag doll which is not so perfect as to leave little room for the flight of the imagination. ^^The true plaything is only a distaff of flax from which the soul spins a many-colored coat. It must be indefinite, capable of many transformations and able to act many parts. Only thus can it fulfil its two- fold mission — to stimulate creative activity and satisfy the hunger of the soul for the ideal. '' * *Blow, Symbolic Education, $1.50, D. Appleton & Co., New York, pp. 85-86. [60] BEGINNERS^ DEPAETMENT During this period, before the growing rea- soning powers have begun to clip the wings of fancy, many parents have objected to teaching fairy stories, myths, etc. They say, * ^ Teach the truth; adhere strictly to facts, don't lie to the pupils. ' ' One religious denomination has gone so far as to resolve in its national convention against teaching the Santa Glaus story, and the reading of fairy stories. Teach the truth! Johnnie is playing horse. How he enjoys the rides he takes on that old stick! With what care he ties it in an imagi- nary stable, and when his good mother ap- proaches he warns her to stay back or the horse will kick her ! And now hear the mother say, ** Johnnie, that isn't a horse.'' *'^Yhy, yes it is," says Johnnie. **No, my son, do not be deceived. A horse has legs; that has none. A horse eats corn; that stick can't eat corn." How absurd! No mother talks that way. When Johnnie plays he is a bear, does any mother stop her work and earnestly try to prove to her son that he is not a bear! No, she lets him enjoy the ^^make be- lieve" and never accuses herself of fostering a falsehood in his mind. But the child knows the stick is not a horse. If it were he would not want to play with it. He enjoys the play because of the ^'make be- lieve." He does not believe the chair is a coach, or that he is a coachman. He knows the truth, but enjoys the fiction. And what mother would deprive him of the joy? A fairy story is [61] THE CHURCH SCHOOL not a lie, nor is it the truth. It is greater than the truth; it is the ideal. The child looks from these stories into the great truths that he will be called upon to battle for in future years. The hard-hearted man is often a man who has not had his imagination developed in childhood and consequently has not the power to put him- self, by imagination, in another's place, and thereby sympathize with him. No high moral character could be expected in a man who in childhood was fed on solid, cold facts, who never felt the thrill of Christmas time and whose mind never reveled in the thousand fields of childish fancy. 3. The Nature or the Cureiculum The child must live a full life in all the world he knows. From the first he will want to do . TV, >i,M» something with his environment. a. The Chjld ■ ^ . jit 'jit* Religious VVnat he does with his environment Response •n i ^ t • Will depend upon his previous ex- periences and how they have been interpreted to him. Imagery, symbolism, a tendency to read him- self into all his environment, and a natural tendency to respond to the ideal when pre- sented in concrete personality will all have to be reckoned with in the child's religious ex- pression. His religion must be a child's re- ligion, but it will be a real religion. The child, as the adult, must respond to the wonderful, the supernatural, in its environ- ment. Awe, reverence, trust, love, are all natu- [62] BEGINNERS' DEPARTMENT ral to the Beginners' child. The child asks questions which science cannot answer. Ques- tions of origin and destiny can only be an- swered by religion. The answer to the child's question must involve the ideas of duty and conduct. * ' What should I do about it ? " as well as ^*What is it I" And the answer must be in terms of personal will. Only a personal God can give a satisfactory answer to the elemental questions of life. When first told of God by the nurse, Helen Keller replied: *^0h! I have known him a long time, only I didn't know his name." Fairy stories, myths and legends create interest in the wonderful, unseen world. The vast expanse of sky and sea; the power of the water-fall; the beauty of the sunset; the hush of death; the mystery of birth; all tell of a bigger world, a beyond, of which this world is only a part. Children crave to he initiated into the great se- cret of the unseen. So consciousness of God comes out of the air. The experiences of life are the only proof needed. It is the heritage of the race. Likewise it is born anew with each generation. The Bible takes God for granted — so do children!' It is the business of the Beginners' Depart- ment to tie the consciousness of a personal God b. Tying God ^^ ^^® cMld's world of experience to Experience gQ ^hat day aud night, sun, moon and stars, sunrise and sunset, storm-and