The Education Program of the church has changed over the years as new emphases and trends have emerged. 
Early in the church’s history the emphasis on “the Sunday School” was on the adult bible study classes. Of course, there were no co-ed classes, but, rather, Men’s Bible Class and/or Women’s Bible Class. Sometime in the late thirties or forties, couples’ classes began to form.
Even the names of children’s classes have undergone transitions over the years. The infants (toddlers) were referred to as “the cradle roll,” but there was no such thing as a nursery. Infants and children attended worship with their parents.
Classes were divided by age groups. Young elementary age children made up the Primary Department. Older elementary entered the Junior Department and up to about fourteen were the Intermediates. After that came the high school department. Perfect attendance was stressed and children worked hard to earn pins or certificates. Certificates were always awarded as children gathered for “Promotion Sunday.”
During the 1940s and the 1950s, the Sunday School program flourished. Small classrooms were filled with children. Some of the dedicated teachers during this period were Mrs. W. B. (Irene) Nowlin, Miss Bertha Ross, Mrs. W. D. (Johnnie) Stephenson, and Mrs. Babe (Alda) Daniell.
As time passed, new developments brought change. Sometime in the 1960s, the names of class divisions changed. Cradle Roll became the nursery. Three- and 4-year olds made up the pre-school division. K-1 designated kindergarten and first grade; Younger Elementary was for second and third graders and Older Elementary included fourth, fifth, and sixth graders. Older elementary and Junior High replaced the Intermediate name.
Throughout the years Vacation Bible School as remained a vital part if the education program of The United Methodist Church. It has changed in length and sometimes in format. We have gone from a two-week school in the afternoons at one time to five days, mornings. We have switched to evening school serving supper to try to involve more adults, to a one-day, all-day school on Saturday. It has been a tradition that we coordinate times with other churches in the community so that children may attend more than one Bible school. Plans are in the works for this year’s school.
Though the number of children who attend Sunday School has declined over the years, we may be seeing that trend shift. We now have teachers who teach as a rotating team.
Elementary school teachers include Shari Mix, Sally Priddy, Polly Caraway, Jennifer Caraway; Debbie Caraway and Gayle Stroud. Junior High teachers include Kelly Dickey and Pam Rice and Senior Highs, Craig and Kelly Smith. Adult division teachers include Dale and Hiram Smith, Dr. Mike Burk, Kevin and Debbie Caraway, Bodie Weaver, James Morgan and Colleen Stockman. Ready substitutes are Deral and Nancy Brown and Pat Eisenrich. |
