Part 1

+=======================================================================+ | ORGANIZATION CHART | +===+=========+===========================+===================+=========+ |AGE| COURSE | TITLES OF COURSES |Departmental Groups| School | | | | +---------+---------+ Grades | | | | | Plan 1 | Plan 2 | | +===+=========+===========================+=========+=========+=========+ | 4|BEGINNERS|The Little Child and the |BEGINNERS|BEGINNERS| KINDER- | | 5| | Heavenly Father (A Two | | | GARTEN | | | | Year Course for children | | | | | | | of Kindergarten age.) | | | | +---+---------+---------------------------+---------+---------+---------+ | 6|I |Bible Stories for the | | | | | | | Sunday School and | | | | | | | Home—Year 1 | | | E | +---+---------+---------------------------+ | | L | | 7|II |Bible Stories for the | PRIMARY | PRIMARY | E | | | | Sunday School and | | | M | | | | Home—Year 2 | | | E | +---+---------+---------------------------+ | | N | | 8|III |Bible Stories for the | | | T | | | | Sunday School and | | | A | | | | Home—Year 3 | | | R | +---+---------+---------------------------+---------+---------+ Y | | 9|IV |Stories from the Olden | | | | | | | Time (including Special | | | G | | | | Summer Material) | | | R | +---+---------+---------------------------+ | | A | | 10|V |Hero Stories (including | | JUNIOR | D | | | | Special Summer Material) | | | E | +---+---------+---------------------------+ JUNIOR | | S | | 11|VI |Kingdom Stories (including | | | | | | | Special Summer Material) | | | | +---+---------+---------------------------+ +---------+ | | 12|VII |Gospel Stories (including | | | | | | | Special Summer Material) | | | | +---+---------+---------------------------+---------+ | | | 13|VIII |Leaders of Israel | | | | | | | (including Special | | INTER- | H | | | | Summer Material) | | MEDIATE | I | +---+---------+---------------------------+ + | G | | 14|IX |Christian Leaders | | | H | | | | (including Special | | | | | | | Summer Material) | | | S | +---+---------+---------------------------+ INTER- +---------+ C | | 15|X |The Life of Christ | MEDIATE | | H | | | | (including Special | | | O | | | | Summer Material) | | | O | +---+---------+---------------------------+ + | L | | 16|XI |Christian Living | | SENIOR | | | | | (including Special | | | | | | | Summer Material) | | | | +---+---------+---------------------------+---------+ | | | 17|XII |The World a Field for | | | | | | | Christian Service | | | | +---+---------+---------------------------+ +---------+ | | 18|XIII |The History and Literature | | | | | | | of the Hebrew People | | | | +---+---------+---------------------------+ SENIOR | | | | 19|XIV |The History of New | | YOUNG | C | | | | Testament Times | | PEOPLE | O | +---+---------+---------------------------+ | TO | L | | 20|XV |The Bible and Social | | 24 | L | | | | Living | | YEARS | E | +---+---------+---------------------------+---------+ | G | | |Special Courses for Parents| | | E | | | and Elective Courses on | ADULT | | | | | Special Topics | | | | +=============+===========================+===================+=========+ | THE COURSES BEGIN WITH OCTOBER | +=======================================================================+

NOTE

PLAN 1: When the Graded Lessons were first issued the yearly courses were grouped to correspond to this well-known classification of pupils, and the text books were marked in accordance with this plan.

PLAN 2: The departmental grouping by a series of three years to a department corresponds to the school grading where Junior High Schools have been organized and is now recommended by many denominations.

Care must be taken to select the Graded Course by age and titles, as indicated in the left column, rather than by department names.

Copyright, 1918, by N. S. Barnes.

