APPENDIX N° 2. LIST of the CLASSES, and the Books used. 1st Class. The alphabet and words of two letters. The alphabet and boards containing all the words of two letters in the English language. 2nd Class. All words of one syllable. The first pages in the first part spelling book* containing words of one syllable. 3rd Class.-Words of two syllables. The whole of the first part spelling book, and the words of two syllables in the second. 4th Class. The whole of the second part spelling. 5th Class.-The new Testament, and the third part spelling. 6th Class. The old and new Testament, and the third part spelling. It is most desirable on every account that the children should be classed, according to their abilities, and be promoted to a higher class as they improve. When a child is qualified for removal, the teacher signs a paper to this effect, and sends him to the superintendent, who examines him, and if he be found qualified, makes the removal accordingly. If the above number of classes be found inconvenient on account of the smallness of the school, or a deficiency of teachers, the first and second, or the third and fourth classes may be united. Where the School is large, there may be two or three divisions of the same class. There should not be more than twenty scholars to one teacher; in general, fifteen will be found a sufficient number. • The spelling books published by the Sunday School Union, are the cheapest and best adapted for Sunday Schools. They may be purchased of W. Kent, 116, High Holborn; or T. Hamilton, Paternoster-row. The size of this book is a foolscap folio. It will be observed this specimen is given from the fifth or Testament class. The excuses given by the parents to the teacher or visitor may be marked by characters in the days they are absent.- Edward Last, teacher of the boys 3d class, came at 10 o'clock. No. of children in the School brought forward Mrs. Grateful returned thanks for the care which had been taken of her daughter Mary, and the instruction she had received: stating, that as she is now placed out in service, she will not be able to attend any longer. Having been in the School two years, a Bible was presented to her, according to Query. Can any thing be done to get a better attendance of the scholars, at the opening of the School in the morning? A note was received from Mrs. Lefevre, stating her son's absence last Sunday to have been occasioned by illness. Mrs. Idle applied for the re-admission of her son John, who had been dismissed for non-attendance:-ordered to attend at the next meeting of the committee. Mr. and Mrs. Benevolus (subscribers to this institution) with a friend visited the School, and expressed the pleasure they felt on seeing the order and regularity which prevailed throughout the classes. Mr. Timewell concluded the School as usual. The children were ordered to attend next Sunday morning half an hour earlier than usual, on account of the sermon to be preached for the benefit of this School. SIR, On SCRIPTURAL CATECHIZING. Letter to the Editor. IT may be necessary to make some apology for offering to your notice the imperfect performances of children; but should the perusal of the enclosed paper be the means of inducing those entrusted with the instruction of youth, to be more diligent in the exercise of their important trust, and more attentive to impress upon the children's minds the meaning of what they read, my object in presenting it to the public will be fully answered. It is not sufficient that the teachers exercise the children in reading mechanically; the greatest pains should be taken to teach them to understand what they read. This is best done by a plain, simple explanation of words, and then their meaning in context. My mind was deeply impressed with the importance of this truth when I first attended the Sunday School at Hinde-street, by observing that the children, as soon as they had read one or more chapters, had recourse to a spelling-book to learn to spell and explain words no way connected with their other exercise, and many of the words quite uninteresting to them. I immediately saw the evil, had recourse to spelling words in the lesson read, and after exercising them to guess the meaning, explained the words in as simple and familiar a manner as I could. The good effect was soon apparent, and I was both pleased and surprised at many of the children's answers. Cu confining my labours to the writing School, I found that by attending to the management of time, I could still devote ten or fifteen minutes to useful in struction. I regularly explained the principal part of the hymn which was sung at opening the School, and then from time to time, as opportunity offered, explained the catechism and prayers which the children must learn to repeat, before they are admitted to writing. After spending some time on these exercises, I became anxious to ascertain what profit the children had derived from instructions which they had listened to, with the greatest attention. As the Lord's Prayer is a most important composition, and in daily use, I thought that simple questions proposed in writing, to which the children were to return written answers, would give me an opportunity of knowing how far I had attained my object of teaching them to think and arrange their ideas and expressions on a subject proposed. I beg to observe that I have not altered any word or arrangement of words; I have merely corrected some mis-spellings, and inserted the punctuation every expression remains just as it came to me. L. A. is not in the School, but the daughter of a friend to whom I had explained the prayer, and given some religious instruction. It will be seen that she has had the use of a dictionary. The only liberty which I have taken is, of omitting some answers which were not appropriate. Several answers given do not accurately correspond with the questions proposed; though they afford proof of the childrens good sense. After I had arranged the answers as they now appear, each girl wrote them into a copy book, for future reference and use. I will not, at present, enter into further detail; but should this specimen of catechising be favourably received, I will venture to trouble you further, on subjects connected with the instruction of the rising generation. I am, Sir, yours, &c. D. E. An Explanation of the Lord's Prayer by Question and Answer. The answers given by the female children of Hinde-street Sunday School, who are taught writing on two evenings in the week; their ages from ten to sixteen years. Question 1st. Why is it called the Lord's Prayer? Answer.-B. aged 15. Because it came from our Lord's own lips, when teaching his disciples to pray. S. 11. Because the Lord Jesus Christ made this Prayer. T—. 14. Because it came from our Lord only, when teaching his disciples to pray. VOL II. |