rain, * See Hodges, The Training of Children in Religion, chapters 1 to 5, and Tanner, The Child, p. 177. [63] THE CHURCH SCHOOL trees and flowers, parents, relatives and friends will all pull the God idea into conscious- ness by the laws of psychic association. When you have done this you have preempted the child for God and his whole life will be lived in the presence of his God ; he will live, move and have his being with God. That which enters into the first of life enters into all of life, and religious experiences are not exceptions to this rule. 4. The Material of the Cureiculum The curriculum of this department must concern itself with the most fundamental con- cepts of religion; viz., God consciousness and God's providence. God consciousness must come to be a con- sciousness of God the loving Father, and this will be the theme of the first year's God 'consdJi^- work. **We are so made,^' says Hodges, ^ ^ that we are helped by be- ing watched.'^ Children cannot always be watched by their parents. We are also so made that we crave companionship. Religion pro- vides the universal presence of God. This is a contribution which religion alone makes to conduct. God watches us. ^^If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, even there shall thy hand lead me.'* **Thou, God, seest me.'' This constant presence of God is a defense against evil and an inspiration to do good. But God is not a spy ; God is a loving Father. Religion does not [64] BEGINNERS » DEPARTMENT bring a system of supernal espionage ; it brings comradeship with the gods. Through pictures, story and song; through worship, service and giving the idea of the presence of a great loving Father must be in- grained in the souls of children. The child ^s God must be anthropomorphic. The child's God walks in the garden and talks to Adam. God dwells in heaven. He is a big man. We must see things in terms of our capacity to see them and we are forced to think in terms of our own nature. Why should not God be like us? When we come to see that we are not our bodies, we will have a God who is a spirit, also. We are certain of ourselves. When we think God is like us we are reasoning from the kno^vn to the related unhnoivn. God is the superlative; man the positive. We are forced to think of God as a person. Material for the First Year. The lessons for the first year must relate the child to the kind and loving heavenly Father, direct the child's natural response to the heavenly Father through songs and prayers of thanksgiving and through little deeds of kindness for the Father. The material for this year will therefore in- volve a threefold division, as follows: (1) Simple nature stories showing God's love and care, for example : Father and Mother Bird's care Heavenly Father 's care for animals God Sends Us Rain to Help the Crops The Gift of Day and Night [65] THE CHUECH SCHOOL God Gives Us Beautiful Flowers (2) Stories of children for whom God has cared, viz. : The Story of the Baby Samuel A Baby in a Basket Boat The Story of the Baby Jesus Jesus Blessing Little Children (3) Stories showing proper response to God for his love and care, as follows : Thanking God for Good Gifts Thanking God for the Gift of the Christ Child Thanking God by Giving Thanking God in Prayer and Song Thanking God in Loving Obedience Thanking God by Helpfulness The theme for the second year is God's prov- idence, or God's protective care. The loving- heavenly Father is still the central d. Second Year— ,i p l^ •% i i ^ • God's Provi- theme oi the lessons, but his care and protection are stressed, and ap- propriate responses in worship and service are secured. The theme is best approached through : Stories of parental protection Stories of animals protecting their little ones Stories of God's protection in nature Stories of God's care of people Stories of thankfulness for protection Lessons in helpfulness Lessons of prayer and praise and thanks- giving £66] BEGINNERS^ DEPARTMENT The following lesson titles will suggest the rich field of nature, Bible and conduct stories available for this year *s work : A Mother ^s Care for Her Baby- God *s Care of the Birds God's Gift of Snow David, the Shepherd Boy How God Fed Elijah Jesus Helping a Blind Man The Sun a Helper The Good Samaritan 5. ExPRESsiONAL Work for Beginners The Beginners' children must be given op- portunity to express their feelings of grati- tude, love and trust. They must be a. Prayer taught how to pray. The teacher should assist the children in formulating prayers of their own; and they should be taught beautiful classic prayers, psalms and poems of praise. In these first little prayers the emphasis must be placed on conduct rather than things. Children should pray that they may be obedient to parents, say kind