Prepared for teachers of children about nine years of age

STORIES FROM THE OLDEN TIME

TEACHER’S TEXT BOOK

COURSE IV, PART I

Prepared by JOSEPHINE L. BALDWIN

HENRY H. MEYER, Editor

THE METHODIST BOOK CONCERN NEW YORK CINCINNATI

Copyright, 1909, 1913, 1917, by Josephine L. Baldwin

The memory verses from the American Standard Bible are copyrighted, 1901 by Thomas Nelson & Sons, New York

To Mrs. J. Woodbridge Barnes

WHOSE CLEAR VISION, WISE LEADERSHIP, AND UNDAUNTED COURAGE HAVE MADE POSSIBLE THE INTERNATIONAL COURSE OF GRADED LESSONS, AND WHOSE CRITICISM AND SUPERVISION HAVE BEEN INVALUABLE IN THE PREPARATION OF THESE LESSONS FOR PUBLICATION, THIS BOOK IS GRATEFULLY DEDICATED

CONTENTS

PAGE =Out of Childhood into Youth= 7

=Our Juniors, Their Teachers and Lesson Helps= 11

GRADED INSTRUCTION 11 Reasons for Having a Graded System; The Purpose of the Graded Course; The Material Used.

THE JUNIOR COURSE 12 Arrangement of Material; The Aims; The Correlated Lesson.

THE JUNIOR PERIOD 14 Beginning and End; Characteristics; Spiritual Needs.

THE JUNIOR TEACHER 16 Personality; Opportunity.

GUIDES FOR STUDY AND TEACHING 19 The Teacher’s Text Book; The Pupil’s Book for Work and Study; The Children’s Bible; The Rainbow Bookmark; How the Bookmark is Used; The Bookmark as a Reward.

PROMOTION REQUIREMENTS AND HONORS 26 The Basis for Promotion; Recognition for Extra Work.

=Stories from the Olden Time=

I. STORIES OF THE BEGINNINGS 27 1. In the Beginning 29 2. The Garden of Eden 35 3. Hiding from God 40 4. Cain and Abel 46 5. Review 51 6. The Building of the Ark 54 7. The Flood and the Rainbow 60

II. STORIES OF THREE PATRIARCHS 65 8. The Call of Abram 67 9. Giving Lot the First Choice 72 10. Abram’s Rescue of Lot 77 11. Abraham Entertaining Angels 83 12. The Song of Mary (Christmas Lesson) 88 13. Review 93

=Appendixes= 97

A. Memory Work 99 B. Book List 101 C. List of Stereographs 103 D. Aids for Superintendent and Teacher 105 E. Outline of Lessons for the Year 107

OUT OF CHILDHOOD INTO YOUTH

Traits of Boyhood and Girlhood

At the beginning of the period of childhood for which the Junior Course is intended, approximately nine years of age, there appears to be in the life of the normal boy or girl a real transition as the traits and interests of earlier years give way to those of full fledged boyhood and girlhood. Strange premonitions of impending physical and mental changes now appear, with suggestions of riper years that are rapidly approaching. The physical and mental changes of this period are accompanied by an awakening of social consciousness. This is noticeable in the friendships formed, in the increase of love and sympathy for others and in the dawning recognition of obligations toward others. The opposite of the same tendency is reflected in the sense of rivalry and emulation and, especially in boys, in the developing spirit of pugnacity, tempered with a tendency to defend the weak. This growing social consciousness brings with it also a stronger consciousness of self, a clearer recognition of right and wrong and an awakening of conscience which now begins to take the place of rules made by others as a guide to action.

The Inner Life of the Spirit

The normal growth of the inner life of the spirit is likewise rapid, the spiritual awakening which may be counted on during this period bringing with it the first religious crisis in the life of the boy and girl. For this crisis the most careful preparation should be made. When the spiritual awakening comes, the child should be given an opportunity to choose for himself to live as God’s child in obedience to his laws and in loving unselfish devotion and service for others. When the choice has been made, the new sense of responsibility which follows must be fostered and the child aided by suggestion and encouragement in daily conduct to follow right habits of thought and action. The meaning, need and the helpfulness of worship may be taught through actual participation in services of worship suited to the pupil’s age and the manner of his natural expression of religious impulses and aspirations.

Materials and Methods

The materials provided in the course of religious instruction for this period take into account the growing interest of the pupil in definite information and knowledge. This material includes stories with a rich coloring of adventure and connected historical narratives appealing to the interests of this age. By the use of these materials the mind of the pupil is stored with the best Biblical images of strong and noble character as his studies introduce him to the great heroes and champions of the faith of past ages. Much emphasis is laid upon religious privileges and duties, while profitable occupation exercises are suggested to insure a daily reinforcement of the lesson taught in the Sunday school hour. By precept and example the teacher may inculcate habits of neatness, accuracy, punctuality, patience and other virtues. He may watch over the religious life and as a wise specialist in the field of soul nurture may anticipate and prepare the way for each successive stage of that life’s unfolding.

