MASTERTON METHODIST SUNDAY SCHOOL

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 9600, 21 September 1909, Page 7

MASTERTON METHODIST SUNDAY SCHOOL

THE NEW INFANT CLASS ROOM. The xMasterton Methodist Sunday fechool nas very successfully adapted itself to the method of kindergarten work, and later developments have made the new building absolutely necessary, the class having outgrown its accommodation The new room is capable of seating comfortably about 150 infant?, with space behind the children for parents or visitors. A roomy lobby, fitted with numerous hat and coat hooks, and also a store-room for appliances, are attached. Only children under the age of eight years are taken, and each child is provided with a 3mall armchair. The size of the main room is 20ft by 38ft. The teacher stands on a slightly raised platform while the floor slopes downward. The floor is covered with a pretty linoleum, and a strip of red carpet runs down the aisles for the children to walk or.. A "sand-table" stands in the centre of the platform. The table lis made with a large sloping top, having a deep marginal side, forming a box to contain the sand. With the sand the teacher forms miniature hills, valleys, lakes and rivers, and these with the aid of various objects depict scenes from Bible story. On the back wall iust behind the sand table are four large blackboards, =o hung on weights as to be brought into view or screened as required. .On these boards further lessons are taught, various coloured chalks being used. Various devices and mottoes relieve the wall space, while worked into the actuat struct' ure itself are a number of texts made of white wooden letters, about tight inches in size." The wording of these texts are:—"God is Love,'' t "Feed My Lambs." "God is Uur Father," and "God is a Spirit." These give the inside appearance a very pretty effect. The room has been made especially light and cheery,' there being seven windows of "arctic" glass. The matter of ventilation has also been carefully attended to, special devices being attached to the windows to prevent any draft. The general design and equipment of the room, with the character of the work done, in it, is evidence of the efforts being made by the various churches to provide Biblical instruction in an attractive form. A brief history of the class at this stagejwill be interesting. In March, 1905, Mr J. Baillie attended the annual Sunday School Teachers' Convention at Palmereton North, where he saw the "sand-table" system of teaching in operation. Being struck with the many advantages of this way of teaching, he decided to take up the work in the school here. The infants were therefore put into one class numbering about 50. Mr Baillie . appealed to those in sympathy With his work for a number of small armchairs for the class, so that the infants would be more comfortable. The idea wasi taken up ai;d eight dozen chairß were obtained. In December, 1905, Mr Baillie resigned his cuties as teacher of the class, as he was leaving the town to take up , his residence in Eketabuna. the school suff< ring a great loss. During this time Mr' Baillie had been assisted by Miss A. Church. 'I he number on the roll then stood at 78. The class was then carried on by [ Mrs Morrison for fifteen months, she also resigning on leaving Mas- , terton for the South Island. Mrs ; Morrison was assisted by Miss M. Church, and the roll number had increased to 99. In March, 1907, the ' teachers of the school appointed Mr T. R. Mannell to carry on the iwork. From then onwards the class has ma.de steady progress, the roll now standing at about 114, with an average attendance of about 70. The class has now two assistant teachers, Misses E. Heyhoe and E. King. A Cradle Roll Department has been working in connection with the class. The roll is for the purpose of entering the names of infants upon their birth, the date of birth also being entered. At each successive birthday of each child a "birthday letter," together with a ] birthday card, is sent to each child 5 until it attains the age of five years, I when it is admitted into the class. | Those who celebrate their birthday f during the week or on the Sunday iare honoured with special recognition in an ornamental wicker chair. The cost of the room is about £250, of which sum £l3O was raised 1 at the recent "Rainbow" Exhibition, and £IOO subscribed by parents and ' others who were in sympathy with the work. s With a view to raising the remainder of the funds required a tea meeting has been arranged for next Thursday evening, at 6 o'clock, and at which some useful and fancy articles will be displayed for sale. A public meeting will follow the tea, and the Rev. A. T. Thompson will deliver the speech of " the evening. Addresses will also be delivered by the Rev. Porter and others.