words, be helpful, etc., rather than that they may have a new sled, top, etc. The following examples suggest the type of prayers appropriate to this period. Morning Prayer "Father, we thank thee for the night, And for the pleasant morning light, For rest and food and loving care, And all that makes the world so fair." — Walker & Jenks, Songs and Games for Little Ones. [67] THE CHURCH SCHOOL Peayeb foe Caeb of All Things "Loving Father, hear our prayer 1 Take into Thy loving care All the leaves and flowers that sleep In their white beds covered deep. Shelter from the wintry storm All the snowbirds — keep them warm." —Beginners' Teacher's Text of the Syndicate Graded Course. Family Love and Caeb "For mother love and father care, For brothers strong and sisters fair, For love at home and care each day, For guidance lest we go astray. Father in heaven we thank thee." — Primary Teacher's Text of the Syndicate Graded Course, Peayee of Obedience "Help us to do the things we should, To be to others kind and good; In all we do in work or play To grow more loving every day." — Walker & Jenks, Songs and Games for Little Ones, Children must be taught to sing their praise. The songs must be explained just as other lit- erature is. No silly jingles should °"^' be tolerated. The songs must have uplift to them. Instead of ** dropping, drop- ping pennies," let them sing; "Come bring your gifts of love, gifts for the many Little ones far and wide. Over the ocean, out on the prairie. Close by the mountain side." — Ferris, The Sunday Kindergarten, [68] BEGINNERS^ DEPARTMENT After the story of ** Hannah and Her Baby Samuel,** or ** Moses and the Basket Boat/* the children can enter feelingly into such a song and prayer as : "Father of all in heaven above, We thank thee for thy love. Our food, our homes and all we wear Tell of thy loving care." — Hill, Song Stories for the Kindergarten, With the many shepherd stories the children may sing ** Little Lambs so White and Fair** quoted under the *^ program** for this depart- ment. By acts of helpfulness to those in need, feed- ing the birds and pets, caring for baby brother, giving love and care to others, they c. Help u ness ^^^ dcvcloping the missionary spirit which will relate them eventually to the whole world and its needs. Christmas, Thanks- giving and other special days may be made use of for special lessons in helpfulness and service to others. The child knows little about the great world and his only missionary interest will be in terms of the children of other lands of whom he has heard in stories. For these he will bring pennies to buy the blessings he wishes to share with them. Very little expressional work should be at- tempted outside the home circle, the immediate friends and the animals and pets of the home and immediate environment. Let the child live [69] THE CHUECH SCHOOL its little world full and do not force in extra- neous interests. It need not be said that the fullest coopera- tion of the home is necessary if the expres- sional work of the child is to be made a means of religious growth. 6. Organization The officers of this department are : a. Superintendent. Under the general super- vision of the Director of Eeligious Education, this officer is the educational head of the Begin- ners ' Department. The following duties will fall upon this superintendent : (1) To form the general plans for each Sun- day's program, including music, prayers, or- der of service, etc. (2) To be responsible for all special pro- grams given by the department. (3) To supervise the work of class teachers, and to insist upon each teacher's preparing a detailed outline of each lesson in harmony with the general plans of the department.* (4) To plan with Cradle Roll workers for special services for Cradle Eoll babies and their parents. (5) To supervise the reading of the teachers in the department and be responsible for their professional growth. (6) To train cadets for future vacancies in the teaching force of the department. *See Danielson^s Beginners^ Plan Boole, Pilgrim Press, Boston. [70] BEGINNERS' DEPARTMENT b. Secretary c. Pianist, and music leaders who are in sym- pathy with children's music. d. Teachers. There should be one class teacher for each group of six or eight children. It is essential that these teachers attend the weekly teachers' meetings of the department, and work in sympathy with the general pro- gram of the department and the school. 