e on raised platforms. Large
folding doors with glass panels and illuminated Scripture texts shut off
these rooms from the Junior Department. The gallery over these rooms
contains five large Senior Class rooms. The floors are a series of wide
platforms, and chairs are used for seats. Lifting glazed doors,
beautifully ornamented with appropriate Scripture texts, shut off these
rooms from the auditorium. The main floor is occupied by the pupils of
the Junior Department, who sit on chairs grouped around their class
tables. The Normal Class sits at one side and the Reserve Corps at the
other side, behind the Junior Classes. The superintendent, from his
platform, commands a view of the entire school. He can see everyone and
everyone can see him and the blackboard behind him. The rooms are so
arranged that at the opening and closing exercises the schoolrooms can
be made one audience room. The visitors' gallery is behind and over the
head of the superintendent, facing the school. The woodwork of the
interior is of Southern pine, finished in oil. The entire building is
beautifully painted and frescoed, but the decorator's hand is shown more
prominently on the walls and vaulted ceiling of the Sunday schoolroom,
where the passion flower and grapevine are artistically blended with the
Greek and Latin symbols representing Christ. In the arch over the
superintendent's desk is a large--almost life-size--oil painting on
canvas, and attached directly to the wall. It is a copy of Hoffmann's
celebrated picture, "Christ in the Temple," and is pronounced a fine
work of art. The floors are all covered with carpets, which are of
colors that harmonize with the wall decorations, and the rooms are
seated with chairs, making this Sunday school building unusually
attractive and elegant.
GRADING.
Our school numbers 700, officers, teachers, and pupils, with a large
percentage of men and women in the Senior Classes. We have most of the
modern appliances for Sunday school work, and a most enterprising and
faithful corps of officers and teachers. Until within four or five years
our school had been divided into the usual Primary, Intermediate,
Junior, and Senior Departments, and the teachers had for many years
sustained a successful weekly teachers' meeting for the study of the
lesson. There were, however, manifest weak points in the work done. The
instruction on the part of the teachers, in many cases, was superficial,
and there was lack of stud
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