This Text Book

The introductory chapters of this Teacher’s Text Book, entitled Our Juniors, Their Teachers and Lesson Helps, present in detail the aims, the methods and the underlying principles governing this Junior Course. A careful study of this chapter together with the introductory chapters for the other years of the course will be found most profitable.

The Course and the Writer

We would unreservedly commend the writer of this course, Josephine L. Baldwin, to the confidence of all teachers. She writes, not from theory alone, but from long, practical experience in teaching Junior children. Every one of the lessons contained in this course she has taught repeatedly. As a teacher of teachers, therefore, she speaks with authority in the suggestions and directions contained in this Teacher’s Text Book. The stories and suggestions regarding method in the form in which they are here presented, are the rich fruitage of her expert knowledge and training. There are no better courses for use with children of junior age than this course. It is a tool well fashioned for its intended use. As such it will not furnish a substitute for intelligent study and devotion on the part of the teacher, nor will its use lessen the dependence of the teacher on Divine help and inspiration in teaching; but these personal qualifications being present, this Junior Course and the graded system, of which it is a part, should yield large returns for the Kingdom in the stimulation, growth, and enrichment of the religious experience and life of children.

THE EDITOR.

OUR JUNIORS, THEIR TEACHERS AND LESSON HELPS

GRADED INSTRUCTION

Reasons for Having a Graded System

The reason for having a graded course of instruction for the Sunday school is that the children differ year by year in knowledge, capacity, interests, and needs. Graded lessons are simply an attempt to meet these differences with instruction suited to each year of the developing life. The aim of religious education is to fit the child for complete Christian living, to make him not simply a religious individual but a useful member of society, intelligently devoted to the highest welfare of his fellows and of mankind. In order that this may be accomplished he must have knowledge and his knowledge must lead to action. There is a broad purpose underlying the graded lessons which is thus stated in terms of the children’s religious needs.

The Purpose of the Graded Course

The purpose of the graded lessons is to meet the spiritual needs of the pupil at each stage of his development. The spiritual needs, broadly stated, are these:

1. To know God as he has revealed himself to us in his Word, in nature, in the heart of man, and in Christ.

2. To exercise toward God the Father, and his Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord and Saviour, trust, obedience, and worship.

3. To know and do our duty to others.

4. To know and do our duty to ourselves.

The Material Used

The material through which this purpose is to be attained is taken mainly from the Bible and treated as story, biography, history, or literature according to the period for which it is used. There are certain facts, not found in the Bible, the knowledge of which is essential if the pupils are to see God in the present day world. Therefore, many nature lessons are given to the little children, incidents in the lives of modern followers of the Lord are provided for the older children, and broader studies from the field of modern reform and of missionary movements for young men and women. There are also lessons on the Book itself and how it has come to us. All of these lessons start outside of the Bible and lead back into it for their explanation. The Bible lessons begin with the Word and go out into life for their application. The one is just as biblical as the other.

THE JUNIOR COURSE

Arrangement of Material

In the Graded System the Junior Course follows the two-years Beginners’ Course and the three-years Primary Course. In those earlier years the stories are not chosen chronologically but are grouped under themes. The sense of time dawns when the child is about nine years old, therefore the Graded Lessons for the Juniors are arranged chronologically, at first by periods and later in a straight chronological course from the Conquest of Canaan to the end of New Testament History.