7. Equipment a. Department Rooms (1) Kind of rooms. If the devotional service of this department is conducted with the Pri- mary Department, the same assembly room may be used. The highest efficiency demands separate assembly rooms for these two depart- ments. Classrooms should be separate from the Primary Department, but near the assembly room. The rooms for this department should be the best the church affords, and on the first floor (never in the basement). Rooms should be dry, full of sunshine and well ventilated. Either a separate cloakroom for wraps or a section of the primary cloakroom. The rooms should be beautiful, harmonious in color and restful to the children. (2) Furnishings of classrooms (a) See chapter VI for furnishings of the assembly room. [71] THE CHURCH SCHOOL (b) Piano, If a piano can be secured it will be very helpful for songs and games that are suitable only for the very little children. (c) Kindergarten tables. Kindergarten ta- bles are essential for expressional work. They should be in harmony with the color scheme of the rooms and arranged around a hollow square, so that the teacher can direct the chil- dren's work more readily. Tables about 2i/2 feet long and 20 inches high placed end to end are more satisfactory than long ones. (d) Kindergarten chairs. The chairs should harmonize in color (never red) with the tables and other furniture. They should be comfort- able and suited to the child. Height 10 to 12 inches." The Moulthrop chairs are recom- mended.' (e) Sand table for story work. This is very necessary for illustrating stories. It should be low and near the window. (f) Blackboards. These are most satisfac- tory when built in the wall on one side of the room. They should be low so that children can use them without effort. (g) Case for equipment. Drawers and trays should be provided and all material should be labeled. (h) Pictures that children love, hung low enough so they can be touched. Among those suitable are the following: * See catalogue of Thomas Charles Co., Chicago. 'Langslow, Fowler Co., Eochester, N. Y. [72] BEGINNERS^ DEPARTMENT The Sistine Madonna, Raphael Saint Anthony of Padua, Murillo The Infant Samuel, Reynolds Young David Rescuing the Lamb, Gardner Holy Night, Correggio (i) All other furniture should harmonize with the color scheme of the room, b. Equipment for Lesson Teaching (a) Pictures. (1) Large pictures, suitable to the seasons of the year and to stories told. They should be mounted on cardboard for use when the story is told. (2) Small pictures for coloring and pasting. (b) Models and objects for illustrating les- sons, Dolls, houses, camels, shepherd's tent, rod and staff, water jar, miniature church, clay models (made by children illustrating stories). Many of these may be used in connection with sand-table work to illustrate stories. (c) Material for illustrating stories. Scis- sors, pencils, crayolas, colored chalk, colored paper, etc. (d) Clay and sand. Prepared clay may be obtained from Thomas Charles Co., Chicago, or Milton Bradley Co., Springfield, Mass., at 25c. a pound. (e) Cabinet collection. This should contain seeds, leaves, nuts, wheat, corn, flowers, twigs, birds' nests, straw, fresh flowers in season, es- pecially at Easter. The children can bring much of this material. (f) Permanent material for table work, [73] THE CHURCH SCHOOL Sticks of different lengths, blocks of various shapes, balls, etc/ 8. Peogram The program of this department is so organ- ized as to provide for worship, instruction and expression. The themes and lesson stories are chosen in harmony with the seasons of the year. The fall season speaks of the abundance of a kind heav- enly Father ^s gifts. Children are naturally glad and thankful for these and love to express their thanks in prayer and song. At the Christ- mas season the children have the thought of God's greatest gift in the story of the Christ- child. All through the winter season they are given stories of God's protecting care; as, the snow for winter birds, etc. In the spring comes the thought of **new life'' and the many stories of the awakening flowers, trees and birds. The summer season speaks of the ^^fuUness of life," and children learn in many ways that they may become ** workers with the heavenly Father." The following program will be suggestive : Part I. Devotional Period (1) Quiet Music If the pianist will play very softly the music of the opening prayer before the children begin to sing, it will quiet them and help to teach them reverence for this service. 