Cleveland, Ohio’s Socialist Party was among the most established and left wing of any in the country, with the city counting several thousand members and supporters. Here is a report on the fairly fully realized Socialist Sunday School, of which they offered weekly classes for five different age groups, advancing from drawing radical cartoons to a close reading of ‘Value, Price, and Profit’ for the teenagers. Below is their curriculum and a report of their activities.

‘Cleveland’s Socialist Sunday School’ by Frank Wilt from the Ohio Socialist. No. 13. January 10, 1918.

We attended the Christmas exercises of the Cleveland Socialist Sunday School on December 30th. It was a revelation. Superintendent Wilt, in his remarks preliminary to the program, said: “There are too many Socialist parents whose children grow up into Republicans and Democrats. This has got to stop. Not that these parents are altogether to blame, for our capitalistic environment is extensive and I might say, overwhelming. Children, boys and girls, young men and women, surrounded as they are with capitalistic schools, papers, movies, and other associations will not become Socialists unless they learn to know Socialism. Parents in many instances have no time to teach children Socialism, and then again, many have not sufficient knowledge to do it. For this reason the Socialist Sunday school is an absolute necessity, for we can, every Sunday, knock out all the false teachings which children are apt to imbibe during the week.”

The rebel songs sung by the children were inspiring, the musical and recitational program was far above the average and to illustrate the children’s knowledge of Socialism. Comrade Wilt asked questions such as: What is it the workingman has to sell? Would America have been discovered if Columbus had not lived, and what were the economic reasons for its discovery? Was this world always the same as it is today? To these questions the children gave immediate and clear answers.

To all of which we only want to add that it’s time you were starting a Socialist Sunday school in your local. Read method of organization of the Cleveland school below:

ORGANIZATION AND CURRICULUM OF THE CLEVELAND SOCIALIST SUNDAY SCHOOLS

The Socialist party of Cleveland is made up of local branches. Each of these send delegates to what is known as a Sunday school board. This board collects all money and pays all bills, elects a superintendent and transacts all other important business of the Sunday schools. For this season’s school I was chosen to act as superintendent.

Now as to a program for the school. This work is all up those who run the school, for no school or class material can be collected that amounts to much, though I believe that the National party is working on the matter and gathering data, as is also the Rand School of Social Science.

Here is one outline of what we do at our school.

School starts each Sunday morning at 10 o’clock sharp.

General assemblage.

(a) Singing of a Socialist song, reading from “Nature Talks on Economics” or one of Jack London’s books or anything worthwhile, or a little talk by some visiting comrade or my- self.

(b) Class study from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m.

(c) General assemblage again and singing of some Socialist song and announcements from 11:30 to 11:45,

We have five c classes.

1 includes children of kindergarten and first grade ages.
2 includes children of second and third grades.
3 includes children of 4th, 5th and 6th grades.
4 includes children of 7th and 8th grades.
and
5 includes high school boys girls and anyone else who wishes to attend. Of course this is not a “cut and dried” way of forming classes.

The subject material for our class study is the following:

The first class is entertained as well as taught. I have not outlined much for this class yet. So far they have been drawing Henry Dubb pictures or modeling the same with clay; playing with colored sticks. The teacher reads a few simple lessons.

The second class has its lessons prepared from Katherine Dopp’s books, Tree Dwellers, Early Cave Dwellers, Early Sea People and Later Cave Dwellers. Later we expect to teach them a few easy lessons on what capitalism means and also on what socialism means.

Our third class is taught a broad outline of evolution, viz.: The origin of our planet and its formation and development. Meyer’s “Making of the World” Kerr Co., is used as a textbook for the teacher. “Evolution of Man,” Kerr Co., textbook for the teacher. Primitive history of man, savagery, barbarism and communism, “Origin of the Family,” Kerr Co., a textbook for teachers. Feudalism, Gibbon’s Industrial History of England as a textbook, Capitalism, its origin and development, Gibbon’s History, Robinson, Beard, “Development of Modern Europe,” 2 vols. A.M. Simons “Social Forces in American History” and the “Communist Manifesto.” Socialism and what it means, “Socialism Summed Up,” by Hillquit.

Pupils of the fourth class are taught economics thirty minutes. Each pupil has one of Mary Marcy’s “Shop Talks on Economics” as a text book. For thirty minutes more they study American history from “Socialist Forces in American History.”

The 5th class is reading and studying “Value, Price and Profit.” Each pupil is furnished with a free book. As a sideline of activities, the following course is pursued. We have several parties and picnics for the children. Halowe’en parties, bob sled parties, coasting parties, visiting sugar camp in spring, hiking party. On Xmas we aim to have a tree and have the children entertain the older comrades by singing and reciting poems. or giving a playlet. On May day the children march in the party parade, carrying banners and singing. A wagon or carriage is furnished for the smaller children. The children also contribute to the May day celebration program.

In conclusion I will say, be prompt in starting and closing. Teachers should never be absent if at all possible to attend. Always give the children to understand that you are in earnest. Introduce as much democracy in the affairs of the schools as possible. For instance, we had three big boys who were a little unruly. I preferred charges against them and told them to prepare their case for the following Sunday. The next Sunday both sides were heard. The general assemblage voted “not guilty.” If they had been found guilty I would have expelled them for a short period and then had the class vote as to whether or not the penalty should stand. In this way democracy is introduced and also the idea of how to run a meeting. Never be despotic. Always explain to the children the school is theirs. You are only running it for them. Explain the need of discipline to them and they will take care of all offenders.

One important point is to have good teachers, Marxian students is possible. Teachers who know, first, what to teach and second, how to teach. These will be very hard to get, but a number of the comrades are generally capable, if they will make an effort to teach. We are all amateurs in the beginning and a few weeks work will teach us how to adapt ourselves to the children. If any effort is made and a little common sense used any local can have a Socialist Sunday school. Five or ten children will be well worth your effort.

Yours truly,

FRANK WILT. P. S. We are starting a library for the children.

The Ohio Socialist, published by the Left Wing-dominated Socialist Party of Ohio in Cleveland from January, 1917 to November, 1919. It was edited by Alfred Wagenknecht Wagenknecht spent most of 1918 in jail for “violation of the Conscription Act.” The paper grew from a monthly to a semi-monthly and then to a weekly in July, 1918 and eventually a press run of over 20,000. The Ohio Socialist Party’s endorsement of the Left Wing Manifesto led to it suspension at the undemocratic, packed Socialist Party Convention in 1919. As a recognized voice of the Left Wing, the paper carried the odd geographical subheading, “Official Organ of the Socialist Parties of Ohio and Kentucky, Virginia, West Virginia and New Mexico” by 1919’s start. In November of that year the paper changed to the “labor organ” of the Communist Labor Party and its offices moved to New York City and its name changed to The Toiler, a precursor to the Daily Worker. There the paper was edited by James P. Cannon for a time.

PDF of full issue: https://www.marxists.org/history/usa/pubs/ohio-socialist/013-jan-10-1918-ohio-soc.pdf