The Aims

The aim for the Junior lessons as a whole is:

=To help the child to become a doer of the Word, and to lead him into conscious loyalty to Jesus Christ.=

The aims for each of the four years are these:

=1. To awaken an interest in the Bible, and love for it; to deepen the impulse to choose and to do the right.=

=2. To present the ideal of moral heroism; to reveal the power and majesty of Jesus Christ, and to show his followers going forth in his strength to do his work.=

=3. To deepen the sense of responsibility for right choices; to show the consequences of right and wrong choices; to strengthen love of the right and hatred of the wrong.=

=4. To present Jesus as our Example and Saviour; to show that the Christian life is a life of service; to deepen interest in the Book which contains God message to the world.=

In the first year all but eight of the fifty-two lessons are the elemental stories taken from the first five books of the Bible. This is as it should be, for these stories appeal more strongly at this time than at any later period. As the first twenty-six lessons are found in the book of Genesis the stories are easy to find and the child is not perplexed and confused by having to search for the one he wants among many books with unfamiliar and difficult names. He is led by easy stages in his Bible readings, and through the charm of the stories, together with his growing ability to handle the book in which they are found, the child not only becomes interested in the Bible but learns to love it.

The second part of the aim implies obedience, and that may be said to be the key-word of this year’s work. (See the Junior motto and verse for the year on the inside of front cover of the Work Book.) With these children, it is largely the absolute obedience of the immature. This form of obedience is a temporary virtue which must eventually be lost in self-control. But no one can attain the most perfect self-mastery who has not first learned to yield obedience to rightful authority. The transfer of the seat of authority from without to within should keep pace with the child’s growth in knowledge, in emotional balance and control, in moral strength, and in the ability to form accurate judgments. The teacher’s aim is to bring the child’s will into line with God’s will for him.

The Correlated Lesson

In the Junior period it is essential that two lessons be given every week, the one the regular lesson in the Junior Graded Series and the other a lesson dealing with the more mechanical part of the instruction. This is called the Correlated Lesson because it is closely related to the main lesson. The reason for having it is that during the Junior period there is a large amount of information which must be given in order that the pupils may grasp the truths in the lesson stories and learn how to handle the Bible with ease.

In the first year the books and divisions of the Bible must be taught. In the other years Bible geography becomes increasingly important as a background for the lessons, and this is the time when it should be studied; for the sense of location dawns at about the ninth year and the interest in geography is at its highest during the Junior period. Some knowledge of the manners and customs of Bible lands is necessary for an understanding of many of the stories. All through the Junior period are required frequent drills on essential facts and all material for memorization in order that those things may be permanently held in memory.

A Junior child cannot profitably pay attention to one subject for more than twenty minutes consecutively. The lesson story on any given Sunday requires that much time, so it would be impossible to combine with it in one Junior lesson period the necessary correlated information. Fifteen minutes should be devoted to the Correlated Lesson, preferably the first quarter of the Sunday-school hour, to be followed by the service of worship and all the other exercises, leaving the last twenty minutes for the lesson of the day.

In schools where this plan is followed and the lessons are well taught, the memory texts are both learned and remembered. The children are familiar with Bible lands and can associate events with the places where they occurred. They understand the strange customs of Bible times and therefore are not puzzled by accounts that would otherwise be unintelligible. They know the Bible as a book and can find references easily. The upper grade Juniors can find a score of the great passages in the Bible without having the reference given. In schools where the correlated lessons are not taught the children are not only ignorant of many things they ought to know, but do not gain the benefit that they should get from the course of study.

THE JUNIOR PERIOD

Beginning and End

Only broad and general statements can be made concerning the division lines between the different departments of the Sunday school, especially after the end of the Primary; but the largest factor in deciding when the Junior period begins is the ability on the part of the pupils to read well enough to be able to read in the Bible without too much stumbling. The end of the period is indicated by the beginning of adolescence, and this fixes the Junior period of the normal child as extending over at least three years. The course provides studies for four years.

Characteristics

The general characteristics of the children in this period are marked, differing in many important particulars from those of the period before and still more sharply from those manifested in the adolescent years. There is a reaching out for and a choice of companions differing from the happy-go-lucky way in which the Primary child accepts his neighbors as playmates and a growing tendency to concentration in groups or gangs accompanied by the most intense loyalty to the members of the group. The normal interests which have an important bearing are those in reading, heroes, the forces of nature, and the attainment of results. Intellectually, the child begins to seek for reality. The historic sense develops, and the sense of location both develops and matures during this period. There is a deep regard for authority if rightly administered by one who the child feels has a right to rule over him. Memory is strong and retentive. A deep-seated, though egoistic, sense of justice is apparent. This is preeminently a time when habits are formed and fixed.