'Write for catalogue of Thomas Charles Co., or A. Flan- agan Co., Chicago. See also Ferris. The Sunday Kindergarten. [74] BEGINNERS' DEPARTMENT (2) Prayer Song (sing with bowed heads) "Father of all, in heaven above, "We thank thee for thy love, Our food, our homes and all we wear Tell of thy loving care." — Hillf Song Stories for the Kindergarten. (3) Greeting May be a word from the teacher, or a song or verse by the children. (4) Responses Different responses may be used here. These should be simple, short and within the child's experience. The following is suggestive: Teacher: Oh, what can little hands do. To please the King of heaven? Children : The little hands some work may try That will some simple want supply. All: Such grace to mine be given. Such grace to mine be given. — Ferris, The Sunday Kindergarten. (5) Offering (children in circle) Talk with children about their gifts. Let children suggest things that poor children need — not always pennies — e. g. : Miniature church Little house (for poor) Suitcase or Japanese house March and sing offering song with gifts. [75] THE CHUECH SCHOOL Offeeing Song Hark! to the music calling us softly, Come bring your gifts of love. Bring them with singing, asking a blessing Of the dear Lord above. Chorus : Cheerfully giving, joyfully giving Out of our little store, Lord, when we're older, we shall be happy If we can give thee more. Offerings we're bringing, gifts for the many Little ones far and wide, Over the ocean, out on the prairie. Close by the mountain side. Bless us, thy children, bringing our offering, Father in heaven, we pray. May we be gentler, sweeter and kinder, Pleasing thee every day. — Ferris, The Sunday Kindergarten, (6) Prayer for offering (teacher or all) (7) Birthday service This service should be short and simple. May not be used every Sunday. (a) Birthday offering by a child — money or other gifts (b) Flowers or birthday cards may be given (c) Prayer Song "We thank thee, heavenly Father, For all the loving care That thou hast given — At home and everj'where. [76] BEGINNERS' DEPARTMENT y^r -»-- — years thou hast guarded bim (or her) Asleep, at work, at play. Oh, Father, love and care for him, On this and every day. Amen." — Ferris, The Sunday Kindergarten. (8) Informal talk with the children (circle talk) (a) Children may give memory verses about God's care for birds, flowers, children, etc. These should be in harmony with the lesson theme. (b) Ask children what they are thankful for. Teach children to pray. Direct these prayers. (c) Talk with the children about God's care for the birds, flowers, etc. (d) Closing song This song should grow out of the theme of this period and speak of God's love, care and protection. The following are examples of suitable songs : Theke Was Once a Little Biedie There was once a little birdie Living in a forest tree; And it sang a song one morning, That was sweet as sweet could be. Would you know what sang the birdie Living in the forest tree? Joyously it sang that morning, "God is good, he cares for me." — Walker and Jenks, Songs and Games for Little Ones, . [77] THE CHURCH SCHOOL Little Lambs so White and Faib "Little lambs so white and fair Are the shepherd's constant care, Now he leads their tender feet Into pastures green and sweet. Now they listen and obey, Following where he leads the way; Heavenly Father, may we be Thus obedient unto thee." — Walker and Jenks, Songs and Games for Little Ones. "We thank the heavenly Father For sunshine and for rain. For birds and flowers of summer time. For autumn's golden grain. For nuts and rosy apples. For all things that we need — For father and for mother dear We give him thanks indeed." — Poulsson, Holiday Songs, (9) A march may be played while the chil- dren pass to their classrooms. Part n. Lesson Period (1) Talk with the children about the story that is to be told. The teacher should have the following points in mind : (a) The general theme (b) The purpose of the lesson story (c) The necessity of preparing the children's minds for the story that is to be told (d) All things that may not be understood in the story should be explained [78] BEGINNERS' DEPARTMENT (e) The children should always have a part in this period of preparation (2) Quiet moment before story is told (3) Story told Tell the story very simply and in a natural way, but be sincere and full of the story. Make the story develop so as to carry out your pur- pose. Part III. Expressional Work This may be in the form of drawing, coloring, pasting pictures, clay work, illustrating stories in sand, with paper cutting, models, sticks, blocks, etc. Through this work the child retells the story and makes it a part of himself. Closing prayer (given by teacher with lesson theme in mind). 