CLASSIFICATION by G. H. Bell

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Mar 28, 1878

CLASSIFICATION

By G. H. Bell

Most schools are naturally classified into three general divisions,—adults, or grown up people; youth, or boys and girls from ten to sixteen; and children.

Among the adults will be found three classes,—“young people,” as we call them; those in middle life; and elderly people.

When convenient, it will be best to arrange those in each of these periods of life in classes by themselves; but if there be too few of either kind to make an interesting class, they may be placed with those considerably older, or with those considerably younger than themselves.

In large schools it is better to have the different sexes in different classes, except in the case of children, who might as well be together. In small schools the classes may have to be made up with very little regard to sex.

The youth and children should be classified as nearly as possible according to their age and aptness for learning.

There should be in each class not less than two or three, nor more than ten.

When teachers are plenty, it will probably be best to have about six members in each class; but if the teachers are few, the classes may have to be considerably larger. No one should be placed in a class where the lessons are too difficult for him; yet it is better to have large classes with good teachers, than small classes with poor teachers.

The classes having been properly arranged and seated, the superintendent should appoint a teacher for each. He should also assign a definite lesson for each division of the school, these lessons to be learned during the week and recited on the following Sabbath.

G. H. BELL.