and women who left us, but that of the organization
and adaptation of the school to their needs. The conclusion was that if
we would retain our young people in the school and church, we must adopt
methods and instruction which would be in accord with their age and
thought. The public schools at once gave a pattern to be followed. The
graded system made some part of the school fit every scholar who came to
it, and gave to each one in lower grade a laudable and helpful ambition
to reach the higher. This idea, I conceived, might, in a modified form,
be introduced into the Sunday school, and as soon as the plan was
matured I proceeded to introduce it into the Central Methodist Episcopal
Sunday School of Detroit. I will as briefly as possible outline it,
trusting it may be helpful to others.

GRADES.

The school was divided into four grades, namely, the Primary,
Intermediate, Junior, and Senior, with two other departments, the
Normal and the Home, each one of which was under the direction of a
special superintendent, all of whom were under the direction of the
general superintendent, the object of this being to make some person who
was adapted to the place responsible for the department; and it has
proved to be an excellent feature of the graded system, as every
assistant superintendent, without any friction with others, has been
ambitious to make his or her department as successful as possible.

THE PRIMARY DEPARTMENT.

This grade should consist of all children under eight years of age,
under the instruction of a single teacher, with such assistants as are
needed. Kindergarten methods of instruction may be introduced to give
variety, and by the object lessons used to teach through the eye and by
the movements of the body lessons from the Word never to be forgotten.
Before promotion to a higher grade scholars should be able to repeat
from memory the Apostles' Creed, the Ten Commandments, and the
Twenty-third Psalm. The ingenious teacher in this grade will invent a
hundred methods for instruction, but before all she must comprehend that
she is in the most responsible position in the school. She is laying the
foundation for the instruction of the other grades, and as she builds so
will the superstructure be strong or weak.

THE INTERMEDIATE DEPARTMENT.

This grade should be made up of scholars promoted from the Primary
Grade, and all between the ages of eight and twelve years, and should be
divided into classes o