9. Tests for the Beginners' Department Do the children associate God with the com- mon objects and duties of life? Have they learned to talk to God in prayer, and do they know several beautiful prayers ap- propriate to their years I Have they been taught to love and to sing beautiful songs, appropriate to their years 1 Do they know well a large number of stories showing God's love and care? Are they showing increasingly a tendency to control their conduct in terms of their image of the heavenly Father's will? Do they try to please papa, mamma and God? Are they growing helpful, tender-hearted, considerate of others? [791 THE CHURCH SCHOOL 10. Songs for the Beginners' Department a. General Songs for the Kindergarten ''The Cradle Nest," Poulsson, Holiday Songs, p. 66. *'Tlie Finger Family," Riley and Gaynor, Songs of the Child World, No. 1, p. 7. "Little Lambs so White and Fair," Walker and Jenks, Songs and Games for Little People, p. 9. *Tlying Song," Hill, Song Stories for the Kindergarten, p. 77. "Cradle Roll Song," Leyda, Carols, p. 17. "Offertory March," Danielson and Conant, Songs for Little People, p. 66. "Bed Time," Jenks and Rust, Song Echoes from Child Land, p. 66. b. Autumn Songs "Good-bye to the Flowers," Walker and Jenks, Songs and Games for Little Ones, p. 45. "Flowers' Lullaby," Hill, Song Stories for the Kinder- garten, p. 23. "Wind's Farewell," Mills and Merriman, Nature Songs and Stories, p. 16. c. TJianhsgiving Songs "Thanks for Constant Care," Hill, Song Stories for the Kindergarten, ji. 19. "We Thank Thee," Poulsson, Holiday Songs, p. 76. "A Song of Thanks," Poulsson, Holiday Songs, p. 72. "God's Care of All Things," Hill, Song Stories for the Kindergarten. d. Christmas Songs "Little Child's Gift Carol," Poulsson, Holiday Songs, p. 86. "Christmas Lullaby," Hill, Song Stories for the Kinder- garten, p. 35. "Children, Can You Truly Tellf Walker and Jenks, Songs and Games for Little Ones, p. 71. "The First Christmas," Poulsson, Holiday Songs, p. 93. [80] BEGINNERS' DEPARTMENT e. Easter and Awakening Songs "The Waking Flowers/' Hill, Song Stories for the Kinder- garten, p. 38. "God Sends His Bright Spring Sun/' Chamberlin, Child Religion in Song and Story, p. 235. •'Lilies Sweet/' Poulsson, Holiday Songs, p. 25. "Easter Song/' Danielson and Conant, Songs for Little People, p. 54. "Awake, Savs the Sunshine/' Eleanor Smith, Part I, No. 13. "Give, Said the Little Stream/' Danielson and Conant, Songs for Little People, No. 64. 11. PiCTUEES ApPEOPEL^TE FOR BeGINNEES Dignity and Impudence, Landseer The Age of Innocence, Reynolds The Infant Samuel, Reynolds The Madonna of the Chair, Raphael Brittany Sheep, Bonheur The Sheepfold, Jacque Feeding the Hens, Millet King Charles Spaniels, Landseer Piper and Nutcrackers, Landseer Red Deer of Chillingham, Landseer CLASSIFIED BOOK LISTS FOR THE BEGINNERS^ DEPARTMENT 1. Books foe Beginis^ees' Teachees Weigle, The Pupil and the Teacher, 50c. George H. Doran & Co., New York. St. John, Child Nature and Child Nurture, *50c. Pilgrim Press, Boston. Harrison, A Study of Child Nature, *$1.00. Chicago Kin- dergarten College. Teachers' Texts of the Beginners' Graded Course, 25c. each. [81] THE CHUECH SCHOOL Ferris, The Sunday Kindergarten, *$1.50. The University of Chicago Press, Chicago. Beginners' Teachers' Manual, 75e. American Baptist Pub- lication Society, Philadelphia. St. John, Stories and Story-Telling, 50c. Pilgrim Press, Boston. Moffat & Hidden, The Children's Sunday Hour of Story and Song, $2.00. American Unitarian Society, Boston. Proudfoot, Child's Christ Tales, 75c. A. Flanagan Co., Chicago. Herbst, Tales and Customs of the Ancient Hebrews, 36c. A. Flanagan Co., Chicago. Cragin, Kindergarten Stories for the Sunday School and Home, *$1.25. George H. Doran Co., New York. Hildreth, Clay Modeling in the School Room, 25c. Milton Bradley Co., Springfield, Mass. Henderson & Palen, What and How, $2.00. Milton Brad- ley Co., Springfield, Mass. Foster, The Kindergarten of the Church, 75c. Methodist Book Concern, New York. Hill, Song Stories for the Kindergarten, $1.00. Clayton F. Summy Co., Chicago. Moses, Children's Books and Reading, *$1.50. Mitchell Kennerley, New York. Walker and Jenks, Songs and Games for Little Ones, $2.00. Oliver Ditson Co., Boston. Poulsson, Holiday Songs, $2.00. Milton Bradley Co., Springfield, Mass. 2. Books for Parents of Beginners' Children Kerr, Care and Training of Children, 75c. Funk & Wag- nails Co., New York. Kerley, Short Talks with Young Mothers, •$1.00. G. P. Putnam's Sons, New York. Hodges, The Training of Children in Religion, $1.50. D. Appleton & Co., New York. The Child (pamphlet), free. Metropolitan Life Insur- ance Co., New York. [82] BEGINNERS^ DEPARTMENT Du Bois, The Natural Way in Moral Training, $1,25. Fleming H. Revell Co., New York. Worcester, On Holy Ground, two vols., $1.50 each. J. B. Lippincott Co., Philadelphia. Hillyer, Kindergarten at Home, **$1.25. Baker & Taylor Co., New York. Poulsson, Father and Baby Plays, $1.25. Century Co., New York. 3. Story Books for Mothers Bailey & Lewis, For the Children's Hour, $1.50. Milton Bradley Co., Springfield, Mass. Lindsay, Mother Stories, $1.00. Milton Bradley Co., Springfield, Mass. Lindsay, More Mother Stories, $1.00. Milton Bradley Co., Springfield, Mass. Poulsson, Child Stories and Rhymes, $1.25. Lothrop, Lee & Shepard Co., Boston. Richards, The Golden Windows, $1.00. Little, Brown & Co., Boston. Welsh, (ed.). A Book of Nursery Rhymes (Mother Goose Melodies), 30c. D. C. Health & Co., Boston. O'Shea, (ed.). Six Nursery Classics, 20c. D. C. Heath & Co., Boston. Murray, Story Book Friends, 50c. Little, Brown & Co., Boston. Smith, Three Little Cotton Tails, 25c. A. Flanagan Co., Chicago. Endicott, Stories of the Bible, three vols., 60c. each. Educational Publishing Co., Chicago. Proudfoot, Child's Christ Tales, 75c. A. Flanagan Co., Chicago. Herbst, Tales and Customs of the Ancient Hebrews, 35c. A. Flanagan Co., Chicago. 4. Books for the Home Reading of Beginners' Children Welsh, A Book of Nursery Rhymes, 30c. D. C. Heath & Co., Boston. [83] THE CHURCH SCHOOL O'Shea (ed.), Old World Wonder Stories, •20o. D. C. Heath & Co., Boston. Johnson, The Oak Tree Fairy Book, $1.50. Little, Brown & Co., Boston. "Walker, Lady Hollyhock and Her Friends, $1.25. Double- day, Page and Co., Garden City, N. Y. Harris, The Eugene Field Header, '400. Charles Scrib- ner's Sons, New York. Grover, The Sunhonnet Babies^ Book, 75e. Rand Mc- Nally & Co., Chicago. Davis, Nature Stories for Youngest Readers, •40c. Edu- cational Publication Co., Chicago. Smith, Three Little Cotton Tails, 25c. A. Flanagan Co., Chicago. Smith, Little Bear, 25c. A. Flanagan Co., Chicago. Potter, The Tale of Peter Rabbit, 50c. Frederick Wame & Co., Boston. Johnson, What Did the Black Cat Dof 75c. Dana Estes & Co., Boston. Grover, Art Literature Primer, 'SOc. Atkinson, Mentzer. & Co., Chicago. (For books on plays and games see Chapter VI.) t84] A primary class at work. Notice the table equipment, chairs, books, pictures, paste, etc. An attractive Primary Department with al)un(lant equip- ment and i)]enty of lij^ht. CHAPTER VI THE PRIMARY DEPARTMENT 1. Scope This department includes children six, seven and eight years of age and corresponds to the first, second and third grades of the public school. 2. The Nature of the Primary Child There is no sudden transition from the Be- ginners' to the Primary child. The Primary child is the Beginners' child plus a larger world, for the child is now in the regular pri- mary school, with new facts to organize, plus a budding reasoning faculty which asks queer questions about experience, plus a conscious- ness of self which tends to express itself. The child increases 32 per cent in weight and 13 per cent in height, from six to nine years, a. The Physi- ^Ms rate of growth is less than that cai Child Qf \^Q preceding three years. The death rate is decreasing and the child is devel- oping an increased power to resist disease.* There is, however, a ** period of fatigue'' last- ing six months to a year. This may be looked 'Burk, ''Growth of Children in Height and Weight," in American Journal of Psychology, 1898, vol. 9, pp. 253-336. [85] THE CHUECH SCHOOL for at about the eighth year. It is probably due to the increased burden upon the heart, the heart being relatively weak. At this age the heart is one-third the adult size and the body is relatively much larger. The little heart is taxed to its limit to pump blood through the big body, hence any additional effort soon causes exhaustion. ^*The rapid physical growth indicates that a large part of the potential energy normally available for other purposes is now utilized in the building up of new tissues.*** For these reasons there is an increased liability to disease at this age. The child *s rapidly growing body must have exercise. This it finds in play. But play is se- rious and absorbing to the child and not relax- ing as it is to adults. The child's plasticity protects him from overwork. He cannot con- centrate his attention for an extended time. There is great danger from child labor at this period. Children need plenty of wholesome ex- ercise, but they must not be forced to overtax their strength. (1) Apperception, As the child enters the primary school his world enlarges and new ,. « , T., experiences demand explanation. b. Mental Life . ^ .. , . , . > •, .^ Apperception, which is simply the mind's method of explaining all new things in terms of all the old things one knows, is now compelling the child to organize his rapidly growing world on the basis of his previous ex- *Bagley, Educative Process, p. 187. [86] PRIMARY DEPARTMENT periences. The amusing mistakes of children of this period are usually simply illustrations of the workings of the law of apperception. The Primary teacher must be prepared to have all the teachings of the nursery and Beginners' Department read into all the new stories and experiences of the later period.* (2) The Transition from Fancy to Rea- son. The child enters the Primary period still fancy-full, controlled by images, living in a world of fairies, brownies, myths and legends. The kindergarten has wisely suited its methods, its play, its stories, to this mental condition of the child, and instead of crushing the imagina- tion by an attempt to force the conventional upon the fancy-ridden mind it stimulates the faculty and lets the child grow into the conven- tional. In his *^ Psychological Foundations of Education,'' Dr. W. T. Harris shows how the child grows from the fanciful to the real. At first the child is satisfied with a stick horse; later he demands a stick with a head to it ; then he ties a rope on it for a tail ; then he must have a saddle and bridle, the hobby horse, and finally he is satisfied with nothing but the real horse. The growing power to see differences, to ana- lyze, has led him from a toy to a reality. That which began in play, ended in work. At this stage he abandons his stick horse and the teacher must abandon or change her symbols. * DuBois, The Point of Contact, should be read by every Primary teacher who wishes a clear statement of the relation of apperception to methods of teaching. [87] THE CHURCH SCHOOL This power to see differences, to analyze, to see causes and note results, announces to the teacher that the thinking power has begun to clip the wings of fancy and hold it down to the realms of the actual. At an earlier period the child would revel in the imagery of the cow that jumped over the moon, but now he ques- tions the fact and observes that ^^our cow can't jump over the moon/* The period from six to ten years of age may be called a transition period in the develop- ment of the imagination. It is during this period that the thought powers gain the su- premacy over fancy and hold the imagination down to the realms of truth. The transition is gradual, but as reason and judgment grow they pull in the sails of wild fantasy and the child passes into a third period of the development of the imagination. In this period the imagina- tion is still active, but it is bounded on one side by observation and perception and on the other by judgment and reason. By the time this third period begins, at about the tenth year, the child has mastered the me- chanics of reading and is able to take up the study of geography, history and literature, which are preeminently the studies for the de- velopment of the imagination. Should the imagination now propose some plan entirely foreign to the possible, the perception and rea- son would present facts and arguments that would soon force the mind to abandon the plan ; but should the facts and arguments show the [88] PRIMARY DEPARTMENT plan to be within the limits of possibility the mind would soon fill the vision with the ma- terial and the world would have a new inven- tion. Sometimes we find men who are visionary, whose imaginations are too highly developed, it seems, and the question arises, * * How can we hold a flighty imagination in check f By not exercising it? No. It will exercise itself. We cannot prevent that. We must therefore direct the exercise into the proper channels. Experi- ence and reason are the agencies of control. If imagination becomes too flighty we should add to the general knowledge, increase perception and strengthen judgment and reason so that they will be able to cope with their wild and flighty neighbor. By cultivating the faculties which directly bear upon imagination, and, as it were, surround it by good neighbors, we can best hold the imagination in bounds. Friends of moral and religious education must not underestimate the place of imagina- tion in the development of the man who is to walk by faith and not by sight, for imagination is behind all faith, all sympathy, all ideals. Myths, folk lore, legends, fairy tales, drama- tization, etc., which the public schools employ to develop the imagination, must not be op- posed by the church as agencies fostering l}dng and deception. They must be encouraged as means of cultivating the mental faculty that will enable children to see the reality which transcends the senses, the truth behind the s}tii- [89] THE CHURCH SCHOOL bols of the church; the faculty which will en- able our children to feel as well as to think, to love mercy as well as to demand justice, *Ho live for those who love them and the good that they can do. ' ' It will be clear from the foregoing that the Primary child is in the period of transition in which reason is getting control of fancy. * * His thinking is still predominately of the concrete order, and his judgments, in the main, are of the practical type. It is still far too early for conceptual thought and logical reasoning, since the condensation of experience has not yet pro- gressed to that point where symbols may effec- tively rid themselves of their attendant imagery. ' ' * At this period the reasoning poW